Thread: Patina & Antiques

There seems to be two approaches to restoring straight razors:

(1) restore minimally, retaining the antique flavor, and
(2) restoring to mirror finish.

I don't think there is a right answer. While I prefer #1, I think the more common philosophy here is #2. But, could be wrong.

With your personal razors, do you prefer #1 or #2?

I would have to say, it depends.

While I do like the patina some blades just don't wear it well. The minimum I would perform is to clean w/ soap and water. Next would be metal polish. If the scales are trash the more I will restore the blade, unless it is a hollow ground where I will do what I can but accept what is there to stay. Guess I can say I have a bit of this and a bit of that in my collection and I like it that way.

On some blades I like to continue the history of the blade and others I start history over with a restore. Besides, if I restore all of the razors Jr won't have any to do on his own when the collection becomes his.

I am a # 1 man within reason. If they are very rusty I would probably not buy but if I did I would sand the rust off. I do clean them up with metal polish and a paper towel but polishing them to a mirror is not my thing or replacing original scales unless they are broken or really shot. Especially when we are talking old Sheffields. More modern stuff I might be more open to a rescale or even polishing with power tools.

I'm a minimal restore person myself. I don't think most blades from the late 1800s had a crazy mirror finish to begin with. It's all the the shave for me. The newer blades look cool with the mirror finish though.

In my opinion there is a big difference between rust and patina. Most obviously any kind of red rust has to go immediately. That means your razor is going south fast. A shiny razor with spiderwebbed pits is hideous to me so must be polished out. Now an old Sheffield with a dark surface, even unevenly, just needs to be wiped down with a sturdy oiled rag. I do my best to clean all dirt from it yet try not to polish any of the brass/copper fittings. Eventually the patina will have a slight dark polish to it from the wiping. It's taken those old girls a long time to earn those marks and I love to show them off. Solingen razors are a different story. I say make them look mint or bring them as close to it as you are willing to.

Depends on the blade, and depends on the patina.

+1 what Holli said, so far 99% of the blades I have seen have pitting under the patina, but if the patina is good then no reason to take it away.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Depends on the blade, and depends on the patina.

Gotta go with this. Some blades it just looks right on. Some you can see where they would look nice polished up. If it's rusty it gets the treatment.

I've restore my fair share and lord knows i've broke 1 or 2 in the process. I started wet shaving cause i loved the fact that it was kind of a lost art form. I only restore to get rid of rust and damaged scales. IMO patina and water marks give it character. The journey of how that particular razor got into my hands is fascinating to me. Staring at the blade i drift and wonder who all in its lifetime used it? What did they do for a living? Was it someone important? What was going on back then? The earliest str8 i've owned was a huge 7/8 wb circa 1850's. Like a time capsule 160yrs later it found it's way to me! I love the feeling of holding an old razor in my hands. Luckily i didn't have to do much to the wb to minimally restore. But you get my point. If someone wants bright and shiny, then buy new or nos... And leave the antiques to the aficionados.

I like when they look new again, but still retain their vintage flavor.