Thread: 7 day value, restore vs. improve

Hey guys, here is my question. I bought a 7 day set months back, at the time I said something about replacing the scales and somebody said value wise better off to keep all original for value.

Now I want to see if that is really the case. these are likely not pre-1900 (they have vulcanite or some other synthetic black plastic type handles that really oxidizes fast when hit with hot water and dish soap), southern & Richardson sheffield. nice razors, overall in great shape but the day of week on the spines was not etched, just washed or some sort of finish that isn't physically deep. likely in any good polishing this is giong to be affected. Saturday is already 99% gone.

why would these be worth more left original? I like the blades, think they're nice, have begun hand polishing some of them and can really improve the look. they could just be cleaned up and honed, there'd only be a few spots left here and there. none of them hit the scales and are all pretty snug. but they'd sure look great with new scales and no blemishes just polished out great. who knows, maybe there's a way to redo the markings.

anyways, if they really are worth more left alone I'd just as soon sell the set probably and get other razors. but they are nice blades and I'd think that they'd be worth more slicked up, even if broke apart (I paid just over 200 for the set).

or don't even worry about it, do whatever I want to them and be happy?

Thanks guys.

Red

It was probably good advice from a collector's point of view but the number of collectors of 7-day sets is relatively small. In my opinion, the market is changing and there are more and more shavers who just want a nice 7-day set to shave with; they care about getting a good blade and not how original or collectable it is. So, I say follow your gut instincts because they are probably right.

Your call, Red. No matter if the blades were much older, if the scales were ugly or troublesome, I'd change them. I don't quite know what you mean by them oxidizing, but if it's a problem, change them. If you like them better with new scales, change them. If you want to keep the integrity of the original blades, and they're not in bad shape, then keep them the same.

Just MHO,

X

what I'm finding, with these and other old razors, is to truly get the blades really cleaned up you hvae to take out the pivot pin and then repin them later. There's nothing wrong with them as is, the oxidizing can be cleaned up (what I meant by that was just like when you have an old pipe with a vulcanite stem, after it sits for a long while it turns all brownish and nasty on the outside, it can be cleaned up of course). Just figured later they'd look even better with nice handles. and if it ends up the markings on the spines disappear I guess I'll just treat them as 7 seperate razors!

anybody know what the process was to put that kind of frosted wash on blades? anybody know about reproducing it? imagine the whole spine shiny then the center has a frost to it and the day is left in relief, meaning stil shiny just out lined in the frosting.

Thanks guys.

Red

So.. are we saying that there is a very real possibility a noxious gas is slowly, insidiously seeping out of the handles of a set of what is, to the OP, apparently a perfectly satisfactory 7-day set?

Whether or not this ugly, gaseous, nauseating chemical stench is actually toxic to the poor man who is repeatedly holding them close enough to his face to experience this, on what is, by the plan of the razor set, to be a daily session... hmmmmm... screw the "collector's value" and get yourself a good restorator!

Is the smell redolent ofcombusted vegetal matter? That's one I discovered after using isopropyl alcohol.



That's right. I pulled out redolent. I attribute it to "Stimulant X." There's just something about this B1 analog...

there's no smell, just ugliness. I have had this with many pipes too and it never affects even the flavor while smoking them, just looks bad. in fact I gave a pipe to my brother yesterday and had to polish the stem out first.

I have heard other guys here talk about the scales stinking, but I thought they must be wood or horn. nasty.

Red

If we had pics ?????

The scales you are talking about are commonly refered to as "Slick Black"
They can be sanded, polished, and waxed, to look almost perfect again I just did three sets last night ....

Pics would really help here !!!

As to smelly scales I beleive what you guys are refering too is Celluloid Rot, that is BAD BAD stuff... Somewhere on SRP are some threads discussing that with pics included...

I'll try and get some good pics tonight and post them. last night I did the hot water and soap with a toothbrush thing to all of them. dried them off then started polishing a second handle (one already pretty much done). If I keep excercising poor self control I may have to sell them!

hey Glen, how do you polish them? I accidently hit a plastic scale the other day with the dremel running low, kind mussed up the scale a bit. I have been rubbing by hand cause I am worried I'll mess them upw the felt bob. they do cleanup well still, but I know in the time it takes to do one by hand there has to be a way to do them all mechanically.

Red

Originally Posted by Big Red

hey Glen, how do you polish them? I accidently hit a plastic scale the other day with the dremel running low, kind mussed up the scale a bit. I have been rubbing by hand cause I am worried I'll mess them upw the felt bob. they do cleanup well still, but I know in the time it takes to do one by hand there has to be a way to do them all mechanically.

Red

I don't know about mechanically Red, I do them by hand....
usually 800 - 2000 grit then an X-fine micro-mesh rub down....
Then MAAS and finally Renaissance Wax it leaves them pretty much looking new again, and takes out any scratches etc:
I guess a buffer with a soft cloth wheel and plastic polish would work PDQ, but I am normally working on other people's razors, so slow and safe, is more my style..... I have found out the hard way, that fast spinning wheels and razors tend to be a bad mix

what's micro-mesh? similar to using 0000 steel wool?

the hand method is nice from the standpoint that I don't have to look at it as closely, can watch a movie or something else while doing it.

Red