Thread: made first straight razor!

Hello folks... I'm a bladesmith (Big Rock Forge - Scott A. Roush, Bladesmith) that forges camp, hunting and kitchen knives and I just tried a straight razor for the first time. I've never even shaved with one and obviously have a lot to learn. I will post pics tomorrow, but basically I started with a 1/2" x 3/16" piece of 1084 and put a hollow grind all the way to the from edge to spine on one side and and flat ground on the other. I put a 15 degree secondary bevel on the flat ground side with a 1" wide 220 grit belt to a wire edge then stropped with stropping board with jeweler's rouge. It just now occurs to me, as I'm writing, that perhaps I should have put a secondary bevel on the hollow side too! Anyway.... the sucker is sharper than anything I've ever made... it shaves arm hair effortlessly and cuts paper with just it's own weight. But it only shaves face hair OKAY. It does good on the side below the temples, but really takes some scraping for above the lips and chin.

So... since I'm new to both straight razor making AND shaving.... I now have at least two variables to contend with. Is it my razor or my technique? As to technique, all I can say is that I've been sitting here watching Youtube videos trying to learn.

By the way... this is very interesting from the perspective of a knifemaker. Really makes you think about edge geometry!

That is so cool that you can make your own str8. Keep us posted and I can't wait to see the pics.

Out of curiosity, why not a 6/8 instead of a 4/8 in width?

That's awesome man.

I will be waiting to see some pictures soon.

No offence, but honing a razor is nothing like sharpening a knife...I've been humbled more than once here on the forum by the pro's. So to answer your question is BOTH. Your razor is more than likely made just fine. Steel is good and I'm sure you put a good heat treat and temper on it. The razor just needs to be honed by a pro and learning to shave just takes time, practice, and patience. I've been honing razors for about a year now & do pretty well for myself, but I still haven't gotten that majical touch that the pro's have.

Welcome to a whole new level of sharpness.
It's required that a razor is far sharper than would be useful in a knife. Taking a knife edge to this extreme would in fact render it too delicate to be useful. As you've now seen, even a blade sharper than anything you've produced before simply doesn't "cut it" as a razor.

You should probably forget everything to know about sharpening knives in order to make progress with this. For a start, it is essential that you never create a wire edge.

Have a look at how to hone in the Wiki. It's a good place to begin. If you can be open minded about the honing process, you'll find you may well get a fantastic shave from a razor made by your own hand. Good luck!

Welcome and good luck with your project.

"put a hollow grind all the way to the from edge to spine on one side and and flat ground on the other."
Hmmm... sounds like you're headed towards a Japanese Kamisori rather than a traditional western straight.

From my limited understanding from reading round SRP the Kamisori has a flat side and a hollowed side like you are describing. The general concensus seems to be that they require quite different honing and technique (only the flat side is meant to go against the face). There some interesting discussion and video here . If your technique has been learnt from video it may be that you've been learning western shaving for an eastern blade.

Would be great to see some pictures. Razor porn is very popular round here.

Thanks folks!

Couple of comments.... I actually did get it to a wire edge on my belt grinder and then again on a 1000 grit water stone. It had a nice roll along the entire edge. But I wonder how well I'm stropping or if it is actually simply the geometry of the edge. For one thing, I did have a kamasori in mind, but I didn't take it the whole way. Right now it is flat ground on the side opposite of the hollow grind. The flat ground side should have a less pronounced hollow grind. And... as I said, I only have a secondary bevel on one side.

The other issue is that I put the flat side on the wrong side! I have to use the hollow ground side on my face.... This is what happens when you do something as a whim. But the bar of steel was laying there...

Anyway.. The plan is to take it back to the grinder, put a secondary bevel on both sides, re-hone and then see how it works. If that fails, I will hollow grind the flat side to attain a more true kamasori geometry.

So here are the pictures..... this is rough... i just wanted to do a test blade to see if I could get a working razor. If I accomplish this, I plan to do a friction folder with a piece of deer antler:





Another thing I noticed from looking at these pictures... my edge is curved? I'm assuming that's from excessive wear on such a thin edge from using by belt grinder for honing.... another problem.

You really have your own grind there. Very unique. It looks more like a microtome than anything else.

Great looking knives

thanks folks...

I'm still planning to regrind.. will post pictures later.

Is that grind that unique though? I was looking at cross sections of the japanese razors and the only difference is the lack of the 'smiley' from not having the slight hollow grind on the flat side. But, hey! Microtomes are good cutters!

Anyway... this is just some fun and a break from giant bowies. But I would like to get a shaver...