Flea Market find and start of restoration.

Stopped by the flea market today and picked this up. Cost me a whole dollar.



Scale is broken, so I'll need to make new ones.
Plenty of rust on the edge, but I think it's a good candidate for a first restore.
Razor is 9/16.
Hallmark says "Genco Grant, Geneva NY, USA.
[hr]
A shot of the hallmark after a bit of clean up.

Went by hand from 220, 600, 800, 2000, steel wool and polishing compound.


[hr]



A bit of Tasmanian Blackwood.



Cut them out with a coping saw, then used double stick tape to bond them together.


[hr]
I'll take them down to the line together with this.





The finished product, sanded to final shape by hand, and finished to 600 grit.



Pin hole is 3/32". I believe most are 1/8", so I will need to find 3/32" pin material. Anyone know where I can get it or what I can use for it?
Have either some Maple or Padauk for the wedge. Since I'm using wood, that will be glued, not pinned.
Thanks for looking!

 

Nice!

 

Right on

 

Maybe Glen will have a lead on the pins.

 

Very nice!!
Certainly not much hone wear for a blade of that age,
and the Blackwood is looking good too.

 

Thanks, guys!

 

looking forward to following it to completion

 

I'll need to find some 3/32" brass rod. I have wipe on poly for the scales, and material for the wedge, but I'll need to run down some rod. There should be something I can use locally. I'll start scrounging around this week.
I may pick up a decent metal polish. I used Turtle Wax polishing compound, which I use for buffing out finishes in guitarmaking, but a decent polish actually meant for metal might do a bit better job.
I'm happy with the way it is now, but there's nothing wrong with giving that a shot. Can't hurt.

 

You can get some Flitz polish which is a good overall metal polish.

 

I know it's more than ya need.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006MZUKM/?tag=thshde-20

 

Dapper, GD, thanks.
I should be able to find some rod locally, I'll just have to look.
And GD, Flitz was exactly what I was thinking of.

 

Mike, it's looking' good!
I wound up picking up some brass tubing (1/8 od x 1/16 id) online since I struck at out all the local stores.
I'm a few 'steps' behind you in the restore stages as I am prepping to go into 'mass production' on a variety of scales.
I cut wood & horn blanks on a bandsaw and plan on roughing out the shapes (fairly tightly) with a scroll saw. I have a pile of blades in need of scales so I anticipate being busy for a while.


I am enjoying the progress shots, and look forward to more!

 

Kevin, thanks, and good luck with your "pile of razors". I think I saw them on another thread you posted. I both envy and pity you, lol. It is hard work, especially on your hands(my arthritis isn't helping there). But I have always enjoyed taking things that once were useful, especially old things, and bringing them back to at least a semblance of their former glory. Straights are no different.
I can't wait to shave with this razor, and I can't wait to find the next one.

 

Also, I don't know your power tool count, but if you don't have a belt sander, a flat piece of plate glass with various grits of sandpaper glued to it can help tremendously with sanding and final shaping. That is what I used.

 

Most well stocked Hardware stores, Ace, True, Value Home Depot etc: will have a K&S metals display it will have Brass Rod in many sizes I use 1/16 myself and drill the holes a 5/64 to allow for Percussion Bulging...

The display will look like this
http://www.ksmetals.com/


You will need small #0 washers to create locks if you are using 1/16 rod

http://www.microfasteners.com/

They have many types..

Nickel Silver rod is a bit harder to source,, some knife supply places have it...


You will find a ton of tips and tricks in the one Step by Step I did here on TSD

http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/step-by-step-guide-to-a-restored-razor.15425/


One other important tip, but a little late at this point in time, if there is pitting on the blade you will usually want to make sure you can get a solid clean steel bevel set BEFORE you start the Restore process.. That is assuming that you want to shave with the razor when you are done restoring it...

 

Glen, thanks. I've read a tute of yours somewhere. Maybe B&B? I'll definitely check the one here out. Going to it now!

 

BTW: I just found the K&S brass tubing at the new Hobby Lobby store that opened here in town recently. None of the local hardware stores carried the tubing. I wound up buying it online from a hobby store in Cleveland….

 

There used to be several places on Ashby in Bezerkley that would most likely have it... MacBeath is there and would be a great place for exotic woods for scale material. My roommates and I used to drive up there on the weekends for supplies from SLO, since there were few craft stores here and mostly wanted a small fortune for a small chunk of hardwood, brass, or copper. Albeit the shipping nowadays is probably cheaper than the gas from your neck of the woods even though I'm guessing ~40 miles RT?

 

Broke the scales pinning the razor this evening. Will need to make another set.

 

Ouch! Sorry to hear that, Mike!
I've had my fair share of unexpected speed bumps such as broken or split scales. If I may offer a word of encouragement to you: the second time around seems to always go faster & smoother.