Thread: curvature of the blade

I didn't know where to post this, so I'll try it here where I think the most help is at hand. I recently bought a Chicago made (Gust. ??, Chicago) straight razor with a horn handle at an antique shop. The lady knew her razors and wouldn't let it go for less than $20. I didn't notice it there, but when I began to hone it at home I noticed increased beveling on one edge. Turning the razor so that I'm looking lengthwise down the blade I saw that it actually was slightly curved. The letter C would describe it, although this is exaggerated, as it is almost impossible to notice without studying the blade. It's almost as if someone continually only used and honed one side putting it in a permanent cuvature. Would this blade be worth having professionally honed, or do I chalk up the $20 bucks to experience, and chuck it?

Bevels can be recreated and what you're describing, if I'm understanding you correctly, is salvageable on lower grits.

X

It depends on what the exact cause is.

1) the blade is warped. if you lay it flat on the hone, one side has only the heel and toe on the stone, but the middle does not touch the stone. the other side is the opposite: the middle touches but not the heel and toe.
These blades are a bitch to hone, though it can be done. the main thing is to be careful and patient.

2) the blade is curved, like a japanese sword (exaggerated). in this case, no matter which side you lay on the hone, the middle always touches the stone, but not the heel or toe.
these blades should be honed using a rolling hone technique. You do not want to grind away the curvature since that would ruin the blade as far as esthaetics go. Curved blades also shave very nice.
IMO, blade curvature is a valuable feature, not a problem that has to be solved.

If you decide to chuck it, send me a PM and I'll pay you for shipping it to me.

Check this thread, there is some info regarding your question there...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=6290


cheers,
Nenad

The blade is not a smile, or a frown. It's like looking at a snowplow head on. Scooped, is another description. I guess if you were to sight down the edge, rather than a T,you'd see a J.It's the damnest thing I've ever seen. I would've expected that the blade would've broken first. Anyway, I'm currently working on it with an Arkansas stone. If I can plane the edge out I will Nortonize it. The blade says Gust. Knight or Knecht, Chicago. It says Zenith on the other. Thanks for the thread, Superfly. That will come in handy for reference. Even if the blade trashes, I know that the horn handle will be used for another project. Sorry, Bruno.

Instead of wearing your arm out on the Arkansas stone use some 1000 grit sandpaper instead. It is much faster. Get the wet/dry variety, use it wet, cut a piece to fit over your stone. Perform 25 laps using the X pattern and check your progress.
Check every 25 laps. It should take less than 100 laps to establish a new bevel.


Hope this helps,

I did the sandpaper. My hardware store only had the 1500 wet/dry. It worked like a charm. On to the norton!

Quick question: It seems that the spike is where it's turned up. This gave an exagerrated illusion to the blade's curve. I've worn this down now, and kind of rounded that off. For future reference, am I better off rounding a spike point bevel to bevel until it wears down, or should I just work the point into ceramic until it rounds and then reset the bevel?