File transfomation with "cracked ice" shank

Last weekend I finished some razors, that I forged in the winter. Someone in my forge, spilled out my hardening oil :gaah:

So I decided to harden in the ice water, that still was in a bucket. This togehter with file steel is a very high risk, to get cracks in the steel, because of the very fast cooling of the steel. At the end I had luck with this. Only the pattern of the file cracked a little bit deeper than normal, but the edge was fine. So I could not grind out all the formerly file pattern on the thicker parts of the blade on the back and the shank. The other side is, that the grain of the steel is now very, very fine.

The handle is from african wenge wood and complete the rustic look from the razor. Hope you like it:

Very beautiful, Buddell. Sometimes these little "accidents" create something unique and impossible to duplicate. I'm glad you put forth the effort to finish the razor.

Absolutely fabulous Gabor...:bow. Well done maestro

PS: So, I guess one could call the cracked pattern a "positive side effect" :)

Most excellent work, yet again.
I really like how this one turned out.

Nice one. I like the look of that tang. Really unique and cool.

Beautiful razor. I think I've never seen something like that. Very unique idea.

Looks fantastic. Great results

Very nice.
I can only imagine how great it would look in my shave den.

One of the coolest looking things ive seen! Nice work once again.

Man, I love the cracks... It's so distinctive, really adds life to it.

I bow to your superior skills, sensei!!

Nice, really nice...

M