Help with old Sheffield Pitchford

[poleddu]

Hey everyone. I just got this old rusty Pitchford for pennies, and wanted to know whether you think it could be brought back to shaving conditions.

Besides dirt and rust, the blade seems fine to me. It's straight and overall ok, except for that line towards the heel: would that be a problem? It's a full wedge, it shouldn't fear a deep cleansing and polishing. The edge is intact.

The horn scales look pretty dry, and definitely need new pins: is it worth trying to save them?

Overall, could this be brought to life and in full service? Or should I expect to just consider it a training field for restoration, but no hope to shave with it?

 

[Frank Shaves]

With the exception of the gouge near the heel in the blade, both the blade and scales look pretty good to me. I have seen worse.

I would remove the scales, soak the scales in 100% neatsfoot oil (not compound) and sand the blade.

I assume the gouge is merely cosmetic but hard to tell from just the pic.

 

[Legion]

Pitchfork?

Looks like it will clean up fine and shave again. I wonder what caused that gouge? It's weird. Maybe someone tried to clean it up with a Dremel and had an oopsie.

 

[poleddu]

That gouge is most likely an angle grinder scar, same as the smaller four on the other side, poor baby; however, high contrast in the pic makes it look worse than it is.

Btw it already looks better after a quick low-grit sanding. I hope it's nothing serious, but I guess I'll discover only when I'll try to hone it...

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Totally save able.

Toss the whole thing in a zip loc bag and submerge in neetsfoot oil. Leave it for a couple day to a week.

With a coffee stir sick wrapped with a paper towel clean between the scales. A wine cork wrapped with 320 wet & dry sand from spine to edge to lay down an even stria pattern. Then 600 alternating edge to spine and heel to toe.

600 will leave a satin finish or you can go to 1k and 2k to a polish finish. Polish with 0000 steel wool and any good metal polish.

Use metal polish and paper towel to polish the scales.

The heel needs reprofiling and will take the gouge out of play. Should be a shaver with a layer or two of electrical tape. Looks to have a slight frown that the heel reprofile will help with.

 

[poleddu]

Thank you all for the insights and advice. I've already summoned the power of more experienced friends around me, they all agree that, though scarred by life, this poor child has potential, and will help me heal the signs of time

Will keep you updated on the process!

 

[Frank Shaves]

Looks better already.

I like a 1200 or even 800 grit finish on these old blades followed by one or two light rounds of Mothers (or similar) polish. Going higher than 1200 or too much polishing and the "grind" marks disappear.

Finish each grit sanding perpendicular to the edge.

 

[Gamma]

Using an angle grinder on a straight razor.
Hmmm.....who would do that and why? I don't see any signs of blown temper but using an angle grinder would make quick work of doing just that.


I wouild unpin the scales, clean the inside and inspect for fissures, delam, etc...first.
Easier to fix those issues before soaking in oil, if you are going to do that. I don't soak scales myself, I just clean, repair, sand/buff wipe down 1x-2x with mineral oil and then renwax them.