Thread: The smell of an old razor

Like most of us I made a bid on a good looking razor and then thought nothing of if it until I had a message that 'you have won this bid', so I paid, and then it it turned up this morning.

The scales are the thinnest, most delicate I've ever come across - peened without washers, no cracks and the blade sits so high that it looks unnatural until you consider that no-one would do this on purpose, therefore it must have been intended.

The make is Moseley & Son - it's a full wedge about 5/8" and probably from a seven day set -althought there is no day mark - the proportions are superb and I could not stop turning it over in my hands until it occurred to me me what was attracting my attention. It's the smell - a completely natural, elemental smell that, I assume, comes from the carbon.

There's a little bit of rust around the pivot but it seems completely wrong to even consider removing the pin and cleaning it - the blade was made with a smile so, I think I'll just try and hone it and do nothing else, and see how it turns out.

If this post gets any response, I might even consider posting some pictures. In the meantime I'm happy just smelling.

I ALWAYS want to see the new acquisitions! Maybe in a few more years, you can post the smell too!

Smelly Razor. That cant be good. Heres to hoping that its nothing.

Surely, if anything, it's the scales. Steel doesn't really have a smell.
Regardless, not sure why you didn't post pics in the first place...
Post pics!

As long as the rust is not active (red) your plan is sound.
Now onto the razor porn.....

Post the pics.

Originally Posted by PigHog

Surely, if anything, it's the scales. Steel doesn't really have a smell.
Regardless, not sure why you didn't post pics in the first place...
Post pics!

Steel and oxidized steel most definitely has a smell. Restore a few blades and get back to me on that one. :-)

I have to agree with Joe on this one. If you can't smell old on steel you need to pick your nose.

Oh.... If you can smell it then your not picking your nose. Why then, aren't you posting a pic ?

Apologies for not getting back sooner with some pictures - when I took a closer look (with my glasses on) I noticed that someone had tried to clean the blade with a low grit abrasive which had scored the bevel and edge. I ended up having to unpin and re-polish the blade, breadknife the edge and then re-hone. This is what it looks like now.

Very Nice,You mention how thin the scales are.Memeber sent me a razor a couple mos.back to make a replacement Ivory scale for one side that was cracked They were .050 thick,Like paper and almost transparent,That was an un-pinning and pinning job from hell.