Old #5

Picked up off the bay. No name that I can find, full hollow 6/8 with mis-matched scales. One scale is flat sided with the number 5 inscribed while the other scale is convex. The flat side may be original while the convex is obviously not. Monkey tail style would indicate this to be made in the early 1820's to 30's.

Not rusted to speak of so I'll start with some polish and see what I can see. Depending on how that process develops, I'll put it to the stones and see if it will take an edge. If after all that handling, if it still feels relatively tight on the pins and doesn't seem dangerous, I'll probably leave it intact and move it into the rotation.

Any help with an id or history would be appreciated.

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It polished up nicely with no major defects that I could see. Just a little dink in the edge. Took out the slight frown and the dink on DMT and reset the bevel on the Naniwa 1k. Then the Norton 4k/8k combo and then took it up to the 12k naniwa Super Stone.

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Got a good 2 pass shave with it this morning. There are issues with my technique, the stumpy monkey tail and floppy scales but that will correct itself in time. Definitely in the rotation.

I like the idea of using a blade that has a history, that somebody treasured enough to cobble together repairs to keep it in use. I'm also thankful that they preserved it somewhere dry so that it could be brought back to a polish in an evenings work.

The next decision will be to preserve the work that someone else has put into it up to this point or update the scales and produce a tool that can last another 150 years.

Very nice early razor, and nice clean up job. Also its not monkey tail but stub tail and you might want to ad this razor to the stub tail club.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...d-shavers.html

Right you are. Thanks.

This will be a tuff question I am faced with someday I'm sure, but right now I am thinking if I plan on using it something like this 'till I die I would make it all mine by restoring it to my liking. The history and pictures can be preserved for the next guy. I would stick with the same type of scales but make them look as good as the blade. If I was going to put it in a case I would leave it just the way it is or even was.

Just what I was thinking.....

Tend to agree. Thinking about some black G-10 and reusing the wedge. Inlay a #5 and sign and date the inside.

Sounds nice. Make it yours.

nice shape of razor, he come out well