Thread: J.R Torrey Razor

I have a beautifully restored Torrey with Ivory scales and it is a first-rate shaver. I vote for a restoration. It will serve you well for a lifetime.

Great buy!

Originally Posted by deighaingeal

I wouldn't learn to hone on that razor. As far as I can tell she is a beaut and should be restored as well. If you want to learn to hone I would pick up some lesser brands or no names to start on, there are plenty of high quality solingen, sheffield and american razors out there with not much of a history behind them.

Good advice. DO NOT try to learn on a Torrey. As I have said in a couple other posts and nun2sharp would agree, They can be a bear to hone. I almost gave up on mine, so have it honed by someone else if you can.

Originally Posted by 15straightrazor

I'm also debating if I should send it away to get honed or save up and buy a set of hones for myself.

A Norton 220/1K and 4K/8K will be about $70 each. A "finishing hone" (e.g. Chinese 12K) or barber hone will be somewhere between $20 and $40. That set will sharpen most razors, but there is significant skill in using them. It's all in the Wiki's on this site.

As someone who _did_ invest in stones (and spent lots of time learning to use them), my recommendation:

. . . Send the razor out for honing.

That's the only way you'll _know_ that it's sharp.

When you decide to start collecting, a set of stones will be worthwhile.

Charles

I am still new here, but do have 3 torreys and they are great. I am still learning to hone and one of these gave me a fit. I thought it never would get sharp and still doesn't pass the hht. However, when I tried shaving with it I was very surprised. It is very very sharp. The steel seems to be very very hard and it seems to hold an edge super nicely as well. I bought them to practice on before I knew what I had and now am very happy I found them. Good luck, and happy shaves

I have a couple of Torrys and they work great,but even though I can use my stones pretty well -the one I just got back from a pro is waaay better,look at some of the restored ones and get a look at what they can be. IMHO

Originally Posted by 15straightrazor

I'm also debating if I should send it away to get honed or save up and buy a set of hones for myself.

It needs a bit of work so send it out with full disclosure
(your pictures should be enough).

The full kit of hones to recover an abandoned/ disused
blades is a lot more than you need to maintain the
edge once it is correctly set.

Another advantage is that you will get to
shave with a sharp edge. If you set out
to do it yourself expect that it will take
a while to get it right twice.

Better to get a better than average strop
first. A strop is used each day. A hone
maybe five to eight times a year, so first
things first.

And yes if you want to try and hone it go for it.