Thread: 6/8 DA French Point Thumb Notch Regrind in Quilted Redwood Burl

A few months ago I re did a Double Arrow razor just to see what they were like. It is a respectable razor. The steel is good, it holds a good edge and shaves darn nice but they look like a 10 year old ground them. Lopsided grinding heavy grind marks unrefined edges, the cutting blade itself is ground properly but the rest of the steel, heel, toe, tang, spine, are covered with mill marks and not necessarily evenly ground.


I picked up 3 of them a couple months ago to try doing some regrind work to clean them up and make a good looking, good shaving razor. This is the first of the three. I reground the tip to a French point, added a thumb notch, reground the tang, spine, then gave the entire thing a hand sanding and buffed it out to a mirror finish.


The scales are made from quilted redwood burl finished in epoxy resin. The wedge is Red Nara and the pins made from 1/16 brass rod with brass over stainless washers. The third pin is for estedics, there is no spacer behind them but the big blade and big scales benefit from the extra pin. It breaks up the burl a little.


I have to hone it tonight and give it a shave test. If it all passes muster it will find its way into the classifieds. If you have never seen a Double Arrow razor, it is the one in the poorly fitted white plastic scales.

Magnificent Razor. I love those scales! and the blade! and the whole thing!

Absolutely Beautiful Workmanship !!!!!!


I gotta ask for clarification though, did you say the center pin is not really a pin, as in there is no spacer in there???? it doesn't rest the tang, or hold the scales apart????

Terrific work!!!!!

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Absolutely Beautiful Workmanship !!!!!!


I gotta ask for clarification though, did you say the center pin is not really a pin, as in there is no spacer in there???? it doesn't rest the tang, or hold the scales apart????

Nope. Just two short studs with a washer. It got that way by accident actually. Normally, if you move the third pin to just before the heel, the monkey tail will clear when you open the razor. The DA's have a funny geometry, the tang, pivot to heel is short, or the monkey tail long. But regardless, you cannot put a third pin in. When it is spaced for the blade, the tail will hit it when it swings through the scales. Realized that after I put the spacer in. So, it all had to come apart. I pulled the spacer out, made two very short pins and put them in the holes. Then sanded it flush with the back and glued them in from behind. So they are just for looks, and filler for the hole I drilled in the scale before I realized the weird blade geomatry.

It doesn't even look like a DA anymore!

It looks like a real razor! Very nice work.

Heh!!! good idea... I can't believe I never thought of that, there have been a few times that I would have liked the look but as you say the geometry doesn't always work out... Well that was a good accident...

You dont need to think of things like that,just keep on doing them masterpieces.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Heh!!! good idea... I can't believe I never thought of that, there have been a few times that I would have liked the look but as you say the geometry doesn't always work out... Well that was a good accident...

GREAT WORK!!!! You found a way to make a fair razor into a Alsome looking razor.Thumbs up.I LOVE THEM SCALES!!!!

Originally Posted by cannonfodder

A few months ago I re did a Double Arrow razor just to see what they were like. It is a respectable razor. The steel is good, it holds a good edge and shaves darn nice but they look like a 10 year old ground them. Lopsided grinding heavy grind marks unrefined edges, the cutting blade itself is ground properly but the rest of the steel, heel, toe, tang, spine, are covered with mill marks and not necessarily evenly ground.


I picked up 3 of them a couple months ago to try doing some regrind work to clean them up and make a good looking, good shaving razor. This is the first of the three. I reground the tip to a French point, added a thumb notch, reground the tang, spine, then gave the entire thing a hand sanding and buffed it out to a mirror finish.


The scales are made from quilted redwood burl finished in epoxy resin. The wedge is Red Nara and the pins made from 1/16 brass rod with brass over stainless washers. The third pin is for estedics, there is no spacer behind them but the big blade and big scales benefit from the extra pin. It breaks up the burl a little.


I have to hone it tonight and give it a shave test. If it all passes muster it will find its way into the classifieds. If you have never seen a Double Arrow razor, it is the one in the poorly fitted white plastic scales.

Great Work. I really love the burl and with the epoxy that should be a great razor for many years to come. I love the pins and the third "faux" pin really looks great with those scales.