Thread: Razor issue -

Hello everyone,

I have a razor with an issue, and wondered if anyone has seen this before, whether it is common, whether it is a big problem.

As I was honing this razor, I noticed what I assumed were scratches on the blade (not the bevel). I didn't pay too much attention. As I honed, and examined the bevel, I was surprised to see some of the scratches continue on to the bevel (1). In one place, this 'scratch' goes right to the edge, and ends in a very small chip (2). On further examination, the entire blade is covered in a regular pattern of these 'scratches' (3). At first I assumed they were marks left from grinding; under magnification, it seems that they are in fact within the steel, and one or two of these marks on the blade are black, implying a fissure in the metal. It seem that they are not scratches, but something in the construction where the structure of the steel contains these fault lines.



Has anyone seen this before? Apart from the issue of the one fissure going to the edge and creating a chip, is this fatal?

The razor is vintage, Solingen, bakelite scales, I would guess not too old, maybe 50s, otherwise in NOS condition.

Thanks!

Pics would help greatly. It may be a series of cold shots.

I will see if there is a way to take pictures. These things are tiny, I use a jewellers loupe for magnification, so I'll see if I can take a picture which is useful.

Sounds like hairline cracks caused by poor quenching in the tempering process.

Here are a few pictures, let's see if they help.

The first two show one of the marks on the razor, which at first look like scratches but seem to be some sort of flaw which runs through the metal. This is the most visible one, but actually there are many similiar marks on the razor.




This third picture shows where one of these flaws runs through the bevel. Though you can't see it in the picture, the line running up to the bevel is visible in the bevel too, and terminates in the small chip at the edge.

Looks like what you get when you push too hard and the blade flexes and the hone hits the side of the blade rather than the bevel.

Cheers, Steve

Thanks Steve.

What the pictures don't show is that there are hundreds of these marks, and they are very regular, in exact rows, all the same length. some appear like indistinct markings in the metal, some appear like folds in the surface of the metal, and a few appear as black lines.

I could wonder if it was sanded with some really rough stuff and down over the bevel.
Not enough work on finer grits to get it gone.
Seems like grinding striations on the upper half and sideways sanding on the lower.

If it is just a surface issue, I don't particularly care. At first I thought it was scratches on the surface, but I don't think so, hence the post. The worst ones look like small cracks in the surface of the razor, 0.6-0.7mm long. Even if it is something structural, I'm still not bothered if I can get a good edge and it isn't going to lose pieces while shaving. However, where the fissure runs to the edge, there is a chip, and if it does run through the metal, trying to hone it out isn't going to work. It is a shame, because it is essentially a brand-new razor, but maybe the reason it never got used was because someone spotted this first time around.

You will have to see if you can hone back past the effected metal on the bevel and near the apex.