BOKER DAMASCUS STRAIGHT RAZOR

I found this razor while reading about the different types and styles. Böker - Your Knife Made In Solingen

This is such a magnificent blade in its appearance alone. It is constructed with 300 layers of carbine steel and then forged showing each layer of steel throughout the blade! I'm curious if anyone has this razor and what their thoughts of it are! I have an affinity for excellence in craftsmanship and the blade alone is a wonderful representation of such skill! I certainly do not see myself getting this until all my kids are out of the house and done with college but I'd love to hear about some experiences with it!http://www.boker.de/us/images/gross/140500dam.jpg

The steel of this razor is forging here: Balbach Schmiede
The men how grinded it, was Heribert Wacker: Damast-Rasiermesser
And Böcker found some old handles, that they made on it, and put there brand on the whole thing.

I´m sure it is a very good razor, but I´m not willing to pay this price :nono:

The new Bokers are being discussed here too http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...roduction.html

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Originally Posted by Buddel

The steel of this razor is forging here: Balbach Schmiede
The men how grinded it, was Heribert Wacker: Damast-Rasiermesser
And Böcker found some old handles, that they made on it, and put there brand on the whole thing.

I´m sure it is a very good razor, but I´m not willing to pay this price :nono:

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I've heard that Heribert Wacker is one of the only remaining custom razor smiths from the golden days of Solingen.

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Originally Posted by Buddel

And Böcker found some old handles, that they made on it, and put there brand on the whole thing.

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Yeah I think the old handles are.... well like putting a bumper sticker on a Bentley! I'd love to see it with an Afzelia. Now that would be magnificent!
http://i16.ebayimg.com/05/i/001/2f/00/bd17_1.JPG

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Originally Posted by jmueller8

Yeah I think the old handles are.... well like putting a bumper sticker on a Bentley! I'd love to see it with an Afzelia. Now that would be magnificent!

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Buy the blade and send it to me. For only a few bucks more, I will rehandle it for you. *this is my chance to hold one time this blade in my hands :w *

@JimmyHAD: My information is, that we having in germany including H. Wacker only 6 men, that still can make a really hollow ground. All of them are oldern than 60 years. I dont know, how many Thiers in france has, but you must not be a prophet, that this craftmanship will soon die off.

It is the same with the grinding machine for this, called "Schleifhexe". There are only a handfull left. The majority of this machines was destroyed and scraped in the 1960´and 1970´. Im now searching over an half year here in germany one, without any success.

here is a copy of an e-mail I received from Boker discussing Mr Wackers part in the new Bokers.

I am glad I could help and you are satisfied with the information I could provide.
As to Mr. Wacker: Yes, it is true that he is helping us a lot to get back into the manufacturing of straight razors.
It is 2 generations that Boker has not manufactured this highly senstive product. So there is no know how available within our staff. The grinding is the most critical operation as you know. Mr. Wacker is probably the best in town as far as this craftsmanship goes. So, we are happy that we can learn from him.

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Originally Posted by Buddel

Buy the blade and send it to me. For only a few bucks more, I will rehandle it for you. *this is my chance to hold one time this blade in my hands :w *

@JimmyHAD: My information is, that we having in germany including H. Wacker only 6 men, that still can make a really hollow ground. All of them are oldern than 60 years. I dont know, how many Thiers in france has, but you must not be a prophet, that this craftmanship will soon die off.

It is the same with the grinding machine for this, called "Schleifhexe". There are only a handfull left. The majority of this machines was destroyed and scraped in the 1960´and 1970´. Im now searching over an half year here in germany one, without any success.

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LOL! I've never worked with wood like this before so if I ever get my mitts on one of these I'll take you up on it! Mind you; I've got a ton of kids, all who are going to college and my youngest is 10 months.

It's heart breaking that all the master-craftsmen are being replaced by assembly line Chinese made crap!

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.

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Originally Posted by randydance062449

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.

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+1 and I have a hunch that Randydance and Philadelph will be among them. :tu Josh Earl can make a heckuva razor too !

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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.

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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:

http://www.bilderhosting.info/pics/image75313.JPG

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by Buddel

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

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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: http://www.wacker-rasiermesser.de/im...llung7_510.jpg

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!:D 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.

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Originally Posted by randydance062449

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

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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.

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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!:D 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.

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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 ;)

Ok, jmueller8 made me do it... but someone had to order one of these.

The blade came in a very nice wooden presentation box. The blade had a little protective plastic sleeve over it.

The razor itself is awesome and actually beat my expectations. It came fairly close to shave-ready even though I didn't request it. I gave it a go with just stropping before touching it up on a felt strop.

It is very hollow ground and you can hear the zing on the strop and the hairs popping off your face.

The scales, while not exactly exotic, look very nice with the blade and imho isn't a distraction to such a cool looking piece of steel.

What a blade, nice. I wonder why you did not give the razor with the horn handles a shot. Either way, it looks very nice.

Al raz.

Oh man :cry: that razor is even more beautiful than the original image I found! I had a real issue with the scales but now I see that they go "perfectly" with the razor. The focal point is the blade and the scales sort of balance it out. Your last picture is just stunning!

Thank you very much for sharing!

Now that's a good looking razor!:)

You forgot to wipe out all the oil stains. ;)

What others said, a great looker indeed.

Wow looks like they are off to a great start!!!!!:rock::rock::rock::rock:

Your razor is razor porn!!!!:w

That really is lovely. Looks way prettier then their ad on the web. If biz ever gets better it is on my list.......... or even if it doesn't get better.

I saw it for $874 on knife centers website, but still more than I can pay even for such a beauty.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Buddel

Buy the blade and send it to me. For only a few bucks more, I will rehandle it for you. *this is my chance to hold one time this blade in my hands :w *

@JimmyHAD: My information is, that we having in germany including H. Wacker only 6 men, that still can make a really hollow ground. All of them are oldern than 60 years. I dont know, how many Thiers in france has, but you must not be a prophet, that this craftmanship will soon die off.

It is the same with the grinding machine for this, called "Schleifhexe". There are only a handfull left. The majority of this machines was destroyed and scraped in the 1960´and 1970´. Im now searching over an half year here in germany one, without any success.

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Did you find the machine? How does it look like?

Nothing, and I lost my hope to get one. I´m actually investing my time to construct and build a belt grinder for my use.

In this film at minute 2:00 you can see such a machine in action: YouTube - Rasiermesser Herstellung / Straight Razor Manufacture