Antique Finds

Hi All,

So on trip to my local antique store just yesterday I saw a few straight razors... they were in rough condition, but it made me think of this forum where many of you restore stuff like that, and I thought it maybe a cool hobby, as seeing I am starting to get into just the shaving end of things with a straight.

Now some of the razors I could visibly see a bend or dent in the blade, however some (to the naked eye) looked like they needed to be severely sharpened and cared for. Now I enjoy wood working so making scales is no problem, however when it comes to the blade, what kind of things to I need to do, look for, and consider?

look for rust or pitting along the edges, remember a smooth edge is required to shave
any cracks, chips or dings in the edge
bent or broken or warped blades
blades with a frown, looks like a circle started with the round going toward the spine along approx. the middle of the blade
a smile is the opposite and acceptable curving away from the spine with the heel and toe somewhat thinner than the middle.
I will also tell you that patina can and will often hide a crack. and here is something for you to consider, if you have never honed a straight then the first one needs to be honed by a pro and set up shave ready so you can compare what is supposed to be as compared to what you honed as shave ready. cutting hairs and shaving ones face is different. now welcome to the rabbit hole, may as well get comfortable you will either stay or fly out, if luck serves you then you will be stuck here the rest of your days and be happy. most never try escape because they like it here, some grow wings and fly out. I am sure I missed a few things to look for but others here will chime in shortly. I just woke up, took a clod yesterday and it will be back in bed shortly.

Let us know if you buy anything. Look for English or German makers on the tang. Generally, for a razor in decent shape, I wouldn't pay over $30, hopefully less. Just my 2 cents.

If you can, take some pics and post them here before you buy. If not possible follow kn4wd's guidelines, this may help.

For rust and pitting, I would suggest to stay away from really rusty blades until you learn to recognize grounds and sizes; some full hollow blades will not be easy to restore if they have to much pitting, but some of the beefier ones would be OK.

Have fun

Thanks, that diagram there is a great little piece to compare with!

No problem

I wish you a good hunting...