Thread: Some rather basic questions...

It does look like you have removed quite a bit of steel from the spine and bevel, way too aggressive grits.

What Grit stones are you using?

Do read the restoration section in the Library and recommended threads and at least tape the spine if you do any more honing.

They all do appear to need some restoration, but can be made to shave.

They have much more value as family heirlooms than collector razors.

You can never put steel back on.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

It does look like you have removed quite a bit of steel from the spine and bevel, way too aggressive grits.

What Grit stones are you using?

Do read the restoration section in the Library and recommended threads and at least tape the spine if you do any more honing.

They all do appear to need some restoration, but can be made to shave.

They have much more value as family heirlooms than collector razors.

You can never put steel back on.

Which razor are your referring to? If it is the Hunter & Son I agree that I took off quite a bit from the spine and bevel but this was necessary to remove the bad chips from the blade. In fact the job is not quite done as the edge is still not quite clean. Given the geometry of the blade I can see no alternative to this rather aggressive honing which I did with a diamond honing stone followed by polishes with various grades of Arkansas stones. I now want to reduce the widths of the honing surfaces on both the edge and the spine. It this were a plane blade I would so so by regrinding the hollow.

Not true . you can work on the bevel and take out the chips and then hone. When you hone you can tape the spine so it never looks like you been there. You really should hold off and read. You got me crying already :<0)

They are your razors and you can mess them up if you want. I think there are better razors out there to learn with. If you want to shave with those send them out. If you want to learn to hone buy other ones. These are heirloom razors.

Originally Posted by RezDog

They are your razors and you can mess them up if you want. I think there are better razors out there to learn with. If you want to shave with those send them out. If you want to learn to hone buy other ones. These are heirloom razors.

I appreciate your advice but sometimes I like to work things out myself from first principles (I have an engineering degree). If the spine is taped and only the edge is worked on then the geometry will change - the angle of the edge will become less acute - especially if you have chips in the blade which are about 1/16" deep as mine were. I believe my father must have used the razors for DIY tasks after they ceased to be used for shaving, hence the extensive damage.

If - and I admit it is a big if - I can a do an accurate re grind of the hollow to reduce the width of the honing surfaces I believe I will have made a very serviceable and good-looking razor from one which otherwise would most probably have been thrown away.

My sister has just found two more of my father's old razors including one marked "John Tingle" of Sheffield. This also has a badly chipped blade, no doubt from having been abused in the same way. I will see how things go with the Hunter & Son before I tackle this one.

Originally Posted by NigelW

I appreciate your advice but sometimes I like to work things out myself from first principles (I have an engineering degree). If the spine is taped and only the edge is worked on then the geometry will change - the angle of the edge will become less acute - especially if you have chips in the blade which are about 1/16" deep as mine were. You don't think I know this? I don't have an engineering degree but I do have a grinder capable of changing angles or restoring old ones :<0) I believe my father must have used the razors for DIY tasks after they ceased to be used for shaving, hence the extensive damage. We are trying to help save you from making the same mistake of abusing the razor.

If - and I admit it is a big if - I can a do an accurate re grind of the hollow to reduce the width of the honing surfaces I believe I will have made a very serviceable and good-looking razor from one which otherwise would most probably have been thrown away. I know you won't believe this but, it could be very serviceable without a regrind. Many examples are in the Workshop section.

My sister has just found two more of my father's old razors including one marked "John Tingle" of Sheffield. This also has a badly chipped blade, no doubt from having been abused in the same way. I will see how things go with the Hunter & Son before I tackle this one.

Friend, I wish we could communicate with you, but you seem to have your own language. So,

Hopefully, not too late. There is some merit for going the http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...r-cleaner.html Tumbler approach, as I understand.

It does look like alot of metal was removed. Unpinning the razors and dropping them into a tumbler with the right media and you may have avoided it.

Hope that helps, Nigel.

ooooH. Sorry. Read the couple post above. It seems you've answered your own questions.

Kind regards,

Siguy

So… did you have a question?

The whole spine/ tape/ angle/ theory is a myth, disproven long ago, though there are some that still believe it, even in the face of fact.

You are needlessly disfiguring your razors and possibly making them unable to hold a shaving edge.

It sounds like you have already decided how you want to “repair” your razors… against experience and practical advice, so enjoy.

Thanks for showing us you razors…

Originally Posted by Euclid440

So… did you have a question?

The whole spine/ tape/ angle/ theory is a myth, disproven long ago, though there are some that still believe it, even in the face of fact.

You are needlessly disfiguring your razors and possibly making them unable to hold a shaving edge.

It sounds like you have already decided how you want to “repair” your razors… against experience and practical advice, so enjoy.

Thanks for showing us you razors…

Wow, it's great to see such passion for the protection of what were, when they were made, rather commonplace utilitarian objects.

I did look at some video clips made by guys who look like pros before I started and I have recently found another one along the same lines which makes perfect sense to me and is what I had in mind (please tell me if you disagree):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGEjS8oqtkU

My hone wear is very much less than the examples he shows which he says do not need regrinding, which I find most reassuring. My hone wear is a little uneven however because I was focussing too much on taking out the chips, which were concentrated at one end, than on keeping it even. I acknowledge that this was a mistake but I believe I can largely correct it by doing some more honing at the other end of the blade, and if that doesn't work out satisfactorily I have the option to regrind as in the clip. If I ruin the razor it will be a shame but I will learn from it. Other than damaging the cutting edge further, overheating when grinding is probably the greatest risk. If this happens I would have to take it apart and heat treat it - something I have done before when making tools, but I would rather not have to.

My next restoration project is a 17th Century lantern clock but I am taking this to a specialist clock repair class as it's probably worth more than a hundred times as much as my razor and I really don't want to ruin that!

Originally Posted by RezDog

They are your razors and you can mess them up if you want. I think there are better razors out there to learn with. If you want to shave with those send them out. If you want to learn to hone buy other ones. These are heirloom razors.

I truly agree with this gentleman. When I stated to hone I gathered me 3 or 4 cheaper razors off the Ebay and practiced on them and when I was through and could shave with them I would sell them. if I got my money back ok if not still ok because I learned from them. all said and done I would learn on razors not quite as good.