Thread: Is this razor fixable or is it ruined?

Hi.. Until recently when I started shaving with a shavette, I had totally forgotten I had my grandfathers old straight razor in a kitchen drawer and when I found it the other day I decided to take a few pictures to ask you guys if there is any point in sending this to a professional to try to fix it or if it is pointless.. I have had it for more than 15 years I think and even when I got it it hadn't been used for many years and seems to have been used for all kinds of stuff other than what it's for. Kind of like someones used it as a pocket knife. It's really not pretty, and I don't really have much hope of getting it cleaned up or maybe even get it 'shave ready'.
The blade is dull as a kitchen spoon and has many nicks. But if it would be possible to get it cleaned up and 'shave ready' it would be great. It would feel really special to be able to use my late grandfather's old razor and maybe even later pass it on to my own son..
Anyway, I am sure it would need to be sent over to someone to give it a good looking over, but I thought I'd post a couple of pictures first. Maybe to a trained eye it's possible to see from the pictures if this is a lost cause..

It is a Solingen 'HALMA'. Looks very small to me, but I am just a beginner so I don't really know. The blade measures 13,5cm (5,3") in total and the razor area is 7,2cm (2,8") long and only 1,2cm (0,47") wide. Scales are 13,5 cm (5,3"). Scales are steel..

Here are some close ups:





Would be very grateful for any input or advice you all could give me..

is this razor some special to you? example your parent's etc.
if not then please will better buy better condition blade.
Of course you can fix this but you will loose a lot time or money. hope this helps.

You know that could be fixed up...
In fact I just finished one...
Here are some of the problems, in fact here is part of an e-mail I just sent out to a customer about a same style of project...


Here is my side of the story,
I am always very very straight forward about this, especially when the razor is a Heirloom.....

THERE ARE RISKS involved with restoration, the razor could be lost forever in the process, there can can be hidden faults that I will not find until I start the process... These can lead to a catastrophic loss...

Granted I am pretty darn good at what I do, but I want you to be very aware of the risks...

That being said, I would check the edge and straighten it before I even take the razor apart, assuming we can get a shaving edge I would pop the razor apart and polish out the blade, at the same time make new scales if that is what you want, (what material?????) then put all this back together and sharpen the edge to shave ready and test shave it...


That is a copy of a letter I just sent out recently, Your razor could be fixed, but this kind of work is not cheap nor easy... We do not discuss prices in the open forum, but if you go to the classifieds there are several ads up under Member-services and you can contact those of us that do Heirloom razors.... for a estimate...

Welcome to SRP. If I was starting out and had that razor I would put it in a drawer and forget it until I was further along and wanted something to practice honing on. Otherwise unless it is ,as Sham said, an heirloom I wouldn't pay to have it restored. As sixgun said it can get expensive and unless there is sentimental value that piece wouldn't be worth it IMO.

The only reason I am even considering having it restored is because it is a heirloom.. It has gone from my grandfather to my uncle to me. I got it like this so I assume it hasn't been used for a looooong time. I have had it about 15 years already but as it hasn't been possible to use I have just had it in a drawer. I have lived/worked in Asia for over a decade and go often to the barber there for a shave, but I have only recently started to shave with a shavette myself. And I recently bought another restored 'shave ready' straight razor off ebay that I will be using as soon as I feel ready. I will have to work on my technique first and I am just getting used to the shavette. So the restoration of this razor would be mostly of sentimental value to me but I would hope to occasionally shave with it as well.

I would be more than willing to put more than just a little money into this razor if it could be restored. Some of the pictures of the restored razors I have seen earlier are just incredible, but I have no idea how the razors looked close up before the restoration. Thanks for all the quick responses and the tips. I will check the classifieds to see what I can find.
I love this web site by the way! After I got bit by the old fashioned shaving bug I find myself logging in here every day.. He he..