Thread: removing chips

So I have this pretty rusted and pitted 8/8 WB and the blade is chipped in two places. They are relatively small compared to the entire blade, but I'm afraid if I just try to hone them out the blade will look wrong. Any suggestions?

Blade will be fine and if you want it to be useable it has to be done so the question is moot. I would hone out the chips most, but not all, of the way and then clean up the blade as much as you intend to do. Then hone it up the rest of the way.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Blade will be fine and if you want it to be useable it has to be done so the question is moot. I would hone out the chips most, but not all, of the way and then clean up the blade as much as you intend to do. Then hone it up the rest of the way.

+ 1 to what Ron said, Check out this PDF from the SRP library and pay attention to the info about a smile versus a frown, and how to get the one, and not the other. http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...t_-_Honing.pdf

Also, Lynn and Glen each have videos that can be helpful. You will lose some width on that blade. Whether you want to focus the removal at the last third, which will be kind of obvious when it is finished, or encompass the blade from heel to point, where it won't be obvious, is up to you. One way or the other, smiling razors are a good thing.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Blade will be fine and if you want it to be useable it has to be done so the question is moot. I would hone out the chips most, but not all, of the way and then clean up the blade as much as you intend to do. Then hone it up the rest of the way.

Do this^^^ and the best way to remove small chips if possible is to raise the spine off the hone at 40-45 degrees and do half x-strokes, this is better than breadknifing when ever possible

Jimmy thanks for sharing that link. Saved to iPad.

To me, the razor will look better if the edge follows the smile in the spine more closely anyway.

Yea I guess I'll just try to give it a smile versus honing the entire length of the blade down to that point. I've tried buffing with my dremel and emery compound, but that black stuff is stubborn. The spots that have pitting are deep, so I'll just clean it out as best as possible and leave it. I've got a few other projects in front of this one so it's going to be on the back burner for a while. It should still be close to 15/16 once the chips are honed out. Thanks for the tips and the link, it looks very helpful.

Make a cardboard tracing of the spine and cut it out. Trace the Spine curve onto the blade with a sharpie so you remove the minimal amount of steel.

With the blade resting on the bench edge up shape the edge to the sharpie ink with a diamond file or plate. Just get it close and the chips almost removed, finish on the stones.

Looks like you would just have to take a bit off the toe, the heel already has a sweep to it.

The steel is thin at the edge and will go quickly. Even if you decide not to make it smile, you will see what it would look like.

Nice looking blade the pitting looks deep, you may be better to leave it.