Thread: Wasn't sure what I had found, other than a rust bucket...ended up a SCORE!

The wife and I went around some local antique shops and I happened across some hones. I asked the attendant to see the stones and there were a few razors under them, so of course I wanted to see them too. One found my interest due to the size, but as you can tell, it was a rust bucket for sure. It had some makeshift scales that didn't fit & at some time in it's life those scales that were supposed to protect the razor actually killed it at the toe (note the chip). There was no price on the barber hone or the razor. She asked me what I would give for them. I honestly didn't think I could restore the razor, but would use it as a pattern for making a large English razor. I offered her $10 for the razor and stone together. She thought about it for a minute and I was really about to walk and she accepted it. I figured I had gotten a barber hone (I don't use them really) for the $ & really just felt OK about the purchase.

Fast forward to this evening while my wife was away taking care of a grand-daughter at their house for several hours. I decided to take some of my spent DE razor blades to the old razor and started to scrape junk & rust from them. I kept it wet with WD-40 and scraped away with blade after blade & finially with some steel wool. My arthritic fingers have had enough, but with the picture progression you get to see what I found under that rust and gunk...A fine old gentleman by the name of W. Greaves & Sons, For Barbers Use. I don't think I will do too much more to it besides hone it up. I have a feeling I may loose a little of the size, but it will still be over 8/8. The pics don't do it justice, but I am sure all of you shavers will be pleased that it will one day soon be back in service.