Tom, if it is a skeleton key, try a "T" or "L" shaped piece of metal to open it up. Those don't have pins and are easier to pick.
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Tom, if it is a skeleton key, try a "T" or "L" shaped piece of metal to open it up. Those don't have pins and are easier to pick.
Finished up the CENTAUR tonite.
Polished the scales,and original collars, added a set of wear washers between tang n scales, and pinned with nickle/ silver rod.
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So after checking the mail box this evening, I know what my next project is.
Benz, Isaac Diller had arrived a day early.
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We both agreed on leaving the patina.
Its got a lovely smokey, grayish blue thing going on right now, that I adore.[emoji39]
I dug around in the wood bin, and came up with something I feel fitting for the blade. BlackN White Ebony.
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Mike, that's really nice!
This ain't my collection. Mike. That is at home! :roflmaoQuote:
Originally Posted by MikeB52
Damn right, Mike! You da Man!Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeB52
I dunno about anyone else, but I certainly feel better! :tu
It's a handcuff key that fit's most of these old boxes. Filed thinner if necessary. I can get it open with the key from my Mappin Bros set. Tomorrow!Quote:
Originally Posted by dinnermint
I was going to say that but you bet me to it Tom.
Yep guys, that's one of my razors. I can't even blame myself for the broken scale. It just broke when I opened the thing to shave. Mike, if you need one of these to bring Mr. Diller back to life, I have one in my shop.----> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOYy5NZ4hWAQuote:
Originally Posted by outback
Was B52 who perfected that! ;)
You call that a Jacob's Ladder?Quote:
Originally Posted by Benz
Got this one in my back yard, got it from Amazon Prime for $7.99 with free next day shipping....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXiOQCRiSp0
Jacobs cool! Nice one Benz. Fire mine up now and then for quick dust removal :overkill:
:tu
Awesome stash or razors Tom! Dang I'd sit and just look at that everyday! Would you just look at It? Sometimes, you just have to step back and say, would you just look at It?
Mike the bowl looks great, simple and tasteful. Wonderful Sir.
Mike awesome job on the bowl :tu looks great!!
Mike that wood will make such nice scales to compliment that razor, real fine choice there.
Tom.........I just don't have the words to say anything........huh that's rare
Great looking bowl B52!
What can I say Phrank. I was only 9 or 10 years old when my Dad gave me a 15,000 volt transformer and showed me how to make it. While my little friends were busy with their Tonka trucks hauling cat turds out of their sandboxes I was doing weird and wonderful things in his shop.:rofl2: I thought my Dad was the coolest Dad a kid could have.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phrank
Soo, as I mentioned earlier im pretty new to this stuff but i really wanna get into straight razor restauration. Soo i bought a lot of 13 razors in diffrent condition. And already before i bought them I fall in love with this Gradwell razor. And when it arrived i was amazed by the weight of it and how much steal it was.
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I forgott to take any pictures myself, but this is the best prepictures I can find.
I started with unpinning the scales and started sanding one side of the blade. Now its pretty close to mirror just little more work with the 2k paper and then som polish.
One of the horn scales had a real sharp bend, I have put the scales in the oven in 100C for not to long. A friend told me that boiling them could make em look bad. Then i pressed them and now they are almost straight.
However, the other side of the blade has some text on the blade right where the big black spot is. And Im not sure if I should remove the spot and then also the text or if I should try to just sand around it and then also leave some of the big black mark. The text is almost invisble right now.
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Is the scales on this pictures staright enough to but on the razor again? Or should the be totally straight?
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Thanks in advance.
That little bit of a bend is not that big of a deal with the direction of the bend. If you want to get a good deep clean on the steel without removing any metal you can use 0000 steel wool and WD-40 and with some elbow grease you can get most black off, but it often leaves some pitting, not that pitting is worse, but often more visual. It looks like you are off to a good start.
Just finished cleaning this Gillette Aristocrat I found in the wild last week. Bought it cheap, but it was pretty grungy. Put it through the dishwasher, then soapy water and a toothbrush, and finally some Flitz. For how gross it was, I'm happy with the outcome.
No date codes on this one, so I assume it's an older version?
