Thread: FW Engels "Rainbow" Temper Toned 7 day set ?

This looks a bit suspect to me. The seller characterizes the blades as being 'rainbow' temper toned. I ain't saying they've been overheated ....... but it sure looks like it. Thoughts ?

Antique F w Engels 7 Day Straight Razor Set in OB Rainbow Temper Toned Blades | eBay

I have seen stuff that looks just like that and it cleans off pretty easy with polish and mothers, however we have all seen overheated steel that looks very similar. If they are like that from overheating it looks like that happened a very long time ago. They hardly look like they have had a fresh polish. Kind of a hard worn set to begin with but those colors don't exactly make it any more appealing either. If you look at it as buying a box and seven sets of scales, it might be worth a little bit. If you won and had three workable blades as a bonus that would be Ok. Sometimes you have to look at what is really there and bid accordingly.

I looked at those last night because the price was pretty good. First thing I thought was buffing wheel, but i see what you mean about it happening a while ago. Didn't notice about them being temper toned. That's a good one. Not sure how I missed that..

It could be staining, the blue is definitely there, but I was looking at the tang stamps and the blades, and they all seem uniformly worn with the same directional pattern, as if each has been put on a buffing wheel?

Nah. They are tarnished. Funny how the seller made that 'Rainbow Temper' thing up! Nice work!
One is odd, hone wear on all. Pile of celluloid. Nuthin there, IMO

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Nah. They are tarnished. Funny how the seller made that 'Rainbow Temper' thing up! Nice work!
One is odd, hone wear on all. Pile of celluloid. Nuthin there, IMO

The box of course! The rest could be junk but the box still has value, it is in way better shape than those blades.

Originally Posted by RezDog

The box of course! The rest could be junk but the box still has value, it is in way better shape than those blades.

NO, Shaun. No box for you. Has no class. ....Sorry!

The six matching razors are "Engels Wedge" razors. I know a lot of the more modern "wedge" razors are really more what I would call quarter hollow (I've got a Checker Wedge like this) but these razors look to be more like full hollow. I think someone did take them to a grinding wheel and hollowed them out more than they were originally and in the process overheated the blades. But you would think they would stop after the first one or two, wouldn't you?

Originally Posted by goldragon

The six matching razors are "Engels Wedge" razors. I know a lot of the more modern "wedge" razors are really more what I would call quarter hollow (I've got a Checker Wedge like this) but these razors look to be more like full hollow. I think someone did take them to a grinding wheel and hollowed them out more than they were originally and in the process overheated the blades. But you would think they would stop after the first one or two, wouldn't you?

You might have something there. Oddly enough, the seller pictures 6 of the razors together aside from the oddball that is obviously an Engels Wedge. It is slightly longer than the others.

As you say, they are stamped 'Wedge' but are full hollow. It could very well be that poor regrinding, overheating the blades, led to the color of the 6 blades. I wouldn't gamble on it myself.

Seems pretty obvious that the temper is gone by overheating because even the odd ball razor has the "Rainbow Temper".