Thread: First Try At Restoring A Wosty Razor

Guided by the help of many of my fellow SRP members and, aided by the vast amount of information posted by the experts, I decided to give a razor restoration a shot. I figured it would be best to start with doing everything by hand and also starting on a razor that wasn't too trashed. I had a Wosty Pipe razor that had minor pitting and general rust and gunk on the tang and jimps.

I used 320 wet and dry sandpaper to get the heavy stuff, followed by 600 wet and dry sandpaper and lastly followed it it up with some automobile chrome/metal polish that I sell. All in all I am happy with my first ever attempt. I was thinking of going with different scales, but since the originals are in decent shape, I will probably just re-pin the razor.

ORIGINAL STATE



POST POLISH


This represents about 3 hours of work

Thank you again to everyone who has posted tips and suggestions on this forum!





**MODS I just noticed, I probably placed this in wrong Forum section. Please move me as you see fit.

Nice start. Now I would go over them with higher grit sand paper 1500 and higher. Then metal polish (mothers) or some other kind.

I rarely ever have gone that low in the sandpaper grit. I try to stay with 1000, but occasionally dip to 600. I go up to 2000 grit, I always use my W/D paper with WD-40, then 0000 steel wool and the steel wool with WD-40, then steel wool with mother and finally just mothers polish on a clean microfiber cloth. I must admit I do not go all the way every time and if I am trying to get a nice satin finish I will stop at the steel wool and drop down to 1000. WE all have our pet techniques and it will likely take you a while to find your happy spot. Nice choice to start with.

I agree start with 1k wet & dry, 325 is way too coarse and you will spend more time removing 325 scratches, unless you are removing pitting. 600 is pretty aggressive with the right backer, do alternate directions frequently to remove the scratch pattern quicker. After a 2k finish it should polish up nicely, with a good metal polish.

I read an interesting blog the other day where the guy was talking about polishing and he recommended not to switch to a fresh piece of cloth, but to continue to use the piece that is tarnished. He claims the tarnished piece contains all the Oxidation (rust) and that will cut faster and produce a finer finish.

Haven’t tried it yet, but may be possible, he was a polishing expert.

I have had a bunch of razors that looked similar to yours in terms of "the stains of time". Lately I have been soaking the blades in WD-40 for a day or to, to loosen up rust, carefully scraping it off with a scraper, repeat. Then I dry it and give it a go with some chrome and aluminium steel polishing paste (I prefer Sonax, but I think Mothers/Maas in the US is pretty similar). It's a great start and a good way to see what you really need to do.

I had one just the other day that, normally, I would have started sanding at (although probably starting somewhere around 600-1000 grit wet and dry). Good thing I tried the polish, because the original finish was waiting under some staining, crud and superficial rust. In the right light you can still see some minor water spots, but I prefer a slightly tarnished, pretty much original finish to hours of hand sanding and polishing resulting in a nice, but hardly ever perfect finish.

Thanks guys for your tips. In all honesty, I thought I read somewhere to start off with that low of grit sandpaper. Lesson learned. I have lots of grits of sandpaper from auto detailing so I will continue on into the higher grit range.

I think on my next project I am going to use my vibratory cleaner that I use for reloading. I saw some posts by Glen and other guys how it's slow, but really works!

Originally Posted by TheFiveO

Thanks guys for your tips. In all honesty, I thought I read somewhere to start off with that low of grit sandpaper. Lesson learned. I have lots of grits of sandpaper from auto detailing so I will continue on into the higher grit range.

You learn something every day. It is a bit of logic: it is easier to drop grit when necessary than to get rid of coarse scratches. And really, WD-40 is your friend (particularly when sanding). It is the duct tape of restoring steel tools.

Originally Posted by Pithor

You learn something every day. It is a bit of logic: it is easier to drop grit when necessary than to get rid of coarse scratches. And really, WD-40 is your friend (particularly when sanding). It is the duct tape of restoring steel tools.

Awesome sir! Thank you for that tip. Is WD40 safe to use if the blades are still in the scales? I have a few razors that only really need "gunk" cleanup near the pivot point, tang and jimps. If its safe for scales, then no need to un pin.

I have not had any problems yet with bone, horn and plastic (I think celluloid) scales. But better safe than sorry, so check every once in a while. I have had a razor with plastic (again, I think celluloid) scales soak in it for a good 10 hours or so just now, and they are fine.

I hose down every razor I buy with WD40, then soak the corner of a paper towel fold it over a coffee stir stick with the end clipped off straight with a pair of side cutters and remove all the soap scum from between the scales. WD40 will melt all that crud without a lot of scraping of the scales, never had a problem with Celluloid, heat is the issue with celluloid.

Then clean the blade with a piece of 000 steel wool sprayed with WD40. You can get 90 percent of the crud off by doing just that.

Simple green on a paper towel get all the WD40 off. I also mute the edge by lightly dragging a 1K Diamond File over the entire edge. You are going to hone it anyway, so at least make it a bit safer while you are working on it.

Now at least you can see what need to be done next.