Thread: What Is Your Restoration/Mod Philosophy For Vintage Razors?

I know with vintage cars you have the people that want completely original, Rat Rods, period accurate restorations, and modern restoration/mods. I'm wondering how a lot of you SR users/collectors approach the restoration of your 'new' vintage straight razor.

For example, what do you do if:

-blade has heavy patina, but no rusting or pitting
-the scales are damaged or cracked/chipped at pivot, but functional
-similar material for replacement scales or personal preference
-etching is still intact, but very faint
-completely remove pitting, or just what comes out with light hand sanding

pics are welcome!

Thanks

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...storation.html


Basically I tend to let the individual razor decide,

Much like Car Restoration that you mentioned, there are different goals in mind

Pretty much my philosophy is period accurate just as stated in the link posted by Glen above:

Vintage Restoration: This would mean popping the scales taking every piece apart, cleaning straightening and polishing the factory scales. Taking the the steel back to as close to the day it left the factory as possible, including taking out pits, if it doesn't remove stamps completely... Using as many of the original parts as possible, such as re-using those old bullseye washers..

Vintage Re-build: This would mean popping the scales taking every piece apart, cleaning straightening and polishing the factory scales. Taking the the steel back to as close to the day it left the factory as possible, including taking out pits, if it doesn't remove stamps completly... New pins and bearing washers, and locking washer, where applicable...


To me...there is something about looking at a razor staring back at me in the mirror while I'm shaving, that looks just like (or at least as close as I could make it look!) what the first person to ever use the razor all those years ago saw. I just love that!

I'm a minimalist in terms of restoration. Semichrome on a q-tip with a paper towel. I would only rescale if the existing scales were shot. In that case it would be with scales of the same type as the vintage article. I'm really only thinking old Sheffield steel here. So horn, ivory, something like that. I cannot stand old Sheffields with acrylic scales. Obviously YMMV.

Another point is, I gave up buying razors in poor condition a long time ago. So most anything I would buy wouldn't need much in the way of restoration. Here is an example, note the pitting left on the blade, and the beautiful scales done by Tarkus ;

What is important to you?
If only the steel and shape of the blade as a cutting tool, the sky is the limit as far as grinding, polishing,and scales.

If history is important, then the least possible cleaning and polishing to make it usable.

If History and beauty is important, then take it completely apart and renew and replace what is needed to make it a "Next to New " razor.

So the level of renewal is up to the owner of the blade and there are folks in the classified section fully capable of doing any of the above processes; or you can do them yourself.
Look here for possibilities!
Custom Builts and Restorations
Above all, enjoy the process!
~Richard

Depends on the blade.
Ideally I like to get them as close to new-looking as possible.
The reality is that many blades have issues that prevent them from getting to that like-new look.

There is more wiggle room with scale work than blade work. Scales can be of various materials and shapes, of course they flow has to match the blade shape, for the whole to be pleasing to the eye.

Left the Honing bench to return to this thread specifically and add one caveat


A serious pet peeve of mine personally is the widespread misuse of the term "Patina" I hate it when people call black rust and the underlying pitting Patina..

It isn't Patina, Patina is made through years of care and attention to the steel not years of neglect...

Anyway I was honing along and just had to stop and add that to the thread

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Left the Honing bench to return to this thread specifically and add one caveat


A serious pet peeve of mine personally is the widespread misuse of the term "Patina" I hate it when people call black rust and the underlying pitting Patina..

It isn't Patina, Patina is made through years of care and attention to the steel not years of neglect...

Anyway I was honing along and just had to stop and add that to the thread

Uh oh, now I'm wondering which category my recent purchase fall into....

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Left the Honing bench to return to this thread specifically and add one caveat


A serious pet peeve of mine personally is the widespread misuse of the term "Patina" I hate it when people call black rust and the underlying pitting Patina..

It isn't Patina, Patina is made through years of care and attention to the steel not years of neglect...

Anyway I was honing along and just had to stop and add that to the thread

This is perhaps the second best 'Caveat' (next to: "No amount of money spent on a Stone can ever replace the value of the time it takes learning to use it properly" ) ever posted on SRP!!! At least in MHO ...

Originally Posted by JP5

Uh oh, now I'm wondering which category my recent purchase fall into....

If it looks like black spots on the blade, then you got pitting/corrosion
If it is bluish tinted uniform coating then you have patina.
If you google "knife natural patina" you will get the idea what it supposed to look like. Forced patina can look spotty depending on how it was made and the purpose.

Natural patina from use on razors also can look like a burned temper that can mislead some people bidding on ebay razors.