Featured Antique Straight Razor Restoration

This took me two days to complete, but here we are...

My mission was as follows: Take two broken razors, and build one working razor from the two. I was going to take the working blade from one razor, and marry it to the working scales from the other razor.

It didn't go 100% to plan, because I cracked the ivory along the stress-points of the pivot, along the way, but the end-result was worth the effort:


The broken scales and the good blade. I saved the pin and the washers so that I could remount the new blade in the other scales.


The ivory scales with the busted blade.



Removing the pin and washers from the ivory scales.



The old blade, out! You can see that there's hardly any cutting-edge left on it.



Waaaah!! I split the scales!! Never mind...just another step in the process.



Rebuilding the scales. I reinforced them with some very thin sheet-steel to give them extra strength.



Popping in the blade.



Putting the razor back together and waiting for the glue to dry.

 

And here's the final solution:

I was especially worried about the ivory splitting and cracking off again, during the hammering process to peen over the rivet that holds the razor together, but to my great surprise, and immense relief - everything held together!

The blade opens and closes without any issues, the pivot end of the scales is intact, and everything works as it should!

The last job was to sharpen the blade.

 

Ok, now get rid of your Darwin hipster beard!

 

Aren't you lucky that I'm always cleanshaven

 

Nice job!

 

The theory is very easy. Actually carrying it out was the tricky part.