Safety tips

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Razor restoration is dangerous to the restorer & sometimes the restoree. I've set this out in point form hoping others may add to it.

General

  • Make sure your shop floor has carpet or rubber mats all over. You only need to drop a razor once to know why.
  • Watch your posture whether standing or sitting. Your back will thank you.
  • Make sure your work bench is the right height for you.
  • Have a first aid kit handy. A slight nick is easily fixed without having to leave the shop.

Hand Sanding

  • If hand sanding or Dremelling, have the blade well secured to a work surface and the edge as supported as possible.
  • Free hand it and you'll be cursing the damage you cause.
  • I inlaid some magnets into a timber board and lay some inner tube rubber over the top. Full hollows are not so well supported this way but I always let the abrasive work without undue pressure. If you flex a blade hard enough to break it you're pushing too hard.

Machinery

  • Make sure plugs & leads are safe & not in the path of rotating wheels.
  • Eye & ear protection is VIP as is some kind of respirator or dust mask. Some buffing compounds contain silica. A well ventilated space is desirable.
  • I find gloves clumsy & are easily sliced by a razor but some may prefer to use them.
  • If you rig your own motor make sure the work wheel rotates towards you. That way if the razor gets airborne, its not flying towards your jugulars, more towards your femoral arteries. Good reason for Kevlar or thick leather aprons. If you can get out of the way of fast moving steel don't just stand there & make sure clutter doesn't prevent an escape route.
  • As with hand sanding never work into the edge with buffs and don't use excess pressure. This is to avoid over heating the blade &/or sending it into orbit.
  • Trim any long loose strings on a sisal buff, they tend to grab razors. Take care with super soft loose leaf buffs, they tend to grab razors.

In general, make mistakes with buffs & yep ... they tend to grab razors.

Chemicals

  • Respirators, eye protection & latex gloves will be necessary if using certain chemicals.
  • PVC or Nitrile gloves may be even better choices but be aware that some solvents & chemicals will dissolve most anything given enough time.
  • Take particular care with full strength Oxalic acid. It acts on the body something like cyanide. It has no odor but the vapor is also toxic.
  • It is fairly safe in very dilute form but Individual sensitivity will vary. Ingesting 5-15 grams is a lethal dose. Keep your pets & children away from it.

Flammable celluloid

Burnt celluloid scales
While working on or with celluloid scales, keep in mind that celluloid is highly flammable.

See the picture for an example of what can happen. In this case the scales where not in direct contact with a flame, but heated up a few cm above a lighter.

Acknowledgements

This article was originally created by onimaru55.[1]

References