Thread: Saving a Stub Tail

I picked this stubtail up off of the bay maybe 10 to 15 years ago. Had the chip in the blade and some of the scale broken off. When I learned to hone I asked a more experienced member about breadknifing the chip out and he suggested that there wouldn't be "enough left" to make a good shaver. So it became a wall hanger.

Almost 6 years down the road I took the razor and with one piece of electrical tape began doing circles on a DMT D8C 325. I went in increments of one hundred circles per side with the spine, protected by the tape, on the plate. Took 1,000 circles with very light pressure to get it to the point where I had enough of the chip gone to begin on the chosera 1k.

You can see on the paper towel where I kept track of all the steps in the procedure. I did a bunch of circles and X strokes on the chosera and at the point where I felt the bevel was adaquate I went to a La Veinette coticule. I figured the old razor should be finalized on a rock that was at least older than it.

So 200 X strokes and stropping later I got an absolutely great shave out of the old thing. In the past I've breadknifed a couple and never will again. It is pay me now or with breadknifing pay me later. I'd rather take the time and get it out flat than spend the time after breadknifing. YMMV.