Thread: First Restoration Project

At the Toronto Meet i fell in love with some of the bigger razors many of the members had. So I knew i was on the look out for something with weight.

Stumbled into a little antique market where they had this. I managed to convince them that it probably was not worth more than a paper weight and picked up for $10.00. This will be my first restore and was thinking of using this thread to ask all the stupid questions i will have along the way.





As you can see the scales are done and need replacements. I filed the pin and popped the scales off and spent about 15-20 minutes with some 320 grit just to remove the top layer of patina and get a better look at what was under it all.





Now knowing my knowledge is limited I am actually pleased as it does not seem to be in as bad of shape as i had thought initially. I do have some conerns with the hone wear on it but i am hoping that being a larger blade that can be compensated for when i get it honed up.

So for stupid question 1.

Should i try and get a bevel set now to see if it will take it prior to putting countless hours into hand sanding only to find it is not usable? Or am i safe to take it up to 1000 or 1200 grit then evalaute.

great find for $10! you probably couldn't get this for less than $70 on the bay. i'm not sure if you should try setting the bevel before continuing on the sanding. i'm sure someone which more knowledge will chime in.
i just wanted to say great looking razor and good luck with the rest of the restoration!

It is hard to see on my screen, but it looks like in the first photo you had some pitting on the toe and heel, but also a slight frown. The pitting doesn't look too terrible and most cleaned up in the initial stages. I would worry too much. If there is a little pitting and the frown does exist, then the edge should be fine. This doesn't look like the swiss cheese that I seem to get in the pacific northwest.
Great find.

Amazing score for $10. I agree that it looks to have a frown. I love the barbers use WB's. They all have lots of character too. I have 4 and they are all different. The one had a perfectly straight edge, another had a big smile...anyway they all look different.

In the second round of pics I think the honeware actually looks good on the blade.

It would have to be in need of a lot more work than this one appears, to be a bad buy at that price. Take a good look at it yourself, before making up your mind about that frown, since wide angle lenses can be deceptive.

The hone wear looks well within acceptable limits to me, but it looke like it might have been honed quite a bit with a small stone, concentrating too much on the middle. This would explain the frown and the wear on the centre of the spine. When you come to sand it, it could be a good idea to glue abrasive paper to some sort of canister or drum, which should be rigid, and just a tiny bit larger in diameter than it takes to bear evenly on all parts of the hollow grind, Longitudinal strokes will reduce and regularise the hone-wear areas beforew it effaces that lovely inscription in the hollow.

I'd say you don't need to set the bevels before sanding and polishing the blade, but you should hone just enough to brighten them, anssee you aren't eliminating them.

Nice blade DIY good err great score. I would recommend you stop your resto for a day of two and wait until some of the guys that do this every day to chime in. Since you are new to this it would be a shame to ruin a nice razor because of haste. Or you could send it to one of the pros listed in the member services. If you want a practice blade to learn on PM me I have a bunch.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I had not noticed the frown but will check it tonight when i get home. i doubt it is the "wide angle lens" as it was shot with a 50mm 1.4 on an APC sensor, so that is getting into Tele range.

Am going to let it sit for a day or two DLL and collect some information. The quick little run at it this am was just a case of wanting to know how much pitting and such was under the patina. I wish i knew somebody with one of those tumblers as that might really help clean it up ;-)

Yeah but a tumbler will not do anything for pits. If I don't take it to Tn. Friday when I leave I will send you a message and let the wife know your going to borrow it.

Well it has been a long time coming. But my W&B for Barbers use is done. I took advice from here and sent it out and this is the result. The scales are African Blackwood which was my choice. The scales are an extended kinda thing that I am not sold on as it makes the blade look like it has been shortened.

Wow great blade enjoy