Depending upon the individual razor or the friends' request, I do restorations in both styles. I prefer to be appropriate to the blade for finish and scales. Some of mine are really eye popping bling and others like the beautiful example above, show their history.
I have a few razors and all but one NOS Solingen and a few GDs, I have found in the wild and restored to shave ready. That means they shave my face well... they may not be nice for you.
Take care and enjoy..Your Razors in the condition you want them. They can outlast us all!
~Richard
What he said is also born out from my limited experience. I think that black patina may be like a natural gun browning or bluing that happens over the years. ( Steel and iron browning or bluing are the same basic process and the treatment after the basic controlled rusting is different. )Quote:
eod7...Black rust (ie. patina) helps prevent red rust. Red rust will flake off and eat into the steel, black rust forms and stays put, helping prevent further oxidation.
Wikipedia Bluing
~Richard