Thread: Family Heirloom Restoration

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Nice work, Doc-I just got an Engstrom in the mail today that is nearly identical to that frameback as far as rust coverage. I would be interested in hearing your technique for rust removal if you would be willing to share it. Thanks-Aaron

I wish I had a trick. It’s all sandpaper and a final buff. I usually start at 320 or so and go up to 1500. I have a small hard rubber block I use with the sandpaper.

Here's the finale to the frameback - the Coudert is already back with its owner. Honing this one was a treat (not!), there was no bevel at all after decades of pasted strops, so cutting bevels was the first order of business. Complicating things is that the edge is 'S' shaped, and I cut the bevels and honed the blade in 3 sections, toe, frown, and heel, them smoothed everything together. Once the bevels were cut/set, it was really pretty straightforward. Being family heirlooms, my goal was to remove the smallest amount of metal possible consistent with a proper bevel. I used one layer of electrical tape protected with one layer of 1 mil Kapton.

A Chosera 600 cut the bevels, followed by a Shapton Glass HR 2k and 4k. At 4k, I did a light stropping, tested the bevel set by HHT, then touched up a spot that I'd missed and was visible after the bevels began to pick up a little polish. Next was a Japanese kiita slurried with a diamond plate, then the jnat finisher, a hard Nakayama. I didn't actually do the whole shave with it, just enough to confirm that the razor was indeed ready to go after 100+ years.

Cheers, Steve

You did a hell of a job, my friend.

Thank you sir, Alfredo did the heavy lift!

Chers, Steve