Any suggestions for restoring the blade on this one?

Hi. This is my first post to this forum. I've been reading the forums for advice on straight shaving. I haven't introduced myself before now because I don't have much to say. However, I'm always up for learning new skills.

On a whim, I stopped into a local antique shop yesterday and asked about straight razors, thinking I might find something good enough to learn to hone on. I was surprised to find a couple of razors in what looked to be re-storable condition. One was stamped Sweden (sorry, can't remember the name), the other was this one, which I picked up for $25 Cdn. I didn't know if it was a particularly good or well known brand but upon seeing the Solingen stamp, I figured it shouldn't be bad. I've been using only new production razors (a TI and a Boker) but after reading the forums and seeing the high regard everyone has for vintage razors, I thought I'd keep an eye out for one or maybe buy a whipped dog. So I decided to try my hand at cleaning it up and making some scales using some hardwood I have lying around (I'm thinking padauk, but I've got some walnut, maple, and larch as well).

I'm considering my options for what to do about the marking on the blade. It would be nice to be able to preserve it for character, but I can't save the whole thing and I think it will be tough to make it look good. I also think trying to work around it will make the job a lot slower. If this were your project, what would you do? Is there any value in trying to save it?

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That etch is extremely shallow and will come off in the blink of an eye. If you are super careful you might get some of it with a fiberglass pencil and an eraser.
I would star be very very carefully scraping the active rust and then assessing it to see how large and deep it may be and deciding from there. The rest of the blade is just normal rust removal and finish restoration you will need to un-pin it to get the stuff by the tail.

Wellcome To SRP.Learn to shave, Than think about hones (6 mos.),have it pro honed after your resto
Contact Phrank, a fellow Canuck,He can tell you where to go with it.

I would follow RezDog's advice for the clean up. The scales look good as is and only need a clean and polish also to pop them. I would send the razor out to be pro honed. There are a few places in Canada that will do a good job of honing for you. That will give you a serviceable razor. I'd leave messing with making new scales and self honing till later after you get the shaving down pat.

Bob

If you have not Unpinned a razor befor,send it to a pro to do it all,JMO

Looks like it needs light cleanup. Cover the gold wash with tape to protect it. Clean dark spots with 600 grit wet sand paper polish and hone. That's all I would do.

These are great blades and this one is salvageable although you will lose the etching. I would save the scales and not unpin the blade from them if this is your first restore since the scales are good. Sand the blade with the appropriate grit wet and dry automotive paper all the way up to 2000 grit and then get the Maas or Simichrome Polish out and polish that sucker to a mirror shine. Any gunk btween the scales at the pivot pin can be gotten with unwaxed dental floss. Once cleaned and polished to your specs send it out and get it honed. You can do more with the next project razor as you learn. BTW the polish will make the scales shine up as well. Enjoy!

Thanks, everyone, for your advice.

Clean it up and use. As your RAD grows you will aquire even worse blades. Because most will be cheap. Those are the ones to restore.. JMO. And if you break it your only out $10 thats about what I've found them for

First, without much restoration experience, plan on loosing the etch and some of the Gold wash. Read the library WIKI Repairing & Restoring/ restoring razors, if you plan to attempt it yourself.

Second, restoration begins at purchase, buy the best razors you can afford. Sending this razor out to be restored with the minimum damage to the gold and etch, will cost more that the razor is worth and even then the wash and etch will most probably be lost, the pitting looks aggressive and deep.

If it were me, I would cut off the rust with a razor blade and remove as much as possible at the pivot, with wire wheel and slow speed on a variable speed Dremel. Polish, Hone and shave.

About your scales, they are of faux-ivory celluloid, that will burn really fast if you try to polish them with anything having an electric plug or battery. I love this material, it is beautiful, light and strong enough. If you can try to bring back its whitish color, use a lot of water and the finest wet-dry sandpaper you can find. I use norton 1200, but this number is meaningless in U.S. because our standardization units are different.
Once it is polished again, with all that yellowish degeneration gone, you'll be amazed!

P.S.: Be gentle with the corners.