8/8 Damascus with Steller's sea cow

This is a dark etched 8/8 quarter hollow damascus razor. To be honest, it´s the best performing damascus, that I ever used for a straight razor. It is forged from 1.3505 and 1.2442. Both steels are also very useful steels by its own for razors, but together they are even better. Both steels are coming with more than 1% carbon. So this razor has a hardness from more than 65 HRC.
The 1.2442 in this combination give it a very stable edge, that hold the sharpness very long. In the past I used steels, that bring a better contrast after the etching, but this is really a performance Damascus.

For the handle I used a rib from Steller's sea cow. You can find some informations about this animal here: The Extinct Steller’s Sea Cow (Picture Essay of the Day) | Britannica Blog

The wedge is from ivory. Hope you like it as much, as I do :D

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Very nice Blade indeed,Fossil steller sea cow bone is a great medium to work with,have done a few brushes with it,small world,is the the one in the middle.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/3brushes.jpg

I like it more than you do Buddel. : )
Beautiful materials.

I'm with Bob!! :)

This is a very nice razor!! Really NICE!! :tu

Howard :)

That is a stunning piece you have there. I don't know of it was intentional, but all of the colors jive incredibly well. The lighter colors in the damascus match really well with the ivory and the dark bits of grain in the scales compliment the darker damascus. Really nice work you did there.

That is piece of art. Your razors have the coolest shapes. The scales and blade go together beautifully. I really like this one.

Charlie

really, really nice work!

Incredible razor. The combination of the steel and bone is very nice.

Absolutely gorgeous!!!

As mentioned in another forum. The rest is silence.

Unbelievably beautiful and surely a durned fine shaver!

Greetz to Dresden!

Very nice razor! :)

But, how did you achieve a bigger hardness on it than 65 HRC? I don't really know 1.2442, so I don't know the hardness either, but I know that 1.3505 (aka 52100) is about 63-65 HRC as quenched, and with the minimal tempering temperature it reaches about 62HRC working hardness quenched in oil, and maybe a bit bigger quenched in water.

The point is the minimal Tempering ;) On very thin, fine edges the hardness is often minimal higher, than on normal steel blanks. Here you can see, that 1.2442 is on a max. hardness from 66 HRC (perhaps at the edge minimal higher): http://www.edelstahlwerk-ossenberg.d..._PDF/115w8.pdf

With the 1.3505 together a hardness round about 65 HRC is possible. For a pattern welded steel, this is a very reasonable result.

Wow, that 1.2442 is sick steel, 64HRC with 200 degree tempering is not bad. Can that be bought in flat stock with about 6-8mm thickness? :)

I guess its round stock only, but it is worth asking :)

Great looking razor Buddel, the lines flow well. The box looks really nice too. Did you make the box too?

Stu

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jeness

Wow, that 1.2442 is sick steel, 64HRC with 200 degree tempering is not bad. Can that be bought in flat stock with about 6-8mm thickness? :)

I guess its round stock only, but it is worth asking :)

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This steel is available as flat stock, but not in the thickness we need. So you can make a SanMai with a other steel or a pattern welded steel, like in this case. The only source I know is here in Germany from Achim Wirtz:

Vertrieb für Handmessermacher
kun.st.ahl
Achim Wirtz
Mittelstr. 58
52146 Wuerselen
Telefon: 0177 681 63 97
E-Mail: [email protected]

You can send him a email and ask, what sizes he has in stock.

No, the box is not selfmade. I like to make razors, not boxes ;)

The really important question that no one is asking is, who was Steller and why did he have a sea cow?

He discovered the beast before it was exterminated 27 years later. No one else to name it after I guess.

I really love this.

I also noticed the pins are dimpled. I'm really new at this and i have never seen that before. I've seen the peened rods and the little tiny screws with hex nuts on them, but i really like the look of the dimpled pins on this razor. it continues with the rustic feel to it. I really appreciate your attention to detail

I keep coming back to see this razor. Really grabbed me. I think half the views are mine. I think I'll be needing something similar soon.

Very handsome razor.