A gift worth mentioning, and saving.

I received the below from a member on here and had to share. I'm appreciative on a couple of levels actually. Firstly, look at it! Its an early 1800s Greaves for goodness sake. Secondly, it was unexpected, unsolicited kindness/thoughtfulness on a level that I personally didn't expect to experience any more as my circle of friends draws predictably smaller with age.
Renews once sense of altruism and community for sure, as I really am indebted with gratitude. inspired to restore it without f--king it up too! But that goes without saying.

Attachment 179650
So now its time to decide the best course of action. Scale was removed intact and does not seem damaged or cracked, and looks appropriate to the period. If not original, pretty good fit. Lots of deep rust at the pin, and pits on her sides but she's a thick, true wedge razor.
I can't wait to see what she looks like cleaned up..
and I can't say this enough...
Thanks Phrank! I will try to do it proud.
Cheers.

Glad you like it Mike...figured a fellow Canuck would know what to do with an old Greaves like that...going to be interesting to watch the restore. Just be careful you don't polish it up to shiny, you don't want to upset the old folks around here....:p

Phrank, who knew? Your like the grinch after he figured out what Christmas was really about. Nice razor, treasure it and use it in good health.

How shiny to make it??? That is the question..
As I've started buffing already there is certainly deep stuff at the pivot.
And expectedly some pretty deep spots on the blade faces as well. battle scars!
So,, I will apply some gentle pressure and see how she looks. I'm ok with some age spots on older blades. But I do like to get them as polished as possible too. A 200 year tune up, as it were..
Cheers.

Well done, Phrank!! Bravo!

I must be one of the "old folks" that Phrank mentioned, MikeB52; those "battle scars" are what I call "character"! So I favor a gentle touch. But whatever you decide, enjoy!

Hell yeah! Light buffing, some dremel wire brush around the tang first. Those scales are of wood? Someone did a fine job!
Oil 'em up after light fine steel wool. Pin it back up, hone it with a layer or 2 of tape and GO. Sweet!
Good go, Phrank! Enjoy, Mike! :beer1:

The thanks is to Mike...he's welcomed the SRP members two years in a row to his house and made everyone feel welcome...and from what I understand, no-one has spilled blood, or left any body parts in his pool!!! ;)

Next year will be my second hosting if the nearby folks are willing to make the northern hike once again as it was a great day and I really enjoyed seeing everyone and their kits.
Mcbladescar Mike was the host last year in mighty Tillsonberg. Also a great event..
But you must attend the next one Phrank! We all know you have a travel case now so there will be no excuses entertained.

Now as to the Greaves, I found after cleaning that there is a split at the pin site on one side sadly.
Attachment 179710
I was thinking if I used some kind of varathane it might seal it against further splitting, but not sure. Also the pin or more likely the rust wore away more of the area under the washer so I'm thinking maybe a larger washer will be needed to properly peen against.
Ideas and experiences from you gents are welcomed.
Thanks.

Ya, Mike, the problem with wooden scales. Some polyurethane would help. They also have stain with urethane in it. You might consider some of these 'pop rivet' type collars which go thru the wood and pin metal-to metal. Keeps pressure off the wood. Some domed cat's eyes on top of them to spread the load of peening.

Attachment 179720

I love SRP and the spirit that lives here. Way to go Phrank!

Progress on the blade as follows.
Attachment 179846
Attachment 179847
Attachment 179848
Attachment 179849
As expected, the pitting is quite deep at the pivot and along the toe area of the blade.
Don't think I can clean it up much more without risking losing the name.
It being a perfect triangle wedge, I wonder if honing it flat to the stone through the progressions would be better than the wheel to give it the final squaring up?
I buffed it up to 300 grit to see how it shined up and it looks pretty sweet to my eyes.

Phrank is a very generous fellow, i have a nice razor from him too. Good onya phrank.

Where's my freebie Phrank? I hear you have a huge GB anchor lying around gathering dust ;)

Jokes aside, I'd like to acknowledge Phranks kindness, generosity & selflessness. Apart from the gift to MikeB52, I also saw on an older post that he has been very generous to Ed and perhaps others, and has been very kind to me also. Phrank and I seem to have a somewhat similar taste in razors, and chat from time to time via PM. Phrank is always kind enough to advise me of new razors he notices on eBay, even though I assume he intends to bid on some himself.

