Yes, I've had plated razors before. When they corrode, they have star like splotches and the plating can be picked off the star in some extreme cases. A while back, I was helping with honing some older examples and I ran into a couple of them. I might even have a picture or two - but not on this computer. In general, I would stay away from them for refurbishing though they are OK shavers if you can accept the blemishes.
Question about polishing
- Thread starter Kailand09
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Yes, I've had plated razors before. When they corrode, they have star like splotches and the plating can be picked off the star in some extreme cases. A while back, I was helping with honing some older examples and I ran into a couple of them. I might even have a picture or two - but not on this computer. In general, I would stay away from them for refurbishing though they are OK shavers if you can accept the blemishes.
From this distance it's a judgment call you'll have to make. What I call a pit others might call it patina or possibly it's a crater in their eyes.
ONE SHEET!. Oh my,, you're just getting warmed up I take it. LOL,, just kidding.
ONE SHEET!. Oh my,, you're just getting warmed up I take it. LOL,, just kidding.
- Thread starter
- #23
Lol yeah I'm not sure how much time and/or sand paper I should be using up per blade.... I've been tearing up the sandpaper into little squares to use at a time to maximize the efficiency I use each bit of paper... I've moved up to 800 grit, and so far it's looking pretty darn good. Do you usually go through multiple sheets per blade of each grit? Spend about an hour on each grit? That seems to be my going rate so far... But I've seen a few guys say they took 30+hours to do it, and I don't know that the rate I'm moving at will be THAT long.
Hahaha, I guess I earned that one!
I'm not familiar with Greybeard, but I hear a lot of funky information passed around on this forum, I think here there are many more less experienced guys than on some other forums, and the guys who know what's up over here can't monitor all the various conversations for accuracy. Although some things that "experienced" guys on other forums take as truth has turned out to be false (like the inability of GD's to hold a good edge) so I really don't believe anything unless I see it for myself, which is why I like to see pictures.
BTW, I'll have you know that I am currently the owner of a GD - I don't know what to do with it, maybe I'll have you work on it when I finally draw up a draft of that brush stand I want you to make - you can cast it in epoxy and it can be the base...LOL
After looking at those pictures, although they're a bit fuzzy, that looks like typical wear on a razor IMO.
Do you remember the name of the razor makers? Because unless they're the new, crappo razors (I don't consider these to be real straight, IMO) I've never seen a vintage razor that was plated, in person or on Ebay. I'd love a picture if you can dig it up.
During my travels the last Clauss I did was a real bugger to do. I reached into my bag of tricks and there was simply nothing I could do to get a mirror shine on that puppy. No pits, no scratches,, nothing. Went to polish it and low and behold it looked like little dots all over the goofy thing. Same happened on a Wosty just recently. Sanded the bejeezers out of that thing. Looked ready for the final polish as it looked like any other razor should look at that point and didn't it do the same thing! I do think it's the steel in any given razor. Who knows if it was the forger, the mix of steel or a Friday and the guy rushed through the last batch and didn't heat treat them properly. Whatever it was you could almost literally see the grains in the steel. Alternating hard and soft areas it seemed. Polishing only made it appear. I left them in a very fine brushed finish and they looked perfect. Just not a mirror.
Greybeard,, I don't know if that guy has the only copy in existence of the "Complete History of Razor Manufacturers Known to Man" but he can pull stuff out of his hat about any razor it seems. Maybe he found some secret site somewhere we all missed. I have a piece coming in tomorrow ( according to FedEx) that I'll post and run by him. It's a killer.
But you have a GD you don't know what to do with? Suggestion. Read the GD Comp thread.
Some eat up more paper than others. Can't say for sure. Again, depends on the pits, scratches, level you're trying to get to. Tempered steel is a tough nut to crack unlike cold steel. But 30 hrs. on a blade?
Is that one stroke per minute as they watch the game and take a drink of their beer? Man,, I could build two customs from scratch in that time.
Either that or you have very long legs after all the pulling they did.Sounds like a bit of drama was added for the profound effect of their efforts.
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- Thread starter
- #31
That makes me feel better about the rate I'm going. I figure it looked decent so why not keep going. Unfortunately some of the problem is near the edge so it is what it is. I'm restoring it with the scales on for now too until I have time to make wooden scales.
In regards to plated razors, in searching on eBay and Etsy plus some vintage shops, never seen one. I'm a bit new to all this though.
In regards to plated razors, in searching on eBay and Etsy plus some vintage shops, never seen one. I'm a bit new to all this though.
