Thread: Ischerland

I went up north a few weeks ago and found a straight razor in the cottage. I don't know if this is just some antique my mom found and decided to put there or if it was my grandfathers.

I'm trying to figure out if this would be worth the time and effort of restoring and using. This will be my first attpempt using a straight razor. I always liked my Mach3 because it gave me a closer shave than my electric but I would always get razor burn on my neck because the hair grows in a bunch of different directions there. I would have to shave it 2-3 times. Am I going to enocunter a similar problem with a straight razor?

The razor is from the "Theo.Ischerland Company." It really does have a dot in the name. It is from Leichlingen, Germany.



The blade appears to be in good shape but you guys are the experts so I'll have to hear your opinion.

There is also a hone. It appears to be rusty so I don't know if it is useable anymore. It is an "Apart" hone from Marburg, Austria.



I even have a mug and two brushes. The white one on the left says "Made Rite - USA - Sterilized - Pure Badger - 1000." The one on the right says "Sterilized - Set in rubber - Fuller - Made in USA."

Originally Posted by mul5022

I went up north a few weeks ago and found a straight razor in the cottage. I don't know if this is just some antique my mom found and decided to put there or if it was my grandfathers.

I'm trying to figure out if this would be worth the time and effort of restoring and using. This will be my first attpempt using a straight razor. I always liked my Mach3 because it gave me a closer shave than my electric but I would always get razor burn on my neck because the hair grows in a bunch of different directions there. I would have to shave it 2-3 times. Am I going to enocunter a similar problem with a straight razor?

The razor is from the "Theo.Ischerland Company." It really does have a dot in the name. It is from Leichlingen, Germany.



The blade appears to be in good shape but you guys are the experts so I'll have to hear your opinion.

Soak JUST the blade in WD-40 which is available at any hardware store, to gently remove the rust. There will likely be pitting beneath the rust. No matter as long as it is not on the cutting edge.

A straight razor will likely give you less "burn" as long as you disinfect the blade with 70% isopropyl alcohol before each shave. A Mach 3 can leave whiskers cut off below the skin surface, which is an invitation for problems. A straight won't do that.

The "Apart" hone is a very fine finishing hone. I have two of them.

Clean it with either Fume Off oven cleaner or use a spray can of starter fliud(ether). You can try soap and water first of course.

It is probably flat but you may want to check that.

After taking a second look at your pic's of the hone I would suggest lapping the hone on some 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper after you have cleaned it.
What you are trying to achieve is a uniform finish/color on the hone. You may have to drop back to a coarser grit and then work back up the grit ladder.
Finish that with a lapping against the finest hone that you have.

From the pictures the razor looks salvageable. After you clean off the rust as has been recommended I would use some simichrome or a cap cod polishing cloth to polish the blade. Any minor pitting left is not a problem. You can then start the honing process. Start with the usual tests and the pyramid system and then you can gauge how much time to spend with which type of hone to get it shave ready.