Hello gentlemen, is there any chance to clean this stains? The blade seems to be in good shape, but esthetically is it not so overwhelming..thank you for help
Printable View
Hello gentlemen, is there any chance to clean this stains? The blade seems to be in good shape, but esthetically is it not so overwhelming..thank you for help
That is devil spit on the edge and hard to get past when you are honing it, most times impossible.
Try to find a better razor to start on. That razor will probably only bring frustration while you are starting out.
If you manage to get the black off what you will find left is pitting. Bad steel. If this was a near wedge razor you could regrind it if you had the tools. But its beyond what id recommend for someone new at restoring. You can sand on that one and give it a try. It would be a good learning experiance. But done exspect a miricle. See if you can get solid steel along the edge first. No pitting.
A little more on Devil's Spit from the past.
https://sharprazorpalace.com/worksho...vils-spit.html
Bob
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.
Clean it up with steel wool n oil, then metal polish on a rag. Then set a bevel, see what ya got. If you can achieve a clean bevel, it'll shave. May not look pretty, but if it'll shave again, its a win. I only sand a blade if it truly warrants it. (Typically 1/2 hollows and wedges ). The rest get cleaned up the best I can.
Doing a few junkers, will train you in what will clean up, and what won't. All of us that restore these objects of ol, started off by trying to make them look like new, again.
Some will, most will not. Its a learning process, that doesn't take long to learn. In no time, you'll be able to look at a razor and say....nope, not worth saving. Not gonna waste my time, with so many fish out there.
For example, here a full hollow that to most wouldn't bother with, cause its full hollow. I seen a possibility.
Attachment 312092
So I cut the active rust off with a SE razor blade, then steel wool and oil. That gave me a better idea if the blade was salvageable.
Attachment 312093
From there it was a bunch of sanding, and checking if I was going too far. (Foil ). I took it as far as I could, leaving some imperfections, then polished by hand, so not to overheat the blade on a buffing wheel.
It lives again, and shaves as good as new.
Attachment 312094
So its good to learn on some clunkers, before you start on better razors.
Attachment 312095
Attachment 312096
So take it slow, ask questions along the way when your not sure what to do.
There's a ton of info in the workshop thread, " What Are You Working On " that will help you on your way. There's also more in the library in the subject of restoration.
I start with a brass brush and CLR. Rinse thoroughly when done and dry. Depending how bad sand starting with 80 grit working up to 2500 grit. Sand in all directions. It is easier if you wrap the sandpaper around a wine cork. When it is what you accept then wet sand 800 up to 2500 grit. Final is polish with Mother's metal polish and a rag around the cork. Continue polish to desired finish.
A lot of thanks...i would like to try to restore the razor, even if only for "display purposes"
The trick is to know when to quit. Some are just never going to get there it's true but others will get to functional but not like new. Here is one that I got as blade only. It was clear very early on that all the pitting was just not coming out without sanding right through the blade not to mention the engraving so I left it as "patina" and went with a rustic look. Good advice above on procedures that I won't try to add to except to say that metal polish will do wonders for the staining but won't take out the pitting. You'll have to decide if you can live with what you'll be left with short of destroying it.
Attachment 312103
Attachment 312104
Attachment 312105
Yep..gotta have some with patina. Some look better with it.
Attachment 312107
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc226
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.
Attachment 312116
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
