8/8 full hollow Damascus Razor

This razors costs me a lot of nerves. The pattern welted steel is from 1.3505/1.2442. Actually the best working steel combination for straight razors, that I know. Milling the tang costs several hours and a new equipment to fix the razor on the milling cutter. After that, full concentration to grind this razor full hollow. Every step could be the last and trash the whole razor. The tank is covered with mammoth ivory.
It was necessary to fix the mammoth temporary and grind them in shape with the tang. After that I removed it and etched the steel. After etching I had to glue the mammoth finally exactly on his place. To protect the etching on the razor a final grindig from steel and mammoth was not possible. Only the gluing was more then a 1 hour each side.
The handle is from desert iron wood with a mammoth wedge. Hope you like it.

A lot of wasted time, but it's worth it. Interesting pen in color and form. Good job!:tu

The effort shows awesome work indeed

The ivory and steel go well together. Tang tail complements the forge-weld lines and ivory flow

Gabor, as usual you have made an amazing piece of art! Whoever gets this razor is a VERY lucky person!

I agree with LegalBeagle Gabor. I simply adore this beautiful creaton of yours.

Amazing work, exceptional grind.

Like it, no, love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shew now that is one mighty fine looking razor.

Very nice, Gabor. I am not always a fan of sapwood in ironwood, but you used it in a very eye pleasing way with these scales. At first glance, it almost looked like you had done an inlay. I know that 1.2442 is 115W8 because I have some of it on hand and have used it with 15N20 to make some low layer count damascus in the past. What is the more common name for the 1.3505? The comparison charts that I found seem to look like something similar to 52100 but with a maximum of .3% nickel which I would think would not be enough to get that bright silver color that you get form 15N20 or L6.

That is gorgeous work my friend love the contrasts and definition

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Originally Posted by JDM61

Very nice, Gabor. I am not always a fan of sapwood in ironwood, but you used it in a very eye pleasing way with these scales. At first glance, it almost looked like you had done an inlay. I know that 1.2442 is 115W8 because I have some of it on hand and have used it with 15N20 to make some low layer count damascus in the past. What is the more common name for the 1.3505? The comparison charts that I found seem to look like something similar to 52100 but with a maximum of .3% nickel which I would think would not be enough to get that bright silver color that you get form 15N20 or L6.

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You are right, 1.3505 is similar to 52100. The contrast between this steel and 1.2442 is very low. This steels are the black and the dark grey steels on this razor. We call it widow damascus. For that reason we put a very little of 15Ni20 in this steel. That are the few small silver lines on this razor. It was a test, how it comes out. But it is only so less of this steel in the razor, that it is not important for the characteristics of the steel. So I forgott to tell it. Sorry.

Gabor very nice work and worth the nerves lost in my opinion :)!

It seems to me that the combination of those two steels would give you very high fine edge stability like they do when used by themselves. Razor people sure love that. My question is does the tungsten in the 115W8 give you more abrasion resistance than razor people might like due to potential difficulty on honing? We are talking pretty significant amounts of carbide formers , chromium and tungsten, in that fairly hyperuetectoid composite.

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Originally Posted by Buddel

You are right, 1.3505 is similar to 52100. The contrast between this steel and 1.2442 is very low. This steels are the black and the dark grey steels on this razor. We call it widow damascus. For that reason we put a very little of 15Ni20 in this steel. That are the few small silver lines on this razor. It was a test, how it comes out. But it is only so less of this steel in the razor, that it is not important for the characteristics of the steel. So I forgott to tell it. Sorry.

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That's Amazing! :tu From the selection of materials, to the design! Covered tang, scale design, but especially the full hollow "bellied" grind.....that's something that only the Masters of the Art accomplish!!

Congrats!!!....and "Well Done"!!

Howard :)

That razor is stunning!

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Originally Posted by JDM61

It seems to me that the combination of those two steels would give you very high fine edge stability like they do when used by themselves. Razor people sure love that. My question is does the tungsten in the 115W8 give you more abrasion resistance than razor people might like due to potential difficulty on honing? We are talking pretty significant amounts of carbide formers , chromium and tungsten, in that fairly hyperuetectoid composite.

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In my experience with this steel on razors I dont noticed a tendency to difficult honing. On the other point, this razors come very rarly back for honing. They hold the edge significant longer than razors from 1.2210 or white paper steel. I also using this combination for some kitchen knifes and together with the 1.2442 as a mono steel these knifes are the best edge holding knifes I know.

