WIP Straight Razor

I shave me since 2 year with straight razor. I tried a lot of time with various success to make some razor. I succeed 2,5 time to make one really efficient. For the last one i did i take picture.
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00257.jpg
I used a 100MnCrW4 (O1) 5,9 thick plate. I draw the blade. It will be a simple 5/8. I cut with a stainless steel cutting disk.
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00259.jpg
Some 60 belt grit grind after.
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00260.jpg
The shape is more or less OK
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00261.jpg
I drilled the pivot hole to 3,8mm
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00262.jpg
I reamed the pivot to 4mm
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00263.jpg
The blade is drilled.

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00285.jpg
I grind the hollow grind with new 60 grit belt, 150 mm contact wheel, 80 shore.
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00286.jpg
30 mn of work after
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00287.jpg
It's already thin
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00289.jpg
I chequered the back, 3 normalization, oil hardening.
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00290.jpg
After the quench, the sharpening file slide on the edge.
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00291.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00292.jpg
I cleaned the blade, and propan torch flash tempering. I did a gold tempering.

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00293.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00294.jpg
Between 0,23 and 0,21 mm thick after the 120 belt.

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00295.jpg
Between 0,16mm and 0,18 mm after the 240 grit

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...r/DSC00296.jpg
I countersinked the side of the blade, and clean it with a 500 grit belt. I'm between, 0,09 and 0,13 mm

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00281.jpg
I etched my logo

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00282.jpg
I cut stainless piece (304 or 316L i don't know), 1,6mm thick.

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00283.jpg
I put the BP washer in order to see where i need to point.
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00284.jpg
I drilled to 3,8mm, reamed to 4mm, and drilled the heel to 4mm
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00285.jpg
Some hole.
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...//DSC00286.jpg
I draw vaguely the handle.
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00287.jpg
I check the position of the blade
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00288.jpg
I shorten the various pieces.

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00289.jpg
The spacer is in a scrap piece of T40 (ti grade 2). Drilled to 4mm and bevelled.

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00290.jpg
I grind the handle with a 60 belt, i put the spacer in place and pinned it with a brass pin. (+ epoxy)

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00291.jpg
I fold a bit the stainless handle.

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00292.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00293.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00294.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00295.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00296.jpg
Some black compound, and green compound on buffer, that is already able to shave hair on the harm.
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00272.jpg
My sharpening kit, Japanese stone 800, 1000-3000, chinese stone 8000 and 12000. A piece of jean straighten on a oak plate with red buffering compound, a paddle with leather and green compound and on the other side simply leather.

http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00258.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00259.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00260.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00261.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00262.jpg

After sharpening, and 1 week of shaving, that is not bad at all. I'm almost to the level of my favorite straight razor. It's less hollow grind than i would have thought, the edge is "straight" i would have think it would be more flexible. The edge retention is not bad at all.

It's a 5/8 , 7 cm sharp, blade 14,5 cm , 6mm thick to the pivot, and on all the back. Highness closed 2,3 cm to the highest.

I'm satisfacted by the result.

I would have to keep a bit more material at the begin of the tang to a better hand take, and i would need to try to decrease the thickness at the pivot level, but i didn't find the solution to have something less thick and perfectly clean and perpendicular for the pivot (the screw are less tolerant than pins).

Thickness, 12mm to the pivot, 3,5 mm to the heel. 16 cm closed

Sorry for the poor quality of the picture, in my workshop i don't have a lot of light :D

Nice looking razor . How does it balance with the steel scales ?

Thank you, the balance is not bad, the handle are quite heavy but the blade thickness give also some weight to the blade.

The begin of the tang would have been a bit larger in order to have a better stabilization between the finger (it roll a bit between wet finger), but the balance is ok. I shave me with that one from two week and i'm quite happy :D

That is a very sleek looking razor. Nice work for sure.

Looks good, I like it.
Nice job!

Thank you for the thread and the pictures.

Charlie

that razor looks great! awesome work

Very nice it looks great. I like it a lot.

Great job! You should be very proud of your work.

Wow, That is very good! Thank you for the pictures. You obviously have some fine skills to produce such a fine razor. I am very impressed !:rock:

Thanks for the detailed step by step photos. Nice job on the razor to boot.

I am in awe. You made it look easy, when I know full well that it is not. I guess we should all go out and make ourselves razors this weekend.

Thank you for the detailed photos.

Nice work cardoso... thanks for the photos.

Very nice job man, you have a lot of talent! Well done. I really like the look of your grind, simple and very sleak looking.

Just as a matter of interest (I ask because I have a razor with metal scales as well) How do you protect the metal scales from scratching / damaging your blade where it touches it when it is closed?

My own metal scale razor has received a lot of cosmetic damage over the years where the metal scales touches the blade.

Very high quality workmanship and very stylish. Thanks for sharing.

Jim

Thank you Guys.

For the protection of the blade i didn't do anything special. I have two washer for the friction, the screw permit to adjust the friction and to dissassembled the blade easyli to permit maintenance of the eventually rust point at the pivot level.
For the blade, only the "point" of the blade risk to be in contact with the handle
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00295.jpg
http://dremeltingpotes.free.fr/Photo...2/DSC00294.jpg
As you can see on those picture the edge is perfectly centered in the handle and only the "point" is in contact with metal. As there is enough friction, the blade won't never hit strongly the metal.
On the second picture you can see that the top blade is over the handle and as it's hollow grind it don't touch at all the metal.

That is possible because my tang as the same thickness than the blade, that is rarely the fact. On standart straight razor the tang is often a bit thinner than the blade to have a better "balance" but with that solution the handle is near the blade and risk to scratch a bit.
The blade is done un hard tool steel and the handle in stainless soft steel, normaly the first one is harder than the second and normaly if there is contact, as the handle side are countersunk and soften with buffer and buffering compound, that is not too much aggressiv :D

Beautiful work as always.

Very stylish, nice looking razor. What steel did you use?

congratulations on the blade and job well done... you do beautiful work

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zelenbakh

Very stylish, nice looking razor. What steel did you use?

---

Thank you .

I used 100MnCrW4 (O1 tool steel, 1.2510) :D

Cordoso

You are a mechanic and a true craftsman. Very great photos also.

As mentioned before...you made it look easy. Having made a few myself, I definately know that it isn't. Nice work indeed and your documentary is most excellent!

Thank you very much :D
That is not easy to do a straight razor, for me it a lot more difficult than a knife :). But that is really fun and cool to be able to shave with a blade from your workshop :D

Yes, knives are much easier! I'm about to order a new batch of steel this week myself...