Thread: One I'm working on, second attempt

I've been away a looooong time. I've been making knives instead of playing with razors, but I decided I'd try it again now that I upgraded to a Wilmont Grinders TAG101 from my Craftsman 2x42.

My first razor was O1 and a full wedge and absolutely un-honeable, but it lead me to knife making, so I am thankful I at least tried. It was made with an angle grinder and files.

This is 1/4" A2. It's rough ground right now, I'll thin it out one it comes back from heat treat. I ground it on a 2" wheel, because that's all I have. If someone has a 5" to 10" wheel they would like to get rid of, please let me know.

Right now it's looking like about a 7/8 size, which I find personally about perfect. It's about a quarter hollow. Hopefully I can get it done soon and try shaving with a razor that is.......a bit better grind than the first! Lol

Awesome! I would like to see continued and finished razor.

Improving is always good. Looking like a good start.

Looks like a great shaving blade. Like the shoulderless flow.

What kind of scales will you use?

Nice clean job of grinding. Well done. You might consider leaving a tad more steel at the spine next time. Please post pictures after you finish grind and get scales done.

That looks really good

Originally Posted by rolodave

Looks like a great shaving blade. Like the shoulderless flow.

What kind of scales will you use?

+1 on the shoulderless flow

This forum is what got me to making razors, as I had made a few knives in the garage & my mentality is that if you can do it...so can I. I started with stock removal and sent off my first dozen or so razors off to be heat treated. I got to thinking to myself, am I being honest about "I made it". I wasn't making it as there was a step, albeit a large one, that was out of my control. Only time a razor came back flawed was if I ground it too thin & ended up with a potato chip razor. I picked up a forge and started out with knife blades, sold enough to pay for the forge. Started working on hamons with knives & razors...now I see why Charlie has a cup of RSO's at his shop when I was there at a hammer-in.

Now that I am where I am, comfortable moving steel around on the anvil, grinding, heat treating, grinding more & finishing. Before I didn't appreciate near as much the guys who make functional works of art. Key word is functional, I've had quite a few very good looking custom razors in my hands including my own...but if they don't hone up properly, strop right, feel right shaving, hold up to a shave...you have a RSO.

What's my point? Knives are like mowing the lawn, most anyone can mow the lawn. Make a razor and you will really get the guys attention here on SRP in the forge section & they will jump over one another to help you. Don't tell me how to make a razor, show me how you made your razor. Be honest with yourself, is it a good razor? Where can it be improved? Send it out to be tried out by a shaving/making veteran...there is always room for improvement. Most of all, just make one & quit talking about it.

Thanks guys. I'm not sure what kind of scales I'll use. Maybe g10. I have a lot of it from knifemaking.

Honestly, I'm not sure in even going to finish this one out. I think the spine is wrong. Who said earlier on the thread about the hollow grind being taken too high? I have no desire to compete something that isn't going to be right anyway.

I don't have a whole cup of rso's, but maybe I should start.....I think I'm up to four that have been scrapped for one reason or another. Now knives.....Yeah, I make throwing knives. No, they don't start out like that, but they end up like that sometimes. Heck, the other day I made a throwing railroad iron piece. Thank goodness I don't have drywall up in my shop........I swear I'm not a violent person, just anal about quality.