My Collection - Identifying, Valuing, and Restoring

Joined this place a couple years ago and sort of just forgot about it. I only use like 2 or 3 of these razors and I'm progressively getting more and more into the traditional shaving culture. As such, I figured I'd post up the majority of my collection. I have another handful sitting at my family's house that are far too rusty to ever want to try and clean up, but I think once I tackle these maybe I'll revisit them and get an opinion from you guys. I inherited these from my father, who inherited the majority from his father. I would just like some idea as to some of their individual values and history, how I might go about restoring the rustier ones, and if I would be committing any mortal sins by replacing the scales on any of them with handmade wooden ones.

I'll start with my more favored shavers. First up is this green handled Wade & Butcher. Very heavy blade and the weight makes it really nice to shave with. Could use some cleaning up and needs honed a little bit more. I hate the handle though, and while I'm sure it looked nice at some point, it's now dirty and discolored. I would love to put this blade in some walnut scales.
http://i.imgur.com/gynT4cw.jpg

Another Wade & Butcher. This one is a Medium Size Hollow Ground as you can see. I feel like this is the oldest of the bunch, but pretty good condition considering its age. Definitely needs honed more as it could be much sharper. Handle is in good condition and I'm actually rather pleased with it.
http://i.imgur.com/MQ5CGRR.jpg

This is a Supplee-Biddle, with the faux tiger wood scales. Love shaving with this one. It's light, super sharp, and really slim. I often take this one with me when I travel. Blade is in very good condition, as is the handle, and would only really need minor restoration to get some of the stains and oxidation spots off the surface.

http://i.imgur.com/hJVfi57.jpg

A J.R. Torrey that's definitely seen better days. Never shaved with it, for obvious reasons. Looks like it could be a really nice shaver though, and the handle is in good condition with a very tight pivot. Needs some restoration before it ever touches my face though.

http://i.imgur.com/O5BLNXa.jpg

This one is a Thistle Cut Co. razor. Couldn't find much about these online. It's in dire need of restoration, but I'm really worried about the engraving on the blade suffering from any kind of cleaning. The sword looks super cool and I'd love to keep it intact, but the pitting is strong. The handle is also pretty worn, and while it's still a tight grip, I feel like it would benefit from a new set of scales.

http://i.imgur.com/rOXrcbF.jpg

I don't really like this one. It's a Larkin, and while the blade remains very sharp, it has some rust on it, and thus has never been put to the test. The handle is what bothers me the most. It's loose and well...looks pretty ugly. The blade seems like it has potential to be a great shaver simply due to the shape of it and the angle of the edge, but it will need some restoration first.

http://i.imgur.com/IQngKYs.jpg

Last one is an N.J. Dilworth. The handle on this is broken, and one side of the scales is barely hanging in there. Blade is sort of clean and shiny, but like the rest still has spots and a little bit of rust and discoloration. Could be a good shaver, and most likely the best candidate for getting a new set of scales.

http://i.imgur.com/kMhPGPN.jpg


Let me know what you guys think. Idk if this forum resizes images or not so I hope these aren't massive haha. I just uploaded everything to imgur right from my phone's picture folder so no manual re-sizing. If anyone would like more pics or details on any of them, hit me up and I'll gladly oblige. Like I said, mainly looking for dating/history/value on them, as well as tips for restoring them all. I'd hate to send them away to get restored by someone more professional as they're kind of sentimental and I'd hate for them to get lost in transit. Plus I feel like I owe it to my father and grandfather to restore them myself and keep them alive in the family, possibly to hand down to my own son some day.

Enjoy!

Last pic that wouldn't fit in the first post. A nice group shot of all of my shaving loot, sans the couple of old double edges from the 50's/60's that managed to get lost in my last move.

http://i.imgur.com/zBMWaSc.jpg

Very nice collection, however we do not do valuations here.

That's cool I guess. Not exactly looking to sell them really. I was more of asking if I gave any of them new scales, would I be destroying their collectible value? Or rather, if any were collectible or rare enough to even worry about such a thing?

I don't want to modify one and find out later that I made a huge mistake.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crowcaine

That's cool I guess. Not exactly looking to sell them really. I was more of asking if I gave any of them new scales, would I be destroying their collectible value? Or rather, if any were collectible or rare enough to even worry about such a thing?

I don't want to modify one and find out later that I made a huge mistake.

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I do not think the collectible value will be lost upon replacing the scales, but that is me.

Right. I always made the assumption that the blade is what truly mattered, given that the most popular choice of material for the scales is "hey, what's the cheapest plastic we can find to put on these?"

*EDIT* And if anyone knows of anyone in Pittsburgh that deals in restorations or really any general traditional shaving sales and knowledge, I would love to be pointed in the right direction. There are many things I'd love to ask and witness first hand.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crowcaine

Right. I always made the assumption that the blade is what truly mattered, given that the most popular choice of material for the scales is "hey, what's the cheapest plastic we can find to put on these?"

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I think you'll find both viewponts on that subject depending on who you ask;)
To me, original scales is more or less a must.
I loose most any interest I might have had when I see modern materials or design in a new set of scales on a vintage razor.
Sure, if the original scales are defect in some way, a new set of scales will be the better option.
If the original is beyond repair that is.

