Thread: Hollow grinding service?

Well, it doesn't look like anybody's going to take me up on this, but for what it's worth, here's the razor I ended up forging. It's from an old nicholson file, and even if nobody wants to help me out with it, it was still good practice.

You did good to that point, why didn't you go ahead and hollow it out on your own?

What's the width and thickness of the blade?

Originally Posted by neg

Well, it doesn't look like anybody's going to take me up on this, but for what it's worth, here's the razor I ended up forging. It's from an old nicholson file, and even if nobody wants to help me out with it, it was still good practice.

It isn't that nobody wants to help you out, but rather you haven't made your proposition clear enough. Why do you want a file razor - just because you have a lot of files you've bought? If you are trying to save money what you are looking for is commissioning a custom made razor where you supply the steel.
It will cost you more than simply commissioning a razor because you are asking the person to use a completely unknown material with initial properties that are unsuitable for the work (it's already hardened steel) - it takes more expertise and more work to make a razor out of such material than starting with something with well known properties.
Would you be willing to pay the much higher price? Are you willing to accept the chances that your file may not make a good razor, so you'd essentially spend all that money for a decoration?

If so contact the various custom makers to discuss your project - some do not do such things, somebody may be interested but you need to be the one who is proactive. Those who are good tend to have plenty of work than to pursue somebody else's vague project.

I have 2 knives that were made from files. One a non professionally made old kitchen knife. Primitive but nice. The other is a "patch knife" that I used when I shot black powder. Also very nice. While a file servers well with these two, I'm not sure how if they'd made good razors.

File may be good steel. Or not. For knives it is less important because knives have enough mass that things like microchipping don't matter as much. In any case, the HT properties are unknown, making the job harder for the one doing the HT and grinding. I would also be hesitant to grind something that was not made by me (or someone who understands razors at the same level). The reason being that successfully grinding a razor depends a lot on the initial geometry. You can't just make something that looks like a razor and then expect that it is possible to grind it successfully as a straight razor.

The Grinding and HT are the most critical parts of the process, and they rely on the geometry being right.

I was once told by a golfer: driving is for show, putting is for dough. It's not hitting the ball the first couple hundred yards that makes the difference between a good golfer and a bad one. It's the last couple dozen. That is all the hard work, and similarly it's also the most time intensive part, the most error prone, and the most expensive.

If I were to grind someone else's razor, I'd have to make a price based on the fact that the geometry is most likely not right to begin with, that the HT would be more difficult, and that I'm doing most of the actual work. That would be about as expensive for the customer as making a custom from scratch. I know people sometimes think this would be an efficient approach, but it really isn't. You can't cut the price of a custom razor in half by doing the first half of the work yourself.

Btw, I applaud everyone who is going to try this himself, and provide help where I can. The one thing that is important is to recognize it's going to take time and effort and you learn by fixing mistakes. I know I still do.

My last razor was from a file, the edge is exquisitely keen and smooth as good as any razor I own. Refining the grain is crucial for this. Good control on ht, 3 normalising thermal cycles and I tend to triple quench with mystery steel. Tempering makes a big difference also, I prefer mine a tad hard, its not a law though. I like to get a nice thin bevel when I hollow grind, it makes life on the stone a bunch easier. If anyone would like to try this razor out I'm happy to send it to them.

What quenchant did you use Deckard? That is a good looking razor, I like the slight hamon.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

What quenchant did you use Deckard? That is a good looking razor, I like the slight hamon.

I used Exol 603 which is an accelerated quenchant available in the uk. I tend to quench fast when using file steel to edge my bets. I would use brine otherwise for any mystery steel.

You can also get that effect by just quenching that part of the razor and not sticking it in the quenchant completely.