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I fired up my $9.00 forge today and pounded this out.
It is very rough, I did manage to get a partial hollow ground on it with my hammer and anvil
I had a hard time keeping the steel hot, I think it was because I was being skimpy on the charcoal
because it took me 2 days to make 1 bucket.
I will fire up the ghetto forge again soon to work on the tange and refine the edge.
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Great start, cant wait to see the finished thing
I have a homemade forge in my garage as well, but I never tried making a razor with it yet. You've given me inspiration. Very cool my friend! Can't wait to see further pictures.
Looking very good, keep on going.
If you are making your own charcoal, I am sure you have a great reason, but you can buy bags of natural charcoal from lot's of different places, even home depot. Hard coal isn't hard to find or expensive either if there is a smith in your area to ask.
You really shouldn't skimp on the fuel in your forge as you want to keep your work in the center of a generous sized heat(fire). Too low towards the tuyer and you are in an oxidizing heat and too high up on top and you are in a reducing heat. Right in the middle of a nice heat will give you the best results without taking anything away from your steel.
Keep on pounding, that is looking good!
Will N.
I couldn't wait until tommorrow so I fired up the ghetto forge again tonight.
I started forming the handle or tange (haven't decided yet) and banged out some of the lumps on the blade.
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Thanks for the words of encouragement. I don't have access to coal anywhere and I didn't know HD carried real charcoal. I am defanitely heading over the DepotQuote:
Originally Posted by WillN
to save myself some time, thanks for the tips!
They also sell real hardwood charcoal at Sam's club, Menards and several hardware stores in our area. Check around, its sold along side the BBQ charcoal briquets.
9.00 forge? how?? and all that with a hammer, NICE
$.99 for kitty litter, $4.99 for pottery plaster....oops it wasn't a $9.00 forge but a $5.98 forge.
I also have an anvil to go with the hammer. I learned quick to wear long sleeves too. I got a couple dot burns on my left arm the first go.
I got a stainless steel eye wash basin from the recycling center along with a piece of pipe for the blower (which is an old wet vac).
I mounted the whole thing on an old tablesaw stand.
I will take picks of it tommorrow. (I was calling it the ghetto forge but my wife renamed it the Hillbilly forge because I used the word "cantiwhompass")
Mastershake - If you get close to Atlanta, let me know and I will see if I can spare you a bucket of coal. It will last much longer than charcoal.
Will N.
Thank you! I have no plans to go there but it I visit my in-laws soon I will be in Buford which I know is close.
I went to the BX and Walmart and neither carried the real charcoal. I still have a few more places to check.
Coal and charcoal should be available in most DIY and garden centers.
Charcoal depends a bit on the time of year (BBQ season) but coal is available the year round in most places I can think of.
Well I only use Atlanta as a general location. I am in Lilburn which is not far from Buford (between Snellville and Lawrenceville). You will also pass a number of places that sell natural charcoal as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mastershake
Will N.
Thanks WillN.
If you have any coal fired power plants, you should buddy up with a railroader. We haul 19,000 tons of the stuff in each train, a bucket or two would never be an issue if someone wanted a lil bit...
This is really awesome. Seems like something I'd try and do. lol
I've found natural charcoal at Publix before. Publix brand, in fact.
Shake, that is awesome!!! I love the process of it all and it seems like you are well on your way to making custom blades :) take care fow now!
I saw natural charcoal at Target the other day - Around $8 a bag, I think.
Well it's been a while and here's the latest on the razor. I just designed and made the scales yesterday but still have a little work to still do on the blade.
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Looks fantastic,love the scales.
Given the extremely shallow honing angle, how do you plan to hone it. Will you use a shim?
That is one wild looking razor. I dig it.
I haven't gotten to hone it yet, I need to go a little more work on the blade and then heat treat it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
If the honing angle is much lower than 15 degrees, you might want to make a brass shim that can slide over the spine. That way you get a better angle. It's what I did for 2 of my razors because the stock was too thin. (it was knife stock).
A honing angle from 15 to 17 is what you should normally design for.
Awesome advise, thank you Bruno!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
What you could do is make the shim permanent, and then you would have a Frameback. Here is the utility to calculate bevel angles. Whoops - mine is the Mac version, and it won't attach. Try searching the forum for "bevel calculator". It works great, and couldn't be simpler to use.
I was thinking the same. Ratio of 6:1, blade size to spine width I think gives you a good angle for a shaveable edge.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
I am working on a removable (if you want it could also stay on) brass frameback for the blade. I ran it a couple times on the stones with it and without it and you guys were right, it would be impossible to hone it without the frameback, thanks for the tip guys!
It looks great... but, next time could you make a smiling blade:w
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I added a frameback to the one razor and forged another two. They are in the early stages. One is 1045 and the other is a very old file.
Very cool. I don't see any bevels - have you shaven with any blades you've forged yet?
Again, nice.
I haven't finished any of them yet. My forge was too crappy to get a good heat treatment on any of them so I am in the process of building a new forge. It will be propane fueled and should be alot easier to control the temperature on.
Hi Mastershake, did you ever have a chance to finish these razors? I was really excited to find this post as I'll still in the planning stage on building a grinder. I've hammered in the bevel for a knife, didn't consider doing it for a razor until just now. Question would be finishing it, though I have enough old files to play with.
Cool curvy lines! They may be difficult to hone and use, but they sure look cool!