Yes, value is very subjective and really only valid for the buyer.

If you plan to keep and use them, by all means rescale as you wish.

I prefer rescaling vintage razors in horn, as was very common. But it is a matter of preference there are a number of very nice scale materials available as well as exotic woods.

Check the Library and the Workshop threads, there is a wealth of How to Information on restoration.

The first two razors in horn will clean up nicely with steel wool and WD40 sand with 1K wet and dry and polish with a good metal polish. You will be surprised at how good they can look. Horn will shine up very nicely with a little time and a lite touch.

Nice collection, enjoy.

the green handle wade with Sheffield is pre 1892 the second with England is the later post 1892. country was required after 1892.the wedge grind will probably be the best shaver when honed properly

Crow, You might try using the search box here at SRP to look for info on Thistle razors. I think I remember someone here saying they were great shavers made from very good steel.

To find members/restorers in your area go to this link and enter your town.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/memberlist.php?do=search

looks like a nice start on your collection. be aware of spending too much time on the rusty ones you mentioned until your sure they can take a good edge(learned that the hard way myself). rust goes deeper than you can ever imagine.

My recomendation is,do not put a value on any razor,they are tools to be used,not investments.
Over the years I have gone from well over 100 blades to 10,the ones I use,the best of the best,they serve me well.
They are worth nothing from a monitary standpoint to me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kn4wd

the green handle wade with Sheffield is pre 1892 the second with England is the later post 1892. country was required after 1892.the wedge grind will probably be the best shaver when honed properly

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Whoa. That's pretty cool. I always knew they were old but not that old. That kind of makes me appreciate and cherish them even more.

1) Wedge grind does not = better shaving. That's hype. Every persons face is different, and will so are the beards, so keep in mind you may find a "better shave" from one grind to the next.

2) Original handles (for the most part) offer a distinct advantage over making your own. THEY ALREADY FIT!
The horn scales on that old W&B? they look great to me! you would be amazed at how much life is still in them if they are just cleaned, soaked in some neatsfoot oil, and polished. They will take a glossy shine like you would not believe.
I have always been impressed with the horn restorations performed by Undream here on the forums (has a business too, Maggard Razors)
3) Family heirlooms are irreplaceable. Priceless. you simply cant put a value on it. What else can you think of that your great grandfather might have left behind for you to continue the legacy with? Cant think of much, can you? Cherish these puppies!
4) Family heirlooms are irreplaceable! do NOT learn/practice restoration on these. Get some cheap junkers of you are going to insist on doing it yourself, and get some experience before you risk ruining them!
A properly packaged BOX (not an envelope) via priority mail with tracking is highly unlikely to become lost. (post takes much better care of priority mail items) I have no qualms about sending razors out via this method, and any reputable resto person will happily ship them back the same way.
Please give some serious consideration to having a professional do the job if you are worried about damaging such gems, and want to keep them as original as possible.
Oh, and Thistle cutlery made some fantastic blades. They do shave a treat! :hmmm: <--- me rubbing my thistle clean shaven chin!

Alright well say I did take the professional approach. How much would I be looking to shell out to get the lot restored? The only one probably not capable of being readily repaired is the Larkin, so I'll probably just get the blade restored and then make my own scales for it (since I would like to modernize at least one of them). I know obviously you can't give an accurate assessment on someone else's rates for work, but what would be a ballpark for all 7 blades? A few hundred dollars? Looking at Maggard Razor's site it seems like I'd be in for a good bit of cash to get them done right (and it seems he isn't taking new orders at the moment). I'm not in the position to be throwing down a lot of cash on fixing up old razors, but I am very interested in returning them to a state that they deserve to be in (and one that will make my face happy as well).

Contact one of the resto guys in the link provided previously, they will give you a better idea than our guesswork.
You could always get one or two done and store the rest for now.

On old straight razors I like to keep the original scales on them if possible. If they're junk, I'll try to find another old set that fit.
Magpie is right on about the horn scales. I bet they will clean up just gorgeous as long as they aren't cracked or damaged in any way. I love working with horn even though it does stink. The outcome is well worth the effort. Follow his advice, you won't go wrong!

Never forget, in the world of craftsmanship, "Ya Gets What Cha Pays For" :chapeau

There are also "levels" of restoration. Myself, I am usually happy with a simple clean and polish. I like to do the best job possible without removing the blades for a full on resto.
If you are ok with a basic resto, send me a PM. If you want full pins off mirror polish, and you don't want to wait for Brad, send a note to Gssixgun (pretty much the resident resto guru/go to honemiester guy)

It's a good start.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Magpie

There are also "levels" of restoration. Myself, I am usually happy with a simple clean and polish. I like to do the best job possible without removing the blades for a full on resto.
If you are ok with a basic resto, send me a PM. If you want full pins off mirror polish, and you don't want to wait for Brad, send a note to Gssixgun (pretty much the resident resto guru/go to honemiester guy)

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I like doing the same thing. If I can do a restore w/o removing the original pins, I'll do so. I remove the pins & blade only if it is necessary.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ml#post1425369

None of your blades look that bad to me (of course, your pix show only one side)...your definition of "dire" is clearly quite different from mine!

But seriously, I'd give 'em all a shot! Have fun!