Thread: Little Western Damascus Kamisori

Finished this one up a little while back. It was a custom build off a similar razor I've done in the past.

~7/8 wide European PWS (K720, K605 Bohler Uddeholm and L6)
~2.1" blade length
1/2 hollow western grind
Handle is wrapped in black leather with an underlayer of red stingray leather and then soaked in G-flex epoxy to water proof the wrapping.

Little travel sheath is made from carbon fiber and red G10.

Hope you enjoy and thanks for looking!

Quite handsome. How do you etch your name in the blade?

Originally Posted by Hart

Quite handsome. How do you etch your name in the blade?

Thanks - stencil and a homebuilt etch machine.

Originally Posted by Joe Edson

Thanks - stencil and a homebuilt etch machine.

Do you have your stencils premade, or make you own?

Originally Posted by Thisisclog

Do you have your stencils premade, or make you own?

Pre made - I use Ernie's stencils and worked with him on font and arch of my maker's mark.

Joe, how long do you etch it in order to get it deep enough that it doesn't wash out when you etch the damascus? Also what was the starting thickness for the stock on that one? I just discovered that I have a piece of .207 thick CPM 3V scrap large enough to grind out the toughest kamisori ever made.

Originally Posted by JDM61

Joe, how long do you etch it in order to get it deep enough that it doesn't wash out when you etch the damascus? Also what was the starting thickness for the stock on that one? I just discovered that I have a piece of .207 thick CPM 3V scrap large enough to grind out the toughest kamisori ever made.

This was etched 10-15 minutes. Not sure what you mean by washing out? In general since I'm grinding hollower these days pattern wash out can be an issue. A lot of stuff just ends up random. In fact I believe this piece was a slight twist but you really can't see that now. Raindrop will also wash out to random. Ladder seems to stay depending on the source. I'm going to be trying some powder damascus patterns here that I expect will retain the pattern better.

I do protect the edge with a thin stripe of nail polish on etching to protect the edge and make honing easier after etch.

This one started out at 0.205" thick. The grind line is only 0.7-0.75" above the edge so it hones more like a 6/8.

I've had a lot of requests for some of the newer steels for razors, but honestly for shaving don't see any advantages other than novelty. I have some 3V on hand as well but reserved for some tactical folders I have in mind.

Very nice. I like your work.


Mike

Very nice Joe as always.

I meant how long did you etch your name for? As for the 3V, this is a pice that wouldn't really work for anything bigger than a kamisori. Thin piece of scrap about 3/4 wide that has a bigger section like 1.5 wide and 2..75 long at the end. As for pattern washout. any drilled or cut pattern can do that. especially raindrop. Pressed patterns, not so much. Twist just looks different the farther you grind into it.

Originally Posted by Joe Edson

This was etched 10-15 minutes. Not sure what you mean by washing out? In general since I'm grinding hollower these days pattern wash out can be an issue. A lot of stuff just ends up random. In fact I believe this piece was a slight twist but you really can't see that now. Raindrop will also wash out to random. Ladder seems to stay depending on the source. I'm going to be trying some powder damascus patterns here that I expect will retain the pattern better.

I do protect the edge with a thin stripe of nail polish on etching to protect the edge and make honing easier after etch.

This one started out at 0.205" thick. The grind line is only 0.7-0.75" above the edge so it hones more like a 6/8.

I've had a lot of requests for some of the newer steels for razors, but honestly for shaving don't see any advantages other than novelty. I have some 3V on hand as well but reserved for some tactical folders I have in mind.