Exciting Craftsman find at the Flea Market Today!

[Mlee]

On my way home today, I stopped in at my favorite flea market. I know it's hard to believe but it's true. I've been looking at a Craftsman razor hone in a display so I thought I look at it again today. The price was fair but not a door buster. Well today I noticed it was sitting on something, it was a strop! The display was crammed pack dishes and nick knacks.

I looked at the tag on the hone and sure enough the price was for the hone and strop (wait for it) and razor! There it was, just the corner of the box was sticking out from behind one of the plates. So I went and got the lady at the counter and when she opened it up, this is what I found.

I haven't cleaned it up yet, I'm going to take my time on this one. It looks to be NOS as does the strop and hone. The gold is still intact, I need to figure out how to keep it that way.

 

[Mlee]

Here's some more picks of the hone and strop.

 

[stone and strop]

Very cool.
The barber hone might be degraded a bit from the look of it. You do not want to see any white on it.
If the other side is clean try rubbing some Vaseline into the hone to recondition it a little. I have never tried that hone but I believe it is not a bad one.
Strop looks mint as does the razor.
Great find.

 

[Psusocr]

Awesome find !!!!!

 

[Lightcs1776]

Fantastic! Congrats.

Sent from my DROID Turbo using Tapatalk

 

[6Cuda6]

Awesome find!!

 

[Ice-Man]

Fantastic score!!!!

 

[MilkCrate]

Very nice score!

 

[Mlee]

Thanks guys.

 

[Mlee]

Very cool.
The barber hone might be degraded a bit from the look of it. You do not want to see any white on it.
If the other side is clean try rubbing some Vaseline into the hone to recondition it a little. I have never tried that hone but I believe it is not a bad one.
Strop looks mint as does the razor.
Great find.

How much vaseline should I use on it, just a little, or more and let it soak in?

Should I rub in a little Neets Feet on the strop?

 

[mawashi]

On my way home today, I stopped in at my favorite flea market. I know it's hard to believe but it's true. I've been looking at a Craftsman razor hone in a display so I thought I look at it again today. The price was fair but not a door buster. Well today I noticed it was sitting on something, it was a strop! The display was crammed pack dishes and nick knacks.

View attachment 962480
I looked at the tag on the hone and sure enough the price was for the hone and strop (wait for it) and razor! There it was, just the corner of the box was sticking out from behind one of the plates. So I went and got the lady at the counter and when she opened it up, this is what I found.

View attachment 962483
View attachment 962484

I haven't cleaned it up yet, I'm going to take my time on this one. It looks to be NOS as does the strop and hone. The gold is still intact, I need to figure out how to keep it that way.

I have no idea what a craftsman is but it's looks like a great find, congrads!

Vaseline or good saddle cream should work fine, rub some on your hands or arm and just rub it in. Just enough that the surface looks and feels smooth you don't want to over saturate it.

Cheers,

Mawashi

 

[ajduplessis]

Very cool.
The barber hone might be degraded a bit from the look of it. You do not want to see any white on it.
If the other side is clean try rubbing some Vaseline into the hone to recondition it a little. I have never tried that hone but I believe it is not a bad one.
Strop looks mint as does the razor.
Great find.

The hone is the stone, no? I would have thought vaseline on leather strop, not hone?

 

[Clay S]

Nice find. I like the M-16(or equivalent) takedown mat you have as well. Thought I recognized the bolt, and the charging handle cinched it!

 

[Ice-Man]

Rub you hand on your forehead to get the oils, then rub on the strop that is the best way to measure the amount to use. As it is better to keep doing that than use to much as getting it out is harder than adding it......

 

[stone and strop]

How much vaseline should I use on it, just a little, or more and let it soak in?

Should I rub in a little Neets Feet on the strop?