Here is a pic of a plated razor. It's made by Thistle Cut from NY.
That's interesting, I guess he might know then!
As far as the gold dollar, I have too many razors on the workbench that take a front seat to that thing...and even then, I'd have to read a few books on metalworking and threads on how to alter these blades - it all sounds like more time invested than it's worth (to me).
I wouldn't be buying heavily pitted razors to restore unless you have a full buffer/greaseless setup. With just hand sanding, you could be looking at days of work. With a buffer and greaseless, you're looking at 20 minutes of work.
- Thread starter
- #36
I can now attest to daflorc, trying to remove anything more than shallow pitting by hand takes ages.
After 20 minutes on a buffer with a rusted razor you'll end up with a blob looking mess of a razor. That would certainly be using the wrong tool to remove rust. You can spot those razors a mile away.
Even its name says what it is doing "buffing",,,, not "rust remover".
That would be the same as treating a car that has rust spots to a good buffing . Buffing brings up shine,, not remove rust.
Here is an example of what I mean.
The original rusted blade. It's a bit more than usual but it makes the point
second shot, on the left rust removed via the magic of a buffer. On the right , sanded.
last pic the back of the blade, sanded and a light buff. Notice the shoulders are still there, nothing is rounded off. Watch the videos and you'll see a shiny blade alright,, it just looks like a mess.
Also ,the rust was clear to the edge and it wasn't fatal. It can be done.
Even its name says what it is doing "buffing",,,, not "rust remover".
That would be the same as treating a car that has rust spots to a good buffing . Buffing brings up shine,, not remove rust.
Here is an example of what I mean.
The original rusted blade. It's a bit more than usual but it makes the point
second shot, on the left rust removed via the magic of a buffer. On the right , sanded.
last pic the back of the blade, sanded and a light buff. Notice the shoulders are still there, nothing is rounded off. Watch the videos and you'll see a shiny blade alright,, it just looks like a mess.
Also ,the rust was clear to the edge and it wasn't fatal. It can be done.
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Make sure you're using wet/dry sandpaper, it is generally black on the sanding surface. I deal primarily with sterling silver, nickel, copper, and brass in a jewelry capacity so this may change a bit with steel. I use the stuff until it literally falls apart and I've only gone through maybe 3 sheets of each grit in the past year. The exception would be 220 as it doesn't bend as nice as the 320 on up. I would get a scrap piece of wood and hold the blade on the wood as you're sanding. I'm just starting this process on a strait I picked up at an antique store this weekend so I'm in the same boat as you! Good luck and I would love to see some pictures of what you're working on!
I think the razor you have pictured is an extreme example of heavy rust + pitting. For most razors with less severe rust, a buffer with a sisel wheel is more than sufficient to remove most kinds of rust. I'd also stay away from most hollow ground razors with heavy rust near the edge, because you never know if and what kind of pitting the rust is hiding. Sometimes you find that razors have what we call "devil's spit" - minor looking pitting that goes very deep and is impossible to remove. Maybe I'm using the term "buffing" improperly - I use that word whenever I'm using a buffer, even when I have a spiral sewn wheel with greaseless compound on it.
Yes it's an extreme example but it illustrates what is happening even on a lesser scale. And in the case of devils spit, it too can be removed.
As far as using sand paper until it falls apart I can't say I recommend that. It's a false economy. If paper gets to that point then all the abrasives are long gone. Tempered steel is considerably harder than sterling silver and the other metals mentioned. Those you can almost polish with just your finger if you have rough skin.
Cutting tempered steel takes fresh abrasives which disappear quite quickly doing this work. And if the abrasive qualities are gone,, you're sitting there "sanding" while actually accomplishing nothing. Or the paper went from being 220 to acting like it's 1000 grit. Then you get another piece of 220 and start all over again. Fresh paper with fresh grit cuts fast but not for a very long time.
The above blade took me maybe 20 minutes including the photos.
As far as using sand paper until it falls apart I can't say I recommend that. It's a false economy. If paper gets to that point then all the abrasives are long gone. Tempered steel is considerably harder than sterling silver and the other metals mentioned. Those you can almost polish with just your finger if you have rough skin.
Cutting tempered steel takes fresh abrasives which disappear quite quickly doing this work. And if the abrasive qualities are gone,, you're sitting there "sanding" while actually accomplishing nothing. Or the paper went from being 220 to acting like it's 1000 grit. Then you get another piece of 220 and start all over again. Fresh paper with fresh grit cuts fast but not for a very long time.
The above blade took me maybe 20 minutes including the photos.
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