Thread: Honing a vintage razor, can't find the same tape used to get it shave ready

There are two problems with the second razor. First, that pattern of corrosion suggests celluloid rot. Second, the first photo of that second razors shows inadequate honing near the point end of the blade. No "pro honed" razor should ever look like that.

Originally Posted by Utopian

There are two problems with the second razor. First, that pattern of corrosion suggests celluloid rot. Second, the first photo of that second razors shows inadequate honing near the point end of the blade. No "pro honed" razor should ever look like that.

Hopefully the celluloid rot process has stopped. The razor is pretty old and the scales don't seem to be getting fragile, from my understanding, the scales should be quite brittle after fitting for some months.

Also is it possible that he chose not to fully hone the point end because I mentioned I was starting to learn how to use a SR? I saw people asking him to leave the toe a blunt to avoid cuts.

Originally Posted by strangedata

Hopefully the celluloid rot process has stopped. The razor is pretty old and the scales don't seem to be getting fragile, from my understanding, the scales should be quite brittle after fitting for some months.

Sorry, but no.
From what I have read, there is no known way to stop the break-down once it commences. You can slow it down with adequate ventilation. Also,you want to keep it away from other razors as off-gassing can trigger the break-down in nearby celluloid and corrosion steel.

By their discoloration, I would guess that it is the tang covers that are breaking down.

Originally Posted by strangedata

Also is it possible that he chose not to fully hone the point end because I mentioned I was starting to learn how to use a SR? I saw people asking him to leave the toe a blunt to avoid cuts.

Nope.
The scratches in the bevel are way too far from the point to be explained away that way.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Sorry, but no.
From what I have read, there is no known way to stop the break-down once it commences. You can slow it down with adequate ventilation. Also,you want to keep it away from other razors as off-gassing can trigger the break-down in nearby celluloid and corrosion steel.

By their discoloration, I would guess that it is the tang covers that are breaking down.

I sent the seller a message asking about it. He agreed with the celluloid rot diagnostic, but told me the scales were most likely replaced, and that the old scales were probably the cause. He doesn't think it's the tang cover that is rotting, but still I'm keeping an eye on the (now quarantined) razor.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Nope.
The scratches in the bevel are way too far from the point to be explained away that way.

Do you think taking it to the 12K Shapton would be sufficient to fix it?

Originally Posted by strangedata

I sent the seller a message asking about it. He agreed with the celluloid rot diagnostic, but told me the scales were most likely replaced, and that the old scales were probably the cause. He doesn't think it's the tang cover that is rotting, but still I'm keeping an eye on the (now quarantined) razor.



Do you think taking it to the 12K Shapton would be sufficient to fix it?

"The scales were most likely replaced"???

Wow.

Regarding the honing, it may or may not be able to be "fixed" with a 12k Shapton. It would be a matter of technique but given that you are new to this odds are low. Also, you need to keep in mind that this seller uses lots of tape so it would be easiest to match that thickness. Did the seller acknowledge the honing was insufficient? It was pretty obvious in your photo.

Originally Posted by Utopian

"The scales were most likely replaced"???

Wow.

He told me that he unpins his razors and stores blade and scales separately, so he would already have spotted both the marks on the blade and the deterioration on the scale. The marks are certainly not recent if that is the case, because when I got the blade 2 months ago the stains where already there and before that, according to him, the blade was "naked".

Originally Posted by Utopian

Regarding the honing, it may or may not be able to be "fixed" with a 12k Shapton. It would be a matter of technique but given that you are new to this odds are low. Also, you need to keep in mind that this seller uses lots of tape so it would be easiest to match that thickness. Did the seller acknowledge the honing was insufficient? It was pretty obvious in your photo.

I didn't ask him specifically about it, since I was more concerned with the celluloid rot issue. I also bought a Norton 4K/8K and a King 1K, so maybe I'll try the 12K and then lower the grit as necessary. I'll use the three layers of tape he told me he used when honing both razors (though he was using a Super 88 and all I have around is Scotch 33+, thus the original question in this thread :-)).

Also, could you please tell me what you saw that pointed to the blade being insufficiently honed? Looking at it (not the photo) I can't really say, since I don't know what to look for.

Thans!

It's the prominent scratches in the bevel. The critical part of the blade is the edge; but the edge is the merger of the bevels on both sides of the blade. With such prominent scratches in the bevel, those scratches continue to the edge where the effect is saw-teeth.