Boker restoration questions..

[Axebreaker]

Last week I impulse bought a Boker 1056, and now I want to restore it to usability, if possible.
It had obvious red rust, which I polished off. However, after polishing the blade is still dark:





I Like the look but I wonder if that's doing damage. It doesn't look like there's any huge pitting, but the only thing I have for comparison is a spare
Rolls blade which does have huge pitting on one side that even 100 grit wouldn't get rid of at more than a snails pace.


So I have a couple of questions: Do I have to sand all the darkening away to get it usable and stable?

Two, if i want to get it honed and re-scaled, is going to a local shop a good option? There is one here that says they service straight razors, called "the Sharp Shop".
They sell Barber's products, sharpen anything, and sell some wet shaving stuff. Anybody heard of them?

Here's there rather barebones website: http://sharpshoplv.com/

If not I'm sure there's a post somewhere with good vendors listed. Whippeddog etc.

 

[goatee]

love it!!! hone it and shave it!!! done done

 

[goatee]

send it to me, ill hone it for you.

 

[Kentos]

Yes yes, that is a relatively rare one, and unless you have the skills to bring it to a mirror shine, I would leave it as is. Nice score!

 

[otto76]

One more vote for "hone it and use it", very nice razor.

 

[Axebreaker]

Ok, I'm with you on the blade but the orange scales have got to go, purely for aesthetic reasons.

This is one with the original celluloid from an eBay auction that closed:


I don't think a mad scale hunt would be the best idea, but I do think some black scales would
be closer to original, and white ones would look good in contrast to the aged blade.

 

[toovira]

MAAS polisher have always done the job for me to bring the dull up (conservatively). I have a Red Injun that looked like that before, but after 2 hours of MAAS hand polishing, it's bright and shine now. You can also try Micromesh kit (1800 to 12000 grit), which is less aggressive than sandpaper (think lowest grit is 1800). You may want to try 1000+ grit sandpaper too, but in the end, you would have to polish it.

 

[TnutsShave]

Personally, I think it looks fantastic as is...I wouldn't do a thing but hone it a shave with it (ok ok, new scales, definitely).

Nothing wrong with good patina...once you get that keenly polished edge on it...WOWzers. It's gonna look great.

 

[Axebreaker]

I used some MAAS on it prior to taking pictures to clean off some surface rust, and it did lighten it a little but not so much that it lost the look I like.
There are some places on the spine that I might hit with sandpaper after it gets honed to get more contrast though.
Has anybody ever done leather scales with a stainless or aluminum backplate? I ask because I have some sitting around.

 

[brother cavefish]

if you sell it PM me

 

[toovira]

I used some MAAS on it prior to taking pictures to clean off some surface rust, and it did lighten it a little but not so much that it lost the look I like.
There are some places on the spine that I might hit with sandpaper after it gets honed to get more contrast though.
Has anybody ever done leather scales with a stainless or aluminum backplate? I ask because I have some sitting around.

I did say a few hours with mine. If you see the black stuff still comes out, then it will get lighter. I will suggest try lowest grit micromesh before putting WET sandpaper on it. You will need micromesh to do the finishing/polishing after polishing anyway.

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2005233/10573/micromesh-pen-sanding-kit.aspx

 

[atlanta_hoo]

I have found that boker's steel is quite high quality. I got lovely results using Flitz on a 101 Red-Injun that was essentially unused, but looked nearly black from oxidation. An hour of polishing with a towel scrap and it looks pristine.

 

[ricardo9505]

this should help: whippeddog.com/services

 

[Slash McCoy]

Full restore is do-able. But just honing and shaving with it is more practical. That razor will be an excellent shaver after a good honer has had a go with it. I think the spine looks very classy, even with the significant hone wear. It is a user. A shaver. So shave with it!

 

[Axebreaker]

Yeah I have to agree with all the people saying just shave with it, - I would have never noticed this except for the contrast between the dark blade and the worn spots on the spine. I'd rather get it honed and put white scales on it than try to polish the blade. To me, taking the patina off if I don't have to to make it hold an edge makes it less cool. I think if it were a car, it would make a better Hot Rod or Rat Rod than a restoration.

 

[mdunn]

Leave it and shave with it. You'll get a nice mirror polish on the spine and edge (from honing) that will look great with that patina

 

[alitkty]

Very good razor, worth the effort.

 

[Axebreaker]

Alright, decision time. Since I got the Boker, I've been putzing around the local antique mall and found an easy, easy restore. It's a Morley and Son's Clover brand, and it only had light tarnish, which i sandpaper and polished off. The "Hollow ground" etching is still there, the scales are original in all their celluloid gory (except for a stain where the sticker was. The edge is nowhere near as pitted, it will be easier to hone. The box even appears to be somewhat appropriate! I looked into buying honing film, and I figure I should just get one honed before sinking more cash (although I probably will anyways). If you were going to get one honed, which would you do?

I wanna go for whichever will shave better but it's hard for me to tell, they are both about the same size and grind, the only differences are maybe Boker steel and the existing poorer edge condition of the Boker.

New fling as it sits today:

 

[BakerAndBadger]

You'll want to be careful with razors like that one. The so-called barber's notch got it's name because it often hooks unwary users and the barbs on the spine don't let you pull it out of the skin without tearing (more often than not the nose or ear).
Send it to me, I have a big box waiting for it to go into and contemplate what a naughty razor it has been all these years.




Lovely razor, sand it and hone it. Get the lapping film - its cheap as chips and although I've heard it lacks something like Florence Griffith Joyner, or FloJo to her friends, you'll be able to get it shaving for less money than a stone. Bear in mind it's good to have a yard stick to compare it with.

 

[tomjr]

nice blade. love the tip.