Thread: Restoration and Etching

Group,

When you are buffing a blade for a restoration, and there is just surface etching, what extents if at all do you go through to try and preserve the blade etching?

I have a few that have words etched on the blade, but I dont think I can buff to mirror without removing the etch.

Thanks for your help.

David

That's your answer right there - you have to decide what you want it to look like and balance what you can take off with keeping the etch. AFAIK, there's isn't a way to "protect" the etching other than not sanding/buffing it off. Meaning: if you want to keep it, stop working on the razor with a low grit before it's gone.

Also keep in mind that when taking rust or pitting off a razor you need to consider the thickness of the blade. A wedge can be messed with much more than a full-hollow. Sometimes you just have to leave some of the pitting if it's gonna be able to shave when you're done.

I am working on a means to scan the etching on the blade, take it off with a buffer, then put it back on when done.

The etching part of my experiments has been going well. The stencils haven't been going so well. When I get it all figured out, I'll start a thread to explain it.

Originally Posted by HNSB

I am working on a means to scan the etching on the blade, take it off with a buffer, then put it back on when done.

The etching part of my experiments has been going well. The stencils haven't been going so well. When I get it all figured out, I'll start a thread to explain it.

Thanks. That would be very generous of you to post.

David

Originally Posted by BingoBango

That's your answer right there - you have to decide what you want it to look like and balance what you can take off with keeping the etch. AFAIK, there's isn't a way to "protect" the etching other than not sanding/buffing it off. Meaning: if you want to keep it, stop working on the razor with a low grit before it's gone.

Also keep in mind that when taking rust or pitting off a razor you need to consider the thickness of the blade. A wedge can be messed with much more than a full-hollow. Sometimes you just have to leave some of the pitting if it's gonna be able to shave when you're done.

Yep - that answers it. Thanks

Here is what I've been doing with really good results. I go through the grits with paper using a contoured pad from woodcraft ( Buy Large Contour Sanding Pads Set of 6 at Woodcraft.com ) all the way to 2000 grit. Then I put it in the tumbler with walnut and rubbing compound for around 6 to 8 hours. This gets rid of the 2k grit scratches but still leaves the etching pretty dark. The longer you polish the lighter the etch. Heres an example:





You can see I've hardly lost any of the etch. There is still slight pitting but unless you are reflecting a white background like in these pics, you really can't see it. It just really depends on how far you want to go and how deep the pits are.

It also depends on the depth of the etching. This is a case by case basis and, again, you have to judge the depth of the etch against the depth of the pitting against the thickness of the blade. Some blade etching is so shallow you can lose it before you've had a chance to know what's going on. The photo of the Eagle looks like a deeper etch than most, IMO. IME, the stamp on the tang is also going to be a little deeper, too.

As for buffing and re-etching - If I understand it correctly, you'll have all of the same concerns regarding depth of the existing etching versus the thickness of the blade PLUS you'll be taking off even more metal during the etching process. Not something I'd try, but I'd love to see photos.

For me, the tumbler method (thanks Glen) is about the best way to approach a razor with a etched or frosted blade. It's about the least destructive and gives an even finish...but Paul is right on...each blade is a case by case scenerio. I'm one of those guys that would rather have the etching on a blade than it be shiney & pit free...less the etch. It's an old blade, I don't expect it to be perfect.

When it's up to me, I remove all the oxidation and then even out the finish. Nine times out of ten, this means all the light etching is lost. Heavier etching, like the above eagle, normally survives and can be retouched with blueing or electrical methods, but only after the rust is removed and only if it's to be done correctly. Oxidation often starts in the etching because it has more surface area and is harder to clean than bare, polished steel.

Cleaning and polishing a blade should ideally leave no active rust behind. Rust spreads. Rust is impure. Rust is the devil.

That being said. I've been asked to "save" etching before by polishing everything but the face of the razor. IMHO it looks stupid. You should either polish a blade right, or not at all.

Originally Posted by floppyshoes

That being said. I've been asked to "save" etching before by polishing everything but the face of the razor. IMHO it looks stupid. You should either polish a blade right, or not at all.

Agreed. Do it right, or not at all. A lot of etching can be reproduced through electrochemical etching. Certain things, like the eagle, I would have to reproduce by hand, then make the stencil and go from there.