Thread: Restoring My Grandfather's Razor

It looks like I've found the right place for help on this.

Outstanding!

Originally Posted by Leighton

Restore! That thing looks great as is! Just needs to be cleaned a little.

I was thinking the same thing.

There's nothing wrong with learning to hone it yourself, but I think you've got the right idea buying some other blades on ebay to learn on.

As you said, that razor has very little monetary value, and if it was just an old razor you happened to have in a drawer, I'd say it was a perfect candidate for learning on.

Since it's a personal family heirloom, I'd either buy some trash blades off ebay to learn with, and THEN hone that one, or if you want it shave ready sooner, send it to glen or max. They're very reasonably priced, and I'm sure I'm not speaking out of turn when I say that either one would be honored to hone a family heirloom for you.

Then you enjoy using it, while learning to hone on ebay trash. The next time it needs honing, you'll be ready.

Learn to hone on something that you don't care too much about. And you need a benchmark razor as well. OR you could just forgoe honing and let the pros handle it.

Honestly, I would just send it to Glen or Max. Their prices are reasonable and they'll hone it for you too. Cleaning a razor isn't exactly easy, even though I make it sound like it is. Not rocket science either, but like Glen said, you can't replace it if you **** up.

What I would do is send that one to a restorer for cleaning and honing. Then buy something to practice honing on. If you can't find one, I can dig something out of my razor pile. That way, when you get your grandfather's razor back, you'll have a benchmark against which to measure your own honing progress.

Alternatively, buy a shave ready straight from the classfiieds and patiently wait until you have the skill to restore the razor with no chance of a screwup. Obviously, the downside is a lot of wasted time if you decide you don't even like restoration. Plus, you run the risk of oxidation eating away more of the razor as it sits there. Not a problem if your in AZ like me, where the humidity is zero %, but a large problem near the coast.

I would go with option 1.

Beautiful razor man. I have an old DE gellette of my Great-Grandfather's that I am using now, until I get a shave ready straight razor. I am jumping into the restoring of some old razors, practicing on the ones that I will never use, and then using the techniques that work on the one that I hope to use someday...its a long process, but relaxing and enjoyable. The learning curve is all part of the fun.

OK why can I not load this razor????
Heck I try at work later....

The pictures look pretty good, the patina of age is nice. Take the advice of these guys and post it off to a pro for honeing and you could be getting great shaves with it in two weeks, how cool would that be!

I dunno if this helps gss, but i'll give it a go anyway

Yeah man, I think that's a pretty cool razor and although it may seem like the pivot area "just needs to be cleaned a little", it may really entail some more detailed work to keep it protected. If you cannot stay patient and leave the razor alone until you have practiced enough to be confident, then it really would be worth it to send it off to Glen or Max or someone. Kenrup I believe also still does heirlooms too.

Very nice razor. Looks in pretty good condition.

It is a thing of beauty when you get to use Granpa's razor
It's special
Tom

Great advice thus far. Do not attempt this yourself, UNLESS, you have put many other blade restorations under your strop. Looking at that blade, it appears to need very little work, but I would rather it stay the way it is with a load of oil on it than try to fix it and screw it up.

I am not scared at all to take a $10 flea market find and spruce it up, but My dad has his grandfathers straight that will be mine someday (hopefully later than sooner) and I have every intention of sending it out to one of the masters when that time comes. My skills would have to improve greatly for me to attempt this now.

My advice is to send it out, gentle cleaning plus a good honing. Buy some clunkers and the neccesary equipment (hones, strops, etc.) and get into the groove of straights. Use grandpas razor every once in awhile, but use the others as a learnig process. It sounds like you have been using a feather for quite some time now and know how to use a psuedo straight.

Good luck and welcome to the shiny side.

Jerry