Thread: what to do after polishing and its still not what you want

I've gotten some maas and was hoping my razor would look immediately brand new... I knew better...Looks better but not brand new. When you polish with maas are you using a dremel or all by hand and if you still have some tarnish or a little rust but not much I'm assuming you start with 800 wet/dry or something like that instead of 150 or 200 is that correct? Is there any science or just experimentation.. tnx maq

if the rust is not too deep you can start with 600 sandpaper and see what happens if it does not work go to 400 or 320 . as soon as the sandpaper grit you are using is working that's your lowest grit to start.
In general I go all the way up to 2k sand paper before I buff with maas and CrO.

Thanks Stefan,
I've collected a few razors and I'm not 100% sure which one I want to enter into the Newbie Restoration Contest...I don't want to bite off more than I can chew but I want the razor to need more than just buffing also...I'm anxious and afraid to get started... don't want to ruin anything... Maq

Good luck with it. As you probably know you can find restoration tutorials in the Wiki and archived threads in the workshop forum through the search function. Just be aware that once you start with the sandpaper you have a long haul ahead of you to the tune of many hours of hand sanding before you get to the dremel. BTW, if you do go to the dremel a friend of mine showed me to have a glass of ice water handy and dip the blade in every so often to avoid overheating.

It would help to post a picture of the razor as to give you some pointers.

Originally Posted by Maq

I've gotten some maas and was hoping my razor would look immediately brand new... I knew better...Looks better but not brand new. When you polish with maas are you using a dremel or all by hand and if you still have some tarnish or a little rust but not much I'm assuming you start with 800 wet/dry or something like that instead of 150 or 200 is that correct? Is there any science or just experimentation.. tnx maq

Do you have some pics of the blade?

Sanding will be your best bet but as was noted, it can be a time commitment depending on what shape the blade is in. If there isn't any rusting or pitting then you could probably start at 800-grit (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) and work your way up. I usually start at 400-grit to get everything smooth. From there I go; 400, 800, 1000, 1500 and then 2000. Then I apply some polishing compound and clean up the fingerprints with Maas.

There are several tutorials on sanding. Safety aside, the most important thing is to make sure that you sand out all the previous grit's scratches before advancing.

Say everyone,

Thanks a lot... this is helping.. I'm trying to read everything that I can find about the restoration process... I am leaving for home after a long business trip tomarrow and will be able to take pics to post of the 2 razors I think would be appropriate for the contest..One a little more rusty than the other... It's hard for a newbie to tell. how much can be accomplished...In what amount of time...I will be home Friday the 11th and hopefully able to put some pics online and ask for advice... I read one thread somewhere where a restorer was using a walnut medium/corn husk medium with rubbing compound in a vibrating tumbler used for cleaning and relaoding amunition..I reload and have one... it sure shines brass well...but... is that common? I'd be afraid of damaging the blade if it hit the bottom of the tumbler... anyway...I have been working on my sandpaper holder and found a source for wet/dry sandpaper.. I've been reading as much information as I can find.. Knowledge is king... then of course experience is the great teacher!!.... there are tricks to every trade and the sooner you learn them the happier you'll be and the less likely to get overly frustrated... A mentor is always nice in order to cut the learning curve in half!! Appreciate everyones help and advice.. I feel I have several mentors here....

One of the razors I'm considering I just bought off Ebay.. it's on its way.. seller told me he'd hurry.. we'll see.. Its a Anton Wingen Red Point..Looks exactly like the Case Red Point.....His pics were ok but not great.. probably why no one else bid that much on it....neither did I but I won't know what I'm up against till I see it close up... I'm hoping for a blade that doesn't need the bevel set because I don't have any stones yet...I can get one I think, but.. time... may get close.... besides eventually even Santa Claus is going to baulk at my new found hobby.. She's already turned her head around a couple of times but her head hasn't blown off yet so I'm still enjoying my new hobbies honeymoon phase.. all good things and every honeymoon eventually come to an end.... Thanks to everyone for their comments, help and advice... Maq

Maq, here is a post offering a solution to the blade hitting the bottom of the tumbler.

Jimmy, tnx... do you use the tumbler eveytime? If so at what stage do you usually use it? I've got a few other ideas about protecting the bolt etc... Hmm I'll take another look at it.. thanks again for the help.. great idea to use plastic tubing along the post and shrink tubing!! Maq

Maq, I still have a regular rotary tumbler for reloading but I don't use it on blades. At least not yet. I've never had the vibratory type. I am too lazy to do more than rub them with a paper towel with Semichrome and elbow grease.