Thread: Nice to meet yall, starting to restore razors.

Hi Everyone, I decided I wanted a new hobby, so I bought 11 razors off ebay to restore. Honestly, half of it is just because I like sharpening knives, but don't dull them fast enough. But, I have polished up two of them, honed and shaved with one, and have enjoyed it so far. At this point, I don't want to buy a bunch of equipment, so I am doing them by hand. Starting with 220 grit sand paper and working my way up to 3000 grit. Then polishing with white jewelers rouge on a piece of leather. Honing on 1000 - 8000 grit whetstones and finishing with the jewelers rouge on a strip of leather glued to scrap lumber.
I don't think anyone wants me to post pictures of 11 razors here, but I do have some general questions, if yall will indulge me.
1. So far I have been hesitant to unpin them. I am going to have to in order to do the whole lot as some of the scales are broken and some probably have some pretty heavy rust around the pin. Do yall generally unpin all of them so you can get the blade polished from toe to whatever you call that swoop end your pinky goes in? Youtube makes it look really easy, but I am a bit nervous about getting the pressure right putting the pin back in.
2. Some seem to not have washers between the scale and the blade and rub near the toe a little when you close them. The don't hit the edge of the blade, but would I be better off, or would I risk anything, by adding washers when I (get up the nerve to) repin them?
3. I am not interested in looking to make scales right now. My sawing skills are, lets just say, imprecise. I have seen maggard razors sells some generic plastic ones and a shop on etsy that sells some nice wooden and bone ones out of the UK. Any other places to get them and perhaps other supplies (both sell pinning kits).
4. Is there a library out there that I may be able to figure out brand, age, and quality?
I have attached some photos of the second one which I have not sharpened yet (in case there are eagle eyes out there that can tell).
Thanks in advance for help, and look forward to poking around these forums.