Thread: Coil Spring Razor

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Those jimps look really precise. Did you do that by hand?

Well yes it was by hand, but with a checkering file. I'm not sure if that is what you mean or not. My checkering file is 00, so that is about three file widths per side.

The forging went well with the kids today. One of our tasks was to harden the razor. The kids were very attentive about thermal cycling and hardening. After polishing I remeasured the spine and as you can see, it is thinner yet. So I would not have had enough steel if I had started with a piece that was only a little over 1/4" thick to begin with. Also, hardening in a coal forge requires more polishing than if you were using an electric or even gas furnace.



Although I use that "coal forge finish" to my advantage sometimes as I did with my personal razor. In this case I simply wire brushed everything but the bevel (which I reground). This has two advantages.

1. It looks cool.
2. It leaves more material to the finished product.

Here it is almost complete. I still need to finish honing it. When it is done, I will get some better pictures of it.

I meant to post this the other day. One of the kids who came over for a lesson. They hope to come back tomorrow so they can finish their knives.

I can now say that it is done. The wedge is made from clear G10 while the scales are orange G10. Next week it is off to Glenn for some constructive criticism.

Is it still 9/8ths or there about? It is wide enough to look short. I have been finding lately that 7/8 or a little more is what I like. Anything more than 10/-12/8 seems excessive. Not that I have used on that wide but that seems like it would be so.

Last time I measured it, it was right about 8/8ths. I'll double check it though and get back to you. I'm finding that I like them to be a bit on the shorter side. Too long and it is just more of a chance to cut myself.