Thread: Razors in the works

Thanks for all the WIP pics. I'm really interested in knife and straight razor making so pictures as the blades progress are really nice to see.
The clear templates are a great idea! A fixed template that let's you see how the grain is positioned before you even trace it is awfully handy.
How long does it take to cut a metal blank with a band saw? What is the thickest stock you use?

Originally Posted by Panama60

Just a word of caution. I would hate to see something...don't say it, Rog. Those "splats" in the maple have been caused by
damage or disease. If you have another piece you are willing to sacrifice, plane it as thin as you would the finished scales.
Give that a flex test to make sure those "splats" are good and tight.

Truly inspiring work! Thank you for keeping us in the know!

That is what makes the wood spalted. I would think he is either using stabilized blanks and/or is going to line them with a stronger material. I doubt spalted wood with a lot of figuring can even be worked with otherwise.
The first time I shaped some spalted wood I had done a poor job of stabilizing with a diy setup the wood would curl from the heat alone.

Nice work. Good to see the progression.

nice wip and gorgeous finished razor!!

you are not the only one who has trouble with grinding jigs. I must have built a dozen of them, and still cant manage to use them right, but I can take a blade in my hands and step up to a grinder and grind it freehand. but who knows, maybe I just haven't built the right jig yet...

Originally Posted by JP5

Thanks for all the WIP pics. I'm really interested in knife and straight razor making so pictures as the blades progress are really nice to see.
The clear templates are a great idea! A fixed template that let's you see how the grain is positioned before you even trace it is awfully handy.
How long does it take to cut a metal blank with a band saw? What is the thickest stock you use?

The band saw is a Dewalt portaband with a swagoffroad stand. excellent investment if you are setting up to make blades. I can rough out a blade in a couple minutes, much faster and safer than a cut off wheel. I usually don't use anything over 1/4" , and mostly 1/8".

Definitely the clear template helps with catching the best figure in a small scale sized piece of wood.

That hunk of maple is stabalized (cactus juice) , but that piece was as solid as any maple you would work with. completely unaffected as far as strength and density goes. It was a large piece I had set aside for a rifle stock, but decided to cut it into blanks for the kitchen knives I make. A lot of spalted wood is soft because it is farther along in the decaying process, but with maple it can still be very solid/hard if its not too far along.

I had a large batch of that maple and redwood burl stabilized by someone who does it as a business, my first experience with cactus juice, and my last. The wood still needs a finish, and honestly is nothing like stabilized wood from K&G or other. its about as good as most home stabilization but nothing like the real deal.

Originally Posted by caltoncutlery

nice wip and gorgeous finished razor!!

you are not the only one who has trouble with grinding jigs. I must have built a dozen of them, and still cant manage to use them right, but I can take a blade in my hands and step up to a grinder and grind it freehand. but who knows, maybe I just haven't built the right jig yet...

Hahaa yes! man I have tried a few jigs over the years and most are just frustrating to me. I spent more time tinkering with the jig set up than grinding which quickly sucks the enjoyment out of the work.

I do have a Snody grinding jig that works well for smaller blades.

heck yes, and then there is the idea running in my head that lots of others loves jigs, and say they are way easier than freehand grinding, which makes me really wonder how in the world do they get such a simple idea to work when I cant seem to be able to......

I tried building a snody jig. it didn't work out so well. but I loved the idea of the jig acting as a heat sink. the right after that I watched a video of I think Robert herder {the video is not in English, and no subtitles}, where he was using these giant boards to grind with, and I came up with my own version, which I call grinding sticks, they are just a 5 gallon paint stick mostly with a couple brads hammered through that hold the blade, soak the sticks in water before you grind, and the water acts as a heat sink, while the board gives some support to the blade while you are grinding. they work great on thin bladed kitchen knives, and are about the only jig sort of thing ive found that I like.

https://youtu.be/94vdiyYVNoE