Not surprising. I have said in the past that 1.2442 on paper resembles Hitachi Blue #2 but with a slightly different carbon content and perhaps even more tungsten. I have some 1.2442 left and I also have a LOT of Cru Forge V which has .75 vanadium and .50 chrome. Some people, myself included , complain about the Cru Forge being hard to hand finish above 60Rc because of the vanadium, but I haven't really heard complaints about it being all that difficult to hone. I plan to do my own little comparison between those two in addition to O1 and W2 once I make a few( translated anywhere from 10 to 40) RSO's out of the cheaper 1084 to get the hang of the deep hollow grinds.. I also still have that lower layer count chunk of damascus made from 1.2442 and 15N20. :D

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Originally Posted by Buddel

In my experience with this steel on razors I dont noticed a tendency to difficult honing. On the other point, this razors come very rarly back for honing. They hold the edge significant longer than razors from 1.2210 or white paper steel. I also using this combination for some kitchen knifes and together with the 1.2442 as a mono steel these knifes are the best edge holding knifes I know.

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Whoever welded that billet together deserves congratulations for a healthy combination of skill and luck and the beauty of the result. Good job.

Amazing, amazing! Absolutely beautiful work.

Why, Mr. Blue, are you implying that those two steels might not be so easy to weld up? :shrug:;)

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Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Whoever welded that billet together deserves congratulations for a healthy combination of skill and luck and the beauty of the result. Good job.

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Originally Posted by JDM61

Why, Mr. Blue, are you implying that those two steels might not be so easy to weld up? :shrug:;)

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Yes, not easy describes my feelings about it. It says the hand of an experienced smith with the proper tools was involved. I admire the smith and the grinder. Both the steel and the razor speak for themselves. A good job.

From my experience trying to weld 1.2442 to 15N20, I would agree with you wholeheartedly. I stopped one fold before I wanted to because that stuff just didn't want to move easily!!!!!:soapbox:

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Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Yes, not easy describes my feelings about it. It says the hand of an experienced smith with the proper tools was involved. I admire the smith and the grinder. Both the steel and the razor speak for themselves. A good job.

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Try welding 52100 or the equivalent to L6 sometime. I suspect that the steels used here will demonstrate some of the same interesting surprises. Obviously Gabor and Co. figured out the solution and my hat's off to them.

LOL. I had enough fun trying to weld Cru Forge to 15N20 and 416, so I know what you mean.

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Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Try welding 52100 or the equivalent to L6 sometime. I suspect that the steels used here will demonstrate some of the same interesting surprises. Obviously Gabor and Co. figured out the solution and my hat's off to them.

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Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Try welding 52100 or the equivalent to L6 sometime. I suspect that the steels used here will demonstrate some of the same interesting surprises. Obviously Gabor and Co. figured out the solution and my hat's off to them.

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Thanks you a lot of the flowers. But the talentet and highly skilled black smith, that forged this damascus steel for me is Michael Schick: Home | massiv-schick.de-2014
Actually he is the only source I know, for this steel combination. And you are right, is it not the easiest job to bring this two steels together. Because of the high wastage in the forging he had to raise the price for the blanks 30 % now. Luckily I have two more in stock ;)

Herr Schick really needs to reinstall the treadle on his air hammer. :D

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Originally Posted by Buddel

Thanks you a lot of the flowers. But the talentet and highly skilled black smith, that forged this damascus steel for me is Michael Schick: Home | massiv-schick.de-2014
Actually he is the only source I know, for this steel combination. And you are right, is it not the easiest job to bring this two steels together. Because of the high wastage in the forging he had to raise the price for the blanks 30 % now. Luckily I have two more in stock ;)

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Every bit if it looks great together. A fantastic effort and it seems to have paid off.

:beer1:
Cheers

Wow! I was taken aback when I saw this one and then went to your page to see the other works of art! It's so great to see true talent exercised. This among some others that I've been seeing at SRP is the kind of work that inspires me to push myself harder to learn more and work towards improvement! Right on man! Two thumbs up.

Not usually a fan of razors with the tang covered in some other material. Seems "gimmicky" to me. You have changed my mind, sir. The flow of the weld lines into the tang, and the then the (not quite) white of the ivory . . . magnificent. I have always liked ironwood for scales.

This is a lovely piece of functional art. My compliments.