Thread: Clauss Barbers Special Fremont restoration

So this is both my first restoration and first (of two) razor(s)
picked up this Clauss Fremont from Razor Emporium for $10, here is how it arrived

After a looooot of time spent with sandpaper, never dull, a VERY small amount of vinegar: here is the current result


Used nevrdull initially, then soaked in vinegar for NO MORE THAN 23 minutes (I'm aware of what vinegar can do to metal, being allergic to bleach I use a lot of vinegar for cleaning), sanding sanding sanding, then done a ton of polishing with the nevrdull again.
So, suggestions for next step? Besides sending off to one o the pro-honers for some good sharpening?

The good news is that you have done a good job cleaning it up and you probably learned quite a bit from the experience

Originally Posted by gssixgun

The good news is that you have done a good job cleaning it up and you probably learned quite a bit from the experience

This part I didn't learn too much, yet. But I like getting a proper feel for something that's going to be ridiculously sharp and molecule close to my face and throat
I have noticed though that there is, not a residue exactly but, the side of the blade look a little like a cake pans surface. You know, where it looks like it's all pitted but is perfectly smooth to the touch? Any idea what that is? And more importantly how to make it go bye bye? The nevrdull hasn't touched that and I sat back watching tv for a good 2-3 hours running several wads of nevrdull up and down the sides with as much pressure and speed as I thought safe, for the blade mind, I don't mind getting a little cut here and there.

What you are describing sounds like the scale corrosion left after putting the razor away wet.. I don't think you have enough steel there to attack that from both sides without possibly losing the integrity of the blade, I can't answer for sure from the pic.

The real issue is the razor is used up, by the time you take out the hooked heel and the frown you are looking at a 2/8-3/8 razor.. That heel is going to have to go way back that is why there is a frown.. The front end looks a bit odd too but that could be the pic again..

As a learning project this was a good razor, but to invest time and money to make it a shaver, I feel that is good money thrown at a bad idea...

Sorry, but I feel being honest here is better than saying that it will just need more work

Take note new users to what Glen says above,He is dead nutz right on.
80% of the blades you will see at flea markets and antique stores are crap and cannot be salvaged.
breaks my heart to see all this time and money wasted,JMO

Save the jigged scales for a worthy project.
They are not very common in the razor side of sharps.
~Richard

First comes the RAD followed by whatever the restoration equivalent might be called.

It sure can be exciting doing your first restoration! Warning - your expenditures on various restoration tools and materials is about to take a leap. Of course you'll also need to pick up some junk blades to practice things on as well as some basically sound blades that just need a few hours work... and on it goes. I think I'm about 7 years into SRs and just today the first few boxes of yet another order of sanding belts, greaseless compound, etc, etc arrived.

What can I say - it's an obsession but at least we all have smooth faces from time to time! Embrace it brother! :-)

you guys might be right (ok your most likely right), and ill probably move away from this one for now, come back to it at a later date. on the plus side i only paid $10 for it so its not the worst loss right? and i still have the Electric Cutlery (Newark NJ) to work with. all that one is needing is inside the scales cleaned, and maybe a small amount more attention paid to around the pivoting pin before its sent off to someone who has the skills to hone it. though there is that tiny tiny chip on the blade... which im not going to touch because i know what will happen if i start trying to get rid of that. the blade will go from 3/8 to 1/32 lol!

although just to be sure, i got my dumb camera to do slightly better shots of the blade

are you sure its completely unrecoverable as a shaver?

Originally Posted by CaleGrey

are you sure its completely unrecoverable as a shaver?

I never said that, I said

"The real issue is the razor is used up, by the time you take out the hooked heel and the frown you are looking at a 2/8-3/8 razor.. That heel is going to have to go way back that is why there is a frown.. The front end looks a bit odd too but that could be the pic again..
As a learning project this was a good razor, but to invest time and money to make it a shaver, I feel that is good money thrown at a bad idea..."


Now let's look at $$$ ok ???

$10
Shipping $5
Shipping to Honer $5
Honing $15-$25 as this is corrective honing regardless of the value of the razor
Return shipping $5

Total
$40- $50 for a worn to a frazzle toothpick

That my friend is misplaced economy...
Now that I mentioned it, perhaps somebody that is needs to improve their honing skills might offer to try it for free, which then you would only have another $10 in shipping wrapped in the razor... assuming they don't make it even worse while learning to hone around the issues..

darn, your right. its not worth making shave ready at this time fiscally, but would be good as a practice/learning blade at some point, either for me or someone else. time to move on to the Electric i guess.
this is why i asked, im newer to straight razors. im not 100% on what im looking at or (occasionally) for. i have a decent idea just not quite