Going to see a lot of 16 straights today.

[Nxspam]

Got a date with a seller today. Not a dealer. Just a woman selling a lot that used to be her fathers barbershop set, dating back to the 50s.

I'm not expecting much, but I've got to check them out. Coming from a barbershop background i expect they'll be pretty well used in contrast to a private owner. I think she wants between 10 and 15 dollars a pop. Maybe less if I take the whole lot. If they've not been ground down to wafers and the blades are not chipped, I'll probably buy them.

You never know, I might just be embarking on a DIY project or two!

Will post a follow up later.

 

[johnmrson]

Looking forward to seeing what you manage to pick up.

 

[Doc226]

Nice, post pics post buy.

 

[skipnord]

Eagerly waiting the pictures.

 

[sychodelix]

Definitely. Most barbers tended to use good name brand razors, so unless they are completely unusable, 10-15 is a pretty sweet price.

 

[Nxspam]

OK, I brought home 6 of them, for just under $70. They're pretty dirty and rusty but what surprised me most was the average size. They seem quite "dainty" compared to other blades. On the far left is a new Dovo Special for comparison.



I haven't spent too much time trying to identify makes and models yet, but two are from Paris and the off-white one is a Salamander Wedge. I need a decent magnifying glass now, because my eyes aren't what they used to be

I thought I'd gotten six blades without any chips, but two of them do have tiny chips that can be seen when they are back-lit. None of them are bent and the spines have not been ground away to nothing. A couple of the black ones have warped scales and don't close properly.

They are all well used though, and at first I thought that must account for the slim height of the blade from edge to spine, thinking that they've been stropped and stropped, but now I'm not sure. I think they may have been made this way, because the scales are very slim. Much slimmer than the Dovo.

At it's widest point, the Dovo scales are 18 mm. The wedge is just 12 mm, two of the black ones are 11mm and the brown wood one is 15mm.

Here's another shot with them open:



I'm hoping to restore the Wedge and the brown one (second from left) with original scales intact.

Here are a couple more shots:

 

[Wm. T]

Looks like a nice haul !

 

[Nxspam]

This is the one in the middle after removing the scales, cleaning it in a household cleaning liquid to get rid of the gunk, then giving it a careful once-over with a Dremel type multi tool fitted with a wire brush head (brass I think). That really worked well on the rust on the tang and around the hinge pin. You can see the maker was a Eugen Haering, Solingen.

there are still some dark areas to clean up, then it needs some serious polishing. I'm quite happy with my progress so far, but any tips sure would be welcome.

 

[chibi]

Nice haul.
There's a good sticky on restoration in the straight razor forums.
sorry, for some reason I can't post the link.

 

[mycarver]

Ah,, a man after my own heart. Nice score.

 

[tomjr]

great score and u are about to have some fun.

 

[Nxspam]

Thanks guys. I have been reading all of the restoration stickies. They're very good.
I'm thinking black acryllic scales for this one. I want to start with a relatively easy and inexpensive material in case I botch it

 

[Nxspam]

Do you guys think it would be possible to get the Salamander Wedge super clean without taking the pins and scales off?

 

[sychodelix]

Maybe, but there's a good chance it may be repinned anyway, so might as well.

 

[BakerAndBadger]

Nice haul, maybe he just used them for trimming the back of people's hair? Still you found them in the wild so it makes them a little bit special for you! Grats.

 

[Doc226]

Somebody liked the smaller blades.

 

[Nxspam]

Somebody liked the smaller blades.

Well, they're mostly 4/8 blades. The one I have started on first might be a worn 5/8 or something between. I read on wikipedia that the 4/8 is easier to shave with under the nose etc, but needs to be rinsed/wiped more often. A 6/8 or 7/8 can hold more lather and thus shave larger areas beforing needing a clean. For someone like me who can take 20 minutes to enjoy a long zen-like shave it's not something I'd even think about. But, if you're a pro and you have 10 people waiting in line, then efficiency is probably a major consideration.

I was out searching for tools and materials yesterday. I found a reasonably priced Stanley Coping saw for the scales and a store is gong to call me about black acrylic. I'm thinking elbow power for this first one. (I would like an electric bench grinder, proxxon band saw, bench drill and a 10 peice hone set, but I'm broke right now - and I'll probably continue to be broke until long after christmas ))

 

[seattleshaver]

I just started making my own scales (wood) and do it all my hand except for using an electric drill for the holes but that's only because I already have one. There are small screw driver like drill at hobby shops for a bit like 1/16.

I don't know where you are located but I got all I really needed at the local ACE Hardware rather inexpensively...coping saw, small ball peen hammer, even 1/16 brass rod, sandpaper, shellec. You can order wooden blanks very inexpensively on ebay.

 

[Nxspam]

I just started making my own scales (wood) and do it all my hand except for using an electric drill for the holes but that's only because I already have one. There are small screw driver like drill at hobby shops for a bit like 1/16.

I don't know where you are located but I got all I really needed at the local ACE Hardware rather inexpensively...coping saw, small ball peen hammer, even 1/16 brass rod, sandpaper, shellec. You can order wooden blanks very inexpensively on ebay.

Cool. I'm in Denmark and there's a lot less choice for a lot more money
I've ordered some expensive black acrylic sheet for my first attempt. And I will buy a small coping saw. Drill, grinder and buffer are accessible where I work. I'm an IT guy at a tech college and we have a metal working dept. In a hardware store I couldn't find 1/16 brass rods, but I did find round one inch brass nails with a nicely rounded head at 1/16 diameter. I need stainless washers, but they shouldn't be too dificult to find.

Also, I'm thinking of trying my hand at home made micarta. There are some good guides on YouTube.

Good luck with your own project. Post some pics.

-Nick