Thread: What is Restoration???

Seems that this is a catch all phrase in our "little corner of the world"..(this of course pertains to those of us that shave with these razors, not the people that just collect them)...

I am going to give some of my views first, and would love to hear about yours...

Hone: To bring the edge back to shave ready condition, the absolute minimum that can be done to make the razor usable again..

Edge Restore: A much more than basic hone, where the bevel needs to be broken down, and then carefully restored to a cutting edge then a shaving edge.. This would encompass, Chips, worn toes and heels, frowns even the actual grind geometry if needed...

Clean and Hone: The next rung up in the ladder, you use the bare minimum, to clean up the scales, and steel, then hone the razor... The only things that are removed are the active rust and built up dirt... The razor is functional but the age is left intact...

Clean, Light Polish and Hone: This would only add the use of higher grit sandpaper, steel-wool or a minimum of powered buffers to shine the steel..It would not entail digging out the pits... It would however take off patina.. You would not pop loose the scales

Vintage Restoration: This would mean popping the scales taking every piece apart, cleaning straightening and polishing the factory scales. Taking the the steel back to as close to the day it left the factory as possible, including taking out pits, if it doesn't remove stamps completly... Using as many of the original parts as possible, such as re-using those old bullseye washers..

Vintage Re-build: This would mean popping the scales taking every piece apart, cleaning straightening and polishing the factory scales. Taking the the steel back to as close to the day it left the factory as possible, including taking out pits, if it doesn't remove stamps completly... New pins and bearing washers, and locking washer, where applicable...

Custom Restore: Everything the same as a Vintage Restore only replacing the old scales with fitted new ones, the owner to pick, and design the materials used for this ...

Custom re-scale: Just what it sounds like, taking the factory scales off a perfectly good factory razor, and replacing them with custom made ones...

Custom rebuild: Same as a Custom Restore only allows for grinding, filing and modding of the steel to suit the owners taste...

All of these degrees of "restoration" would of course end in a shave ready edge, and tight, snug, centered pins...and would all start with a vintage razor...


(These terms are just what I personally use to describe these steps along the restoration path)