Yes, the hone is what I am talking about. Smear a little on it (each side) and rub it in really good. Let the warmth of your hands drive it in for about 10-15 minutes. Just wipe with paper towel afterwards.
NO VASELINE ON THE STROP!!
If the strop is really dry then maybe a few drops of neatsfoot on the palm then rubbed it but only if it is dry. Just rub it with your palm for a few minutes each day otherwise.

 

[mdwolfie86]

Wow that’s freakin cool!

 

[EL Alamein]

Great find.

Now for the bad news. The handles on that razor will soon degrade and cause scale rot. Get them off of the blade ASAP. How do I know this? I have the same razor and it happened to me.

For some reason many of the old tortoise scales are unstable and will eventually rot and cause the razor to rust because of the gasses let off by the rotting scales. I've had this happen on a few vintage tortoise blades. The gases will destroy your edge.

Your best bet is to remove the scales (I know it's painful to even think of this) and replace them with modern tortoise scales. Modern tortoise is much more stable and won't rust the blade in your lifetime, if ever.

Probably not what you wanted to hear but do it now.

As for the stone, IMHO it's worthless. Don't use it is my advice.

Those old stones were no where near the technology we have today for synthetic stones. Time degrades the binder making them worse today and they never really honed a blade to where it needed to be. I am not a fan of vintage synthetic barber hones.

I advise using modern synthetics to hone your blade or even a coticule if you're practiced enough.

As for the strop if it's stiff stay away from it for now. Treat it with neatsfoot or other fat based strop dressing until it's very pliable. Once pliable it's worth using (I have the same strop if what I am looking at resembles mine).

Probably not what you want to hear but hopefully helpful.

Good luck.

Chris

 

[Mlee]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Yes, the hone is what I am talking about. Smear a little on it (each side) and rub it in really good. Let the warmth of your hands drive it in for about 10-15 minutes. Just wipe with paper towel afterwards.
NO VASELINE ON THE STROP!!
If the strop is really dry then maybe a few drops of neatsfoot on the palm then rubbed it but only if it is dry. Just rub it with your palm for a few minutes each day otherwise.

Thanks for the advice on the stone, I'll pick up some vaseline and give it a try. I've already started rubbing the strop, it's very soft and still looks new. In a few days I'll post some pictures in the strop section.

Great find.

Now for the bad news. The handles on that razor will soon degrade and cause scale rot. Get them off of the blade ASAP. How do I know this? I have the same razor and it happened to me.

For some reason many of the old tortoise scales are unstable and will eventually rot and cause the razor to rust because of the gasses let off by the rotting scales. I've had this happen on a few vintage tortoise blades. The gases will destroy your edge.

Your best bet is to remove the scales (I know it's painful to even think of this) and replace them with modern tortoise scales. Modern tortoise is much more stable and won't rust the blade in your lifetime, if ever.

Probably not what you wanted to hear but do it now.

As for the stone, IMHO it's worthless. Don't use it is my advice.

Those old stones were no where near the technology we have today for synthetic stones. Time degrades the binder making them worse today and they never really honed a blade to where it needed to be. I am not a fan of vintage synthetic barber hones.

I advise using modern synthetics to hone your blade or even a coticule if you're practiced enough.

As for the strop if it's stiff stay away from it for now. Treat it with neatsfoot or other fat based strop dressing until it's very pliable. Once pliable it's worth using (I have the same strop if what I am looking at resembles mine).

Probably not what you want to hear but hopefully helpful.

Good luck.

Chris

I've heard of and seen blades rust and deteriorate from celluloid scales but not turtle scales. Are you sure yours weren't faux turtle? I'm definitely not an expert in this matter but I will check into it. Thanks

 

[Luecke2326]

Oh snap!!! You scored HUGE!!!!!! A pristine NOS vintage SHELL strop and a NOS Craftsman Straight Razor!! Share more of the strop once it’s unwrapped and hand rubbed w/ love.

AWESOME!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mlee]

Arne @Polarbeard, you being the ERN expert, do you known the approximate date ERN made the Craftsman model for Sears and Roebuck? Thanks