Cars are different from most collectibles in that they are often expected to be repaired, restored, and maintained. Certainly with many antiques, cleaning can reduce the value significantly, and restoration can destroy value. I wouldn't re-plate anything I was trying to preserve. I will definitely get some razors replated, but nothing that isn't super common and not particularly valuable. I will do it to make them fun to use and display, not for stewardship.
Should I replate this razor ?
- Thread starter Umma2gumma
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I would.
Opinions vary, as does a level of plating when doing it youself, i've done razors you would never know were plated, others are obvious, some are touch ups, some are forced patina, or patina preserved. You need know when not to replate! and it would be like finding rocking 'orse
value? meh, people buy replated stuff, they want shiny [just look at the incessant trade in flatboys?]
just my onion
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- #23
There's very little value in most Gillette razors, they were made by millions with high levels of automation . They are not really antiques, nor unique handmade product.
To me, these 1962 Slims are cool old toys but I would not call them "collectibles". They are ubiquitous and will remain so for decades.
Even Fatboys, which were only made for three years, aren't all that rare or valuable.
Heck, even some of the early Gillette models that are over 100 years old go for cheap. It's a mass produced product.
Perhaps toggles. But even with them, I suspect a well replated one would be less valuable than a razor in pristine original condition, but just as or more valuable than a somewhat worn example.
I don't think we are disagreeing here. Perhaps I could have given examples in my post above. I am not saying you need to be a good steward of your fat boy that is in good shape and has done 500 shaves. I am not saying I wouldn't do it to that razor myself, either. The one that has no pitting, and no bare metal showing, but has obviously been used before and put in a drawer without a case. I would consider such a $30-60 Gillette to be "super common and not particularly valuable."
What I meant is that someday when I bite the bullet on eBay and get that gold plated Fatboy Executive that was too nice to use, so it is still in the box it was in when it was gifted to the original owner, I am not sending that one off to Backroads Gold for a thicker coat of gold. Even that razor is common enough that I don't care if you send yours off, I just won't think it was a great move when you could have traded it to me for a razor that will be almost identical after plating and $200.
By "stewardship" I meant that vintage made-in-France Bohin with good plating that isn't available readily, but one sold on eBay for $500 years ago. If you re-plate that, I am going to be sad for everyone, and I will judge you and think you are the kind of person who would cut down an old tree because it is closer to the road than the one that fell down in the forest on its own last week 30 yards away. If it's yours, it's yours to do as you will, but I don't have to like it or think you made the world a better place.
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- #25
Well, I would never replate a razor that is still in its original condition or close to it. And would definitely think twice about a rare find. But, even a nicely preserved Slim or Superspeed with a scratch or two ? Why not. They are everywhere.
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- #26
Just want to say that Chris at BackRoads Gold did a wonderful job and was great at communicating throughout.
I polished the H2 date code Slim before deciding to send it to him, and it looked pretty good, but still had a deep scratch on a door going down to brass. The H1 code one looked rough.
I wanted to plate the H2 in gold and H1 in two-tone. Chris contacted me and let me know that there was pitting on H2 that did not go away after polishing, and he felt that gold plating wasn't worth it. So I decided to go with nickel.
When I received them... wow. They are beautiful. I expected to see the pitting on H2 but it's not really noticeable, it's mainly on the safety bar and you have to hold the razor upright and look very carefully to see it. The mirror nickel finish on the doors is really "mirror". The nickel finish looks a lot better in real life than in the photos. It's really gorgeous.
The H1, which was far more rough looking straight off eBay, was redone in two-tone and is stunning.
And it was super fast. The razors were delivered to him on Monday, I got them back on Saturday.
Here's a "before" and "after".
I polished the H2 date code Slim before deciding to send it to him, and it looked pretty good, but still had a deep scratch on a door going down to brass. The H1 code one looked rough.
