The Mirror Finish - Perception vs Reality? [Pics Included]

Long time reader of this forum and others like it, but new to posting. Thanks for the great restoration / shaving resources you make available here.

I've read enough on topics discussing "mirror" or "near mirror" finishes to know it's like chasing a unreachable ideal, or looking for a unicorn in the woods. In my own restoration work, I've managed to take some pretty rusted or tarnished blades and return them to much of their former glory. With the three razors depicted below, I'm able to replicate (what I at least think is) a near mirror finish. Yet when I hold these same razors at a different angle in the light (also depicted below), every flaw and buffer mark is painfully visible. Razors whose designs I sought to avoid over buffing look particularly unsightly, as you can tell where the felt bob with buffing compound spent more or less time.

So what's the verdict? Are these razors about as close to a "mirror" as I will get, do they in need of additional (or more skilled) buffing, or have I gone off the deep end of restoration? Advice of any sort welcome. Thanks for your time.


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The question is, are you happy with how they look? The only time I ever think the finish is an issue is if the owner (be it a person doing their own cleaning/restoration, a person who sends a blade out to be restored, or a person who has just bought a blade based on photos and a description) is not happy with the finish or does not have his expectations regarding the finish met.

I wouldn't even need a whole hand to count the number of people I have seen put a true mirror finish on a razor (not that I've seen attempts from that many people...). It is doable, but takes time and a LOT of skill.

For me the challenge is not even so much as getting the near mirror perfect but the scratch pattern even. It seems there is always two or three deeper or more obvious ones here or there. I do hand polish quite a bit too and it does help but man the micro fibre cloth has to be fresh and clean and no old bits in the polish or it leads to scratches and even scratch patterns.

I don't think you are anywhere near mirror finish yet. Why not make the post interesting and tell us what you have used so far.

Second point is why do you want a mirror finish? The razors you are showing have etchings on them, the only way you will achieve a real mirror finish is to destroy them - is that what you want?

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

The question is, are you happy with how they look? The only time I ever think the finish is an issue is if the owner (be it a person doing their own cleaning/restoration, a person who sends a blade out to be restored, or a person who has just bought a blade based on photos and a description) is not happy with the finish or does not have his expectations regarding the finish met.

I wouldn't even need a whole hand to count the number of people I have seen put a true mirror finish on a razor (not that I've seen attempts from that many people...). It is doable, but takes time and a LOT of skill.

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As long as the cutting edge is shave ready I'm more or less happy. With these however, I'm working on bettering my restoration skills. In the future I'd like to be able to sell what I restore.

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Originally Posted by UKRob

I don't think you are anywhere near mirror finish yet. Why not make the post interesting and tell us what you have used so far.

Second point is why do you want a mirror finish? The razors you are showing have etchings on them, the only way you will achieve a real mirror finish is to destroy them - is that what you want?

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Destroying the design on the blade is definitely not what I want. I'm starting to realize that razors with designs aren't necessarily the best candidates for restoration, especially full hollow razors. For whatever reason, much older wedge style razors have been much easier to deal with.

For the three razors I've included photos of, I've used a Foredom flex shaft drill with felt bobs and jeweler's compound of various grits. For the two razors with designs (they didn't have too deep of rust), I started with white diamond, then finished with red rouge. As for the Dubl Duck, it was in far worse shape, so I started with brown emery, then moved on to white diamond, and finished with red rouge.

I don't know if this has been mention, but not all steels are as easy to get a mirror finish, or should I say suitable. I haven't seen stainless steels mirror finished, some older steels and modern ones might take different approaches to get a mirror shine. For example I got a razor from Ali that had very even grind marks and was very shiny, so I sanded a bit with some high end 3000 grit sand paper and the razor became more opaque.

I have quickly come to the conclusion that there is either a matte finish or a shiny finish. No mirrors for me. :D

But that is based just on my very very very very limited experience, as well as watching folks work here on SRP.

you touch on a touchy subject!

1) Photography! Plenty of razors that show up for sale have photos showing all the shiny glory. Of course, they are not going to post the photos from the angle that showed all the flaws! When I post a really shining razor, I post the photos showing an object showing in the blade, and I tell people "For you Reflectionists out there" ( I like making up my own words)
2) Mirror Finish.... A very subjective term. If I can see my face in it, its a mirror, right? Like a computer screen measuring HiDef, there are levels.
Myself, I am against total mirror. Every single scratch and flaw that happens will show up, and over time that make it look like crap (IMHO) I like a much more natural Bright Satin, or "almost" mirror.

I've got some darn shiny results I know some would call mirror, not me.
A true mirror finish has no perceptible scratch pattern that the naked eye can discern. There is a rigorous methodology to achieve this lapped surface texture that frankly I would find a ball ache for most projects.

Joe

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Originally Posted by Magpie

you touch on a touchy subject!

1) Photography! Plenty of razors that show up for sale have photos showing all the shiny glory. Of course, they are not going to post the photos from the angle that showed all the flaws! When I post a really shining razor, I post the photos showing an object showing in the blade, and I tell people "For you Reflectionists out there" ( I like making up my own words)
2) Mirror Finish.... A very subjective term. If I can see my face in it, its a mirror, right? Like a computer screen measuring HiDef, there are levels.
Myself, I am against total mirror. Every single scratch and flaw that happens will show up, and over time that make it look like crap (IMHO) I like a much more natural Bright Satin, or "almost" mirror.

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Yeah lighting does play a role here. Like it was mentioned earlier, "even amounts of scratches" seems to be what makes a nice, uniform high luster finish. I can see my face in a razor if I spend lots of time buffing with red rouge, whether its considered "mirror" or not is starting to mean less and less to me.

My favorite razor an old W&B has a nice satin finish - its my favorite