I know this isn't necessarily the majority point of view (or maybe it is) but I think anyone, including newbies, can restore vintage straight razors from Ebay (for example).
Sometimes I see a newer shaver buying an inexpensive vintage straight razor and then sending it off to someone else. This is fine of course but I just wonder if everyone realizes how easy it is to do yourself?
I'm not talking about those who make custom scales, modified blades, etc but just cleaning up a vintage Ebay blade, cleaning up the scales, maybe repinning something and honing is inexpensive and easy.
I did this as a newbie who didn't really know how to shave or hone yet. Typical advice is to learn to shave first and then learn to hone and then learn to restore. However, waiting doesn't do anything so I think most people could just jump in from the start.
It's really not that easy to ruin a razor. Even if you bought two Ebay $15 straights and made a few mistakes on the first one it's still really inexpensive. I haven't actually ruined anything anyway and I doubt if many people have.
A ball peen hammer and repinning supplies is probably less than $10. A King 1k hone is about $20 and Whipped Dog has cut down (smaller) hones in 4k, 8k and 12k for somewhere around $65 for all of them I think. Add some green paste and a strop and you can buy good vintage straights on Ebay for around $15-$20 all day long.
If you try to hone and aren't good at it immediately all that generally happens is that you can't shave with it very well. You can always go back and try again later. Nothing is ruined.
If you break a pair of scales trying to get them off you can either repair them, buy a new pair, or wait until you have more Ebay straights and start to mix and match other scales.
I don't think you generally need to sand blades (just my preference) and you can remove most surface oxidation just with metal polish. I usually don't even unpin a blade for cleaning unless there was already some problem with the scales.
When you have peening skills you can also often times tighten loose blades.
I'm no expert in restoring blades so I'm not intending this post to be a lecture.
I'd just like to see more people restore more vintage blades and maybe even use this thread for newbie questions about restoring if you didn't think you could do it yourself but now maybe are considering giving it a shot.
It also makes it possible for most people to have a lot more razors since once you have the few tools needed you can buy vintage blades cheaply all day long. I've learned that price has almost nothing to do with shave quality where straights are concerned.
There are crappy straights out there (usually new) but if you are buying vintage Wade & Butcher blades (for example) price has little to do with quality. Some of the best buys (cheapest) I've gotten have been some of the best razors.
Just don't buy blades with cracks, chips or excessive pitting. Scales, if they are going to be cracked, are usually compromised at the pins. Sometimes you get the best deals on Ebay from sellers who don't post the width of the blade as this means that they don't "know" straight razors.
If there aren't a lot of close up pictures I don't consider buying. If I find a good razor and no one else is bidding on it and I've checked the pictures I'll be likely to bid. If it's a Double Duck and others are bidding I'll stay away. There are a ton of razors out there. Just find the ones that others haven't found yet if possible.
I have a 5/8 Henkel with blonde scales with nothing other than some mild pitting on the blade on its way to me now. I got it for $10 including shipping. This isn't even unusual.
Sometimes I see a newer shaver buying an inexpensive vintage straight razor and then sending it off to someone else. This is fine of course but I just wonder if everyone realizes how easy it is to do yourself?
I'm not talking about those who make custom scales, modified blades, etc but just cleaning up a vintage Ebay blade, cleaning up the scales, maybe repinning something and honing is inexpensive and easy.
I did this as a newbie who didn't really know how to shave or hone yet. Typical advice is to learn to shave first and then learn to hone and then learn to restore. However, waiting doesn't do anything so I think most people could just jump in from the start.
It's really not that easy to ruin a razor. Even if you bought two Ebay $15 straights and made a few mistakes on the first one it's still really inexpensive. I haven't actually ruined anything anyway and I doubt if many people have.
A ball peen hammer and repinning supplies is probably less than $10. A King 1k hone is about $20 and Whipped Dog has cut down (smaller) hones in 4k, 8k and 12k for somewhere around $65 for all of them I think. Add some green paste and a strop and you can buy good vintage straights on Ebay for around $15-$20 all day long.
If you try to hone and aren't good at it immediately all that generally happens is that you can't shave with it very well. You can always go back and try again later. Nothing is ruined.
If you break a pair of scales trying to get them off you can either repair them, buy a new pair, or wait until you have more Ebay straights and start to mix and match other scales.
I don't think you generally need to sand blades (just my preference) and you can remove most surface oxidation just with metal polish. I usually don't even unpin a blade for cleaning unless there was already some problem with the scales.
When you have peening skills you can also often times tighten loose blades.
I'm no expert in restoring blades so I'm not intending this post to be a lecture.
I'd just like to see more people restore more vintage blades and maybe even use this thread for newbie questions about restoring if you didn't think you could do it yourself but now maybe are considering giving it a shot.It also makes it possible for most people to have a lot more razors since once you have the few tools needed you can buy vintage blades cheaply all day long. I've learned that price has almost nothing to do with shave quality where straights are concerned.
There are crappy straights out there (usually new) but if you are buying vintage Wade & Butcher blades (for example) price has little to do with quality. Some of the best buys (cheapest) I've gotten have been some of the best razors.
Just don't buy blades with cracks, chips or excessive pitting. Scales, if they are going to be cracked, are usually compromised at the pins. Sometimes you get the best deals on Ebay from sellers who don't post the width of the blade as this means that they don't "know" straight razors.
If there aren't a lot of close up pictures I don't consider buying. If I find a good razor and no one else is bidding on it and I've checked the pictures I'll be likely to bid. If it's a Double Duck and others are bidding I'll stay away. There are a ton of razors out there. Just find the ones that others haven't found yet if possible.
I have a 5/8 Henkel with blonde scales with nothing other than some mild pitting on the blade on its way to me now. I got it for $10 including shipping. This isn't even unusual.
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