Thread: I wish they would stop doing that

Gentlemen:

Clutter gives me a headache. That is:

People who always joke, or talk too much and say nothing, talk radio with close-minded hosts and close-minded audiences, car commercials loaded with overblown facts and figures, food recipes that confuses the palate, paragraphs that choke in adjectives, adverbs and unnecessary words . . .

And straight razor blades cluttered with writing and something playing at art.

I prefer a blade with nothing on it except a sparkling shine or a warm matte finish. Leave it alone. Or if you're going to put something on the blade, go easy with the lines and the figures. Too much of something is really too much.

The case in point is the contrast in the two Thiers-Issard razors pictured bellow. Both are quality blades with a comfortable balance and a royal shave. Yet, the Evide Sonnant gives me a headache with all that clutter. It's as if somebody tried to fit a novel with pictures on the blade. What's with all that? The other Thiers-Issard, in ebony wood scales and textured spine, sparkles with an inviting sheen.

Any thoughts, gentlemen?

Oh, if I don't sell the Evide Sonnant, I might remove all that clutter. You restoration masters, do have any idea how I can remove that stuff from that poor and innocent blade?

Thanks.

While cetainly not a master, I would say it looks like a frost, not a deep etch. Light buff should get it off. Can you feel the etch with a fingernail?
If not, it should polish off. Are the heels supposed to be like that? Bothers me more than the etch, personally.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

While cetainly not a master, I would say it looks like a frost, not a deep etch. Light buff should get it off. Can you feel the etch with a fingernail?
If not, it should polish off. Are the heels supposed to be like that? Bothers me more than the etch, personally.

Unfortunately I don't have a buffer. The etching is not deep. As for that little notch on the heel, many of the new Thiers-Issard razors come with that . . . thing. It looks absurd. What purpose does it serve? I should add that to clutter, too.

One mans clutter is another mans art. I prefer more attention to the scales in unique material and design than the blades. With that being said I do like the spine on the top one.

I think regular metal polish should wipe it off, especially when you use some pressure and wipe spine-edge rather than heel-toe. I'm not sure if the grind marks will reduce from that, if they do, you would have to polish the whole blade on two sides to get it even.

Good luck and I'm looking forward to the result!

Edit: you might even try rubbing alcohol, see if it is printed rather than etched. Small chance, but who knows.

Well, clutter or no clutter is a case of YMMV or simply what an individual finds tastefully. I do find the etching on the Evide Sonnant looks cheap but a well done engraving might be different. The only reason that I can see for the notch at the heel is to keep you from honing into the stabilizers. I'd love to know the real reason also but could live with it.

Bob

Hi Obie,
Well, I guess a lot of us old timers pine for simpler times, things, attitudes, and so on.
I have to agree with you one hundred fold. I like things SIMPLE! Case in point--- I wouldn't trade my very plain but mint Wosty seven day set for a dozen of those fancy German sets with all the citys and color on them. JMHO Very Best, Wildhog

Obie, try some polish such as Maas or silver polish. If it is stubborn, send it to me and I can do it for you! Heck, I have removed more by trying to save it than actually saving it! A total expert at obliterating blade wash!

I am not a big fan of anything on the blade. Mostly because like Sharptonn I dance around it till it's gone. I have only tried 2 restores with etch and will avoid them like the plague from now on. I hate to ruin what some else might love so best for me to just stay away. That one does not look to deep but until you start scratching you never know. Some 2000 grit paper is where I would start. Then you don't have to deep of scratches to polish out. Start light !

Simi Chrome polish would be my first choice.

I'm one for simplicity. Too much can create confusion and, as you mentioned, headaches. Mark the tang, but leave the blade alone.

It reminds me of when I walked into the new AOS mall store last year around here. I was just getting into SRs at the time and I was excited to finally get a hold of a few blades. I was so disappointed to see the AOS brand etched across each TI and Dovo blade. I left satisfied after holding and checking out each SR they had, but, oh, those poor blades...