Thread: WIP: Pete's second razor

After talking about the design for a while, this is happening. Pete is getting a second razor from me. I had a concept in my mind for a while now, and didn't have a customer to go with it I discussed it with Pete and he liked it so together we discussed the implementation of that concept.

The first thing to mention is that this will be made in wootz from Alfred Pendray. It took me a lot of wootz projects before I finally got the confidence to work with Alfred's steel. I had always hoped to be able to make a razor in his steel and then show it to Alfred himself. Sadly, that is no longer possible because he recently passed away.

This is the overall shape:



The locations indicated with R W and B will have red, white and blue gems (probably sapphires) set in yellow gold bands. The tail ends in a set of 2 prongs that will hold a yellow gold medallion with my makers mark on it.

For the scales we have settled on knobbly rams horn scales, possibly lined with titanium if that is required for structural reasons.

Wow Bruno you are really challenging yourself! I will be watching this thread with interest as it is right up my street! Ed.

Thats going to be another fine razor Bruno. Cant wait to watch the process again. You do fine work.

Looking forward to seeing this one as it progresses

Oh boy, Oh boy!!
The fun begins.
This one is going to be special...stay tuned
Thank you Bruno for "pushing the envelope."

Pete <:-}

only the second? you better get moving Pete your way behind the scale here my friend! Tc

Well Tc, I guess at this point I'm going for rare and unique, not quantity.

Tc, you need to jump on the Alfred Pendray Wootz bandwagon quickly before the steel is all gone. Now that he has passed the window of opportunity is almost closed and will never be opened again.

Pete <:-}

I got one of Brunos Wootz.. didn't know it had a name Tc

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

I got one of Brunos Wootz.. didn't know it had a name Tc

To be fair, the difference is in the name of the person who made the steel; not the performance of the steel.
Like in the car world, a Ferrari which was designed by Enzo Ferrari is considered more collectible than one designed by someone else.

Originally Posted by petercp4e

Well Tc, I guess at this point I'm going for rare and unique, not quantity.

Tc, you need to jump on the Alfred Pendray Wootz bandwagon quickly before the steel is all gone. Now that he has passed the window of opportunity is almost closed and will never be opened again.

Pete <:-}

A slightly macabre way to describe it. But indeed. Realistically, it was already impossible to get more. Alfred had stopped making it quite a while ago after his shop burned down. I was also told he stopped selling it some time before that (except to direct friends with enough experience) because too many people messed up the heat treatment and heat history. If that happens, someone has paid a mint for plain ultra high carbon steel.

I only got mine because Mike decided to entrust me with the remainder of the wootz bars that he had forged from the 1 ingot he got from Alfred. That was already after Alfred stopped making it. To the best of my knowledge, the 4.5 pieces I have are the only pieces left anywhere that are thick enough to forge razors from.