Thread: Nice find in a Gettysburg, PA antique store and a razor restoration project

The wife and I were in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania this past week and we were browsing some antique shops. I got two straight razors for $26.00. One is a 1908 Geneva from New York ($8) (4/8 blade) in good condition, no pitting and the other is a Phoenix Razor by Spalding of Syracuse, New York ($18) (5/8 blade) in very good condition. Both are half hollow.

I decided to embark on restoring a couple razors just to see if I can do it and add them to my shaving gear. I am starting with the Geneva, and so far I have removed the razor from the scales and I cleaned up the blade going from 150 grit paper to 12000 grit and the blade is very shiny, but there is a nick near the stabilizing piece. I made a new set of scales out of Cocobolo wood. I am now at the point of rehoning or rather restoring the blade.

Here is the 1908 Geneva before I took it a apart and cleaned it up:


Here is the Spalding of Syracuse, N.Y. Phoenix (Anybody ever hear of this razor?):


I'll keep you posted on the progress of the 1908 Geneva.
Patrick