Thread: Chrome Dipped resto??

Hey guys...
There is an antique store that I frequent and one of the vendors has a few nice pieces that are priced within reason. They are cleaned and restored, but there is a thing that I notice which always makes me walk away. Any pitting (and etching) has a mirror finish over it!

It's like the blade was chrome dipped, and whatever imperfections are covered up but still noticeable as 'depressions' in the reflective finish. Its kinda hard to describe and no, i don't have pictures. Has anyone else seen this? Is this a common practice?

Likely overbuffed into oblivion.
As those obsessed with the buffer lay it hard to pitted blades, the pits become wider and eventually are shiny craters with smooth edges.

It has just had the bejeebers buffed out of it. There are a few sellers on eBay, and one of them from Ontario that have crazy over buffed razors. It always makes me concerned for the overheating and ruining of the temper. It your goal is to make the entire razor super shiny with no regard to anything else, it is not my thing. I don't like them like that.

Whats up with those Ontario guys?

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Whats up with those Ontario guys?

Hey!!

Some of us are still fighting the good fight, resisting the evil temptation of the buffer and <gasp!> dremel, and letting patina be patina!

Amen..there's a place for shiny, and a place for patina..

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Whats up with those Ontario guys?

That brought them out of the woodwork!

Originally Posted by RezDog

That brought them out of the woodwork!

Didn't it now?

I had a buyer pick up 2 of my razors.... leaves me no feedback.... sends me a message, the blade I sold "needs restored with no returns.... and I quote... "wont hold an edge"

To prevent myself from getting a negative feedback, I had him return it for a full refund. Inspection shows that he had ground the bejeebus out of it to remove pitting, leaving the blade so think it flexed, not to mention the tip had been ground down to hide where he had actually gone THROUGH the steel, and the tell tale "yellow" discoloration. And this guy sells shiny refurb razors on the bay all the time. Shiny pits, are still pits, and destroying a razor to try and hide them seems to be a common theme these days, and a leading cause of my no longer buying much. I'm far more likely to buy something with a little rust than I am anything thats been cleaned.

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Amen..there's a place for shiny, and a place for patina..

I've dabbled in restoring blades. I've 'chased' pits before but learned that sometimes it's not worth it. I use sand paper by hand and the cramping usually tells me when enough is enough.

I don't have a slow speed buffer so i'm usually paranoid taking the blades to the wheel. Haven't burned a blade yet. I'm glad i got that gut feeling when I saw those blades and walked away. In retrospect, i'm now kinda bummed that those blades were treated that way.