Thread: Kinfolks Real Blue Point??

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Maybe, maybe not,,
Ya never know till ya start, here is an easy start, take a DE or SE razor blade and carefully shave off the active rust and see what is under there...

Crap, to late for the easy start now. What do you think of the "after" shots? I'm handy with metal and blades and I've even wet sanded some cars. I understand the process, just need to learn to have a more delicate approach with this. I would love to shave with this one if possible but if not I would still like to shine in a frame.

See how the other side cleans up, it looked worse to me, and then if you have an eye loupe examine how deep the pitting is at or just above the cutting edge. Trouble is if it is deep when you get to honing the edge will fall apart. If the pitting is deep in the bevel you'll have holes and chips. At best you may end up with a useful shaver and at worst it will look fine in a frame on the wall.

The other side only appears to be discolored. The pitting on the pictured side seems to be far enough away from the edge. I'm going to pick up more sandpaper and see what lies beneath. Thanks for the warm welcome and advice guys. I will be sure to post more pics when I get it cleaned up. Now I get to read ALL the info on this board and the wiki. Man I love and hate the internet for the never ending info on more hobbies I shouldn't get into haha.

Here is an old thread by Bruno with a lot of good info for starters.

Kinfolks was a part of Case company. The stamp "Kinfolks Incorporated" was used 1925 - 1948.
On November 28, 1957, the firm was sold to the Robeson Cutlery of Rochester, N.Y.

Don't use 220 grit sandpaper, that's too coarse IMO. Make sure you're using wet dry sandpaper of course, which by the sounds of it you're familiar with since you used some in car restoration. You'll be much better off using a higher grit to start and spending more time than making deep scratches with 220. I'd start with 400 grit or even 600 in that range.

I also prefer to use a light oil with wet dry rather than water. It seems like the abrasive stays put on the paper a bit longer and I like that I'm oiling the blade while sanding.

Chris L

Welcome to SRP and your first restoration; Case razors are good shavers and hopefully your edge is not pitted. One thing to watch out for, mentioned earlier, is cell rot. If the rust reappears, the celluloid is probably breaking down and offgassing a potent oxidizing agent that will rust any other razor near it. There is also a peculiar odor. That is celluloid rot, and the only thing to do if that is the case is to remove and quarantine the scales away from any other blades. I sure hope that the scales are OK, so you can display the razor with the originals. You will know very soon.

Not a expert in cell rot, but those look suspect to me: very distinct rust patterns matching scales. After taking off the rust, keep an eye on them if they start to rust in the same places. If they do, 'tis rot. For now, you should keep them away from other razors at the moment, since it is suspected that the rot can spread to other razors through offgassing.

Also, take note that Mr Water is not generally in good terms with Mr Carbonsteel and it might be surprisingly short time before Lord Rust comes for a visit. I've heard people use light mineral oil or wd-40 to lubricate.

Hand sanding a blade - Straight Razor Place Wiki