Thread: Fixable?

I just found my great grandfather's old straight razor and I was wondering if it was beyond repair, and if not, what I can do to repair it. Not only does it have significant sentimental value, but I feel that it is a very good piece that I could definitely get some great use out of. Any ideas, suggestions?

IMHO , the blade is toast . The scales(handles) are in good shape , and should have a good blade to go with them . Are they aluminum or silver ?

Those chips along the edge have me a bit worried. I have no experience with restoring so one of the other guys on here can tell you if that's something that can be worked past. If it can be it looks like it'd require quite a bit of honing.

I have to say though that those scales are absolutely gorgeous! I hope you're able to get her into working condition.

Originally Posted by dave5225

IMHO , the blade is toast . The scales(handles) are in good shape , and should have a good blade to go with them . Are they aluminum or silver ?

I don't really know, is there a way that I can tell?
The only thing that I do know about this razor is what is already on the blade itself "T.HESSEN = BRUCH & Co. Made in Germany" and on the other side "Perfection Warranted"
And on the box it says a lot of the same stuff "Will Inspection", "Mark Trade" and "PAT. D. May 24, 1881- June 29, 1889"

I'm going to disagree with Dave on this one...well, slightly. If this was any other blade, I would say that it was roached. However, since this is an heirloom piece you have an important decision to make.

1) Replace the blade
2) Keep it the way it is and remember the past.
3) Restore the blade and lose about turn the blade into a 4/8

Given the fact that this is an heirloom piece, I would opt for trying to keep the razor intact.

Try honing out those chips out of the blade. If you feel that you don't have the experience to do so, send it to an SRP member to see if they can restore the blade to usefulness. As a previous post already noted, you may wind up narrowing the blade to a 4/8, but it would be worth it imho.

Originally Posted by jhenry

Given the fact that this is an heirloom piece, I would opt for trying to keep the razor intact.

Try honing out those chips out of the blade. If you feel that you don't have the experience to do so, send it to an SRP member to see if they can restore the blade to usefulness. As a previous post already noted, you may wind up narrowing the blade to a 4/8, but it would be worth it imho.

I do not even have the slightest amount of experience. In fact, I haven't even tried shaving with a straight razor yet. I'm actually shopping around for a good first razor as it is, and I found this while looking through my great grandfather's stuff. Just a coincidence I suppose.

So how would I go about sending it to an SRP member to see if it could be restored? And what would narrowing the blade to a 4/8 have in relation to shaving?

Sorry, I am entirely new to all of this :/

Some advice here OK???

Oil that and put it away for a few months at least, get a couple or three shave ready razors and learn how to use them and get comfortable straight razor shaving, then revisit that razor down the road...

DO NOT make hasty decisions with that one, it is valuable just the way it sits, it is priceless because it is an heirloom..

JMHO..


Whoops Edit: Yes I think it is restoreable, the only question is how much steel is going to come off to get it working again... Sorry forgot that part..

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Some advice here OK???

Oil that and put it away for a few months at least, get a couple or three shave ready razors and learn how to use them and get comfortable straight razor shaving, then revisit that razor down the road...

DO NOT make hasty decisions with that one, it is valuable just the way it sits, it is priceless because it is an heirloom..

JMHO..

Glen is dead on the money!

My 1¢:
Glen has the right of the subject. Wait!
Take it to a jeweler to determine whether it is silver..checking in a hidden place. At the time of that razor, aluminum was a precious metal. The electrical method now in use had not yet been perfected.
Some of the silver scales/handles were very thin and filled with a composition material including a now unknown long lasting and hard version of papier maché or a mixture of brick dust and rabbit skin glue
~Richard