Thread: Re-using Sheffield Steel?

Has any of our custom razor guys considered collecting and melting down old unsaveable razors for the sole purpose recreating a Sheffield steel razor? I know there would be problems with doing this but maybe some here could enlighten us on those problems
I was thinking about this after reading this thread http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...-comeback.html

I was thinking about something similar. Like taking an old Wade & Butcher skew that's 2 inches wide, annealing it, and then reforging. Can't see why it wouldn't work.

Would be interesting to see the result.

Take a couple of old W&Bs and have a new razor forged...couldn't argue that it isn't Sheffield steel.

Well it seems a few of us have thought about it. I thought of pattern welded steel. Just heating the old steel up to welding temperatures and hammer a few together and then shaping out a new blade. I know zero on the metallurgy, and forging so...
There was a thread some time ago about how dangerous melting them down would be and would not be your average backyard project. There is a well known maker that makes blades in part from black iron sand, so melting can be done, and others do make pattern welded steel. Perhaps the holdback is even the old broken blades are too expensive, and after time and supplies are used up it is way more expensive than just buying new and known steel.

It is not technically difficult but the limitation will be the smith who has the needed equipment to do the job. Blacksmiths were the first recyclers. No good steel went to waste. Today, there is so much good steel to be found that even hunting through the scrapyard is looked down on for some smiths.

Old Sheffield steel would make fine razors today even resmelted. I know of only a few makers who could reprocess to a smelted bloom and forge out the material.

Pattern welding is less difficult. Stacking the materials, given the odd cross sections, to eliminate gaps would be a major trick. Losing some steel to the atmosphere of the fire because of the very thin section edges would be a cost. It could be done in a can to eliminate the atmosphere problem, but you'd have to consider using a fill material of equal quality to the Sheffield stuff. I don't know that the requisite powder metal would come close to the old stuff.

Not impossible for someone willing to collect all the broken bits and see it done.

I have thought about it too, kind of a remedial type project, picking up some good modern steel is easy and you can buy about any type that will fit any application, O1 or 1095, stainless in 12C27 ?

Keep in mind that there is no single Sheffield steel. They had a lot of variations so any mix will have an unknown carbon and alloying content.

Easiest way to make a new old Sheffield razor is simply to start out with an old Sheffield file.

I'm very tempted to try making a pattern welded billet from some of the old blades I have kicking around that are beyond repair. I'll have to add that to the list of projects...

Originally Posted by Cangooner

I'm very tempted to try making a pattern welded billet from some of the old blades I have kicking around that are beyond repair. I'll have to add that to the list of projects...

Would that be Damascus cladding or core?

Don't get me started on another idea. Got too many projects unfinished now :<0) Been collecting tangs just waiting for the time. I hate to throw anything away. Looking to try welding myself.