Thread: Raising my bar! Tamahagane, rubies and stabilized fossil scales

This is one of which I am especially proud. It doesn’t happen often that something comes together in exactly the manner that I envisioned when I was designing it. Especially when I am thinking of something that will raise the bar for myself. Many times when I make a razor, I use the same techniques to make things that are similar in nature but just look different. Occasionally though, I get an idea and step outside my comfort zone and hope for the best.

This razor was forged from a bar of tamahagane from Bob Kramer. The smile of the blade continues into the tang, so the blade is angled in what I think is the ideal shaving angle. I set small rubies in the tail, 4 on each side. The blade was etched in nital because I wanted to show the folding pattern of the steel. Ferric Chloride would not have been as nice in my opinion because all layers are made from the same steel.

Between making the blade and the scales were several months because I had an idea for the scales that I couldn’t execute at the time because I didn’t have the equipment, material and experience.

I used a ¼ thick piece of fossil bone, sawed it in 5 sections and cleaned the pieces with compressed air. Then I arranged the pieces like I wanted them to be in the scales, and cast them in 2 bright colors of epoxy, and used a vacuum to stabilize the bone with the epoxy. After it was cured, I cut / sanded the block to size and glued 0.5 mm thick carbon fiber to each side. Then I cut the block lengthwise to split it in 2 scales, with carbon fiber backing. From there I worked them to size in the normal way, applied several layers of CA, and put everything together.

In the end, this razor turned out exactly the way I intended.

That is beautiful. I really love the scales. Very nice work as always!

Wow! What craftsmanship and skill!

Brilliant, an amazing piece of art

Damn Bruno! That's just amazing. You have really outdone yourself with this one!

Very nice! Beautiful.
Is your daughter learning about some of the more complex work you're doing on projects like this?

Originally Posted by JP5

Very nice! Beautiful.
Is your daughter learning about some of the more complex work you're doing on projects like this?

Not yet. For now she is learning about using files, using a buffer wheel. using sandpaper, etc.
I've also made her a simple wooden grinding jig to help her make a kiridashi. I usually do things like that freehand, but she hasn't the strength in her hands to keep a steady angle.

Nicely done Bruno, great looking razor and scales!
Next question, how do you TOP THAT?

Originally Posted by neehooya

Nicely done Bruno, great looking razor and scales!
Next question, how do you TOP THAT?

Wootz razor and dinosaur bone scales.

Dammit! Does anyone know how to clean drool from a keyboard?