I think that people like Phrank (and many other kind members like him) are the reason that so many people keep returning to SRP and feel welcomed, plus get so much enjoyment and satisfaction from this hobby, whether it be shaving, restoring, collecting or even building straights.

Thumbs up Phrank :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AndrewJM

Where's my freebie Phrank? I hear you have a huge GB anchor lying around gathering dust ;)

Jokes aside, I'd like to acknowledge Phranks kindness, generosity & selflessness. Apart from the gift to MikeB52, I also saw on an older post that he has been very generous to Ed and perhaps others, and has been very kind to me also. Phrank and I seem to have a somewhat similar taste in razors, and chat from time to time via PM. Phrank is always kind enough to advise me of new razors he notices on eBay, even though I assume he intends to bid on some himself.

I think that people like Phrank (and many other kind members like him) are the reason that so many people keep returning to SRP and feel welcomed, plus get so much enjoyment and satisfaction from this hobby, whether it be shaving, restoring, collecting or even building straights.

Thumbs up Phrank :)

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Thanks for the kind words Andrew...try to live my life by the Golden Rule and it seems that the majority of the members here do as well, aside from the fact we all get bitchy now and then. ;)

And I agree, the members of SRP have been an incredible community here....it's a wonderful hobby and art, but it makes it so much more fun, as with many things, when you can share it with friends.:D

And for your viewing pleasure I humbly offer my completed restore of my gifted Greaves:
Attachment 180832Attachment 180833Attachment 180834Attachment 180835Attachment 180836
I ended up leaving some scars, and I'm ok with them as the blade feel is very smooth now.
As well as the actual gift of the Greaves from Phrank(Andrew), I also want to thank Sharptonn(Tom) for sending me the domed washers and inner support pins that allowed me to save the original scale. And imo, they look perfectly suited for this blade.
Will be attempting to hone her up tonight and take her for a test shave.
Cheers gents.

Wow - a beautiful old razor given new life!

That, for me, is what it's all about...something that was forgotten, is now relevant again...hope to see it in the SOTD with a review on your thoughts of the shave.

Excellent work both you and Tom!:D

Very, very nice Mike. :beer1: Here's to a wonderful shave!

It turned out really choice, Mike! Kudos! :tu

Very nice work on this early Greaves, Enjoy!

Thanks for the kind words gents.
Just got home, stones a soaking.
Gonna get to the good stuff shortly I hope.

You mention liking the resurrecting or rekindled relevance Phrank, and for me that's a BIG part of the attraction as well. The cool factor of a tool older than my country itself, becoming useful, and in fact treasured once again,,, I just dig being part of that,, lineage maintaining kinda thing.
I have only two razors from the 1800's. this one, and the Bell Irish blade I restored last year. Both, to me, are priceless..and what I consider my "top shelf" razors..
Cheers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MikeB52

Thanks for the kind words gents.
Just got home, stones a soaking.
Gonna get to the good stuff shortly I hope.

You mention liking the resurrecting or rekindled relevance Phrank, and for me that's a BIG part of the attraction as well. The cool factor of a tool older than my country itself, becoming useful, and in fact treasured once again,,, I just dig being part of that,, lineage maintaining kinda thing.
I have only two razors from the 1800's. this one, and the Bell Irish blade I restored last year. Both, to me, are priceless..and what I consider my "top shelf" razors..
Cheers.

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Absolutely - this is before we became Canada and were simply The Dominion of Upper and Lower Canada...even before the Battle of the Plains of Abraham (thinking of that great song by one of the greatest Canadian bands, The Band's, "Acadian Driftwood").

If that blades anything like one Valery did for me, he said it was like honing diamond, or solid glass on the stones....and yes, it gives a smile that this blade may yet have another 200 years in it.....:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phrank

(thinking of that great song by one of the greatest Canadian bands, The Band's, "Acadian Driftwood" :D

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+1 to that.