Thread: What do I have here?

Okay. So I got my package of six razors from ebay.
It also came with a stone, and some sort of thin (cardboard like) hone.
So now, what do I have? I've figured out three of the blades simply cannot be restored. There's huge chips in them. Too bad one of them looks shave ready, except for the chips.

The other selection looks to be restorable, or shave ready.

http://www.steveshack.org/files/media/razors/razors.jpg
all the razors in one shot

http://www.steveshack.org/files/medi...goodrazors.jpg
the good razors. What is that one in the middle? Is the blade ment to detach?
should I restore it, or look for new blades?

http://www.steveshack.org/files/medi.../badrazors.jpg
the bad. one there looks fantastic, except for the two huge deep nicks.

here's the descriptions from the ebay auction:


1. 6.25" Long: Marked as: Beng All. Condition is a little rough having a slightly small chip off of handle and blade. Color is a dirty yellow & almost clear. Not sure of material use for the handle.

2. 5.75" Long, Handle is off white in color, (Bone coloring). Handle is in really nice condition. The blade is spotty. The name as best as I can see is: Skiltuna G. E. Berg.

3. 6.25" Long: Having a black handle. Some of this is difficult to read, But here is what I can see. The Blade on one side is decorated Beautifully with the name of "Lancet Steel". Plus having Scroll like design & Flowers. The other side of blade is plain. The Blade is also marked as: 1850 Registered 10-SEP No. 2434. I-X-L , This is within a diamond shape. The complete name of company is on the top portion of blade. Some of this is hard to read, But I can make out this: WOSTENHOLM & SON Doubly Carbonized 1-XL Razor. Again I may not have the name of this razor correct! The first portion was very hard to read & some of it could have been missing or worn off over the years. This is however a beautiful Razor with the highly decorated Blade!


***** 3 RAZORS WITH THE CASES *****

4. 6.25" Long: Black handle, marked Genva Cutlery Co. Warranted Genva, N.Y. USA . Handle is in nice shape Blade needs cleaning. One end of case lid is off,( But will be sent along with this auction)

5. 6.25" Long: Sheffield England, Wade & Butcher's Famous Kleen Shaving "BOW" Razor. This has a Picture of a Bow on the leather case as well.

6. 6" Long: Numbered inside case lid as: 3550, 4209, 5086. The outside of case is a deep Red in color & it reads " The " ARTIST" HollowGround. The Blade is marked as: Hamburg Ground Germany on one side. The other side reads: The "Artist" The Levering Razor Company.

If you are new to straight razor shaving you will need a razor that you can use for a benchmark. If you try too shave with one of these then you most likely will get discouraged and quit. Either ask people here for a shave ready razor or you can buy one on ebay. The seller altima55 always has nice shave ready razors for sale on ebay. Keep all of your razors for parts and ones too practice on when you learn what too do with them. One or two of them may be usable, but even the nicest one has a broken handle.

Glen

I have a very sharp genco I use currently. I'm not worried about being turned off straight razor shaving.

The Geneva and Wostenholm razors should be excellent razors. George Wostenholm razors are not as common as Wade and Butcher, but are excllent razors with excellent steel. I don't think that design had interchangeable blades, but was a less expensive way to get a quality thin blade in a frameback by making both seperately.

Geneva cutlery made very good shavers, too, and the geometry of that blade is in good, so it should be a good shaver when you're through cleaning it up.

The Artist (levering) was a good razor, but not remarkable, in my opinon.

Fantastic to hear. I had given up on the whostenholm as a replacable razor.
I'll try to restore that too then. I might have four razors to choose from
the artist (levering), a genco (plus the genco I've been lent) and the whostenholm. I *have* made out well.

Plus the one still in the mail.

new scales for all of these over time. I think a little bit of luxury is in order.

Thanks guys!

I took a dremel to my three restorable razors today.

The lancet turned out amazingly well.
http://www.steveshack.org/files/media/razors/lancet.JPG

the rest turned out alright
http://www.steveshack.org/files/medi...led_razors.JPG

I was using a cloth wheel with brasso.
the black tarnishing didn't really come out. Is there anything I can do about this.

Also, I found a small nick the size of a grain of sand in my "the artist"(levering) blade. Will a good honing fix this or do I need expert hands here?

The framebak razor has a fair amount of etching that would be reduced or eliminated if you use a coarse compoud on it.

The Brasso and cloth wheel are not the tools to use on a razor. A medium or hard felt wheel loaded with either Fabulustre or Flex Cut Gold would do a good job on the dark spots. Some MAAS would be the finishing compound. Be aware that you will not get out the pitting without resorting to some really abrasive tools.

The nicks in the razors edge can be removed. First try using a 4000 grit hone and if that does not work then use a 1000 grit stone/sandpaper but only until the nicks are gone then move back up to the 4000 grit stone and finish with the 8000 grit.
When you are removing the nicks be sure to put some tape over the spine to prevent excessive wear. After the nicks are gone then remove the tape and put 10-20 laps on the 4000 stones to create the proper bevel angle.

Hope this helps,

Originally Posted by sshack

I took a dremel to my three restorable razors today.

The lancet turned out amazingly well.
http://www.steveshack.org/files/media/razors/lancet.JPG

the rest turned out alright
http://www.steveshack.org/files/medi...led_razors.JPG

I was using a cloth wheel with brasso.
the black tarnishing didn't really come out. Is there anything I can do about this.

Also, I found a small nick the size of a grain of sand in my "the artist"(levering) blade. Will a good honing fix this or do I need expert hands here?