Thread: Scandi Grind Angle?

Is very difficult to get all symetrical by hand,from a steel blank, with files,If one were to succeed it would indeed be a great acomplishment.
many fine old clocks I work on have hand cut gears and plates,many fine old flintlock riflles were made in that fashion.
If I were to make a razor from scratch,by hand, with no machine tools or grinders,I think it would take at least a year to do so, to make it perfect in all aspects.maybe alot longer.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Is very difficult to get all symetrical by hand,from a steel blank, with files,If one were to succeed it would indeed be a great acomplishment.
many fine old clocks I work on have hand cut gears and plates,many fine old flintlock riflles were made in that fashion.
If I were to make a razor from scratch,by hand, with no machine tools or grinders,I think it would take at least a year to do so, to make it perfect in all aspects.maybe alot longer.

+1 and that if the artisan doing the job had a crackerjack skill set IMHO. A good buddy of mine apprenticed as a machinist back 40 years ago. He worked for some old guys that had him take a piece of brass and a file or two and the assignment was to make that hunk of brass a perfect square. He said it was about the hardest thing he ever did but he learned quite a bit from the doing of it.

Go For It!! Nothing ventured, nothing gained. My first knives were made without power tools and they are bigger and have more steel to move than razors. My razors were made with a Multitool attachment on a bench grinder. It is a learning experience and will help you decide if you want to continue, and if so, what machinery would best suit you and is not just trendy. i know what i need for my style and am now in the process of building custom equipment. Anyone can do the same thing.
For knives i used Magicut files, Bastard and milling files and then waterstones on the bevels and wet/dry paper on the rest. Another way to move a lot of steel quickly is to forge it. A couple of firebricks and a small torch and gas bottle and you're away. This can be a lot quicker than filing, is lots of fun, and can get the bevels started. If you secured a piece of raound bar to whatever you use for an anvil you could even forge in your hollows (think as in fullering a knife or sword blade}. Try looking up Wayne Goddard's $50 knifeshop and you can see how cheap and easy you can get a basic set up, including "the world's smallest forge". It'll work fine for a razor.
Just my 2 cents worth but you gotta follow your dream.
Enjoy.
Adam

I've made knives in the past using mostly hand tools. It's A LOT of hard work! But the work is very rewarding. Go for it and have fun.

The primary advantage of doing metal removal by hand is the control. It's much easier to make a mistake with a high speed tool. Then, after working with hand tools for a while, when you are ready, advancing to the high speed tool is simply more efficient because you've learned how to remove metal in a more controlled way.

I can't remember far enough back to recall if I discussed this option here before. But you could do most of your shaping with files and sen, then cut a wooden block with the correct radius for the hollow grind you want. Figure a way to fix sandpaper to the circumferential surface and the block to your bench, and you have the proper shape to remove everything that isn't a nicely radiused hollow. It will smooth out surface of the curve.

Conversely, a hand held block with the correct radius and the steel fixed to a vise or bench.

I've even seen this sort of "round platen jig" attached to a grinder that only had a flat platen because the owner couldn't afford a round contact wheel or the grinder would not take one. Hope the written image comes through, I don't have any pictures.

I think filing and hacksawing the tang would not be that hard. Filing the hollows would be a bear but is doable.

1. file a triangle/wedge
2. hollow out, filing lengthwise with a half round file
3. use a wooden block with the right radius as a sanding block (like MIke said)
4. get large Popeye arms from all the filing

Here is a pic of a curved platen. I ground several razor razors on that thing. It is nicer than files but not as nice as a revolving contact wheel.

Charlie

Wow! Another Charlie custom grinder. Do you still ever use this one?

Originally Posted by skipnord

Do you still ever use this one?

It is a factory made 1x42 grinder, I still use it, but not with the curved platen.

Charlie

Originally Posted by spazola

...Here is a pic of a curved platen. I ground several razor razors on that thing. It is nicer than files but not as nice as a revolving contact wheel.

Thank You, Charlie!

I'm happy to know it's only Halfzheimer's disease and hasn't gone All-The-Way yet.

After heading all of this I think I'm coming down with a little Parttimers. Doing all that you have planned by hand is a gargantuan task. it wears me out just setting a bevel. Good luck and keep us up to date on your successes.