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That's a nice blade. Putting the scales in hot water sometimes makes them look bad but you can fix that by polishing them out again with some Mothers. Maas or Flitz. No big deal. Also like Shaun said, the 0000 steel wool is best because it won't leave marks like any other size steel wool. I have used 0000 on chrome when it started getting very minor rust starting that polish couldn't remove. Been doing that for years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Svisson
Svisson I took horn scales boiling water and used the steam to bend them the direction I wanted on my Tally Ho. It is a bit time consuming but due to their age I wanted to go slow. This in no way affected the look of the horn.
I agree, I have also done it that way plus Outback Mikes way with a heat lamp.Quote:
Originally Posted by ejmolitor37
I believe I'll get me a heat lamp save from running the stove and heating the kitchen up and upsetting the wife :) heat lamp would be handy.
An electric hair straightener works well, you could probably find a used one at say Goodwill. :shrug: Also the 'heat guns' that Harbor Freight are pretty inexpensive but they put out a lot of heat so you'd need to be careful. Just another thought. :wQuote:
Originally Posted by ejmolitor37
It works on plastic scales too.
But ya gotta keep testing the temp. and flexibility of the scales with you hand. You can get horn so hot, it will start curling, but you'll scrap a plastic set, well before that temp.
I've only scrapped one set of plastic (cellulose) scales with the heat lamp. But I learned from it, and I've gone on to straightening many other's, successfully. [emoji41]
Or my wife has an old one I will steal! BahahaQuote:
Originally Posted by cudarunner
Just make sure it's an Old UNUSED One--I'd hate to hear of those hormones of her's that seem to be present at this time running rampant and out of control coming into play in your life.Quote:
Originally Posted by ejmolitor37
My heat gun has a thermostatic control to make it hotter or cooler so I imagine messing around with it some & noting the temp when success with a warped scale is achieved would work.
It took me a while but I finished up my first three restorations. I poured a lot of time first into the W&B Celebrated. Learned a lot with patience being a key I think. For the W&B in faux ivory, I tried a satin finish application the way Tuzi does it--I don't have his mastery of the technique (nor the photography skills) but it works very, very well and I think that may become my go-to finishing style.Attachment 273610Attachment 273612Attachment 273613Attachment 273615Attachment 273616Attachment 273617Attachment 273619
That is some work to be proud of. The blades look great and I can see the attention to detail.
The wedge ends are sweet!
Get Tuzi to coach you on photography a bit and get those on the custom-builts and restorations subforum pronto! That's an order! :whipped:
I think most things done here should be run there as well. JMO.
(Nice Corian!)
Outstanding looking razors!
I am thinking you will only get better....somehow! :)
Thanks! I really think that patience was the key. The collective wealth of information is amazing.Quote:
Originally Posted by sharptonn
They look great & you followed a very important part of it by being patient. If you ever feel like you start to get impatient while doing it, just walk away until you feel good about it again.
Good job!
I would also add that scales for the blades, traditional, is a big plus. Some pin variety there.
Just so you know, I don't make scales, but adore them all the same!
I am too picky, I admit! :D
The top one is kicked a bit high at the wedge end.
I predict you will begin thinning the scales out toward the pivot. Makes things nicer as handling.
All I can critique, really. Wish I could do 1/10th as well!
JMO
A couple of thoughts jseitz, Tuzi's satin finish is rather elusive, I have not felt as though I nailed it yet either. I think you are right about spending the time and using the elbow grease to get it right. Your work is very good.
They never divulge all, Rez.Quote:
Originally Posted by RezDog
You gotta find it! ;)
VERY NICE work in those blades, very nice indeed.
Good, crisp lines, not too shiny.
But I'd say the scales need to be thinned, and tapered more.
Not saying their bad, just be as critical about your scales, as you are the blade.
Your skills will only improve with time, as did with all of us here. Glad ya joined the thread, crazy bunch of guys with sharp objects, with wild ideas, and insane knowledge. [emoji41]
Getting the satin blade finish is an endeavor. Close as I have come was this Tally Ho. Sanded to 2k then used a red scotchbrite on a cork. It's close and it is satin but no Tuzi level. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d6df83d2ec.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...db914c55b5.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by jseitz
I have accidentally done well a few times. I have no idea what I did!
Because I did everything! :rofl2:
I am convinced it is all in the hands and mind. Tuzi has it!
I don't! :banghead:
