The BRGAS (Back Roads Gold Appreciation Society)
- Thread starter Cal
- Start date
Hello all,
This is my first replate with Backroads Gold (and definitely not my last).
It's a 1960's Hoffritz slant!
Here is the backstory:
I ran into this one online and caught it as soon as the seller had listed it.
I offered $20 and they accepted!
It included the original leather case & Hoffritz blades.
The handles powder coating was coming apart but I figured that for $20 it was a steal.
These razors are expensive and can command upwards of $200, so it was a no brainer at that price.
Well, I shaved with it and found it to be the best razor I've tried. That's when I decided that a replate would
be in order. I contacted Chris and consulted with him to figure out how it could be done. It's a 2 piece razor and the top cap is Zamak. Amazingly though my top cap was in mint condition and 100% intact. The bottom plate/handle is what got sent off to be replated since it was the only part that required it and the only part that's brass. He suggested Mirror nickel in order to match the top cap.
The results came out stunning and I now have was it essentially a new Hoffritz razor.
I have zero plans of ever selling it and will be using it as part of my daily rotation.
Bottom line is that Chris is incredible at what he does!
Here are the before & after results:
Before:
After:
This is my first replate with Backroads Gold (and definitely not my last).
It's a 1960's Hoffritz slant!
Here is the backstory:
I ran into this one online and caught it as soon as the seller had listed it.
I offered $20 and they accepted!
It included the original leather case & Hoffritz blades.
The handles powder coating was coming apart but I figured that for $20 it was a steal.
These razors are expensive and can command upwards of $200, so it was a no brainer at that price.
Well, I shaved with it and found it to be the best razor I've tried. That's when I decided that a replate would
be in order. I contacted Chris and consulted with him to figure out how it could be done. It's a 2 piece razor and the top cap is Zamak. Amazingly though my top cap was in mint condition and 100% intact. The bottom plate/handle is what got sent off to be replated since it was the only part that required it and the only part that's brass. He suggested Mirror nickel in order to match the top cap.
The results came out stunning and I now have was it essentially a new Hoffritz razor.
I have zero plans of ever selling it and will be using it as part of my daily rotation.
Bottom line is that Chris is incredible at what he does!
Here are the before & after results:
Before:
After:
Figured this belonged here now that we have an established place to show off what amazing work Chris does. Everybody's razors posted here looks beautiful B&Bers. Thank you for sharing your treasures everyone! Back Roads Gold Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/back-roads-gold-review.613318/post-11432332
Chris has complete the cleanup and replate of an Old Type Pocket Edition razor I ended up getting for free. Here's a link to the photos from my original thread in the DE razor forum:
Old Type replate
Old Type replate
Does anyone else look at the order status page on the BRG website and marvel at all the neat stuff that passes through or be amazed that (apparently) there are folks that send 6-8 razors at a time? I just looked to be sure my slim had made it and got to scrolling. I'm having the slim two-toned, saw a picture of one and thought it looked neat. Also having a Tech fat handle (just the handle) nickeled, I have been using it on my GC .68 and wanted it shiny.
Mine are listed with the "MW" initials
. I've got a few things percolating with Chris. Some of them are going to require that he work a miracle, but I have faith
.I do!
And I'm also amazed how he's created an incredible business that must be very profitable.
Chris deserves it all for being amazing (the best) at what he does!
Not only that but how quickly he does the work and gets it back to you.
I see one of yours say's "Rep Crack" can he fix handle cracks? My credit card is overheating just thinking about that.Mine are listed with the "MW" initials
The crack is very small and only on one end. There are a couple of options, one of which may involve sacrificing one razor to fix the other. I'm hoping that both can be repaired, but we'll see. Chris will work with anything and be up front about the limits of what is possible and what the risks are. It is one of my favorite things about working with him.
The mailman was just here, I couldn't be happier
.
.Oh man that looks awesome!The mailman was just here, I couldn't be happier
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I must resist the gold plating
Go for gold @LRodOh man that looks awesome!
I must resist the gold plating
! I've got some goodies arriving on Monday from Chris including a British Flat Bottom Tech that I was able to get with the assistance of brother @Alum Ladd 
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Yeah I'm considering it. When Chris did my Hoffritz, I stuck to mirror nickel to match the whole razor. But I did consider the gold plating. I've got a '62 Slim that has a special place because of the year and I might just gold plate it. It's also my favorite from all the Gillette's.Go for gold @LRod
Decisions Decisions!!
Read Chris's description of his gold plating as opposed to the "plating/wash" that was on the old gillettes. It is much thicker and longer lived. I picked the slim I sent because it's the razor that shaved me the best but looked pretty bad. I have 5 others but always reached for that one so it got the new suit.
I got my first of two shipments from Chris today. As always, they are beautiful. From right to left in the first photo below, they are a:
- 1920s NEW Improved with just a replate on the top cap, which previously had plating badly worn down to the brass. I left the rest of the razor alone. I'm still mulling over whether I should give the rest of the razor the BRG treatment.
- 1916 bell-end Aristocrat replated with a silver braised repair on a hairline crack at the top of the center tube. The last photo shows the repaired crack. I thought about buying a replacement center tube from Razor Emporium, but wanted to keep the original tube with the engraved patent date at the bottom.
- 1961 G2 (birth year) Super Speed replated in mirror nickel. Chris really makes nickel look amazing. And, Super Speeds rock.
- 1940s British Flat Bottom Tech obtained with gracious assistance by brother @Alum Ladd. More amazing nickel work!
Chris got my Overlander today... I'm sure I'll see it sometime next week.... It's such a pleasure to do business with him.
I've recently bought a machined finish Blackland Dart, a Canadian Gillette Bulldog in very good condition without cracks as well as no bent or broken teeth and a brass Karve Overlander.
The Dart got polished, the Bulldog and only the head of the Karve Overlander got replated in Palladium. The only sad part is that it would take around a month before I can use them.
Needless to say, I'm extremely happy with the results and I'm definitely going to send a couple of other vintage razors for replating in the near future.
The Dart got polished, the Bulldog and only the head of the Karve Overlander got replated in Palladium. The only sad part is that it would take around a month before I can use them.
Needless to say, I'm extremely happy with the results and I'm definitely going to send a couple of other vintage razors for replating in the near future.
I received three razors from Chris that he put in the mail last week before he went on his trip to Chloride (he's coming back to Billings on the 24th). They are three great examples of his masterful razor restoration. Here's the story on the razors listed from right to left in the first photo and bottom to top in the second photo:
- My 1906 Single Ring. All four corner teeth were bent pretty badly with two of them actually bent so much that they touched the adjacent tooth. He straightened all four without breaking any of them, which I consider to be virtually miraculous. After he repaired the teeth, he replated the razor in silver. He wasn't happy with the replate, but I think it is beautiful. I hesitate to post about the replating because he's not sure he's going to continue taking special requests for silver.
- My 1921 NEW Improved Standard just needs its cap replated in silver to repair really bad plate damage. Both sides of the cap had sections of plating that had bubbled and flaked. The finish mates very well with the guard and handle, which he just cleaned up a bit for me.
- My 1938 Senator had a droopy TTO knob, a loose T-bar rivet, and a couple bent corner teeth. He repaired all three issues and replated it in his amazing mirror nickel.
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