Step by Step guide to a Restored Razor

Ok TSD let's have a little fun, We are going to do a full restore together,, Step by step, with pics...

We are starting with this razor it has no scales BTW so we are free to do what we want...

The stamp is: Beste*Qualitat TUCKMAR Silberstahl - Solingen
What we have is a 5/8 roundpoint full hollow grind a perfect starter razor...

The razor has Zero hone wear there is no bevel so this one is in perfect shape for a Restore...
It has jimps on the top and the bottom of the tang..

As you can see in the picture we have slight rust and a start to some pitting up by the spine...

There is a poll above take the time to vote on it Please... because we are doing this together....

Here is the starting pic!!!!!

 

I am not usually a big fan of wood on razors, though the one I have from Ken at Ruprazors is pretty cool...I do worry about it getting damaged by water, so I am extra careful when shaving.

So I went with dark acrylic...

This is cool, Glen, thanks!

 

This will be great fun! Thanks, Glen!

 

The razors of yours that I have been lucky enough to see have been things of beauty. I'll vote light wood, because its something that I enjoy seeing adjacent to shiny steel. But I know whatever you end up making will be something magnificent.

 

Sweet...i think Dark Acrylics are always nice

 

Light acrylics!

 

Why not wood, light wood that is..

 

im going to vote dark wood. i like the contrast and i feel it makes the blade stick out more.

 

Day two

The poll is up for 1 week, while I polish out the blade... I will post pics of every step along the way...

The first step is on the buffing wheel, starting with a 4 inch wheel (for the hollow grind) and 80-120-180-320-400-600 Fomax greaseless compounds I use sisal wheels for the 80 & 120 grits then switch to sewn wheels through 600... This are used on a low speed (1725rpm) buffer...

After the greaseless compounds I switch to Dico polishing compounds starting with Emory-Stainless Steel-CrOx-Chrome the first two are on sewn wheels and the last two are on loose wheels....I do polishing on a high speed (3450rpm) buffer...

This will give a near perfect mirror finish when it is done, but this razor we are going to go two more steps on since we have the time, and heck we're having fun... I explain after the buffing stage is finished...

Sorry folks there is no way for me to take pics of me actually buffing the blades I just don't have 3 hands YET !!! Hmmmm maybe I can beg the wifey :happy102

Keep the votes coming in Please !!!!!!

 

What kind of machinery are you using?

A bench grinder with a buffing wheel or a handheld dremel type buffer? Or is there something completely different?

 

I use actual bench mounted buffers, however you can do almost the same work with just wet-r-dry sandpaper by hand starting at 120 grit and going steadily up through 2500 grit The only real reason to use power is to save time.... Dremels and I are not all that friendly, I have never recommended them for use on razors.... Yes I know many people use them and so do I on occasion but many razors have been destroyed by them... Just be very, very, careful of the direction of the spin and keep the edge always down on something and they can be effective polishers...Using them to clean the rust and pitting by way of flap wheels etc: is something I really DO NOT advise... again that is your choice....

Always wear at least a Respirator, and Eye protection when working on razors, more protection is even better....


Any questions are very much welcome during this thread...

 

I voted for Dark Wood. It is always a treat to see Glen's work

 

Also, if I might interject something important here...


Some of the exotic woods used in restores have some really great patterns and markings on them. Much of the time, these markings are the result of some rather nefarious mold in the wood. It beautifies the wood, but it also makes the use of such woods a bit more risky.

Anyone who works with exotic woods... please wear a respirator or mask when doing so. N95 should be absolutely fine... but working without a mask is asking for trouble.

I don't do any woodworking, but it is a hobby of someone I work with (my boss)... and he is a CIH. This was his recommendation to me. I thought I would pass it on.

 

well thank you for the info. as i plan on making some scales out of some exotics next week i will deff. use a mask at least.

 

Working Now !!!!

First off Welcome to the messiest shop in the West

I just always put on three things when I walk in the door of the shop first my safety glasses, second a respirator N95 rated and one that seals around the nose and mouth, all the particulates in the air are bad for you besides the wood dust so put it on when you walk in (not around the neck like for this pic either)... I also wear a heavy leather apron when I am working with the blades just in case I have to let go of one... I would prefer not to get sliced... Now I don't wear Kevlar gloves all the time...It depends on what I am doing, grinding = gloves, buffing = no gloves, I worry more about the glove getting wrapped in the buffer and breaking my hands then the blade cutting me... Your choice there...




Yes that's me and yes that is a beard, have had that since 1981 and that is what started me straight razor shaving way back then... Want straight lines use a straight razor


I am working on the 1725 rpm buffing wheel I am using a 4 inch because of the Full hollow grind...



You might also notice that the glasses got exchanged for full goggles I had a minuscule wood chip from a saw go around the glasses in the Summer that I had to have a Doc get out of there, hurt like hell...



Just keep doing the same thing over and over and over happy102

The other advantage to "no gloves" on the buffer is that you can always monitor the heat, just so long as you don't blister a finger on the blade you shouldn't wreck the temper...




So any way after running through the whole progression I will show you the out come....

 

After Buffing !!!

This is the razor now, that is all the way through the Chrome compound on the blade but if you look close the tang is a tiny bit less polished, I stopped at the Stainless Steel compound on it... Just a very tiny difference....

 

Shine Shine Shine !!!!

Since we are taking our time on this, waiting for all the votes to come in for the scales

We are going to take an extra step and really polish this razor out ...

First for the next few days I will let the razor polish in a Vibratory tumbler (a Brass tumbler too you shooters)
filled with RCBS Walnut media and "loaded" with TW Liquid Rubbing Compound... This will put a soft sheen on the steel...
I usually only use this for etched blades but we have the time so were off and running....



Halfway through the week I will switch it to a different tub filled with RCBS Corncob media and "loaded" with TW Liquid Polishing Compound... This will shine like crazy....

 

Great stuff, Glen. Pictures are better than I'd hoped for - it's good to put a face and a workshop with your name!