My first restores

[MikeB52]

Hey gents, tried my hand at replacing scales for the first time and it was both tricky, but easy once it clicked.
buffed the blades with a dremel with a cotton wheel coated with rouge paste and installed them in a pair of scales I purchased for classicedge.ca from Phil and Jane. They are really good folks north of the border that are as enthusiastic about SR related items as anyone I have met.
they threw in a bunch of pin sets for free and walked me through a few newbie questions on the phone.
Anyway, the following are my results.
This is an old W&B 5/8 in the blue scales, and a 5/8 Genco MasterBarber in the smoked black.

[10Pups]

Nice...Your hooked now aren't ya ?

[rmagnus]

Very nice work those blue scales look interesting. I'd like to see a side pic of it if you have time. Resto work is something I'm looking forward too. Thanks for posting up your work.

[MikeB52]

I am definitely hooked on all aspects of this particular hobby, or skill, or whatever we can actually call it.
Firstly, the quality of shave, the few times I have nailed it thus far, best ever..
Secondly the skills and patience exercises while sharpening,, ancient and somehow sort of therapeutic. I liken it to male knitting to my misses..
Then there's the brush and soaps, I can honestly say the last time I paid any real attention to my face or skin condition prior to str8 shavings was that first hickey back in high school,,hehe,
The restoration component is also very cool, as I have always been a restoration nut, two of my cars are still older than my kids, but razors can fit in your hand and can be tinkered with all winter long, unlike the cars up here..
The look of an old razor and the feel,, old world craftsmanship that feels as comfortable to hold as my dads old Remington pump and filled with as much innate history.
Finally the forums,, eclectic bunch of guys from around the world that all seem quite,,gentlemanly and equally into str8 razors and happy to share the experience and skills they have picked up along their own journeys. I actually drove a few hours this summer to a meet in S.Ontario and really enjoyed it, and the guys I met there.
Long winded rant but basically, f__k yea,, I'm hooked..
Oh yea, here's a couple more shots of the "ocean blue" scales I put on my razor as well as a pair of SS ones for later and my first pin. Note the bent shape of the pin,, it was attempted with my 8 oz bp hammer and was peened as gently as I could but clearly failed. Blade alignment when closed was bad. Percussion shock gssixgun called it i believe from striking to hard. I then spent the 12$ on a proper 4oz hammer and the next pins peened properly and easily..
Cheers.

[Geezer]

The scales are from what were the medical and autoclave safe razors back in the day.Must have been from the Master Barber. Save them as templates and for a renewal of some medical razor.
I am happy to see you following your hobby.
~Richard
Now for the next step:
making a set of scales by hand tools

[Pkp1903]

Well done! Enjoy!