Thread: What did I buy and are they worth restoring?

Thanks for all the help! Great to find a place with so many knowledgeable and helpful folks. So, if I have the lingo right, I've got a Boker King Cutter and Puma High Class #90? Excuse this last, possibly dumb question, but what is the best way to clean/store these razors?

RobertH - can't recall the name of the place, but it's the consignment store next to the Vancouver Walmart. I was told the razors had belonged to a barber and his daughter brought them in after he passed. Were a couple other razors there, but the blades were severely damaged, i.e. completely rusted, chipped.

gssixgun - thanks for the warning. Tried the ziplock test and no smell and scales seem straight so hoping the scales are salvageable as they really drew me to the razor. I've got no idea of how to hone, so I'll probably send these off to someone to restore for me.

Originally Posted by burnaby

gssixgun - thanks for the warning. Tried the ziplock test and no smell and scales seem straight so hoping the scales are salvageable as they really drew me to the razor. I've got no idea of how to hone, so I'll probably send these off to someone to restore for me.

I've never seen celluloid rot but I'd trust Glen's initial response. Keep those scales separated and when you send them out for honing/restoration you can probably ask to verify. Worst case would be that the scales are okay and you wasted a plastic baggie to store them separately in.

If you look at the last picture you posted, you can see that the blade seems corroded in the areas confined within the scales rather than the areas exposed to the air.

Here's a good picture showing what it typically looks like, taken from this page on Bill's website: