Thread: What do you think about this starting tools?

Originally Posted by outback

To wrap the wet/dry paper around.
So you can sand the inside curvature of the blade.

I couldn't find in the whole forum a picture of sandpaper + cork but I learned that Cork is a city in Ireland
Just to be 100% sure, should I cut the cork or just use it as it is cutting enough sandpaper to wrap the whole cork?

Thanks!

You will have to experiment with what works for you and the blade in question.

Originally Posted by cmsessa

I couldn't find in the whole forum a picture of sandpaper + cork but I learned that Cork is a city in Ireland
Just to be 100% sure, should I cut the cork or just use it as it is cutting enough sandpaper to wrap the whole cork?

Thanks!

I'm sure other members have different methods, but I cut a strip from the sheet of sandpaper that is as
wide as the cork is long. I start the sandpaper around the cork (think of a 6) and roll it up as I wear it out.

I think I found my first victim.
A Wester Bros #34. 5/8. I payed: $24.49 for it.

Pictures:






(I am not sure if it's ok to paste the ebay link to the bid I won)

What I would do with the knowledge I have so far:
I love the scales but I am not sure if the blade is worth the work. Blade looks like it's on a decent state.

* Small pass of steel wool with WD40
* 600 grit sandpaper (highest I have right now) pass
* Apply Mothers polish with a microfiber towel

What do you guys think?
Brutal honest truth is appreciated!

Steel wool/WD-40, then polish it with mothers, flitz, or mass.

Mass works best for a brite shine. IMO

Originally Posted by cmsessa

I was reading the library and in Hand sanding a blade - Straight Razor Place Library Bruno uses 150 180 240 320 400 600 1000 1200 1500.

Do you mind explaining why you recommended 400-2k?

Well it takes a very long time to sand out the scratches from 150 grit. Those scratches go very very deep. I can sand out a lot of stuff with 400 faster. Also there is a limit as to how far I am willing to go to get pits out. If they are 150 grit deep it had better be a seriously heavy wedge or you are going to sand the blade too thin and it will not be usable. You have to remember just how thin a full hollow razor really is. There are many many factors to consider when deciding what blade to restore and what blade to leave.

So here is where you decide, what you want to achieve, a clean-up, so it can be honed or a full blown restoration and mirror finish.

To clean, as said WD40 and 000 steel wool paper towels and a coffee stir stick will get all the rust and soap off.

600 will remove a lot of scratches and will buff nicely with any good metal polish.

With a blade in the condition ( from I see ) I would start with the polish and see if there are any scratches or blemishes underneath. Sometimes what looks bad will polish right off. Heck semichrome polish may bring that back to life in a few minutes. If not you will be able to see a lot more of what your up against. If your thinking of making scales go ahead and unpin it. You can do a better job of cleaning that way and have a template for the new scales. If all the reading starts getting to you there are a ton of videos out there. Some guys will also run the edge over a bottle just to dull it down some. A little safety factor that won't add that much time to your honing.

Oh and about the link....It's okay but the way you did it was much better. Links disappear after a time and then you have a post with no pictures.

I failed completely at my first unpinning of a blade.
I used the flush cutter method.

Picture:


Pictures from the pivot:

I guess that vertical mark is too deep to be removed.


This side looks fine.

Tomorrow I will try cleaning the blade.