Thread: Worth restoration?

Picked up a vintage Boker today. Trying to decide if it's worth sending out for a professional restoration or just do it myself. I believe that is real MOP on the razor, and overall it appears to be in decent shape with only slight smile on the blade. Thanks in advance.

Chris

That's a really nice blade you got there.

To answer your question, it depends on how confidant you are in your own restoring skills. It looks like the whole thing is in really good shape. If it were mine, I'd just clean it up, tighten the pins and hone it. Use it in its original form. But that's just me

+1 to Andrew's advice.

There are two separate questions here:

1) is it worth restoring? I'd say a resounding YES to that one. It's always hard to tell from pics, but it looks in reasonable shape. Plus vintage Bokers are fine blades.

2) should you do it yourself or send it to a pro? Only you can answer that one as only you know a) what exactly you'd like to have done and b) whether you have the skill set to do it.

But again, back to Andrew's point: there is nothing at all wrong with cleaning the blade up, honing, and putting it to use.

Whatever you decide, good luck - it will be worth it.

Thanks to both of you. The pins are pretty tight. The blade fits even in the scales. I'm really thinking of just cleaning up the blade and then honing it. So, I may take a buffing wheel on my dremel to it then hone it. I think as long as I keep a light touch I won't damage it and then can always send it out if needed. In the same lot, I picked up a Tongwha (South Korean) No. 77, a Fredrick and Reynolds Sheffield razor and something called a Purfoco razor. I'll practice on the lesser blades, then try the Boker. Worst case, I'll send the Boker to Lynn or someone and have it done right.

Originally Posted by ccspir2

Thanks to both of you. The pins are pretty tight. The blade fits even in the scales. I'm really thinking of just cleaning up the blade and then honing it. So, I may take a buffing wheel on my dremel to it then hone it. I think as long as I keep a light touch I won't damage it and then can always send it out if needed. In the same lot, I picked up a Tongwha (South Korean) No. 77, a Fredrick and Reynolds Sheffield razor and something called a Purfoco razor. I'll practice on the lesser blades, then try the Boker. Worst case, I'll send the Boker to Lynn or someone and have it done right.

Whoa - please stop!!

Using a dremel can be an absolute disaster when working on razors!! Two reasons: heat can build up quickly and ruin the hardening of the blade, and you can very very easily catch the blade on the dremel wheel and either destroy the blade or injure yourself.

It also just isn't necessary. Some cloth, some metal polish (Mothers, Maas, something like that) and some time is really all you need. You will do no harm to the blade and as long as you take care with your finger near the edge, you are much less likely to do yourself damage.

EDIT: some guys do use dremels, but IMHO it introduces an unnecessary potential for disaster to the process.

A *great* place to start for anything to do with restoration is this thread:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...wers-here.html

Definitely worth cleaning up

if this one is your first restro.... Then I would say "no" to doing it your self. I jacked up a couple razors before getting one even a little correct.... I wouldn't start on my first with a nice razor like that. get a crappy one first and make all the first timer mistakes before you tackle that nice one... It isn't as easy as it looks on youtube....

Wow, great info. Thank you all. First of all, I will not touch the dremel, and try some metal polish as suggested. Also, since I don't currently own the range of hone needed to properly reset the bevel and get the razor shave ready, I'll send it out to a professional and then try to keep it up with my barber hones and strop. I'll practice on one of the other razors I picked up since some of them, like the Tongwha are not at the same level of value if I do anything on my own.

Again, thanks for the great information. I really want the vintage Boker to stay as close to the fine condition it is still in today. I think a little patina on the blade isn't really a bad thing.

Read post #6

Follow the link

Search "Celluloid Rot" look closely at pic #3 in your OP

Learn the tests, follow the tests and double check befor proceeding with the thought of keeping the razor in those scales

This of course is from a so-so pic so it is so-so advice