6 Attachment(s)
Beginning Restoration Tip: November 2013
I am going to be focusing a new series of tips, on Restoration as I see issues arise for new people to this side of the hobby..
I was noticing a ton of questions this past month or so and accompanying pics all asking the same thing in the Workshop
Is this razor restorable?????
There are certain steps I take when asking myself the same thing, I decided to use my new USB Microscope to help answer some of these
First the initial pics of an "Old English Razor" maker unknown at this point in time...
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Then after trying to find good steel using a DMT 325 and a Naniwa SS 400 with heavy slurry using 3 layers of 3M #700 tape
Point
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Front Middle
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Back middle
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Heel
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This is Restore Rule #2: "If you can't get a clean even bevel across the edge then everything else is a moot point" (for the purposes of these tips I am going to assume that you want to shave the razor you are working on)
As you can see from the test so far this razor is not getting a passing grade, but this is still early on, I have spent seriously 10 minutes so far, will have more pics as the test progress.. I never give up too early, you want to push the tests that way you never dump a good razor, and even then sometimes I come back to it in a month or two...
Saunders of New York info
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Here
Official Catalogue of the Great Exhibition of the works of industry of all nations 1851
Page 108 listed as having metallic tablets and razor strops (1851)
Here
New York as it was and is: Giving an account of the city to the Present Time
Page 283 and 292 Listed as a Razor strop dealer and a Manufacturer of Cutlery
Here
Official Catalogue of the New-York Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations. 1853
George Saunders and Son Specimen of fine razor strops and a William Saunders listed with traveling dressing cases and razor strops
Page 89 and 91
Here
Fulton History Newspaper March 7, 1876
Advert for Razor Strops and Pocket books
Add is on left side, below the crease
Goins has two listings for Saunders on Page 242
1) George S. Saunders and Co was at 155 Washington Street, Boston Mass. Listed under cutlers and cutlery and hardware. 1895-1920
2) Saunders Broadway N.Y.
So, based on what little I could dig up, my WAG would be that Saunders and or his family started out in N.Y. selling razors and razor equipment in the late 1800s and the family ended up in Boston.
Curious to see what anyone else digs up, even if I'm off base :)