Thread: Design feedback please

Hi all, looking for some genuine feedback on a razor I started today.
No need to be nice, I'd like it to be functional.

I have a feeling I need to move the plunge back, perhaps 3-5mm and I'm
going to take some material out of the tail so the curve is in the top at the back.

Once I've heat treated I'm going to take the grind higher on a 10" wheel and then do a secondary bevel with a 5" wheel to get a double plunge (not sure what it's called) and a nice fine edge.

This will be the first razor I've finished. I've started a couple a few years ago but got distracted.

This was forged, normalized, surface ground and the bevels rough ground this arvo, so I'm a bit faster than I used to be. Hope to have it heat treated and ground by the end of the week. It's a piece of Damascus I previously forged. I plan to do the scales in an Aussie hardwood.

Any and all comments welcomed.

Thanks,

Matt

Well I didn't get any feedback so I figure it's perfect [emoji12]
In seriousness though I carried on with a few minor shape changes and added the curve at the back.

I clayed the blade and quenched this arvo.





I was very pleased to find this didn't crack in the quench and came out suitably hard. I did a previous knife in the same billet which did.

There is a bit going on with it. Aogomi (blue) #2 cutting edge and ball-bearing (52100) and 1084 Damascus on the spine. You can see the San-Mai line and there is also a hint of hamon if you look carefully. Keen to see how it grinds and polishes tomorrow.

Hey, man! It is nice!

Scales?
Where are they going to start and where are they going to stop. So far I think it looks like a pretty cool fusion of East and West. When the scales are done, I can see if it hits the high mark for me: Do I want to hold it! Not a particularly scientific evaluation...
So you must be a knife maker....do you have the geometry worked out for the business end of the razor?

Hey WW243, I figured I'd worry about scales once I'd finished the blade in case disaster struck!
I'm thinking a figured Aussie Burl or ringed gidgee.
I'm running with 3:1 ratio for the geometry. I figured that was fairly close... And yep, I turn out a few knives here and there.
I'll look forward to hearing your final thoughts, good or bad. Can't get better if everyone is nice.
Thanks for your comment

Matt, I'm just a simple monkey-man who bangs on keys and jumps up and down while looking at razor stuff. So don't pay too much attention to what I say...now, there are plenty of guys here that have a load of experience and there are several makers who post. I hope one of them gets on to your post. A lot of us like seeing the process of turning steel (even making steel) into a razor.
Thanks for the thread!

Well half the trick is making something visually appealing so experienced or not your opinion is certainly valid. I plan to make another Damascus billet soon so perhaps I'll document it from the very beginning to a finished razor.
Cheers

Interesting concept to have scales on a tang that long. How it all works together I will have to wait and see. I am not getting a good mental concept of where the end may go. Like Bill I use them not make them. If a blade looks super cool that is a bonus, how well it shaves is where the value starts.

Thanks RezDog, you could very well be right, it may be a disaster! We'll know soon enough and the next will be better. Fingers crossed it at least shaves ok and if it looks good too it will be a bonus!
The next will probably be a bit more traditional.

After tempering I ground the bevel thinner on the 10" wheel and then moved to the 5", which seemed to have only a small effect on the curve. Should I regrind with a 2" wheel?





Sorry about the focus, my phone wasn't cooperating.
There is plenty of meat left at the edge so I can still use a smaller wheel if appropriate.
Cheers