Thread: What do you enjoy the most?

Hand sanding is drudgery! But the end results are worth it. I used to put on a movie or two for background activity as I sanded, kept it less boring. Just make sure the movie isn't too interesting haha. The key for me when hand sanding is always to use different directions while making sure to remove previous grit pattern. Going just in one direction can make it harder to get all the previous marks out, might look like you have til its polished and something shows up

Still very much in the learning stages, but there are aspects I very much enjoy: designing, shaping and finishing scales; also, I really get into pinning for some reason, especially as it all starts to tighten up and come together.

I'm just getting started too. I've completed only a couple of razors and haven't yet made any scales myself. Unpinning is still nerve-wracking work for me--fear of cracking the scales. Frustrating, too, since I think there must be a good way of doing it that I haven't managed yet. I'm still waiting for a drill press to be delivered. I have a couple of razors with scales that will have to be discarded anyway, so I'll practice using the drill press to take those scales off. I did get a scroll saw and am looking forward to making some scales.

So far, only hand sanding. I'm setting up a polyethylene tent in which to do some buffer work.

Here's a question: I got the Eastwood greaseless compounds running from 80 to 320 grit, and the Woodstock finishing compounds (black, green, red, and white). The gap in between those two sets of compounds is all hand-sanding? Is that correct? At what grit would you shift over from hand sanding to the finishing compounds?

Also, I know that for the Woodstock compounds, I'd start with black. What is the progression after that?

Not fair maybe to post beginner questions on this thread. Hijacking. I apologize for the distraction.

Back to the thread, I got a real thrill out of returning two old razors to good usable condition. But centering a blade still worries me. I never did get the second blade centered properly.

So for me the satisfactions and stresses are both still at beginner's level. That's both good and bad. Bad that my skills and satisfactions are still so limited. Good that I can reasonably anticipate learning a lot more and getting the pleasure of that.

Joe

I love designing the finished look,
I really don't like hand sanding steel but hey it comes with the territory unless I invest more $$ into buffs etc.
But I really do love the sense of achievement after it all goes back together and I look at it and think that I have saved a razor that could get another 100 years or more of use by either myself or someone else in the future.
And if I get the honing right and she shave like butter that is a bonus also

I like the making the scales and the shave test. Well actually the first stroke of the razor on skin. Even doing my usually tests to let me know if a razor is shave ready I won't know for sure until that first stroke. If all goes according to plan the razor will just glide across my skin and take the hair with it without me even know it. I like seeing the lather build up on the razor and leave behind a nice clean patch of skin. I like the fact that you can do alot of different things with the scales, but being able to do all that and make them functional is quite fun. Handing sanding a razor is a PITA almost every time, but getting a razor to be at least somewhat presentable from the condition alot of vintage razors are in is quite rewarding.

I'm not sure if enjoyment is quite the right word for this special moment--relief might be closer to it--the moment at which a razor passes the HHT.

Joe