How would you fix this sort of crack?

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10-20-2009, 09:34 AM
Jantjeuh

How would you fix this sort of crack?

Hey,

Am ill at home and got myself a cheap razor to restore from the bay. Unfortunately the description was incorrect and there is a crack in the blade.. I'm left with two days of nothing but watching TV, so I'd prefer bringing this one back to life. It supposed to belong to the seller's (early 40 years old) grandfather, and the man certainly took care of it because it has almost no serious rust.

The plan was to take a couple of hours to handsand this baby back to life, but now I find myself needing to take out the crack as well.

Does anyone know an efficient and effective way of taking out that much steel? Last time I had to do this, it was a frown and I honed it out breadknifing on sandpaper. I don't have any expensive tools besides my coticule and BBW but I obviously do not breadknife on them.

I could also ignore the crack... but I'm not sure if that's the smart thing to do. Then again, is it smart to take out THAT much steel?

While I'm off to the pharmacy to get my prescription and the hardware store to get sanding paper, please give me some feedback so I can get started on this asap :-)

Oh the marks of the tape on the spine are mine.

Also, as it is not mentioned in the wiki, is there a way to hand polish the blade at the very end, without using a wheel (I have no powertools at the moment, maybe next christmas...).

Edit:

The pictures (wait 5 minutes so they're uploaded entirely):

http://users.pandora.be/janv/DSC01248.JPG

http://users.pandora.be/janv/DSC01242.JPG

http://users.pandora.be/janv/DSC01243.JPG

http://users.pandora.be/janv/DSC01251.JPG
10-20-2009, 10:43 AM
Jantjeuh

Sorry for the huge size pics, but otherwise you can't really tell!

The first picture shows the crack quite clearly by the way, it's at the top right
10-20-2009, 11:36 AM
0livia

Oh I've trashed one like that.
Gongs are very thin and easy to crack.

if your hart is attached to this razor, I'd carefully hone it,
use it and just wait for the chip to break out completely.
Since its ongoing vertically towards the spine,
there is little hope that there is any fix, ecxept amputation.
10-20-2009, 11:51 AM
mainaman

If you want to remove the crack as stated by Olivia, you need to regrind the razor.
I am dealing with similar situation and will go for it just for the eperience of it.
10-20-2009, 11:52 AM
ronnie brown

i got one like that and i had to eat it . it was a fine 40.00 dollar meal. or you can contac the seller and see adout geting your money back.
10-20-2009, 12:19 PM
ChayesFSS

This ya hoo's been trying to sucker some poor sap into selling his gong for $350 buy it now, you might be able to still ekk out $150 for yours!
1920s STRAIGHT SHAVING RAZOR GONG SOLINGEN - eBay (item 250375355043 end time Nov-14-09 03:33:38 PST)
10-20-2009, 12:20 PM
Jantjeuh

Quote:

Originally Posted by mainaman

If you want to remove the crack as stated by Olivia, you need to regrind the razor.
I am dealing with similar situation and will go for it just for the eperience of it.

So I can't just hone the whole thing out? I'm treating it like a nick for the moment. A hot coffee and many hours breadknifing, wouldn't that take it out entirely? It's also just for the experience, but obviously I'd like to turn it into a shaver once again. I mean the blade is plenty wide compared to my other razors, this once could easily lose 0.5mm and still look decent..
10-20-2009, 01:37 PM
mainaman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jantjeuh

So I can't just hone the whole thing out? I'm treating it like a nick for the moment. A hot coffee and many hours breadknifing, wouldn't that take it out entirely? It's also just for the experience, but obviously I'd like to turn it into a shaver once again. I mean the blade is plenty wide compared to my other razors, this once could easily lose 0.5mm and still look decent..

You mean like hone until the crack is gone?
That will take forever and your razor will turn to 3/8 from 5/8(assuming yours is 5/8)
You can just trash it or cut it, I have no other ideas, may be some of the experienced restorers will give better advice.
10-20-2009, 01:43 PM
Slartibartfast

Get your money back from seller or shorten the razor and make new scales.

I would go with option one.
10-20-2009, 02:15 PM
AlanII

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Get your money back from seller or shorten the razor and make new scales.

I would go with option one.

+1 with this post.
10-20-2009, 02:39 PM
gssixgun

Get your money back !!!!!

The razor will never shave the way it was designed, even if you were to take the much metal off you would now be shaving in the belly of the blade not in the edge....
10-20-2009, 03:41 PM
Jantjeuh

I'm really not going to go through any trouble just to get my 5 bucks back :)

Anyhow, the split is ... GONE. Yeah baby, after two hours it is no more. The razor still looking alright for my taste. The graphic is obviously almost entirely gone, which is fine by me and exactly what I was expecting. I'm trying to get it to cut hair now, I'll keep you up to date and hopefuly post a shave report on this one later tomorrow!

Sandpaper rocks :)
10-20-2009, 04:18 PM
Jantjeuh

Quote:

Originally Posted by gssixgun

The razor will never shave the way it was designed, even if you were to take the much metal off you would now be shaving in the belly of the blade not in the edge....

That.. I didn't think of.. hmm.

It seems there's still some room left before the big wedge starts so I think it will be ok. It did have an unusually large 'thin part' which is probably why this brand likes to brake blades a lot... I'd say half of the thin part is gone, I kinda compare it to when I honed/ground out a frown from a razor, and that one is my best shaver.

