Hey Walt,

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll try the steps you suggested this Sunday when I go to my father's house regarding the guard.

I got the impression that the blade was the same as any other straight (that it could be maintained more or less indefinitely through honing/stropping). When you say the blade is replaceable, does that only apply to the men of the 20s who didn't want to/couldn't hone, or is the steel such that the blade NEEDS to be replaced?