Thread: Help withblack stains-rust

Originally Posted by Doc226

If you were so inclined to try to save, I would make sure you can get clean steel on the bevel before going any further. Set a bevel and take a good look with a loupe, if you have Swiss cheese then you will know.

Read this again ^^^^^^^


Cut a bevel FIRST unless you just want the "Experience" there is no reason to waste the time if the bevel isn't solid


I wrote this about 10 years ago

Shiny Steel or Grey is Good !!!
Red Rust is Fixable !!!
Black Rust / Devil's Spit goes deep

That's good advice. My only caveat to that is IF you intend to shave with it. In reality there are 2 different markets.for straight Razors: shavers and collectors. They have very different criteria and desires for buying.

Here's an M. George and Sons with straight wood scales. If these are in fact original then this is the most valuable one I have...to a COLLECTOR. I personally wouldn't shave the bristles off a dead hog with it. It all depends on what you want. You mentioned restoring it for display. You may not have that option. It depends on how deep that pitting goes. Still this is an entirely different question as to whether it can be made shave worthy or not. Not trying to contradict Glenn because he's a very knowledgeable guy and very capable of answering the question but I think he would agree, and correct me if I'm wrong Glenn, that these are two different things

@PaulFLUS

Well you do have a point, there are three types of collectors ie: Us and Them and Them hehehe

Them being the "Scale" guys, they mostly are after the VERY rare Celluloid scales and have zero concern with the razors they sit on
I did some work for one of them over the years, he would send the Junk razors out and "Clean Blades" all he cared about were the Rare scales, and that they were CAREFULLY saved and repinned onto ANY clean steel.

It was a good deal for me because if he by chance sent a Valuable piece of steel he had no problem with me substituting another clean blade into the scales

As for the other Them, True Antique Collectors, restoration would be a Cardinal Sin, only enough to halt any more damage would be acceptable, I am not aware of many of those guys, a very few of the Reenactors have contacted me over the years to Restore some Civil War-era razors or to fashion a "Patch Knife"


Wood Scales - Honestly I have never seen them on any Factory - Artisan Vintage even stretching back into the 1700's they seem to be a homemade fix to broken scales
To my eye, it makes the razor that much more interesting because somebody took the time to keep it in service. I would have to see wooden scales offered in an old sales catalouge to change my mind

There are a couple of guys on here that are REALLY into the pre-1830 stuff they might know even more than I do g/l


Hope that helps