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Hi, I just bought a vintage King Cutter. It looks to be in good shape despite the years. In addition to getting it professionally honed, I'm looking to restore the finish. Please advise how I can bring back that mirror finish, while not using any polishing products that may remove any of the gold "King Cutter" etching. Thanks!
Without pics there is just no way for us to answer ...
You might look two places the beginning of the Workshop Forum has a sticky with a plethora of information in it
The Wiki has a restoration section too...
Here are some pics...
Not to sound mean, but that razor is almost perfect to me like it is. I would hone it up and use it. I really don't think you will improve the finish that much without risking damage to the gold wash. That is a beauty and I would not risk hurting it for the sake of a mirror finish. If I wasn going to do anything, I might have the scales shined up or have it rescaled, but I would not mess with the blade much.
Just my opinion.
Good Luck!
Thanks for your advice. I definitely want the scales shined up. And it does have minor pitting and tarnish you can't really see from the pics. Any people you can recommend through this website that have good reputations for their refurbishing work?
If the razor has minor pitting and tarnish and you want it all out, considering the blade also has a lot of gold wash unless you do a spot polish you will loose the gold wash. I would just have the scales polished and the razor sharpened unless your desire to have the razor shine like new is stronger than preserving the gold wash.
Oh yeah, like the others say, that baby's ready to hone. Nice score.
I agree with the other comments. I don't think you will be able to get it much better looking that it already is! You could use Mass polishing creme on the blade but don't go near the gold wash or it will be removed. Mass also works well for polishing the scales. Beautiful razor!
+1 on what others have said. Gold wash, while pretty to look at is so delicate that even wiping a wet soft cloth over it more than just a light initial cleaning can start to alter the gold wash. Absolutely, as someone already stated, you throw virtually any polishing compound into the scenario and the gold wash will be noticeably and permanently altered; the more you rub, the more it goes away.
Spot polishing around the gold wash can accentuate the areas that are aged more than you'd like as well.
You'll probably have to stick with what you have. There are very advanced methods that I've never worked with personally such as re-plating that would be a potential alternative. You'd be hard pressed to find someone with the tools and the skill to do such work however. I would expect such a re-plating if done by someone skilled in plating to cost more than you probably paid for that entire razor.
Chris L
I have the same one as you, it's about the same shape as yours also. I just sent mine to floppshoes for honing and then I'm gonna use that sucker. It really looks in great shape and you wouldn't want the "King Cutter" in gold removed from the blade by polishing it.
Thanks for all your advice. I'll think I'll keep it as is, just get it honed and polish the scales. Happy shaving!
+1 to what the others have said...great score.
If you're just going to polish up the scales, all you'll need is a good polish and a little elbow grease. You may not even have to send it in for that, unless you're getting the polish and honing together.
Hone it and use it, the blade looks brand new although the scales need to be cleaned and polished.