Thread: My Guillermo Hoppe Saga

Gentlemen,

Last year I bought a Guillermo Hoppe 6/8, NOS, and have yet to put a proper edge on it. Guillermo Hoppe is a vintage German razor — I have seen it under different first names, too. My first Guillermo Hoppe took a beautiful edge. This one has been a bear.

My first attempt at honing failed miserably. The think it just would not take an edge, no matter what I did. No tape, one to four layers of tape — and still nothing. I sent it to a friend, a great honemeister, and he could not put an edge on it either. Steel problems? Grinding? Geometry? He was not sure.

After giving up on it, I tried selling it "as is" and stated all its problems, but there were no takers, even at the paltry price I offered. Since them I have honed it repeatedly, sometimes varying my sequence. I routinely use Chosera 1K, depending on need, and after that Naniwa 4, 8 and 12K, and Suehiro Kolumyo 20K. Sometimes I change to a pair of sweet Japanese natural finishers.

The edge seems to be improving — somewhat. At least it gives a shave, although not exactly stellar. I figure with a few more honing sessions I might put an acceptable edge on the blasted razor. Someday it may turn out to be as sweet as my first Guillermo Hoppe, I suppose if I remove enough bad steel (so to speak) to get to the good part. You never know. It never hurts to keep trying, especially since the blasted blade was expensive.

Gentlemen, have you ever wrestled with a bear like my Guillermo Hoppe?

My Puma No.63 5/8" Inox is pretty similar in that 2 local guys who I've used to hone can't put an edge on it. I've now decided to try one last time and send it Celticcrusader. If Jamie can't succeed, then he can use it as a windchime.

Fortunately, I have very little invested in the razor as I won it in a raffle.

Obie my friend beautiful razor I don’t remember seeing that one up for sale…thank you for sharing. Yes I have run into problem blades. It could be a temper issue or something different (Chromium, Vanadium content), in the batch of steel who knows??

I know you are not a SciFi fan but maybe something fell into the batch like in Terminator II. He,he. If the GME 200 or high end J-nats (I know one you have) can’t finish it, some SS finishes well w/ Novaculites. If you already sent it to a pro then there is nothing else I can add, I’d be happy to take a look sir. I’m curious.
MIke

Originally Posted by MODINE

Obie my friend beautiful razor I don’t remember seeing that one up for sale…thank you for sharing. Yes I have run into problem blades. It could be a temper issue or something different (Chromium, Vanadium content), in the batch of steel who knows??

I know you are not a SciFi fan but maybe something fell into the batch like in Terminator II. He,he. If the GME 200 or high end J-nats (I know one you have) can’t finish it, some SS finishes well w/ Novaculites. If you already sent it to a pro then there is nothing else I can add, I’d be happy to take a look sir. I’m curious.
MIke

Mike,
I will be in Kansas City the week of August 22. Maybe we can get together with the guys. I'll bring the Guillermo Hoppe along. I'll be visiting Lynn, too, in St. Louis, and see if he can go at it. Yes, it could very well be a temper problem with the razor. What a bear!

It is very possible that during final grinding after heat treat that the edge got overheated and lost its temper (ha!) This would soften the steel at the edge and certainly a ways back behind it, creating exactly the symptoms described (edge getting better with successive honings). If it's a valuable razor you might see about possibly having it heat treated again. With very careful work it is possible to do so without warping the blade. This would require someone with fairly extensive knowledge of the process though. You might lose a lot of steel grinding back past the softened area.

Originally Posted by eKretz

It is very possible that during final grinding after heat treat that the edge got overheated and lost its temper

How exactly would that fit in with the production process of these razors? Technically, I mean? The blade looks like a standard Herkenrath issue which can even be found on my modern production razors. If that particular razor is faulty, a few thousand others were, too, because that is the batch size.

And the maker's mark looks like nothing the Hoppe razors I have seen carry. Here are some examples.

I had a Geneva that was like yours, I tried everything. If I remember right it finally came together using WAY more pressure than I normally use.

Good luck with your honing

Originally Posted by RobinK

How exactly would that fit in with the production process of these razors? Technically, I mean? The blade looks like a standard Herkenrath issue which can even be found on my modern production razors. If that particular razor is faulty, a few thousand others were, too, because that is the batch size.

And the maker's mark looks like nothing the Hoppe razors I have seen carry. Here are some examples.

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking here, or if you aren't familiar perhaps with the workflow during the making of a razor?

Razors in a production environment are normally stamped out from steel strip with a die mounted in a punch press, then rough ground leaving a little steel to grind away after quench/temper to repair any distortion, next heated and quenched and tempered en masse (all at once). After this final grinding is done (at least in the case of high quality razors) - and at this point the razor is at final hardness. If the razor should be overheated during this final grinding, (which is done individually, not en masse) it will be retempered, or softened.

Originally Posted by rodb

I had a Geneva that was like yours, I tried everything. If I remember right it finally came together using WAY more pressure than I normally use.

Good luck with your honing

Rod,
Thank you. Yes, I had a couple Guillermo Hoppe razor a few years back and they were sweet. This one is a bear. It might still come around, tough.

Obie I would love to look at the honing progression under a microscope. Have you looked at it under a loupe or anything?