I wanted to plate the H2 in gold and H1 in two-tone. Chris contacted me and let me know that there was pitting on H2 that did not go away after polishing, and he felt that gold plating wasn't worth it. So I decided to go with nickel.
When I received them... wow. They are beautiful. I expected to see the pitting on H2 but it's not really noticeable, it's mainly on the safety bar and you have to hold the razor upright and look very carefully to see it. The mirror nickel finish on the doors is really "mirror". The nickel finish looks a lot better in real life than in the photos. It's really gorgeous.
The H1, which was far more rough looking straight off eBay, was redone in two-tone and is stunning.
And it was super fast. The razors were delivered to him on Monday, I got them back on Saturday.
Here's a "before" and "after".
I replated a Gillette NEW in nickel and I love it. I glad I did it.
Beautiful! Did you ever shave with them before the replating? After?
Tremendous!
Those are absolutely beautiful. But that two tone one is something I'd probably trade a kidney for my friend!
I didn't realize the Canada Regent was rare, but I would have replated it anyway. I'm not a collector and it wasn't in the pristine shape collectors prefer.
Here are a couple photos. A couple on the 4 razors Chris just did for me... and the Regent in its #77 Bakelite box often used by Gillette to house quite a few different razors from that era.
First one from Mr. Razor's site.
In my photos, the Canada NEW Regent is 3rd from the left.
First one on the left:
Here are a couple photos. A couple on the 4 razors Chris just did for me... and the Regent in its #77 Bakelite box often used by Gillette to house quite a few different razors from that era.
First one from Mr. Razor's site.
In my photos, the Canada NEW Regent is 3rd from the left.
First one on the left:
Lovely teapot!
Thanks, Dave.... Our youngest son bought it for my wife some years back from Christmas one year.
I have several replated Gillettes. A Ranger (nickel), Rocket (nickel), Fatboy (rhodium), Red tip Superspeed (rhodium), Old Type (silver), Tech with new OC head (gold).
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- #35
They indeed came out gorgeous.
The two-tone razor had some damage on the handle (looks like someone was using pliers to hold it, probably because the knob 1/4 turn was stuck and he was trying to force it). I thought that it was just a worn finish and the replating would cover it, but after replating there's still a visible low spot so Bubba must've taken some material off. So a learning moment - if you want a perfect replated razor, you really should start with a perfect original. Still a very beautiful razor, and a pleasure to use.
My next one will be a Superspeed in my birth year / quarter, but this can wait another year.
Short answer OP is yes - I think it's worth it even if you put more money into it than it's worth.
Catching up - yes, congrats - those are stunning.
I'm considering having my nickel plated British RFB replated. It's in great mechanical shape, but it looks tired, with plating loss on all three parts. I'm looking at Backroads Gold and Razorplate.com, and I see enthusiastic recommendations here for both. From the Web sites, it seems that Razorplate.com strips off the old plating, but Backroads Gold doesn't. Am I right about this? If so, it seems like an important difference. But I know nothing about replating. I don't know if it matters or, if it does matter, which is preferable. Before I contact either service, I'd appreciate some education.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
My OPINION only, no more no less.
It depends on condition, scratches/missing plating/corrosion pitting/ etc etc etc
any slight flaw will show up when it is plated, if you fail to see it before you will see it after
plate loss? if the edge is not smooth transition, you will see the edge after plating
so
removing the plating has merits by starting a fresh surface even and smooth
but
if you polish out and smooth the old plating in good to fair condition to an even finish that also works very well
I do my own plating
your professional platers choice is your choice
Good thoughts. Thanks.My OPINION only, no more no less.
It depends on condition, scratches/missing plating/corrosion pitting/ etc etc etc
any slight flaw will show up when it is plated, if you fail to see it before you will see it after
plate loss? if the edge is not smooth transition, you will see the edge after plating
so
removing the plating has merits by starting a fresh surface even and smooth
but
if you polish out and smooth the old plating in good to fair condition to an even finish that also works very well
I do my own plating
your professional platers choice is your choice
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