Thread: How should I ship a blade?

Hi everyone! I wasn't sure where to post this question, but since it has to do with restoration, I posted it in the workshop.

I just bought a 6/8 W&B for cheap because it had broken scales, and I decided I'll make new ones on my own. However, I wanted to get the blade restored first.

Is there a good way to ship it around in the mail without damaging it?
Or, should I make my scales first and send it in the scales to protect it?

Thanks in advance!

I have received them many ways, some of the best I have seen use a protected tube around the blade...
Think toothbrush holder, eye glass holder, old pen holder...

PLEASE for the sake of the restorers fingers limit how much tape you put near the blade edge...

There is nothing worse for your blade, than to cut your guy's fingers with your packing job

As Glen said, A Toothbrush holder. Pack the blade well. Wrap it up in tissue paper or something so it doesn't rattle around. Make sure there's a layer between it and it's packing container. Your package will get thrown around a lot no matter what shipper you use. I like Priority mail, Use lots of bubble wrap.....That can probably go without scales, you'd be better off, in a flat padded envelope. Probably cost 2.00 at the Post Office....I do a lot of shipping.....Hope this helps....

To further Glen's comment, I remember one of the restorers suggesting to use rubber bands around the bubble wrap (or whatever you secure the blade in) instead of tape to make it easier to unravel. Just another thought.

I shipped my bare blade to Butch to be heat treated with some paint sticks trimmed to length, blade sandwiched between them & taped (taped on the paint sticks) and had a small box (bracelet box) that I put into a small Priority Box stuffed with newspaper. Those Priority boxes are free btw. Cost to ship was $4.90.

What about a single piece of cardboard (the ridged honeycomb type stuff) folded in half with the razor inside and rubber bands or tape wrapped around, If you press the cardboard down it should indent and friction should hold it in place. It should also be thin enough to get into an envelope and maybe get you a letter rate for postage.

It "should" work, I have received quite a few razors in padded envelopes, but they had the scales on them (adds protection to the fragile blade). I'm one to overkill protecting a razor when it comes to shipping.

If I don't have the box, I put it in a cardboard tube with bubble wrap. I'm quite partial to making the tube a triangular prism, but I don't always.

A padded envelope, some sort of box and bubble wrap should see you ok.

I used a short piece of plastic tubing with a slit in it to hold and protect the edge then I wrapped my blade in cardboard and secured with rubber bands when I sent one out.

That reminds me. I have received and sent razors in plastic trunking of the appropriate size. I thought that was a fantastic way of doing it.