Salvageable???

Rabid Badger

Active Member
2018 Charity Auction Winner
Joined
Feb 23, 2018
Location
Mornington Peninsula
Dear P&C straight razor shavers. I found this old straight in an antique store today, but did not purchase as I was unsure whether the chip in the blade is too big to be restored. I'm guessing you would have to remove at least 3mm of metal to get a flat cutting surface. Apart from that, it has little pitting and is fairly good nick. From some quick research via Google and other forums they seem to be good shavers. So, in short, do the more experienced honemeisters and restorers out there reckon this good come back to it's glory days?

 
What are they asking?
What level of experience do you have?
If it's a few bucks, it may be worth to try your hand at repinning and practicing honeing upon, knowing you've two parts of sweet fuck all invested into it.
 
With that chip,I personally would not bother.There are plenty of cheap straights around without damage that are good shavers.
 
They'd have to virtually give it to you to make it worthwhile the work involved and it's going to look a very different razor by the time you take the steel back past the chip (this is the clincher for me). I'd say it's possible but is it worth it? I don't think there's any more 'glory days' for this razor.
 
Looking at the minimal spine wear and drawing a hypothetical new bevel across the blade I could salvage it "but" in removing the damage I don't know how much that will alter the bevel angle and the actual shave itself. If it is currently a 6/8" it will probably end up a 5/8".

Do you have a progression of hones yourself to attempt this project? At least a 1k?

The scales seems to be horn so getting them off will need care or repair in place. They look like horn or similar so a soak in I believe neats-foot oil will help,

[1] If you can get the blade for almost no cost it is worth considering for the experience.
[2] Removing a chip like that is not too difficult but the geometry of the blade may be altered and the blade no longer provides a smooth shave [not too likely but can happen]
[3] see point [1] again,
[4] Talk to @Substance

Steve
 
Hello guys,

thanks for all of those comments, really helpful.

When I saw it, my original thought was that it was too big a chip, but I hadn't thought about blade angles and all of that, so that was good to know. I think you're right @Pbgoose, I could get it, but the amount of effort required is not worth it.

To answer your question @borked, it was a princely sum of 4GBP

Cheers again everyone. So great to be a part of a community that can help out to those of us with much less experience. My search continues.
 
The Kropps make great shavers
But Gotta Agree with Steve
If it was a local for a tenner then maybe get it as a practice for yourself to play with
The chip Looks low enough below the stabiliser to be saveable, but would be head up to the limits of what I would want to take it
Once you get up onto the stabiliser you will get a wider bevel but still not to match on a full hollow

neetsfoot oil on the scales would go a long way.
And could clean up fairly well without a full strip down
Good move to pass on it, there are still plenty of better options out there
 
I picked up my Maschco in Cooma for $9, and it wasn't much better looking than that, except with totally broken scales halfway down each side. It looked like the scales had been smacked on the edge of a counter or something, as the breaks were at the same point on each side.

I did reset the edge and I just superglued the scales back together (hey, for $9 I won't miss it if it fails). I used it on Friday for a slice, and it was feather smooth. No nicks, no cuts, no rash.

In your case, I reckon postage would be the tipper, but you will find them locally, from time to time.
 
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