Thread: help picking which razor

I have been thinking about using a straight razor, so have been picking some up as I come across them. Now it is time to have a couple made shave ready. I have read the recommended list, and am not sure about a couple of these.
I will try and get pictures of them up somewhere. I have pics of 2 of them on a gallery at my .mac account (gallery.me.com/tkmitchell/)
Here is a list, any opinions on which ones to have fixed up first?

Royal, Simmons Hardware Co. On the blade is "The Celebrated Razor" "Royal Keen Kutter", blade in good shape, scales good and tight.

Faultless 122, F.A. Koch Made in Germany. blade and scales good.

Keen Kutter 745, Hollow Ground, Shapleigh's St. Louis. scales good, pin at blade is loose so you have to guide it shut, corrosion on one side of blade

Dixon Cutlery Co. Germany, back side of blade has a 73 and a logo that looks like a U and N in an oval. scales are rough on bottom, but otherwise good and tight. blade has rust and corrosion but edge is good.

Genco Old Dutch, real good condition.

Joseph Allen & Sons, NON-XLL, Medium Size Hollow Ground, blade good, scales not uniform in size but closes good and is tight.

Frederick Reynolds, blade good but has a couple nicks in edge, scales could be replaced, one side is damaged but it still closes tight and pins are good. this thing is big and heavy, i think it is a 7/8 wedge? probably weighs as much as 3 of the others, pictures at gallery.me.com/tkmitchell/

Unknown, only marking is "Germany". very nice looking, it has what looks like ivory on the tang, back of blade is "scalloped" pictures at gallery.me.com/tkmitchell/ please help me identify it

Geo Wostenholm & Son, has a upside down pipe on other side of blade. scales are good, tight, but this has the worst blade of the bunch. the edge is good but has corrosion and pitting. you can actually feel the roughness. (the other blades visually look rusted/corroded, but still feel smooth).

G. Wostenholm & Son, I-XL , blade ok, pins loose



I will be doing some cleanup of the blades and try to get some decent pictures.

Thanx for any help

Whichever one gets you excited I say.

liking straightes is a personal preferences.start any of them and move on.if you have a beard etc choose 7/8 blade first.. As long as you dont start with apki's you should be ok.Make sure your fist blade sharpened proprely .gl

That not a bad collection but as bud said get them sharpened first so that you know what a sharp edge should be like and try each one for a week or two, and choose on the merits as each one will have a different character.

Pick a honer/restorer to send them too.
Take detailed pics of them all.

Ask him for quotes on each.
Send him the ones that it's worth it to spend what he's asking for the repairs.
Resell the ones it's not worth it to you or else use them to practice restoring yourself.

Joseph and sons seems to be on a lot of people's favorites list.

I know Genco's are good.

Unknowns are always a pleasure when they wind up being good.

So just from your list, I'd focus on those 3 first, personally.