Thread: Does anybody know how to notch the spine of a razor?

I would venture a guess that most all spinework is done pre-temper,do not think you would have much success on an already hardend blade.

Interested in seeing the outcome. Please keep us informed(:-).

I hate to rain on your parade, but it sounds like you are wanting to really do some work on your razor. Most all of the razor spinework I am aware of, including the razors I have made, have all been done before heat treatment aka hardening of the steel. Your razor's spine at this time is as hard or possibly harder than many carbon steel files. What I am getting at is that you will be able to use a cutting tool like a rotary cutter (dremel/dental tool, etc.) and a small cutting wheel to cut notches and lines, but that's about it. Diamond files will do some cutting, but you will wear out most triangle type files rather quickly. You can also do some types of etching...but that is beyond my current knowledge base. I don't mean to discourage you in any way, but would hate to see you spend $117 on http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=6...D-NEEDLE-FILES and have higher expectations. Simply put: if you want to experiment, go for it. If you want a nice worked back razor, make one or buy one.

Unless it is done before HT, your best bet is indeed a dremel, with drum wheels and cutting wheels.
That, and a steady hand. Scooping out hardened steel with files is going to take ages.
Look at the time needed to set a bevel using a fast cutting synthetic stone. Only a minimal amount of steel needs removing, yet it takes quite a while already.
Removing big chunks of steel purely with manual labor will be much worse.

I'd go the dremel route, and then finish with sandpaper.
And use some disposable junkers to try out first.

Most file work is done pre-heat treat but there have been a couple of SRP guys who have done it post heat treat. As has been posted it would be done with a Dremel type tool. A friend of mine, Doc Molenaar, has done a lot of file work on his knives post heat treat. The tool that worked the best was a double cut carbide burr. Please note that it is a "double cut". A single cut is simply uncontrollable. Here is a link to a set.
Amazon.com: 8 - Pc. Double - cut Carbide Burr Set: Home Improvement

I am not endorsing this set, just showing you the "double cut" pattern on the tool.

To perform the "Vine and Thorn" pattern you need to have a blade that has not been hardened.

Here is a Vine & Thorn pattern I did a few years ago..........

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