Thread: Vintage/used DE questions

Hi,
I'm thinking of looking for older DE razors at flea markets, yard sales, etc., and have a question.
First, I'm looking for razors to use, not sit around looking at. As far as mechanical condition goes I know what to look for, but I see a lot of razors with the chrome worn off the head. I know that these can be re chromed, but as I said, I'm not looking to do that.
Are there any problems I can run into using these razors as is? I think the answer is probably no, but thought I would ask those with more experience.

Vintage Razor Restoration | The Art of Manliness



follow this link. You just clean them up and enjoy the shave. I have several from antique stores. some in great condition, some show the wear. They all shave great. :cheers:

Great pass time if you ask me!

2 werds: Blue Magic


more words: the copper and brass that underlie practically all plating jobs, polishes up and shaves just as good as the plating metal. Of this i am certain. OTOH, if you find one you like and it shaves good for you, re-plating is available for $.

Thanks all of you for the replies. Cajun, thanks for the link. I have that site bookmarked, but there's a lot of stuff on there I haven't gotten to yet.

I clean up a good amount of these. Here is how I do it.

It it is stuck, frozen, or just wont open/close well give it a soak in warm water and dish soap. Let it soak for a few hours or overnight and then operated the mechanism back and forth till it loosens up. Repeat as needed. The adjustables can take a bit to loosen up sometimes.

If you have one of those ultra-sonic jewelry cleaners they work very well with hot water and some dish soap. Scrub it with a toothbrush and repeat as needed. Some people put in just a little bit of white vinegar but I try to avoid it now. If you have any imperfections in the plating (and chances are you will) it can get under the flaw and strip it back farther.

Rinse off the crud and let it dry. Use BLue Magic or MAAS (non-abrasive polishers) and have at it. These need a rubbing action to pull contaminants from the metal. You will notice your cloth getting black which means it working. Once you think it's done, get a celan piece of cloth and hit it agian. This is when it really pops. You can use toothpicks and Q-tips to get the nooks and crannies.

Take your clean razor and wash it in hot water. I know MAAS leaves a faint residue and supsect that Blue Magic does as well. The hot water will get the residue to come off.

I then soak the razor is isopropyl alcohol for a bit to drive the water from the nooks and crannies. When you let it evaporate off the razor, it will kill off any remaining germs.
Let it dry out, give it a quick buffing with a clean cloth and you are ready to go.

Best of luck!

Take a look at this also:
Safety Razor Replating Services