JR Torrey Shoulderless In Bocote Scales

I finished this one a few days ago; it is the one I posted about in the 1k shave challenge that blew me away with how smooth it shaved off the Chosera. I shave-tested it again off the Norton 4k, and it was just as smooth. In fact, it has promise to be my smoothest shaver yet. I plan to continue testing it up the grits to get a feel for what exactly I am accomplishing at each stage. As I acquire, rescale and hone more vintage razors, I am coming around to the idea that a shoulderless quarter-hollow in 5/8" to 6/8" is one of my favorite grinds, with my similar Ern Ator being an equal favorite.

Bocote scales finished with 8 coats of good ole' Formby's Tung Oil hand-rubbed, followed by 4 coats of paste wax burnished on with a buffer. NiAg pins and brass wedge:
http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/x...psalkt426d.jpg
http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/x...psrn8h8whg.jpg
http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/x...pscvxulpt0.jpg
http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/x...psznvndxfa.jpg

If the wedge edge seems kind of narrow in proportion, it's because I goofed on the band-saw and cut the brass wedge a hair inside my line, and had to re-contour it all around after fitting on the belts and hand sanding to finish. Fitting a proper wedge continues to be a challenge, but I learn something every time I do it. One of my goals this summer is to learn a new technique and continue to refine old ones on each project.

I've got some nice feathered horn blanks to play with next, and some blades just waiting to go in them! Thanks for looking-SHD/Aaron

Very nicely done.

Good looking blade. Good job on it! The wedge end might be a little different but its not too much. Good recover.

Looks great.
I love the shoulderless grinds.

I have a similar Torrey blade and it is a gem. If you had not mentioned anything about the scales I would have not seen anything off. Sometimes little things we do only draw out eye to it. I think it worked out good. Nice grain in the wood and nice workmanship.

Nice razor!


Mike

Nicely done!

Ray

Really nice job.
And embracing our errors is what makes us stronger. Big fan of pointing out my own screw ups, I make lots, hehe.
Your wedge still looks great however and that bocote has such terrific grain..
:beer1:
Hey Ray, great to see you post again, been some time sir! Hope you are well..
:)

Yeah, good to see you on here, Ray-I still use your beautiful camp acrylic and brass brush all the time!

Nice job.
Lovely blade and striking scales...

Beautifully done! I love bocote, and I am quite partial to shoulder less grinds!

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Originally Posted by walleyeman

Nicely done!

Ray

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Originally Posted by MikeB52

Hey Ray, great to see you post again, been some time sir! Hope you are well..
:)

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Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Yeah, good to see you on here, Ray-I still use your beautiful camp acrylic and brass brush all the time!

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Indeed, Hey Ray! :tu

"And embracing our errors is what makes us stronger. Big fan of pointing out my own screw ups, I make lots, hehe."-MikeB52

Speaking of errors, I seem to have cut the pivot pin a hair too long, as it won't stay tight. I'm just going to repin it tomorrow-I need the practice anyway, and kind of enjoy the repetitive rat-a-tat tat of pinning. Lesson learned (again!): Every time I think I'm too short on the pin clearance, it's just right. Hmmm...

In other news, I have now shaved with it off both the Norton 4 and 8k, and it has been a revelation in really learning each hone and its outer limits. edit: I can see why people shaved perfectly fine off the Norton 8 for years-I got an excellent shave off of it (of course this same edge has probably seen a couple hundred laps of English bridle between stones too).

It will be interesting to see what the Nani 12 (and my now smoothish surgical black) can do for the edge.

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Every time I think I'm too short on the pin clearance, it's just right. Hmmm...

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That's a good statement and worth repeating. I have found my best pin jobs quite often were also the ones I thought might be too short and were sometimes a pain to square up with the files before peening.
I made a small hole in my anvil after watching some of glen's videos. Holds the pin very nicely while I set the first side, then flip, file true again and peen away.

Thanks, Mike-I have also tried the "smooth divot" in the anvil trick (I think jewelers call it a dapping block?). I usually just start them on one side in a pin vise by tapping in just enough of a "mushroom" to hold it on the back side while I start work on the front, then just flip back and forth repeatedly while I move it around, tap-tap-tap, change the blade position, repeat. I don't consider myself "done" until it is tight in all open angles, especially the 180 degree stropping position.

But yes, filing it true makes the final product look much cleaner and better. We're always learning new tricks at this, no?

Nicely done, sir! Over time, I have also begun to favor the shoulderless grinds with examples from 5 countries in my collection thus far. I cannot wait to add Belgium to this list. ;)