Thread: Looking to get into restoration

So, I think I've been bitten... Looking to get into restoration on a college budget won't work now, but I'm the kind of guy to start poking around for info before I can do something, partially so I don't go buy something stupid, and so I can't rush in; gotta use my wallet hindrance to an advantage right? From what I've been reading in the forums and the library, here are my thoughts. Norton 220/1k &4/8K and a PHIG finisher for stones, and a whole slew of 3m wet/dry paper for rust removal and the like. Am I on the right track here? I'm fairly sure a natural finisher would blow a PHIG out of the water, but cash and stuff haha... Also are are there any of the natural finishers that have some forgiveness to less than perfect technique? Because I know me, I'll get distracted like a gibbon and slide an x stroke the wrong way or something... Just a little background info, I have always loved Russian things, be it art, firearms, razors, etc. The raw utilitarian nature has a sort of intrinsic beauty to me, and I would be thrilled if I could bring a dilapidated vostok or the like back to life. Thanks in advance for you guys!

73's
Mordecai

Have you shaved with a straight? You should do that for a while before you bother considering honing or restoration.

Originally Posted by MordecaiRoth

So, I think I've been bitten... Looking to get into restoration on a college budget won't work now, but I'm the kind of guy to start poking around for info before I can do something, partially so I don't go buy something stupid, and so I can't rush in; gotta use my wallet hindrance to an advantage right? From what I've been reading in the forums and the library, here are my thoughts. Norton 220/1k &4/8K and a PHIG finisher for stones, and a whole slew of 3m wet/dry paper for rust removal and the like. Am I on the right track here? I'm fairly sure a natural finisher would blow a PHIG out of the water, but cash and stuff haha... Also are are there any of the natural finishers that have some forgiveness to less than perfect technique? Because I know me, I'll get distracted like a gibbon and slide an x stroke the wrong way or something... Just a little background info, I have always loved Russian things, be it art, firearms, razors, etc. The raw utilitarian nature has a sort of intrinsic beauty to me, and I would be thrilled if I could bring a dilapidated vostok or the like back to life. Thanks in advance for you guys!

73's
Mordecai

Its just a baby's step into that realm.
There's a ton of odd N ends used in restorations.
Steel wool.
Metal polishes.
Sandpaper.
Buffers N Dremmels.
Grease N greaseless compounds.
Wood, horn, bone scale blanks.
Saws, sanders.
The list never seems to end.

But its a load of fun, and can be built slowly over time, as well as the learning the inns and outs, do and don't.

My recommendation if your true about this, make sure there's carpet on the floor in your work space, first. [emoji1]

Utopian, I have been shaving with a straight, was using a 5/8 merx and co, and just got a 6/8 brown razor works form this months give a way. I must say the 6/8 is a bit to get used to but it fits my rather large hands well. Still have much to learn though.
Outback, I'll be in a dorm room/tech closet (makeshift workshop) from august to may (back do to Mobile, man have I not missed the rain) I figured I could clean blades and pin scales in the room which is carpeted.

I used to do a lot of woodwork back in highschool, mostly turning pens, but I did rescale a 1911 airsoft gun I had, whist I would have kept those, but I digress. Lost most of my power tools after leaving the house, but plan to rebuild after I graduate. I'd love to master G10 and Micarta work eventually

Honing and restoring are two different things IMO, having just taken up both this year after shaving with a straight razor off and on since I was a sophomore in college a few decades (well the year really doesn't matter...). I'll assume that you routinely shave with a straight razor though.

As for honing, the Norton 4k/8K is a benchmark stone. If you're on a college budget, that would be a good place to start--then its just a matter of searching threads here. If you've got more money to burn, then a Naniwa SS combo pack is a nice option (5K/8K/12K is what I got as my first stones, though I actually want to get a Norton 4k / 8K). You really don't need a fast cutting bevel setting stone unless you're going to be resetting bevels on blades that have some serious issues. If a blade is in decent condition to start (has a bevel set) you should be able to lightly kill the edge and bring the edge back with a 4K or 5K stone (youtube Glen's [gssixgun's] video on tape or no tape). As to a finisher, I'd recommend getting good edges at the 8K level before going all in on expensive finishing stone.

As for restoration, I certainly don't have as much experience and I'm meandering my way through my first restoration projects. Power tools definitely make things easier, BUT you can accomplish a helluva lot with some basic hand tools. Again, there are some youtube videos you can easily find by doing simple searches. If you have a rusted blade, a soak in EvapoRust followed by some 000 steel wool will do wonders. You'd be amazed at what you can do with a wine cork, various grits of wet dry sandpaper, and about 10 hours in an easy chair. A coping saw, a scraping tool, some sandpaper and patience should get you most of the way home on a pair of scales. The added benefit to a minimal handtool approach is that you have fewer safety implements to buy or issues to worry about.

Most importantly, read, read, read--that's the great thing about this website! Educate yourself thoroughly before you start and I think you'll find that you have much more success right out of the gate.

There is a thread "Cheap tools for razor restoration"
Some items there could save time and money.
Enjoy the sport!
~Richard

Thanks for the encouragement! I am also about to pull the trigger on a leatherworking setup, need some new sheaths, tool rolls for my electronics kit, a shoulder rig for my p238 (which is a while off before i get close to that good, but dreams and stuff) I don't know if anyone here would be interested in that kind of stuff, but I might advertise ince I get started and get to that level of proficiency

There are a lot of skilled people here and the skill sets are all over the place. There is wood workers of all sorts, and leather workers and machinists and mechanics. All of the hand skills are here. You can learn from some and there are sharing threads too.