First thread, first Straight Razor acquisition from an antique store. Restore?

I have been wetshaving for a few years using various safety razors and have always been intrigued by straight razors. I knew one day I would stumble on a few for a good price.

I was at a local antique shop and asked the lady if she had and shaving type stuff, and she immediately got a smile and said "I just got in a bunch of razors for a lady. I spent 19$ on the lot, I also got a couple vintage Gillette safety razors in the bundle.

I decided to sign up here, show the razors and see if any of them are decent and or worth restoring.

#1 Wade & Butcher, Sheffield.

The razor blade appears to be in nice condition, the scales are wood which is in a little rough shape, overall the whole thing might be able to be restored.

http://i.imgur.com/KoRlH.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lO9OM.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0Nf43.png

#2 Joseph Allen & Sons, Sheffield, Non XLL.

This razor is in really nice shape, the pictures do not do it justice.

http://i.imgur.com/39I02.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bumYd.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/sNZ3G.jpg

#3 Clauss Fremont OH. The Colonial.

Another really nice conditioned razor.

http://i.imgur.com/NjMws.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/VJkCI.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/aZ2d2.jpg

#4 George Wostenholm, Sheffield. The Celebrated Extra Hollow Ground IXL

Razor is overall a big unpolished, the scales are a bit flimsy feeling.

http://i.imgur.com/Qk341.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/OBmxm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/L3d1X.jpg

#5 Montgomery Ward, Chicago.

This one is in rough shape blade wise chipped tip and rusty, but it looks like it gould be ground down at the chip. I almost passed on it but I thought the scales were lovely and the addition of inlay on the blade is nice. I also forgot to take a straight pic of this one.

http://i.imgur.com/REonD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bTEt8.jpg



Another question since I am a total newbie to straight razors, if restored which of these ones would be best for a new shaver?


Thanks for looking!

Stephen Escallier

Stephen,

There are other SRO members more knowledgeable than me about razor restoration, but if I were in your shoes I would go with the Wade & Butcher and the Joseph Allen as restore first projects and to shave with. They are both well-known razor brands and great shavers. I have several WBs and 1-2 Joseph Allens in my own razor rotation.

The Geo. Wostenholm is a quality brand too that I shave with.

#1-unpin, neetsfoot on the scales, sand and polish scales. Blade may need nothing more than a little cutting compound and a rag, may need as much as some light hand sanding up to polish.

#2&#3- maybe some maas or comparable then some time on the hones.

#4 looks like you might lose the etching, but it should be sanded out either by hand or greaseless compounds.

#5 looks like the edge might be swiss cheese, may want that one to be looked at by a pro.

They are all good brands. I would start with 2&3 since they need less and of course get at least one honed by a professional razor honer by looking in the classifieds under member services.

Welcome and enjoy.

Thanks for the feedback. I will have to google all of the things you listed.

My only experience with real shaving is vintage Gillette, Badger brush, ect. So I will have to buy a hone and other stuff to get started on all of this. I have to say I am quite excited and already have my eye on an ebay razor up for auction.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by StephenEscallier

Thanks for the feedback. I will have to google all of the things you listed.

My only experience with real shaving is vintage Gillette, Badger brush, ect. So I will have to buy a hone and other stuff to get started on all of this. I have to say I am quite excited and already have my eye on an ebay razor up for auction.

---

FWIW forget google and have a good look throuh the WIKI here and it will expain all the above terms and much, much more.
+1 on getting the razors (at least 1) professionally honed by one of the guys here to make sure you have a known starting point if you intend on learning to hone yourself.
BTW I think it is a noble ambition to learn to hone your own blades, however, you must have a known edge to aim for.
I made the mistake of trying to get a shaving edge when I had no clue on what I was aiming for.
It's like trying to find your way home from a place you've never been.
Cheers,
Geoff

If it was me, and I was at your stage of the game, I would send the Fremont and the Montgomery Ward out to a honemeister. Learn to shave and begin studying the tutorials on restoring. Learn to shave first. That is enough on your plate for starters. You'll find out if you enjoy shaving with straight razors. Your previous experience with DEs will shorten the learning curve considerably.

I am not using any razor because i am women. In old time the razor was used i think now days who used this razor.

Edina MN Locksmith

Nice find. In my experience when i google a razor restoration question i almost always end up back here so i would start with the search on this site and go from there.

I really like the end profile of your WB, it's one of the more unique spine shapes that you come across. The scales are unlikely to be wood, I'd think it was horn. It can look grainy when the natural fibers start to show from wear and drying, despite its ability to shine up like plastic. The neetsfoot oil suggested is a natural cow product that rehydrates horn. You can find it in hardware stores (particularly in rural areas) or Co-op and certainly a Tack shop as it is used to condition saddles and other leather goods.