Thread: New to Straight Razors and blade smithing in general

Hey -
I'm just getting interested in custom blades, and straight razors. I haven't made my 1st knife yet - but have a billet of damascus (Damasteel) on order.
I was shocked when I saw the prices of handmade straight razors as compared to custom knives, in general - sure, you can spend as much as you want on a custom knife, but you can still get a decent one for much less than a hand made razor. I'm assuming that this reflects the skill level needed to make a straight razor, as opposed to general blade smithing. If that isn't the case, please let me know what it is!
I still have with commercial razors, straight razors are very intriguing though, and hopefully I can find one that fits my budget. It's definitely not a "quick shave in the shower" type of thing, that's for sure!

Hi and welcome. Can't tell you much about customs but the workshop or forge forums might hold more answers for you. Plenty of information here in the library as well. Any questions feel free to ask

Hi Pelagicide & welcome aboard. Like eddy said, it would be good for you to check out the workshop or forge sections on the forum page. I have a Ken Richardson Bowie knife with a 13" blade on it with a nice elk or something (I forgot) for a handle & it is a very nice knife for a very affordable price but I have seen other custom knives & multi blade knife go way up there. I do some repairs & restorations but there are some on here who are really good at it so you're in the right place plus if you are interested in straight razors, i would suggest going to the Library on here (look up above) & start with the Beginners Guide & go from there. Don't go buying any straight razor's until you really know what to buy because there are some junky brands out there. You need to know what to look for on good brands like spine wear, bevel wear, cracks, chips, rust & so on. Be patient, take your time & plenty of ask questions.
Great to have you here & good luck.

Hi and welcome from Amsterdam good luck witg making your own razor. pics are welcome at that time