Took possession of my Dads old USMC Klaus. He did shave with a straight, i have his Henkel which has heavy hone wear. Butt this Klaus USMC has zero spine wear or honing wear from what i can tell. My intent was to use it. Butt since it might be factory unused/honed im not sure what to do whith it. I could put it through my normal progression or moth ball it
Klaus USMC
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Sorry about the dup pix not sure what went through
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
If in as-new condition, that SR was probably only used for display purposes in barracks inspections.
No harm should be done by trying to shave with it as-is. You will soon know if the edge requires some work.
If you find that the edge does require some work, perform a Sharpie test first to determine the bevel condition.
No harm should be done by trying to shave with it as-is. You will soon know if the edge requires some work.
If you find that the edge does require some work, perform a Sharpie test first to determine the bevel condition.
Very cool that it’s connected to your dad! I recommend using it. I have one that is a superb shaver. It’s easy to hone and absolutely refuses to nick me despite some dodgy skills at times. I’ve read that the tang stamped USMCs were made for WWI and the blade stamped USMCs were Spanish American War vintage.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Excellent! It’s a Clauss, Fremont Ohio I believe, and they made exceptionally good razors. You have a treasure sir, congrats!
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Thank guys. My delima is to hone or not to hone. I have 8 shavers in my rotation so its not a need thing. It pops hairs but the apex needs work to be shavable and im not a tape guy. Never taped. The spine has no wear
I vote use it. My 6/8 Clauss is a great razor, though not in the NOS condition of yours. If you use it, you will be connecting with your dad, on some level, every shave.
I used my grandad's Old Type regularly for decades. When I passed it on to my nephew (his namesake), he got not just his great grandfather's razor, not just a keepsake from a box in a drawer, he got a family razor. Which he can pass to his son if he chooses.
I used my grandad's Old Type regularly for decades. When I passed it on to my nephew (his namesake), he got not just his great grandfather's razor, not just a keepsake from a box in a drawer, he got a family razor. Which he can pass to his son if he chooses.
Hone it. Your dad honed his Henckels and had a Clauss in reserve. Nothing wrong with a rotation, but is the Clauss going to sit on the bench forever?
You can hone it anytime you want to, or not. Put it aside, and if you eventually decide to hone it, then hone it.
What the rest of the world thinks is irrelevant, it's your razor and you need to be right with honing or not honing it.
What the rest of the world thinks is irrelevant, it's your razor and you need to be right with honing or not honing it.
As above, it's your call. If you decide to shave with it, it will become a daily reminder of your dad.
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Thanks guys. I suspect i will scrape it on a rock at some point. I just don't know when. Thx for the input. Jon
Yup, Clauss’ are great shavers.
Enlarged, it does appear to have been honed, possibly with the spine off the stone. There is hone wear on the heel and toe, and stabilizer over the heel.
The heel needs correction. If uncorrected and honed on the stabilizer it will keep the heel half of the razor off of the stone and will not shave well.
I have found many razors with very little or no spine wear, that are near NOS, and in need of heel correction. Likely the owner tried to hone it, could not get the heel on the stone, and gave up on the razor, putting it away in a drawer.
Heel correction is an easy fix and will allow the razor to sit flat on the stone.
There is a bit of rust near the toe on both sides, removing it will require resurfacing the whole blade belly to a satin finish. Even metal polish will alter the satin finish.
I would repair, hone and shave with it. It will be a great shaver once honed properly. Hone it with tape and remove the rust at the least.
Enlarged, it does appear to have been honed, possibly with the spine off the stone. There is hone wear on the heel and toe, and stabilizer over the heel.
The heel needs correction. If uncorrected and honed on the stabilizer it will keep the heel half of the razor off of the stone and will not shave well.
I have found many razors with very little or no spine wear, that are near NOS, and in need of heel correction. Likely the owner tried to hone it, could not get the heel on the stone, and gave up on the razor, putting it away in a drawer.
Heel correction is an easy fix and will allow the razor to sit flat on the stone.
There is a bit of rust near the toe on both sides, removing it will require resurfacing the whole blade belly to a satin finish. Even metal polish will alter the satin finish.
I would repair, hone and shave with it. It will be a great shaver once honed properly. Hone it with tape and remove the rust at the least.
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H B B, i did see the hone where you are referring to. I assumed that was from the factory but i do know that for sure. This may become the only razor of mine that gets taped, but then i don't want the apex angle to become too obtuse, if thats even a concern
Electrical tape will not affect the bevel angle enough to affect the shave. But if you think it will, use Kapton.
I defy anyone to blind shave test a razor with and without tape and be able to tell the difference from the shave.
You can sand out the rust and lay down a new satin finish with a cork and some 600 wet and dry. You cannot just spot sand out a rust pit, you much sand the whole blade down to the level of the bottom of the rust pit. If you do nothing the rust pit will get larger.
Do correct the heel or you may end up putting a lot of wear on it needlessly.
I defy anyone to blind shave test a razor with and without tape and be able to tell the difference from the shave.
You can sand out the rust and lay down a new satin finish with a cork and some 600 wet and dry. You cannot just spot sand out a rust pit, you much sand the whole blade down to the level of the bottom of the rust pit. If you do nothing the rust pit will get larger.
Do correct the heel or you may end up putting a lot of wear on it needlessly.
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- #18
I agree with your assessment and appreciate your time. I have light oil on the blade to buy some time untill im ready to give it some attention. About the tape and angle, i was thinking more about the blade and spine not wearing at the same rate with tape. Eventually changing the angle. I understand tape thickness itself is minute. Butt hay im not going to hone the ca@p out of it either so either way it probably a non concern. Ill make sure not to over hone due to the heal. Thx again for the tips. Jon
“I was thinking more about the blade and spine not wearing at the same rate with tape.”
Yea, that whole spine/blade width wearing at the same or equal rate is not really a thing. There has never been a razor honed with tape, that has stopped shaving because the blade width was narrowed and the spine not. Never.
There are tons of vintage razors that will not hold an edge because the spines were needlessly ground way too thin, and the bevel angle will not support an edge. The fix for these razors is to hone with tape.
Bottom line, it is your razor hone it as you wish. Don’t believe everything you read in forums. Test it for you self.
But Sasquatch is for sure real, and that fake slow-mo Moon landing, made at the Clutch Cargo studio, well…
Hone that razor up and shave with it, make your dad proud.
Yea, that whole spine/blade width wearing at the same or equal rate is not really a thing. There has never been a razor honed with tape, that has stopped shaving because the blade width was narrowed and the spine not. Never.
There are tons of vintage razors that will not hold an edge because the spines were needlessly ground way too thin, and the bevel angle will not support an edge. The fix for these razors is to hone with tape.
Bottom line, it is your razor hone it as you wish. Don’t believe everything you read in forums. Test it for you self.
But Sasquatch is for sure real, and that fake slow-mo Moon landing, made at the Clutch Cargo studio, well…
Hone that razor up and shave with it, make your dad proud.
