Two vintage straights for a newby, What are they?

[Mightypns]

Hey everybody,
Picked up two straights of Ebay as the most economical way to get into straights.
If anybody can give me a clue as to the year of these it would be muchly appriciated.
This is the first one:

As can be seen, the blade is in better condition than shows, it is German made with swedish steel, most of the details can been seen on the box. I assume it's around the 4/8th size?

And the other:

It is in like new condition with no visable hone marks on the spine, It is also of German origin with the markings "WALD-SOLINGEN" "MADE IN GERMANY" on the back tang. It has 5/8th on the box but nothing else.

I am restoring the "Raccoon" 5/8th with redgum scales and a minor polish job on the tang.
If anybody knows of a good honer/sharpener in Australia who i could send them to it would also be great.
Thanks
Luke

 

[professorchaos]

Can't speak about either razor from personal experience since I've never shaved with either brand. Yet they both should be good shavers. The former is Swedish steel and the latter made in Germany - both good signs.

 

[LaughingAtFate]

Nice score! German/Swedish steel razors are up there at the top level in quality) As for Honers in Australia? check out http://badgerandblade.com/vb/group.php?do=discuss&group=&discussionid=336 in the GSL discussion group, (if you're not a member, I'd suggest joining, Linkie in my sig.)
anyway, This would almost have to be the first time I've heard of anyone using an Australian Hardwood for scales, Good luck with it, Red gum polishes up to a NICE colour, dunno if it's stiff enough or close grained enough for the job though, but anyway big from me for attempting it

 

[Luc]

Good score!

I also have a Raccoon, I'm waiting to get it back from the honer to be able to shave with it. I think it will be a good blade.

There are a few honers in Oz. Oz Parker would be my recommendation...

 

[Muirtach]

Red gum polishes up to a NICE colour, dunno if it's stiff enough or close grained enough for the job though, but anyway big from me for attempting it

If it is neither stiff or close grained enough on it's own try a CA or epoxy finish or perhaps lining it with some thin sheet metal. That should help keep it together.

 

[Mightypns]

Thanks for the kind words and suggestions.
The Redgum that i am using is hard, its from a railway sleeper thats proberbly close on 100 yrs old. I tell you what it`s like cutting threw stone. It is very dry wood and has taken on 6-7 coats of minwax poly wipe on before i got a nice gloss coating. I used to turn exotic pens on my lathe and thats when i discovered how nice redgum sleepers come up. I`m thinking of a brass wedge aswell to accent the darkish red/pink colour of the wood aswell.
I will keep you all posted.
Thanks again
Luke

 

[English]

Both need a bit if a polish but the blades look as if they have never been honed except at the factory. You should be able to sand out the scratches with that polish you can get for rubbing down a car before a respray. That stuff is effective and quite fine. The other blade just needs a polish with a good metal polish

They should be great. I always renew the bevel on razors that have been hidden away for sometime. The edge will have corroded and you need to cut away the old metal and release a new fesh edge. 10 return strokes on a 1000 grit should do it. I find if you don't do this, although the edge may look nice and shiny, the edge never feels smooth.

Have fun.

 

[JPM]

Good luck with them.

 

[spanx]

Did you get any taxpayer funds with that first one?Nice score they will be great shavers.