Thread: True Blue 'Hobson's Choice'

So I just got this in the mail today.

The only thing I've seen with color like that is modern anodized. Anyone have any thoughts on how to restore the finish? It's just a hardware store razor, I know, but I'm pretty fond of its looks and it'd be neat to get it looking sparkling fresh.

I'm sure others will chip in, but I have seen people recommend Birchwood Casey Super Blue. Other blueing agents have also been mentioned. A search for blueing steel might reveal more, it is a subject that comes up from time to time.

We also have a number of gunsmiths on here. Glen has posted a bit on it.
Don't discount that razor, I have been searching for one with that notch for quite a while.

And, for sure, save those scales!! I have found only one razor with those and they and that grind style ( Rattler/ faux frameback) go wonderfully well together! Toothpaste will clean them up with little cost to you. It takes a few scrubs with any cleaner to do that scale material and you will see it go through a ghastly green color before you are done!
If you have a gunsmith nearby, there are dip and swab on products even better than the BC. If you do it yourself, at home, assure the blade is clean with a few sprays and wipes of brake cleaner. The blade must be absolutely clean and dry and at room temperature or warmer than the blueing solution, with no moisture at all on it. Each swabbing with the bluing solution will give a deeper hue of blue. A single swabbing will often give a wondrous transparent blue/brown coloration.
Again, read all you can about the process and follow directions!
Respectfully
~Richard

Mate, all the Aussies on the forum have just turned green. "True Blue" is Aussie slang for "Fair Dinkum" or "Ridgey Didge". Hobson's Choice is also an expression that is used, although mainly by the older generation now.

If you're not totally bonded to the razor drop me a PM and we might be able to sort out a deal.

It might be just a hardware store razor, but man it sure looks like it's going to be a beauty. I'd like to see it when you get it all sparkly fresh too!

Thanks everybody! I'd dug around the bluing topics on here but all the topics I found were chasing after that almost black 'gun blue', where the blue on this razor is really striking iridescent color. But it really does sound like that just means it's a very light coat of gun-blue. So I guess now I get myself to a gunsmith, eh?

One thing I do know about the current finish is that it comes off with Mother's polish, so I should be able to replicate the metallic outline of the lettering just by using a toothpick to polish off the bluing around the letters.

And don't worry, Geezer, one of the reasons I got that razor was because of the scales. I've fixed up a couple others that were in similar shape, so I know I can get them back to a lovely piano-black with a bit of elbow grease.

Originally Posted by Pauly

Mate, all the Aussies on the forum have just turned green. "True Blue" is Aussie slang for "Fair Dinkum" or "Ridgey Didge". Hobson's Choice is also an expression that is used, although mainly by the older generation now.

If you're not totally bonded to the razor drop me a PM and we might be able to sort out a deal.

Wow, I could've sworn that Fair Dinkum was Aussie slang for True Blue!

Hobson's Choice is an old phrase -- at least the 1600's -- I was pretty familiar with it, but I read lots of very old stuff.

I'm afraid I'm pretty attached to it. At the very least I wanna fix it up real good. It's not out of the question that I'll decide I've got too damn many razors as it is and winnow that one out of the pool.