Thread: Stop me before it is too late.

Until today I haven't enjoyed a new razor. I have been buying and learning with old Ebay special blades for quite a while now. 3 were shave ready and at least one really was while most were in a sad state but came back to useful life. I have bought some from the usual other sources of old razors some of them in remarkably fine condition and have honed every razor I own with the exception of the ones I just received and I am stuck.

I have a seven day set of JA Henckels #53 5/8 razors which have never been honed. They have some kind of factory edge which will strop up to a sad level of sharpness I won't put on my face. Some of them had residue of an oil or rust preventative but they are all pristine save for some darkness near the pivots on a few. Only one or two have even the light circles indicating they have been opened a time or two over the years and the scales look like they have never been handled.

Ever have a birthday cake which looked so good you just didn't want to cut it? I am inclined to hone one and send one out to be honed. I can shave those two and save the others. I feel conflicted about taking something old and using it up. Or is this just another Escher label issue? In other words is preservation important OR do those of us who collect these items do so primarily to use them? I am inclined to believe from my simple investigations to conclude the latter. Unless someone stops me with a compelling point of view it would seem the virgin steel is about to be wed to a course old stone.

Photos to follow.

If you treat them well, your great grandchildren could use them.

That being said, just using two just doesn't seem right...I say hone/use all seven or just sell it for a nice price and buy two really nice razors with the money and use those...

I would hone all seven and use them, but I am not a collector so my opinion would vary from a collectors stand point. Even if you send them out having them honed wouldn't really ware much of the spine and if they or you use tape wont do any. You could use a 7 day set for along time before they would even need to be put to a stone again. Like the above post I don't think honing one or two would do the set justice.

IMHO razors are tools to be used and enjoyed.
I recently got a New in Box razor and honed it and it shaved wonderfully.
If they were mine I would hone them all up, use them once, and put them away for special occasions - but that's just me and I always hone with tape.
I also have razors that were owned (apparently) by the Lone Ranger and I've done the same thing with them.
I share your dilemma though.

Close your eyes and visualize who will get them after you are dead and in the ground. I wonder what they will do with them ? If you want to be a custodian for artifacts from the 20th century keep them as is. For myself, I would want to kick the tires and take them around the block.

That was option 1. Option 2 ..... Full disclosure .... I have two 7 day sets in pristine condition that I've never done anything but wipe off and admire. I'm a custodian on these ....... so far. I have another 7 day set that had some rust here and there and hone wear on one of the blades. I've honed and shaved with all of them. I also have a 4 day set .... yes, 4 day in a 4 day fitted case .... marked A.W. Stanifoth Cutler, Cardiff, with horn and 1/4 hollow blades. I've honed 'em all and enjoyed shaving with them. So I guess it depends. Someday I may break out one or both of the pristine sets and use them, but not today.

I don't buy razors I'd be conflicted on using. Hence, all of mine were purchased in really bad shape, and are now in really ok shape... I understand your dilemma, but it seems you'll have to make that call yourself. Sorry buddy.

I would say the honing part is up to you, but I think it should be done and they should be used. If you are happy with your own edges, then go for it and hone them yourself. I think just about everyone on here would do the same. Just look at all the gorgeous restores and the amazing new razors that show up in pictures here that are used as soon as they are received by the owners (or by the person that restored the old razors themselves.)

YMMV

Henckels are good razors. Hone them, use them and become part of their history.

I like what JimmyHAD said, and if I ever get lucky enough to get a set I will send them to Glen to have them honed and use them the way they were intended to. I've a feeling I'll feel refined and gentlemany doing so too.

In full disclosure, I'm a lover of old stuff who is repelled by the "antique" culture. I have a particular love of old tools, and I've gathered my fair share of them. Each and every one of them has seen use at my hands and I can't understand why someone would want them in a glass case to be looked at. The way I see it, that's why we have paintings and pictures; to look at.

Back to razors, though. If the razors were bought as an investment, they will certainly hold better value if they are unused and pristine. If the return on your "investment" is not a concern, it seems to me you want to use them pretty badly, so I think you should hone the set and shave and be happy. If I were your brother I couldn't give you better advise.

Best,


Marcos

I have at least a hundred razors and I shave with all. I do have a few with good gold wash and I shave with them rarely so as to not harm the gold but I enjoy the use of each one and will for the rest of my life.
YOu need to get some hones and start experimenting and learning how to use them. There is something special about shaving with a razor you have sharpened or restored. Watch the youtube videos and learn. This is the way I learned and You can too.
Stingray