yohannrjm
Well-Known Member
I'll be the first to admit that I'm no restorer.
That's why I avoid buying blades on Ebay, and I'm usually pretty willing to fork out the premium for professionally handled blades.
Also, I rent, so I can't have many tools around (have to keep moving them), and I have no work-bench or lathes or any of that stuff. I make do with my hands and some basic stuff.
Anyway, I was perusing Ebay one day when I saw a lot of straight razors - it looked like all junk. However, one rusted razor caught my eye. It was uniformly covered in rust everywhere!! Normally, I'd have ignored the sale and moved on, but the length of the monkey-tail caught my eye. Also, while the rust was everywhere, it looked like surface oxidation to me.
I decided to take a chance. So I made an offer to the seller, and it was accepted. Then I had to wait and see if I'd just thrown away the money.
The other stuff was junk....good only for the scales, but this was what I bought the lot for:
The scales were broken (and ugly), and the blade was pretty completely rusted.
However, a few minutes of work with sandpaper (from 200 to 2000 grit), and then some basic metal polish, and this was the result:
Not spectacular, but I was glad to see that the rust was indeed just minor surface oxidation.
The blade honed up quickly (and well). Very nice edge, though the blade is light. It shaves really well.
This was several months ago, and the edge has held up, so it seem like the oxidation didn't damage the blade.
This is a Wilbert Cutlery marked blade. It came with a matching, if tattered, box. It does resemble the DePew razors I've seen, and I'm glad to have got it. It's a lot of fun to shave with it.
That's why I avoid buying blades on Ebay, and I'm usually pretty willing to fork out the premium for professionally handled blades.
Also, I rent, so I can't have many tools around (have to keep moving them), and I have no work-bench or lathes or any of that stuff. I make do with my hands and some basic stuff.
Anyway, I was perusing Ebay one day when I saw a lot of straight razors - it looked like all junk. However, one rusted razor caught my eye. It was uniformly covered in rust everywhere!! Normally, I'd have ignored the sale and moved on, but the length of the monkey-tail caught my eye. Also, while the rust was everywhere, it looked like surface oxidation to me.
I decided to take a chance. So I made an offer to the seller, and it was accepted. Then I had to wait and see if I'd just thrown away the money.
The other stuff was junk....good only for the scales, but this was what I bought the lot for:
The scales were broken (and ugly), and the blade was pretty completely rusted.
However, a few minutes of work with sandpaper (from 200 to 2000 grit), and then some basic metal polish, and this was the result:
Not spectacular, but I was glad to see that the rust was indeed just minor surface oxidation.
The blade honed up quickly (and well). Very nice edge, though the blade is light. It shaves really well.
This was several months ago, and the edge has held up, so it seem like the oxidation didn't damage the blade.
This is a Wilbert Cutlery marked blade. It came with a matching, if tattered, box. It does resemble the DePew razors I've seen, and I'm glad to have got it. It's a lot of fun to shave with it.