Thread: Regrind

I recently snatched a razor from Ebay. I was pretty sure, even with limited knowledge, that it was a regrind. The price that I got the razor for confirmed this (exactly why I put a bid on it). A trusted source said about the razor, at least it was an old regrind, one done by the craftsmen around the time of the razors production...or somewhere near that time.
So I am assuming that regrinding, if done at any time by a qualified craftsman is an acceptable way to extend the useful life of a razor (and lower it's value, monetarily and historically for happy straight users like myself). I would appreciate any thoughts on this process from the community. Thanks
I haven't taken possession of the razor yet but my hopes are high as the unnamed trusted source also informed me that this brand of razor has soul. I take this statement seriously, and hope that the regrind didn't send the razor to purgatory.

Regrinds were quite common at one time, especially with very old razors in the wedge or near wedge style. When the technology to do it was available cheaply, it was a way of making them easier to hone and to make them more 'modern' in appearance. If done well, I don't think it affects the price as much.

It is also quite a commonplace occurrence to see razor-regrinding offered in the small ads of 1920s - 40s periodicals. I suppose this was solely to extend the use of the razor, taking out excessive spine wear that altered the geometry. Again, if done well I see no reason why it should affect price.

The one caveat is that there has to be enough 'meat' on the blade in the first place. Regrinding an already hollow ground razor is like opening a can of worms... half hollow grinds are the practical limit for regrinding, I would have thought.

Some razors are not ground in a way that is conducive to regrinding, for example the old 'hamburg ring' grind that has a thicker belly 2/3rds or so down the grind. This type of grind was produced by using two different diameter main grinding wheels, hance the belly or ridge that acts as a stiffener to for the blade. Using a single wheel removes this stabiliser and makes the blade too floppy to use.

Recently there have been post re an old W&B FBU that seems to have been reground - with the result that the tip flops about.

Regards,
Neil

Thank you for your scholarly reply as many of your entries have been, but this did nothing to alleviate my fear that now I won't have enough meat, and my tip will flop about.

WW243, I'll tell you what I've been told from here. Find a reputable restorer, preferably one from SRP. Send in the razor and get a professional opinion. Some of mine have been able to be fixed even though they looked like they were really ruined. I might add, most were ruined by me! I have some awesome razors that I had to wait to get back, but the wait was worth it. Worst one could do is send it back to you untouched. Good luck!

Originally Posted by WW243

...but this did nothing to alleviate my fear that now I won't have enough meat, and my tip will flop about.

Alas, my mother in law often makes the same remarks about me...

Regards,
Neil