Thread: Ruined my first razor.

You need to realize that not everyone honed their razors. Some pasted a strop and beat on them for years.
That irregular wide, and rounded bevel is a sure sign. Hard to fix them. Some may be through the temper as well.
Fun to attempt, no doubt. We need easy success on occasion with which to shave the face, though!

A long time ago someone said something like great restorations start at the purchase.
A great candidate for restoration makes for a great restoration.

Originally Posted by RezDog

A long time ago someone said something like great restorations start at the purchase.
A great candidate for restoration makes for a great restoration.

Definitly did not know what I was doing when i bought that first one. And still don't, but i know to look for excessive hone ware now..

I have found that both honing and restoring razors is a continual learning experience. We learn from our mistakes and are better for it. Taking an old unloved razor and giving it new life is very rewarding. This is a wonderful hobby for sure. Remember, there is always someone here happy to pass on their knowledge and experience when needed. Have fun.

Originally Posted by Tathra11

I have found that both honing and restoring razors is a continual learning experience. We learn from our mistakes and are better for it. Taking an old unloved razor and giving it new life is very rewarding. This is a wonderful hobby for sure. Remember, there is always someone here happy to pass on their knowledge and experience when needed. Have fun.

Thanks very much!

If you have any antique stores around you, that's a good place to look for razors every so often.

Leave your name and number with someone at the counter, with what your interested in. If something comes in, they'll contact you.

I've bought hundreds of razors for $20 or less. Flea market's are other good places for hunting, too. Don't forget to ask the guy selling the cheap, Chinese knives. He might have a few under his table. Even found a seven day set at a yard sale, once.

All kinds of avenue's for collecting on the cheap, for the purpose of learning to restore and build your collection.

Then you'll have to come up with a storage solution for all your razors.

Sometimes ya gotta mess around to find out ya know. I think getting a few cheap 5/8's razors with good steel would be a real good option for learning to hone. I didn't have the patience to read through every comment this morning, but you really shouldn't ever need a stone coarser than 600/800. As you've found out it's real easy to remove a lot of metal quickly without really realizing it. So I'd recommend finding a few razors that don't need so much work and go from there.

Originally Posted by yondermountain91

Sometimes ya gotta mess around to find out ya know. I think getting a few cheap 5/8's razors with good steel would be a real good option for learning to hone. I didn't have the patience to read through every comment this morning, but you really shouldn't ever need a stone coarser than 600/800. As you've found out it's real easy to remove a lot of metal quickly without really realizing it. So I'd recommend finding a few razors that don't need so much work and go from there.

Totally agree. In fact, the lowest grit stone I own is a 320 Atoma diamond that I use as a nagura and to reshape badly chipped blades and any that require stabilizer adjustment. For setting a bevel, I seldom go below my Sharpton 1500.

Originally Posted by yondermountain91

Sometimes ya gotta mess around to find out ya know. I think getting a few cheap 5/8's razors with good steel would be a real good option for learning to hone. I didn't have the patience to read through every comment this morning, but you really shouldn't ever need a stone coarser than 600/800. As you've found out it's real easy to remove a lot of metal quickly without really realizing it. So I'd recommend finding a few razors that don't need so much work and go from there.

Upon introspective reflection I remembered this and will take your advice and just get a 600 grit. Just felt like I needed a 220 because the geometry was so heel heavy on this razor I wished I had something that would just eat up what metal needed to be taken off without much work. At the rate I was going the 1000 grit was still going to take many hours. Did not help it required even more work than originally needed because the gentleman or previous owners who "restored" or "sharpened" it grinded the toe of the spine on that same side right where it need the metal/thickness of the spine the most to be more geometrically symmetrical.