Thread: BOKER DAMASCUS STRAIGHT RAZOR

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Be not afraid! This art form / craftsmanship is enjoying a resurgence, not a death.
There are a number of guys now making razors with even better steels and scales. Yes, that Damascus is nice but the stuff from Mike Blue is even better. Mike makes his own Damascus. Joe Chandler grinds that Damascus and also wootz/bulat not to mention the ATS 34 and CM 54 steels. All of which are better than production steels.

The full hollow grinds do not require the dual wheel grinder that you see in the videos. I believe that Papabull and Joe Chandler are both capable of doing that and Mastro Livi does it very well.

There will be many more makers of very high quality handmade razors in the next few years. The choices will be much greater than they are now.

Dont understand me wrong, but I´m pretty shure that all the makers you named will do fantastic razors. Perhaps the material they use are much more better. But not Maestro Livi, not Bill Ellis and all the others can do a "really" Hollow ground with only a belt sander. A blade like a a Dovo "Prima Klang" or others very tin grinded blades need a "Schleifhexe" or a similar machine. This profile is not makeable with a belt grinder:



For a good razor it is not absolutelly necessary to be grounded so thin (old Sheffield razors, 1/4 or 1/2 hollow ground), but I think it is an very high crafmanship or even an art to be able to do this. And I hope we will see blades like this not only from the past times.

Actually, you can grind blades like this on a belt grinder.
Once you have the primary hollow, you switch to a contact wheel with a smaller radius, and make it more hollow.

It is not as easy perhaps, and it will take more time and more care, but it should be perfectly possible.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Actually, you can grind blades like this on a belt grinder.
Once you have the primary hollow, you switch to a contact wheel with a smaller radius, and make it more hollow.

It is not as easy perhaps, and it will take more time and more care, but it should be perfectly possible.

In theory I agree but in practice I believe you will find that the metal will not behave like expected on a belt sander, especially of you are grinding one side at a time. Metal gets weird behaviors the thinner it gets. Metallurgy becomes a heavy player so balance is key.

Originally Posted by Bruno

It is not as easy perhaps, and it will take more time and more care, but it should be perfectly possible.

Maybe I´m wrong, but I dont know none custom straight razor that has such a tin ground. If there is one out please show me a photo.
How is it with the nail test. Any custom blade, that pass it? I think no, but perhaps...

Aye.

So you'd have to go slow, and alternate the sides a lot in order to wear down boths sides with the same amount. It won't be a trivial task. I just wanted to indicate that it is possible.

Originally Posted by Buddel

How is it with the nail test. Any custom blade, that pass it? I think no, but perhaps...

The standard TNT that is discussed here? I doubt any of the custom blades from the well thought of makers here WOULD NOT pass it.
I have a feeling that you are nto referring to the same test, though...could you explain what it is that you mean?

I mean this test:

The edge must be so thin, that it easily with only a little presure follow the form of the nail of the thumb. I f the blade is very well grounded there is at the whole blade no difference.

See also in this video at 10:43 min.

Böker Solingen - Taschenmesser, Fahrtenmesser und Küchenmesser made in Solingen :: Rasiermesser

The video link is the orange number 1 over the straigth razor pic (only at the german böker site).

Perhaps someone who has a Maestro Livi will chime in on just how hollow ground his are?

Buddel.... I appreciate your comments. Frankly, I am trying to build one of those machines ( similar in function) but it has a long way to go! It would be much easier to grind a very thin blade with one of those dual wheel griinders and it may be the only device that can make it economical.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Perhaps someone who has a Maestro Livi will chime in on just how hollow ground his are?

They're thin, but they aren't that thin - there's no flex in them at all. I haven't seen anybody outside of TI, Dovo, and Wacker that can do that flexible level of grind.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Buddel.... I appreciate your comments. Frankly, I am trying to build one of those machines ( similar in function) but it has a long way to go! It would be much easier to grind a very thin blade with one of those dual wheel griinders and it may be the only device that can make it economical.

Hope you will manage to build such a machine. I think in fact, that it is not very difficult, but it is completely a different thing, from the things that I can do. I dont have any skills in the construction of machines. And if you will need the help of a proffesional engineering fitter-machinist it will be an expensiv tool