Should I attempt to restore my new sight unseen razor?

[CanadianAM]

Hey gents,

I've been lurking for a few more months than I've been registered, and have be DE shaving for 10 months. I received my sight unseen + poor man's strop combo from whipped dog today and had a great shave despite my poor technique

I'm picky about the aesthetics of my shaving equipment, so I was wondering what am I seeing on this new blade and if it's worth fixing. I read through the other threads with some having patina, where the consensus was polishing/sanding the blade would result in having to re-hone and probably wouldn't be worth it.

Is this surface rust or tarnish? Will I need to send it to be re-honed if I try some MAAS polish? The first picture looks like some type of droplets?

Thanks for your time!

 

[RobAtSGH]

There's always a chance that you might turn the edge or otherwise dull it in the process of applying/removing polish. When I get old razors, I always do any cleaning, scrubbing, polishing, and so forth before I ever take it to the stones. That being said, if you're very careful about the shaving edge, you should be OK. Just a word of advice, though - sometimes it takes the judicious application of #000 steel wool + polish to get oxidation stains off of carbon steel, and pretty much any substantial contact between cutting edge and steel wool will require re-honing.

As soon as I get a piece home, I typically saturate some #000 with Flitz, and scour off as much black oxidation as I can from the blade and spine and any rust from the tang. I'll use #0000 to clean up vulcanite scales. Then, it's MAAS polish everywhere and maybe even a felt wheel on a Dremel to get things shiny. Once that's done, I set to work on restoring the edge, 'cause the odds of me accidentally screwing that up while scrubbing the rest of the piece are higher.

 

[ANeat]

I would keep it shave ready for now (not restore). If youre like everyone else you will eventually get at least one more razor right


Too risky to start polishing and not expect to bump the edge somehow, really doesent take much

 

[life2short1971]

I'd leave it alone til it needs honing again.

 

[John Von Wuggz]

I will soon be following your path into SR territory as well as the purchases you made. I will not restore that blade since it will be used to learn technique and eventually honing and stropping. Once I feel that I'm past the entry-level realm I will be buying a new blade with better aesthetics.

 

[hillbilly]

I will soon be following your path into SR territory as well as the purchases you made. I will not restore that blade since it will be used to learn technique and eventually honing and stropping. Once I feel that I'm past the entry-level realm I will be buying a new blade with better aesthetics.

^what he said. Good god just shave man. Larry took the time to hone it to shave ready for you, lather up and shave. How do you put that little smiley beating his head bloody on a brick wall?

 

[shakin_jake]

that's a nice looking razor!...I can see why you would want to restore it (make it like new) but as the others have said, at this point in your STR8 razor shaving career, just shave with it for now

perhaps down the road when you collect a few more blades you could turn this into however far you want to go with it

I'm constantly impressed with the caliber of razors Larry is putting out for his sight unseen



Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

 

[fsturnz]

You've been given good advice here. Learn to shave first, keeping the blade sharp and taking proper care of it for the time being. If and when you pick up another razor, then go ahead and polish this one up (and then get it honed after it looks the way you want)...it's a great looking razor, and well taken care of, it will last you a lifetime.

 

[Doc226]

I would say shave with it until it needs to be honed then do whatever you want to it and then hone and shave

 

[CanadianAM]

^what he said. Good god just shave man. Larry took the time to hone it to shave ready for you, lather up and shave. How do you put that little smiley beating his head bloody on a brick wall?

You all have been very helpful! Especially this comment for which I had a great laugh. I will use it until it needs to be rehoned then do some sanding/polishing/steel wool as recommended above. I ordered my first DE/brush from Larry and he has been great with both orders!

The razor is quite nice looking, and made in Germany. I emailed Larry today however as I'm not sure if wrecked the blade when stropping. It won't pass the hanging hair test or cut hair on my arm, but instead presses the hairs over. It tugs A LOT even at 30 degree WTG, XTG on my neck was impossible due to the tugging tonight. I tried the green/red chromium and restropping but it didn't make a difference.

 

[shakin_jake]

sounds like you rolled the edge...don't worry, we've all been there, and why we hone...I bought a coticule along with my first blade expecting to have to correct the edge from my fumbling with a leather strop. I rolled the first edge too, and the 2nd, on and on=

it's all fixable, the edge, strop. trust me, you'll tear up your strop...maybe hyour 2nd strop too, until you learn how to strop the blade

look at it this way....if straight razor shaving was easy...do you think the safety razor population of B&B would be the size it is?

it will get easier, but many have been discouraged and gave straights up...went back to safeties

I really think the blade chooses you. if it's not for you, you'll get out

me personally, I wouldn't want to shave any other way

i'll try different blades, but the spine is always opposite of the edge


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

 

[Giant Kiwi]

That's a nice looking razor.
I say just shave with it for now.
It does sound like you've rolled the edge if crox and feox won't fix it.

 

[hillbilly]

Sorry if that sounded jerky lol. Trust me, you will soon have lots of razors and most will be pretty. And I hone free of charge so feel free to p.m if you think your edge needs help.

 

[KW Driver]

and if you said you're trying to use a 30 degree angle while shaving, that's waaaaaaay too much. maintain a spine's width angle, nearly flat. if you feel it tug skin (vs just a whisker) or dig, stop and pull back to see what's happening.

I did the same thing when I transitioned to straights. almost flat is almost right all the time.

 

[Cobre]

Hi, I am in Vancouver and can help you with honing your razor if you want to, free of course. Just PM me

 

[Slash McCoy]

Restore it? It looks just fine as it is. But if you want to shine up the blade a bit do it by hand right before honing. Pinch the blade between folds of a piece of old tshirt with a little .25u diamond paste or Maas or brasso or red honing paste or white paste or any fine fine abrasive or polish. Keep your polishing hand behind the spine of the razor or you will likely be leaving an impressive. Loos trail to the emergency room cause slips happen. The pinch method won't trash your edge. If there is rust you can precede all that with 000 steel wool and/or an application or two of ospho. The ospho will leave a dark gray patina that is easily removed. It converts iron oxide to iron phosphate. But really if you want to restore a razor start out with an ugly one. Yours looks pretty good and I would just hone it and shave with it and keep it dry and clean.