So I've got this DE blade sharpener. An Allegro model L. It came in a box: It looks like this: This is the inside of the lid (short overview of the sharpener): And there's a manual addes. Here's the pics: And here's the manual in Enlish (it's also printed in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portugese, Swedish, Szech and Dutch): So how does it work? First you open the lid of the contraption, remove the blade holder and open it. The DE blade is clamped in the holder (it closes by turning a small thingymagog - a nut): The carriage has slots where the blade holder fits: So you -carefully- put the holder in the slots and you're good to go: Continues in part 2...
Allegro Mod L sharpener, part 2 When you move the carriage one edge of the blade is honed (or stropped in this case): When you return the carriage, it tilts the other way so you can hone / strop the other edge: At the end of the return pass the blade flips over so you hone / strop the other side of the blade. Two times back and forth = all 4 sides are honed. Now a bit on the sharpening stone. It has three sides to it. Black, green and leather. Dunno the grit, but I understood the green side is finer than the black side. So I always hone first on the black side: Then I turn the stone (you can reach it from the under side of the device) to the green side: After honing on the green side I turn the stone further to the leather side: I do 4 full hones on the black side (8 x back and forth) and the same on the green side. I do double on the leather side. It does seem to work on my vintage blades.I can use them at least as much as the modern stainless and coated DE blades. Now this device only takes DE blades. I see them around on the Bay and in antique stores. But there are other models. I'd like to find me the much coveted model E for SE blades (Gem, Star, but Valet Autostrop as well). They are much rarer: So there you have it. Allegro mod. L. Hope you like it!
The lit says one blade lasts a year. So 51 blades saved at $.15 - $.25 per blade equals about $10 per year. Tidy profit I'd say.
Very cool! Are vintage DEs the same thickness as modern DE blades (Does the coating make a noticable difference)?
As I come across more and more new old stock blades I've become curious about the various DE blade stroppers/sharpeners out there. It's nice to see a someone using one successfully. As far as the thickness of NOS blades is concerned, I have never noticed any difference when compared to modern DE blades, but I have only used around ten different brands of NOS blades. The biggest difference is that most of the new old stock blades are carbon steel rather than stainless steel.
Well, I'm not totally sure yet about the Allegro, but I'm busy testing a NOS blade (Max Herder, some Dutch brand from the days when). See how much shaves I can get out of it... I guess it should work! That's what they sold it for back then... A quick note on thickness: most old blades are about as thin as the current blades, (some 0.08 mm) but I've got some blades which are only 0.06 mm thick! Only one or two left... but I got some great shaves out of 'em! They're the three hole type blades, so they don't fit in the Super Speed, but luckily I've got my Old Style OC and the Ugly Duckling!
Really enjoyed this post, very interesting, I've often wondered how the old sharpening "thingys" worked. Now I know. Many thanks.
Today I retired the Max Herder blade. I've used it for 19 shaves. I've got close to 80 of these blades left, so they'll last me some time. I've got some more vintage blades, which I'll be testing eventually.
