Custom Japanese Razor #3

Well, here's a third for you guys to critique and comment on. It is a sort of fusion of the first two; better hamon and profile with the rough "as forged" look.

1095, clay heat treatment, 2k grit hand sanded finish on the blade face.

The grind on this one is actually close to that of an old Sheffield wedge, very slightly hollow ground on both sides (slight stray from the traditional grind for experimentation). But, as it has been brought to my attention, the traditional razors were hollow on both sides anyway, so this one just lacks a deeper hollow on one side (one could still use it "asymmetrically" and probably not know the difference, we'll see tonight).

Have at it y'all.

I had no idea that you were so talented Russel. That looks awsome! When are you going to start taking orders :)

They keep improving every time. good job.

The last two hamon blow me away. Love the alloy banding and the way the nie crystals show up. Keep doin wotcha doin !
Did you etch the blade or is it simply a 2k grit finish ?
Oh yeah and the rustic handle. :tu

That is beautiful...GREAT JOB.

You guys are too kind!

David; soon, very soon.

O_S; Thank you!

Onimaru; Yes, I etched it. I can't get a good shot of the alloy banding, but in person it is much more pronounced.

Thanks again!

Excellent!

Please give a shave review of the symmetric grind vs. the assymetric, as I'm quite intriuged by this...

The hamons are definitely getting more character each time, very stylish!

Looks Great!! Very nice work :tu

Did you finish it on the Nakayama? ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by heavydutysg135

Did you finish it on the Nakayama? ;)

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Of course!

Wow, very impressive.....I'll have to watch the BST......lol.....:D

Wow, that looks really great :)

:bowman that is awesome. very raw look. primative. amazing work.

vgod

Well, thanks again to all of you who've complimented my work!

I'm happy to report that this isn't just a "looker", this bad boy holds a wicked edge and feels great in the hand too.

As for the review of the asymmetrical v. symmetrical grind, I have to say that I like them both for separate reasons. The asymmetrical grinds seemed to be more authentic, but slightly cumbersome to use (some areas of my face just can't be shaved properly with my right hand alone). The dual shallow hollow grind corrected the shortcomings of the asymmetrical grind but was somewhat more like a western straight.

The actual shave was equal with both grinds, I intentionally ground and honed them to similar angles so that they could be compared, as well as heat treated and tempered them to the same degree of hardness. The major difference comes with being able to just go at it one handed, with little time spent repositioning myself/the blade but sacrificing the ability to go absolutely ATG in some areas. Whereas, with the symmetrical edge, I was a little more comfortable using it and was able to get all of the tricky spots but lacked the absolute authenticity of traditional Japanese razor.

All together I like the simplicity of these razors a little more than the western style (currently), and they almost feel a bit more stable in my hand. They also give a nice experience during the shave as they have a heftier blade that makes the shave peacefully quiet and enjoyable.

I'm upgrading my forge today and picking up a few tools that'll make the forging/grinding process go a little quicker, so if you are interested in commissioning one of these, email me and we'll talk more about it! (russelbaldridge@gmail.com )

Extremely nice! I'm hugely impressed!

This is the best one yet Russel!! Awesome!!:tu:tu

I like the sound of the symetrical blade. I too would have trouble shaving my whole face with just one hand!!

Please keep my interest noted for when the time comes!:y

Ricky

Hey russel this is really beautiful. I really like the hammered / charred look contrasing with the satin polish blade and the hamon. Outstanding work.

Do you have any idea about rockwell hardness?

The "as quenched" hardness is rated at 66, and the tempering I've been doing should put them around 62-64.

Wow! This is a beautiful razor. You did an outstanding job melding the rough and the refined nature of steel with this razor. The handle and blade look awesome together. Nice job!