Thread: What to do, what to do...

I think I know the proper course of action with this razor, but I wanted to see if any of you had some ideas/thoughts/comments first.

This is a Wosty pipe razor, ~4/8. The blade is in pretty good shape, though there is a bit of hone wear. It looks like it will only need a touch-up on the coti to get back to shaving.




The scales...ah, the scales. I'm guessing they're dyed horn. There're quite a few scratches, and some numbers and letters on them, too. They may not be visible in the pictures. Anyway, I really like them. I saw in another thread that it's possible to sand them a bit and polish them, so if these are horn I'll try that.




The only problem is a crack at the pivot; you can tell they've been pinned too tightly. I'm wondering if my best bet at keeping the scales is going to be unpinning at the pivot, gluing the scale back together, then repinning (which is a shame, because if I do it it's going to look like crap compared to the current job). I don't have any power tools, so I'm thinking a file and some patience will get it out.




Thoughts/comments/suggestions?

I see a frown.
You can unpin with a file a hammer (be gentle with it) and a 1/16 " center punch.
For gluing you can try epoxy, then repin.

Ok I admit I am no professional blade restorer but thru my many other hobbies and life experiences (this includes professional toy restorer ( that's right plastics) and a pro bike restorer) I know many people want that rough rustic finish I think is hot! Try a bit of epoxy on most of the outside of the crack using a needle or toothpick to work it down. Don't go to the pivot all the way as you want free swing, if you want a bit of filler sand some cheap dark wood and mix the dust into the epoxy the polish you use on the rest should blend it all. I might beway off base on how to do this on a straight but I know it's how I would have started to keep a bit of the age and character of the whole, while making it strong and sturdy. Hope this helps more than it bombs.

I also see a frown. That's more than a coti job, it needs some real work on a lower grit.
I don't think that those scales will ever look new again. You could save them, but I would carefully unpin and create some replacements or send it off to be done.

Ok, I must be as blind as a bat - where are you folks seeing a frown?

Keep them scales. You might be beyond just polish and epoxy but ask a western specialization or taxidermist how to save horn. They will look sweet with that age on them like a fine leather jacket looks better with wear.

Originally Posted by deighaingeal

I also see a frown. That's more than a coti job, it needs some real work on a lower grit.
I don't think that those scales will ever look new again. You could save them, but I would carefully unpin and create some replacements or send it off to be done.

Just curious (and not trying to be a contrarian), but why can't this be done on a coti? For one, when I do a straight-edge test, there's actually no frown. It must just be shadow/angle. If that was your main concern, is there something else that makes you think it needs serious low-grit work? The dilucot method has worked for me on another blade, and since this one actually has a bevel I can't imagine it would be too huge a pain.

I think he meant removal of a frown, had there been one, would have been an unrealistically slow job with a fine hone like the cotillon, and something more aggressive would speed the job up with no ill effects. This would be less significant if the edge is actually straight, and I don't think disagreement on this, from pictures, is a matter of either party being as blind as the proverbial. Most cameras with fairly wide-angle lenses alter the straightness of lines, and this is accentuated in closeups.

If the blade is simply in the condition of the usual antique-shop razor - not exactly abused, but nearly - the necessary honing would also be a lot to do with a very fine stone. I've never used a cotillon, and I'm not sure how realistic are the claims that when used with a slurry, generated by rubbing with a small piece of the same stone, it cuts as fast as a considerably coarser one, reverting to slower polishing when water alone is used. for this you would need to hunt through threads on the cotillon, or hope for guidance from people who use them.