Thread: I've had the blues

Tom, with work that nice, if your shop is slow, you might want to hang up another sign.

Pete <:-}

Originally Posted by outback

Sweet.....!!!!
They came out great...as usual.

Thanks, Mike!
Great to hear encouragement from some great restorers here!
Nothing usual about these. Lots of mistakes along the way....Wait! That IS usual!
The Spike went pretty as-expected, but when I got to trying to delicately blue the sides of the Herder tang, Lots of issues.

I can blue a tang, spine, and nose free-hand pretty handily.
This job was giving me fits. Resorted to tape along the shoulder. Hard shiny tang did not want to take the blue for a while. I think I hit it 8 times. In removing the tape, you could feel the thickness with your finger.
Clearing-up the mistakes was a learning process. Finally used a makeup Q-tip, pointed and stiffer. with a dab of Maas rolled-into it with the fingers.
Made a dandy eraser for where I overstepped my bounds!

Originally Posted by petercp4e

Tom, with work that nice, if your shop is slow, you might want to hang up another sign.

Pete <:-}

Been thinking about it, Pete.
But then, I have been thinking of robbing a bank too!

It is interesting the differences you’ll find between what you’d think are the same razor. Out of the 6 spike razors I have there are differences in grind and scales. Out of all the others I’ve restored a couple were blued and one was gold plated and had a miniature gold spike on the scale.

I suppose when you are building something as simple as a Spike, all you can do differently is embellish.
Yes, the 'Golden Spike' you refer to had a thick spike inlay and gold tang.

I am convinced the factory also made sizes ranging from 9/16 to 6/8.
This blade is 11/16 and has a heavier tang than another 9/16 one I have.
Anyway, most I see are worn at the toe or frowning. They really used the little things up.

Oh yeah. Cool little workhorses as razors go. Yours came out especially nice.!

I think I’m going to have to spend some time with one of mine now.

That is some damn fine work you've done.

Oops! Got sidetracked yacking about the Spike razors. That Herder is beautiful! Love that blade shape and the bluing really sets it off so nicely especially with those scales. Swoopy and curvaceous from any angle. Kudos!

Tom, the Spike looks bran new! Fabulous!

That Herder...... Slight smile, shoulderless.... MMMMmmm Mmmmm!!

Originally Posted by mycarver

Oops! Got sidetracked yacking about the Spike razors. That Herder is beautiful! Love that blade shape and the bluing really sets it off so nicely especially with those scales. Swoopy and curvaceous from any angle. Kudos!

Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

Tom, the Spike looks bran new! Fabulous!

That Herder...... Slight smile, shoulderless.... MMMMmmm Mmmmm!!

Thank You! I am enamored with them myself!
I went on a jag of buying the 25's as I saw them. This blade was slightly used.
On the NOS ones, always the same seller who bought them from SMKW who supposedly bought the entire old Herder inventory.
I finally asked him how many were left. Last one? I'll take it!
They have all been great shavers. Interestingly, the last one which I put into the silver set had never even had a bevel set!
I suppose that is what happens when an outfit shuts-down.
Herder survived WWII as they made knives, bayonets, razors for the Reich.
I often think of the collective talent there as the smaller cutlers were assigned other wartime production and the masters of these were sent to Herder and a few others to ply their trade there. I would be curious to know when they actually ceased razor production and when the inventory was sold. To think of the machinery they used!