Thread: Challenge Cutlery Straight Razor

I bought a Challenge Cutlery razor with some very big chips out of the razor. Didn't spend much, thinking I could scrap scales or something. When I got it, the metal cleaned up nicely, and on a lark I ground the blade down past the chips and honed it up. Good grief! It might be a dwarf 4/8 now, far removed from its former glory. But, it took a great, great edge! The metal of the blade took forever to hone; very hard. It reminded me of the stainless steel blade or two I've honed before.

I'm attaching a before pix, and an after pix.

I found many references in my search to Challenge Cutlery. But, not many details about the razor. I know the following about the company...

Challenge Cutlery Co. (Wiebusch & Hilger)
Bridgeport CT
Active from 1905-1928

Does anyone have a Challenge blade, and what do you think about the razor? Any other information about the razor or company will be appreciated.

Interestingly, just minutes after posting here, PapaBull commented favorably on Challenge razors...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/gener...ay-razors.html

I have a beautiful 6/8 Challenge razor. I have owned and honed a bunch of these over the years and all have been great shavers.

Lynn

Originally Posted by Lynn

I have a beautiful 6/8 Challenge razor. I have owned and honed a bunch of these over the years and all have been great shavers. Lynn

Well, my Challenge razor is beautiful, but no longer 6/8. Tonight, shaving with a Wattabaugus I traded for with another member. Tomorrow night is my Challenge night!

Thanks for the word, Lynn.

I just shaved with the formerly 6/8, and now 4/8 Challenge razor mentioned above. (I had to grind a lot of the blade away because of a big chip in the blade.)

I've shaved quite a bit lately with dwarf 4/8 razors. They are harder to shave with, and a little more sensitive to the touch. But, this Challenge "dwarf" came with the advantages of a big "handle" (scale, and part of blade you grip), and the advantages of the small dwarf blade (tight spots.)

An interesting shave...

You must have taken off several grams of steel there. What did you use?

Originally Posted by IanS

You must have taken off several grams of steel there. What did you use?

Some people try to hide how they hone blades, about like bass fisherman try to hide their favorite holes. I try to hide how I hone my blades because I'm somewhat ashamed of being so low budget. (Slowly, moving into respectability in hones, though.)

The answer to your question is that I used a two-sided whetstone from Home Depot. Just a rough old gritty $3 version.

Of course, after I removed the metal, a little less of a brunt force approach was used.

Fun... at least you didn't go down to a stream and find a big ol' flat stone.

About how long did you have to spend at it to get to the point where you could switch to more constructive honing?

Originally Posted by IanS

About how long did you have to spend at it to get to the point where you could switch to more constructive honing?

Can I admit being off my game mentally since last Friday with what probably is that darn H1N1? You asked me what I took the metal off with, and I said a Home Depot hone. That is true. But, why I didn't tell you that I took most of the metal off, before the Home Depot hone's use, with a grinder I don't know.

As I said, I had already determined the blade was a total loss. Just for the experience, I wanted to know whether a shaving blade could be salvaged. You can see I didn't care!

So, the same electric grinder (with big round abrasive wheel) that I use to cut iron pipe or angle iron served as a fairly effective and fast way to remove metal. I kept dipping the blade in water to keep it cool.

THEN, went to the Home Depot hone.

(Please don't tell anyone else on SRP that I took a grinder after a straight razor!)

I am fairly new to straights and straight shaving, but I do have 2 Challenge 4/8 razors both ebay purchases. They both took some work but yes both are great shavers. Love them. BTW I have been lurking here for a bit and this is my first time posting, but I must say you guys are awesume! I was able to pick up honing and get pretty good results from the info here fron Lynn and the rest of you great guys. SRP is truly an awesume find and I will never go back to mach 29 blades or what ever the new super invention is. lol
Lynn's DVD helped alot also!
Thanks again everyone!