Please Help - Restoring A Darwin Universal

[dietz_james]

I just received the Darwin Universal I purchased, and it needs a little more work than I thought (but much less than I have typically seen looking on eBay) based on the photos. I'm hoping some members with experience can guide me on what needs to be done and what is merely cosmetic.

The blades are just short of butter knife dull and there is a soft powder or grit inside the I can't identify. The leather strops are soft, but one looks to have a small cut. My biggest concern is that the blades are discolored and I'm not knowledgeable enough to tell if what I'm looking at. I'm guessing the blacker stuff is patina that can be left, but one are looks like it might be rust.

Please give me any advice and suggestions.

 

[dietz_james]

Here are some more photos.

 

[alpster]

If this were mine I would replace the strop with a piece of veg tanned leather. In the crevices I would use a soft wire brush to get the rust and grime build up. Use Barkeepers Friend with a terry cloth to clean up the head. Whatever it won't remove should stay. When restoring these old pieces 'less is more'. Go easy and be OK with leaving a little character in place. JMHO

 

[dietz_james]

Thank you. What is the best way to get the orange rust off the blade? And do you have any idea what type of metal this might by? I would like to put the handle in an ultrasonic cleaner with dish soap if it won't rust it.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Most of the parts appear to have been Nickel plated. Aggressive rust removal, vinegar and other acids will remove nickel as well as rust.

Use a good metal polish, toothbrush, and judicious use of a brass toothbrush for stubborn crevices.

For Nickle plated DE restores I use Simple Green and Ultrasonic cleaner, scrubbed down with a toothbrush and alcohol rinse. Alcohol will brighten the nickel. Where the nickel is removed it will rust, an application or Ren Wax after it has been cleaned and polished will help prevent the non-plated parts from rusting. Apply with a cut down paint brush, a little goes a long way, buff with paper towel and clean cut down paint brush, (1” chip brush).

The blade can be cleaned with 000 steel wool and metal polish some 600 and 1k wet and dry will remove stubborn rust and tarnish. From 1k you can polish with metal polish. Clean and polish on a piece of 6mm craft foam, so the edge is compressed into the foam, and you cannot cut yourself.

If you wanted to hone it, you could make a wooden holder that will fit in an inexpensive woodworking plane blade honing guide, (Eclipse copy) (there are many designs and instructions online) for honing spoke shave and small plane blades.

Once ground to the proper angle, strop on new leather in the contraption.

Barkeepers is Citric Acid, if you use it, do not leave it on long, nickel is soft and easily removed. Neutralize with a baking soda soak and toothbrush scrub in the crevices.

As said, take your time so as not to remove the Nickel.

 

[dietz_james]

Most of the parts appear to have been Nickel plated. Aggressive rust removal, vinegar and other acids will remove nickel as well as rust.

Use a good metal polish, toothbrush, and judicious use of a brass toothbrush for stubborn crevices.

For Nickle plated DE restores I use Simple Green and Ultrasonic cleaner, scrubbed down with a toothbrush and alcohol rinse. Alcohol will brighten the nickel. Where the nickel is removed it will rust, an application or Ren Wax after it has been cleaned and polished will help prevent the non-plated parts from rusting. Apply with a cut down paint brush, a little goes a long way, buff with paper towel and clean cut down paint brush, (1” chip brush).

The blade can be cleaned with 000 steel wool and metal polish some 600 and 1k wet and dry will remove stubborn rust and tarnish. From 1k you can polish with metal polish. Clean and polish on a piece of 6mm craft foam, so the edge is compressed into the foam, and you cannot cut yourself.

If you wanted to hone it, you could make a wooden holder that will fit in an inexpensive woodworking plane blade honing guide, (Eclipse copy) (there are many designs and instructions online) for honing spoke shave and small plane blades.

Once ground to the proper angle, strop on new leather in the contraption.

Barkeepers is Citric Acid, if you use it, do not leave it on long, nickel is soft and easily removed. Neutralize with a baking soda soak and toothbrush scrub in the crevices.

As said, take your time so as not to remove the Nickel.

Thank you so much. That is really helpful. How can I tell if the strop needs replacing? I have a rolls razor that came with a shrunken dried out strop that I intend to replace, but this one feels surprisingly soft and supple. I would like to keep the original strop if possible, but I have no qualms about replacing it if I need to do so.

Actually, if I ever find a cheap orphaned Darwin stropping insert, I would like to try attaching honing paper to it to see if that will do a better job.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

You might be able to rehydrate the leather, but cleaning it is another story.

The goal of stropping is to polish the edge as pristine as possible. If the leather strop is dirty with unknown grit and dried up, will it produce a pristine edge?

Looks like it would be easy to replace, try cleaning and rehydrating the old one and if it does not perform well, replace it.

 

[dietz_james]

You might be able to rehydrate the leather, but cleaning it is another story.

The goal of stropping is to polish the edge as pristine as possible. If the leather strop is dirty with unknown grit and dried up, will it produce a pristine edge?

Looks like it would be easy to replace, try cleaning and rehydrating the old one and if it does not perform well, replace it.

The leather is not dried up at all. The power and grit is actually must prominent in the sidewall of the case where the sliding track is. I tried rubbing some of it on my fingers and it felt smooth. I don't know if it is dried soap or a stropping compound (I don't actually know what that looks or feels like).

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

You cannot tell by rubbing your finger on it. You would have to rehydrate the leather, then polish off all the stria on a razor, (strop on metal polish), then strop the polished bevel and see if it leaves any deep stria.

You can rehydrate and try it and see how it works. If you see deep random stria on the bevel, you will know the strop is contaminated.

Most strops are contaminated, from years of sitting out in the open and airborne dust landing on them.

I get razors in for honing all the time with deep random stria and chipped edges, where does that stria come from? The only thing the bevel touches is your face and the strop.

Try rehydrating and see how it works.

 

[dietz_james]

Thank you. I have been trying to rehydrate the leather, but as soon as I started I realized that it was in worse condition than I realized. Do you have any tips or suggestions on what should be different between the course and the fine side?

As for the sediment, it like to me like dried lather that fit under the strop that has since dried and crumbled to dust.

If this were mine I would replace the strop with a piece of veg tanned leather. In the crevices I would use a soft wire brush to get the rust and grime build up. Use Barkeepers Friend with a terry cloth to clean up the head. Whatever it won't remove should stay. When restoring these old pieces 'less is more'. Go easy and be OK with leaving a little character in place. JMHO