Thread: 2 Old Straight Razors From My Great Gandpaw (15 photos)

My grandparents are moving to a new house after living in the same house for 23 years. Not once was the shed cleaned out like we tore it apart.

Anyway, I found two old boxes and inside them was some very old straight razors. Showed them to my grandpaw, and he said they are likely 35 maybe 40+ years old!

I have always wanted to get a straight razor, but I don't want to restore these gems. I know how collectors like the old rustic value in antique items.

And the boxes to go with them...wow, nice find.

Welcome to SRP!
If you go to the classified section and then member services, there are people that you can trust to do the restorations.

In the meantime, start reading the beginner's section in the library so that you can learn how to use them.
And feel free to us any questions.

Welcome to SRP!!!
Great heirlooms!

Yes, great heirlooms. I wish I had some of my grandfathers straight razors, they were disposed of years ago by family members. So, I guess its my job now to pass mine down as heirlooms to my grandsons...............

Heirlooms are special so you don't want to use them everyday for fear of damaging them. Things seem to happen to the ones you cherish most so take really good care of 'em. Get someone to restore them for you & buy you a couple others & get them shave ready & use those everyday. Simple things like a razor slipping from your hands or bumping it into the faucet by accident can chip or break a blade ruining it forever. For now you might want to put some WD-40 on the slight rust I see. You can usually clean it off with some 0000 steel wool but you don't want to touch the gold etch with the steel wool. Many of us use a piece of tape on the etch to keep from touching it with the steel wool or anything else that could wear an etch off really easy. A simple piece of scotch tape will work. I never use anything so sticky that it could lift the etch off though (duct tape or anything stickier). If it is plated on there, less worries but some of the gold wash comes off really easy like some have used on the tang. If you are inexperienced at this, just put some WD-40 on it for now & let the one restoring it do it. Meanwhile you can do some reading on here. There is so much, you will be here a long time learning.
Good luck my friend.

Welcome! You are lucky to have heirlooms and be the caretaker of these treasures for your turn in owning them. I will never be so lucky as to have an heirloom razor so it makes me happy to hear your story. Enjoy SRP and the wealth of info from the good folks here.