Thread: First Restore!

Hello all,

I would first like to thank everyone on this site for all the tutorials, advice, and how to videos. This project would have been much harder without them, so thank you.

This was my first restore. I’d been tinkering with some wood working over the last year, but hadn’t really done anything beyond sanding, and rough shaping. Other than that, this is the very first wood project I’ve finished since Junior High School.

Not really sure what this razor is, where it was made, or how old it is (I’ll probable have to query that in the Razors sub forum, but if anyone has any ideas, please let me know). The only markings are those on the tang, “Sterling Warranted”.

Anyway.

It wasn’t all that bad when I first got it. I spent days with an old tube of Flitz, and a paper towel polishing it because I didn’t feel the desire to use greaseless compounds.

The scales are formed from Santos Rosewood (that’s what it said on the label from Johnson’s Workbench, but I looked it up, and it goes by several other names including Bolivian Rosewood. Smells beautiful, and is very oily, but apparently not a true Rosewood like Cocobolo.) It has brass liners, spacer, and pins, and bearings. The washers are steel. I finished it with Birchwood Casey’s Tru-Oil (I still have to finish a few more coats on the back side, then I’ll buff with wax.)

I made a lot of mistakes with this one, but am still pleased with the outcome. I still have a few finishing touches left (like the final coats, wax, and honing), but I like the way it’s turning out.


Comments welcome.

Before:


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After:


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ETA:

Still new here, but do I now post this in the Gallery?

There is a forum called Customs and restorations, I would post it there next time.
Did you say you spent days with the polish? Can I ask why you didn't use fine sandpaper?
That blade looks like it could be quite old. I like the shoulderless look that goes way down the tang. Not bad for a first attempt.
Was the three pins in front intended?

Very nice job indeed.

That pinning is great work, especially it being your first resto where most would be happy to just bang one through and hope like hell it worked out.

Good stuff

GREAT first restore and cool scale design.
Like souschefdude said dont be scared to hit the blade with some wet and dry sand paper. If its just a very mild clean your after you could start around the 600 grit then maybe 800, 1200, or if the 600 doesnt quite do it try starting at 400.
Well done.
Grant

I think that looks great for a first restore. The pins look good too.

Originally Posted by souschefdude

There is a forum called Customs and restorations, I would post it there next time.
Did you say you spent days with the polish? Can I ask why you didn't use fine sandpaper?
That blade looks like it could be quite old. I like the shoulderless look that goes way down the tang. Not bad for a first attempt.
Was the three pins in front intended?

Thanks for the heads up.

Reason I went the polish route instead of sandpaper was some experimentation to see how it would go. I've tried hand sanding a Cold Steel blank, and found that it's not as easy as one thinks keeping the grind even. So, I thought I'd go slow with the polish (Something to do while reading the restore threads).

I agree with you on the Shoulderless down the tang look. It just looks classy to me. And yes, the three pin design was intentional. Actually, if I'd just gone with one pin, I'd probably have been able to use the wedge that I first made for it. Problem was, I drilled the holes before making the wedge, so the three pinholes didn't line up proper when I put it together. I like the three pin look myself.

Thanks to everyone else for the comps and comments.

If the mods feel this is better served in the other sub-forum, please feel free to move it.

Very nice, indeed!

Looks like in the before shot it might have had a slight frown??

From the after shot, though, I don't see it (if it was there to begin with); so nice job taking the frown out, too!

Kent

Originally Posted by MykelDR

Very nice job indeed.

That pinning is great work, especially it being your first resto where most would be happy to just bang one through and hope like hell it worked out.

Good stuff

LOL.

You don't even know the whole story. I had to redo the front three pins twice, and when I finally got those in place, I actually discovered that I had pinned the blade in backwards. I think I pinned the whole thing about three times total, and that includes re-sanding, and re-oiling, and re-rubbing after the scuff marks the removing of pins did to the scales. Like I said. I made a lot of mistakes on this one.

Originally Posted by klsmsn

Very nice, indeed!

Looks like in the before shot it might have had a slight frown??

From the after shot, though, I don't see it (if it was there to begin with); so nice job taking the frown out, too!

Kent

Thanks Kent. Your right about that. It's still not quite right, but that's another one of the finishing touches that I'm still working on.

Great job! Feels good, dont it?