To Clean or not to clean, that is the question!

Picked up some silver plated old types last week, and was debating about cleaning the ball end or not. The double ring will definitely not be be getting touched. Its weird, the ball end has nothing on the barrel, nor any serial number on the head. Just threw the double ring in there for fun (1905), gotta show it off!

 

I'd keep and use it as it is. It has a lovely patina. To me it looks excellent right now!

 

Those silver razors do polish up nicely (pic below after a mild silver polish), but I agree with Mike that there's something to be said for 'vintage' patina.

 

To me it's a no brainer.

Clean: Absolutely. I wouldn't put a used shaving tool near my face without it having been thoroughly cleaned.
Brush/polish: Depends on what look you want
Replate: Depends on what look you want and how much money you want to put into it.

 

I've done both and been happy. With that ball end Old Type, I would definitely polish it up, unless you don't want to do it. Then just use it as is. I know I'm not a big help. I've gone as far and had a couple re-plated.

 

I would polish the ball end. Maybe gently clean the double ring with mild soap and dry it with a microfiber cloth since its a rare razor.
Either way they are great looking razors.

 

I've done the baking soda & aluminum foil treatment with a couple of silver plated Old Types, a 1908 Single Ring and a 1911 ABC pocket edition, and had great results both times. It's completely no-abrasive and works on a chemical reaction whereby the tarnish (sulfur) bonds to the aluminum and not the silver. Sometimes it takes a few treatments and you need to get all the bits of the razor in contact with the foil, but it really does work amazingly well.

http://theshaveden.com/forums/threa...ing-cleaning-picture-heavy.25538/#post-441323

Then again I like the look of an old razor that shows it's actually been used for a century too!

 

+1.

 

Yea! That is what I was going to do. The baking soda and hot water with aluminum foil. We did it in chem 113/115 in college. Basically transfers the sulfur atoms to the aluminum foil. We did it on silver bells an an in class demo. Thanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it. I will most likely keep the 1905 and not clean it, maybe someday I'll find a box for it. The ball end I will polish up non abrasively, via previously mentioned method.

On another note, isn't it awful that all these brass handle old types are prone to cracking? Over time, I guess the ammonia in the atm reacts with the brass to cause stress corrosion cracking. The cool thing about brass, like copper, has natural antimicrobial and germicidal properties. RAZORS ARE CRAZY!

 

Brass and copper have antimicrobial and germicidal properties? I know Silver is antimicrobial but not those other two. Actually I have a Silver Ointment for Burns and its works remarkaebly well. It is also believed that the reason European Nobility faired so well during the outbreak of the bubonic plague was because of the use of silver utensils.

 

I'm partial to cleaning. Yes patina is nice but I like the razors having some form of their old glory back.

 

I would never use a razor unless it has been cleaned. Patina is fine for a dispaly piece but not for a razor that is to be used.

 

Not saying that I would use/sell a dirty razor, but some material properties are interesting. Wait till the materials of the future come out. Nanotech is getting crazy.

 

Just cleaned the ball end and looks great. I'll upload a pic tomorrow. I can't figure out why there is no pat # or serial number on it? It makes no scene. Shouldn't it have one or the other?

 

I have a ball end old type without a patent number or serial. It must have been common for a few years.

 

Gillette stopped putting serial numbers on in 1921 after the patents expired, they never did put patent numbers on the Old Types as far as I know.

 

Do you guys really shave with those antiques? How well/bad do they work?!

 

Personally I find that the vintage razors are better than the few new ones I have.
But, as we all know this seems to be very personal.

 

I solely shave with vintage razors. They all perform great in my book. As they should: our grandfathers (and for the younger among us: our great-grandfathers) wouldn't have used them otherwise, would they?