Aha, I hadn't thought of that (damascus requiring taping anyhow).
Yeah, it's gonna be hard for you.....you're a real trooper for suffering through anyhow! A true inspiration I'd say!:rofl2:
Printable View
Well i can only speak for the spine width.
As said before... back in the days when straight razors was the norm, an 8/8 (25mm) razor would have a spine width of about 1/4 inch (7.1mm).
I would suggest you make the spine slightly more than 1/4 inch and reduce when grinding.
The carbon content merely helps judge potential hardness. The old way of making damascus (pattern welded steels, not wootz) was to mix mild steel or wrought iron and a high carbon steel. Then you end up with a medium steel that may not perform successfully as you'd like. Ten years of experience says a lot and his patterns do look good.
The coloring of steels can be done with either tempering or with chemicals. The chemical baths are in the 290 degree F range and will not create any problems with the blade hardness. Some folks will temper hardened blades severely to get the nice colors, but that has the risk of also reducing the desired end-hardness. It really depends on how well controlled the process is, and the type of steels, some have higher tempering ranges than others.
The coloration is merely an oxide on the surface of the steel. With use, this very thin layer will wear away to some degree. It is rust protective in a small fashion. Any area of the blade that is abraded, as in honing, will be subject to rusting again.
For all practical intents and purposes, this is a myth. Honing will remove any of the etching, hence visible, differences in the materials used in a patterned blade. At that point, the honed edge will be no different than a simple monosteel honed in the same fashion. If both materials harden, then the whole edge is subject to the microfractures and wear typical of a monosteel blade.Quote:
Oh! just remembered another Q - I read something somewhere about the different steels in the damascus creating a micro serrated edge, how severe is this to shaving? And is this just a reality with damascus blades? Also how can this be overcome if at all?
The micro serrated edge implies that one of the two materials in layers is softer than the other and will wear away to some degree leaving the harder material standing proud. I know only a few makers, with sufficient knowledge of heat treatment, to make a blade steel and heat treat it in such manner. It would require exquisite temperature controls and knowledge of the parent materials that is uncommon. You'd likely have a hard layer against a less hard layer rather than hard against soft.
The only other combination of materials with this potential would be a high carbon steel laminated against pure nickel. Then manipulated to create a high layer count and twisted so the former edge of billet wrapped around the outside of the bar. The nickel will not harden, but then won't necessarily wear away quicker either, it sort of smears. The pattern to do this would have to be very fine, almost to the point where it wouldn't be very attractive.
You could use a coarse abrasive at the edge, then you'd have microscopic grooves at the edge which would create a serration like effect. The subsequent damage to your skin would probably put you off shaving that way for quite a while.
A couple more two penny thoughts anyway.
If he can get the blade to harden to 60 and 65 then it has plenty of carbon. Don't worry about what he is using unless you have a special request for certain steel combinations. From the pictures you posted the guy is doing just fine. He knows his patterns and steel combinations he is going to use better than any of us here. I'm not sure why he wants to differentially temper the blade. It may be due to his heat treating technique. It doesnt really matter on a straight razor in my opion. It may leave a what some people call a temper line in the damascus, if he is using the edge quench technique like ed fowler. I don't care for it but some people like it. I have heard of people using Rennaisance wax. I'm sure there are different kinds of wax out there that different people use. Hey maybe even good ol car wax would work.
Yeah, Rennaisance Wax is what he said - told me I'd have to heat the blade and let this wax seep into the razor about once a month, but that if I didn't want to do that it would still be fine - just have to oil and take care of it like any other high carbon monosteel blade.
Guys, your assistance here is truly appreciated, and I certainly feel very confident that he'll produce some lovely razors. Can't wait to get them done now...
From what I recall, you are a graphic designer/artist or something, correct?
I can't wait to see what the blades look like that you designed!
Hey Seraphim, yeah I'm a graphic designer, but now you got me all worried about if the design is good enough :( But actually I'm pretty pleased with the relative "uniqueness" of my design(geez it's tough trying to make a razor 'different'), I like the classics but wanted to give it a little something eccentric, but I'll show you guys the final set in a nice razor photo-shoot once I get them... I'm also gonna ask the maker if he could take some in-process shots of him making the razors (I always find that interesting to document, and I'm sure you guys wouldn't mind seeing some workshop photography...)