But damn, that I didn't think of that before starting.. oh well, lesson learned, time well spent.
10-20-2009, 04:31 PM
mainaman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jantjeuh

I'm really not going to go through any trouble just to get my 5 bucks back :)

Anyhow, the split is ... GONE. Yeah baby, after two hours it is no more. The razor still looking alright for my taste. The graphic is obviously almost entirely gone, which is fine by me and exactly what I was expecting. I'm trying to get it to cut hair now, I'll keep you up to date and hopefuly post a shave report on this one later tomorrow!

Sandpaper rocks :)

I'd like to see pics
10-20-2009, 04:35 PM
avatar1999

+1 I would get my money back since the description was off. I don't like the look of that crack.
10-20-2009, 06:23 PM
Jantjeuh

3 Attachment(s)

Here are pics of where I am so far, I'm trying to get it to shave now, but will be for tomorrow! I'm confident I'll get it to shave, the question is HOW it will shave and keep the edge I guess :-) Quite difficult to take pictures here now, it's night and we don't have the best lighting here for taking pictures it seems...

What do you think, is it ruined and will no longer shave? I've seen worse 'used' razors with far less metal left to shave with, and some dude used to shave with that in the past as well I suppose :)

Hope this helps DOC!!!!!
10-20-2009, 08:00 PM
mainaman

I don't see a reason for this razor to not be able to take an edge.
10-20-2009, 08:40 PM
gssixgun

The pics are so huge that there is no perspective...

I have seen razors worn to the nub, that tells me these things shave until the edge is in the spine...

BUT like I said above the feel of the razor is changed, you have reduced the flex considerably, so now, say this was a 5/8 to start, and you took it to 4/8 you effectively changed it from a full hollow, to a 3/4 hollow, this is what I meant... as more edge is removed you will close in on 1/2 hollow 1/4 etc essentially this is what you are doing it doesn't mean it cant shave, but it will feel different...In your case this is really true, since it now can shave, and before it couldn't so I guess it WILL feel different :)
10-20-2009, 09:54 PM
mainaman

Glen I think he just cut off the tip up to the crack, the razor is just shorter. That probably will still change the feel but nit as much as making the razor narrower imo.
10-20-2009, 10:20 PM
gssixgun

Yep yer right Stefan I am lost on this one...:confused:
10-21-2009, 06:45 AM
Jantjeuh

Does not shave yet though, 'im mentally preparing now to start honing again :D

What I did was the same as with my other razors that had a smile or frown, and I'd have to say I took away a little more steel now than before, but I'm not so sure. I'd post what I did in detail, but I want to verify first if it's worth sharing and if I can get this thing to shave now :)

I did not cut of the tip though, I thought about it, but the whole edge was seriously attacked by rust, so I had to take that all off. After I had removed that, I noticed I also took out most of the crack, so I took of the extra mm and the entire thing was gone. It did take an hour or two if I'm not mistaking. I also straightened out the scales as good as I could without taking off the pins.

IF I get it to shave, I'll post a good amount of pics to celebrate the save :beer2:
10-21-2009, 11:06 AM
Jantjeuh

Exactly 50% of the blade is now shaving, hmm, the top part is giving me a headache for the moment..
10-21-2009, 01:22 PM
Bart

mmmm, Cuvée L'hemitage.:)

Looks, like your doing well, Jan.

If it doesn't work out, you're welcome to send it to me. I have more and better tools to fix that.
Or even better, drop by with the razor and we'll deal with it together.

But it looks like you're managing quite well.
What's with the scales? They look really bended.

Bart.
10-21-2009, 02:51 PM
Jantjeuh

Hi Bart, thanks for the PM also. I redid the whole thing untill it started cutting hair everywhere. It seems Half a cm of the blade is still not cutting like the rest of it, but the rest is heavenly. I'll fix that half a cm (by doing things all over again) when the blade becomes dull and requires rehoning, because I'm just fine with how it is now.

Well of course, i had to shave with it, and it's great! I highly recommend these Gong razors if they are all such nice shavers. The blade says 'Extra German', but figuring I shaved of that much I take that mine is only 'German' so I wonder what an extra German would have been like :) It shaved like a dream, which I was not expecting.

Some more pics, I took them in the most horrible and honest lighting available, the bathroom light :O

http://users.pandora.be/janv/fixed.jpg
:medvl:
10-21-2009, 07:54 PM
Del1r1um

the thing that worried me from the pics you posted is the pitting in the blade.. It looks to me like you may have a hard time getting an edge that doesn't look like swiss cheese (you could get lucky, but it doesn't look great to me). Lots of those pits are down into the edge and it looks like if you honed them out others would show up.

I'd be really sure to check for microchipping and edge deterioration before putting it to my face... shaving arm hair is a totally different ball-game from being ready for your face.
10-21-2009, 08:03 PM
Jantjeuh

The edge is very clean, and the crack has been breadknifed out, shaves just fine. The pitting, it's quite exaggerated on the pictures, but yes, I'd like to get that out, but am using them as an excuse to get a Dremel for Christmas... :) No pitting showing up on the edge though, very smooth. But the thing attracts rust like no tomorrow, I had to dry it all the time between honing or it would make spots right there on the spot! :rant:
10-22-2009, 01:50 AM
GeauxLSU

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Get your money back from seller or shorten the razor and make new scales.

I would go with option one.

I agree. I had to do the same with a Wade & Butcher. I hated to do it, but a cracked blade is useless.

Edit: Never mind. Since you've altered it, it belongs to you now. Until you polish the blade to a mirror finish, it will continue to rust. That could also indicate the steel isn't as hard as it should be, but I kinda doubt that.

That's what I get for not reading all posts... :banghead: