Thread: When to stop sanding.

So I decided I'd like to give restoration a go and found a tatty old George Wostenholm IXL barbers notch on the bay. It was well rusted but it seemed a decent project, I've always like the look of old Sheffield barbers notch razors, reminiscent of old Dreadnought cruisers! I removed the scales as these were wrecked, and got to work with 240 grit WD sandpaper. Many hours later I have removed most of the damage but also much of the etchings - boo! I wantbto know how I can remove the remaining pitting without losing the remaining etchings, any suggestions?

At this point I'd stop. Your working on a extra hollow ground razor and there's not that much metal to remove on those before you turn them into foil, and the blade becomes too flexible.
I see some deep pitting near the edge that may give you some problems obtaining a clean bevel.
So I would suggest setting a bevel before going any further.

You may have to live with a few pits, but you'll have a fine shaver. Once you reach a clean bevel, then go back to W/D paper and work up through the progression of grits.

Some ya just can't make look all shiny and new again, some you can. But a lot of them, can be brought back to shaving status again.

Here's a few pics of one I brought back to service just recently. Its not pretty to look at, but shaves a treat once more.
before clean up.

after 400,600,1000 grt. W/D paper, and some light buffing with Emory, and then chromium oxide .5 micron. ( stropping grade )

Put several hours on the hones removing chips, and working through pits, knowing there was one small window of opportunity to achieve a clean bevel.

Before honing.

The tiny window.
Notice there are two pits "IN" the bevel, but I also have a clean edge. If I had to hone it any further, I would have a piece of junk because of the heavier pits above the bevel.

Finished,and SOTD pic.

Hope this helps

Mike

Wow, Outback-Great save, great advice, and some useful info. all in one post! I hope that beauty survives and shaves great for a long time before you have to retire it on those pitting issues.