working through my first razor...

This is basically a continuation of a thread I started in the beginner section showing a razor I made on a whim in my shop (http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ght-razor.html). I normally make big camp knives and hunters so this was something new and it's turning out to be a lot of fun.

I will post pics tomorrow... but for now... I need somebody to point me to some good build-alongs. I've been reading the stickies and doing some searching, but I haven't found the answers...

I have a KMG with an 8" contact wheel... What would be an optimal diameter contact wheel for hollow grinding razors? Also.. other than a thinner edge, is there any benefit to hollow grinding vs. flat grinding?

I usually forge my blades to shape, but it seems like a lot of extra work to forge a razor other than flattening thick stock and shaping tangs, etc. So what is a good stock size... thickness and width? I used a 1/2" x 3/16" piece of Aldo 1084 as my starting material... but it seems starting with something wide may be beneficial???

This vid shows how they hollow grind Dovo razors. Perhaps you can get an idea from this?? Also many here like a full wedge, so hollow grinding is not really necessary.

YouTube - Dovo wmv

I tend to use an 8" or 6" wheels on 7/8 and 8/8 widths, and 6" and 4" wheels on 6/8 widths.

The differnce between a wdge and a hollow, is more of a nuance thing to me.

wedge = heavier, silent when shaving, sometimes more of pain to hone. not a lot of feedback when shaving

more hollow = lighter, more feedback when shaving, tings when it cuts hairs, sometimes easier to hone, harder to grind

Neither is really better they are just different.

3/16 or 1/4 in stock is a good starting point, so long as the angle comes out to somewhere around 16 degress plus or minus 2 or 3.

Charlie

as promised... here are pictures. Remember this is just a test blade to see if I could get something to shave. I will put more art in the next one. And that antler is just a temporary handle....

But the main point of these pictures is to show how much the hollow grind flattened out in order for me to hone down to the shaving edge on my coarse stone. It seems more efficient to just use the grinder until you have at least a 'sharp' edge... but I have the problem of slightly uneven grinding eroding away the middle of the razor causing a curve in the edge. I thought finishing the edge on the would solve it... but since my grind wasn't completely even, it started happening again. I've never had to worry about this before!

Anyway... like I said... This thing ain't pretty, but it does shave face hair pretty well. But I'm still waiting for my Norton 4000/8000 to see what it can really do. Right now it's at 1000 on a water stone and stropped with leather and high density wool felt.

btw... what is a good way to store fixed blade razors? I don't like the idea of storing it a leather sheath.... kydex I guess???

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/DSC01831.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/DSC01835.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/DSC01836.jpg

I really like the looks of your razor, the styling is great.

I grind up to an edge but I run the belt very slowly. then I establish the flats on the edge and spine. Then I go back to wheel grinding to make the flat areas smaller. I kind of go back and forth between coarse hones/sand paper and wheel grinding till I get the hollows and edge looking the way I want them.

If you figure out a good way to store the razors, or make a kydex holder I would like to see it. I have used wooden stands and fitted boxes to store non folding razors.

I am waiting to see you nest razor.

Charlie

Thank you Charlie... That gives me a plan of action for the next one. Do you do most of that befor quenching?

Yes.... A stand. I suppose that is the traditional way

I leave the edge about .030 to .060 sometimes more before heat treat and, final grinding. I have a very blunt thick edge before quenching.

Charlie