Thread: Given a couple of razors

A friend of mine gave me a couple of straights he got from his dad. I was wondering if you thought they were serviceable.

The one with the black scales looks pretty good. fix that crack and hone it up and you'll likely have a winner. The other one with the giant chip in the blade is probably too far gone.

If you are good with your hands you could remove the pivot pin from both razors. Then clean up the second blade and repin it into the faux tortoise scales that held the first blade. I don't believe you will be able to easily repair those broken scales. Then you will have one serviceable razor after it has been honed shave ready. Of course there are many other options (new scales, etc.) but that's the fun part of this hobby.

Regards - Walt

Originally Posted by Walt

If you are good with your hands you could remove the pivot pin from both razors. Then clean up the second blade and repin it into the faux tortoise scales that held the first blade. I don't believe you will be able to easily repair those broken scales. Then you will have one serviceable razor after it has been honed shave ready. Of course there are many other options (new scales, etc.) but that's the fun part of this hobby.

Regards - Walt

That's a good idea, but (try to) check first if the blade is not too big for the scales, otherwise it might be sticking out on the other side.


Perhaps you could saw off the toe of the first razor and make a tiny razor, but personally, I wouldn't try.

Black scales need work. Whether or not the razors are serviceable is soley dependent on your skill level of working on these sorts of things. I know for myself and and many others here making a pair if scales un pinning, repinning honing etc is no big thing. I would be the first person to chop the toe off the broken blade and with make is a square tip or maybe add a notch for good measure. Also make a pair of scales to match te altered size of the blade, nothing bugs me more then in fitted scales.

To et the blades professionally restored and pay for theat service ImO is not worth is based on what I see here, of course YMMV. To many nice fish in the sea to be had at a reasonable cost to mess around with that sorta stuff if you ask me.


Edit: FYI scales on the first one aren't tortoise shell, they appear to be either malted or stained honey horn.