Thread: Used a razor that I restored and honed myself today

Today was the first shave that I got to complete with a razor that I restored and honed myself. Everything went great and the razor was a fantastic shaver. It was a Pyramid Brand Geneva Cutlery Corp. razor that I picked up on ebay for 6 bucks shipped. If I wasn't hooked on straight razor shaving before I'm definitely hooked now. It was a very rewarding experience to shave with something that I was solely responsible for fixing back up and getting shave ready.

Congrats on your new found lifestyle

Thats how I got hooked myself.

This is good news. What did you use to sharpen it? Tell us more about your process.

Originally Posted by jaswarb

This is good news. What did you use to sharpen it? Tell us more about your process.

I used the always popular Norton 4/8 and finished it on a Chinese 12k stone. I've just started out honing razors, but I've honed tools and knives for years so that helped to make the learning curve a little less steep for me. Not that I'm saying I still don't have a lot to learn.
As far as the restore side of it went, the razor was actually in really good shape, just had to sand a little bit of light surface rust off and then polish it a little bit. Well worth the 6 dollar price tag I paid for it lol.

Very interesting I started with knives myself. Most of the skills translate well enough. It is a significant adjustment of pressure and persistence as well learning how delicate the final edge. I visualize it like drawing foil out from the steel edge.

Stopping is an fun adventure all its own.

I also came from knives, Japanese Kitchen knives with hard steel. My experiences there as far as how to set a bevel, how to keep an edge flat on the stones is good with thin knives and such really helped me out. That got me close to a good edge, getting a Pro finished razor later on showed me how much farther I needed to go. Doing it your self improves your skills and allows you to really know your razor and equipment

Congrats again

I'm luckey enough to have shaved with a razor that was honed by someone who really knows what they are doing so I know I have a long way to go. If it was too easy to learn it wouldn't be that interesting of a hobby though.

Congratulations. It's very satisfying to hone up a razor and get a good shave with your own hands.