Thread: Refined Steel

Refined Steel. Well, actually pretty beat up steel.

You can see in the before picture this razor has seen massive hone wear, with active rust and very deep pitting. I set about grinding the pits out with a friend's bench grinder. It was clear that several pits went straight through the wedge near the edge. I ground to the good steel, and this shape was the product. I've seen a lot of turn-of-the century razors with this kind of heavy-toe profile (albeit maybe only from hone wear?) so I settled. I like it too.

My quick search for refined steel razors makes me think that this razor used to have a more defined shoulder. That is, it might be one of those shouldered 1800-1830 wedges that has been honed to hell, pulling the edge way up to the tang. I'd like to hear some second opinions, though.

With that idea in mind, I didn't feel so bad about regrinding this blade. Sorry if this is too cringey for you history buffs, but I think this razor deserved better.

Dressed with carved oak: Sedona/Natual Minwax stain, tung oil.