Thread: So, I was going to post asking if you can effectively polish a razor by hand...

Thanks for the information and encouragement! Here's some better pics along with the old scales and new scales.

I hadn't thought of an eraser and was worried about using steel wool as I work in Healthcare and people get kinda testy if you have scabs, blisters and bandaids when you go to touch them. ;-) I have a Dremel but just wanted to go totally old school and so tried that first... The corners where the blade comes in to the shoulder was tough and I ended up using a cotton swab but eraser would have been WAY better!

I have been using a straight for three months... Two months effectively. I have a goatee and I love this new form of shaving but I'm not shaving my goat so I learned pretty quick as I just had the easier areas to do. I also have a long background in Healthcare and have done wound care using scalpels in the past so that gave me a boost with blade control (.. people kinda scream, cry and bleed if you don't have that.. ;-).. ) so that was a fairly easy part for me as I'd also done wound care on myself (I now know why you MUST turn the lawnmower off before filling with gas!) in the past.

I also had been collecting/light restoring knives since about '98 or so. I actually honed my first razor using knife stuff and it shaved but not well. Once I picked up the right honing gear that wasn't too tough. I have watched a lot of videos here and read a ton so I've just been taking it one step further by going hands on.

I am somewhat embarassed how deep this hook got set in me... I've got a corner cabinet filled with old cups and brushes and some vintage advertising/signs as well as about 30 or so vintage blades, 6 blades from the Classifieds here, 3 I've honed myself all in rotation and now have all the tools to restore as long as I stick to doing it by hand. I had a way out of control case of RAD and have found taking the next step to restoring is helping to chill that RAD right out and my wife really likes that part!

This is just absolutely addicting and a total blast. I have been looking for my next Hobby for quite some time and this is working really, really well... And, the environment of this Forum and all the information and encouragement has just really fueled a huge drive for me!

Scales get pinned tonight! More pics after!