Thread: Damascus Steel

I got this razor in a batch of lot of 3 razors I won for around $15.00. I rehandled it with the ebony Dovo handle. It's the sweetest shaver I own including Henckels, Bartmann, Dubl Duck Satinedge and some very nice Robeson Hammered Tang razors. It shaves amazingly comfortably and closely. I've never seen another like it or seen this brand before. The grain lines carry through the tang and monkey tail.

Kavall


macro look at the blade

About the ceramics. I own two Boker ceramic knives. They were sharp as hell when I got them and held the edge for a long time. But they're extremely brittle and if you can restore a hair cutting edge on them with a diamond pasted strop, you know something I don't. I've been able to "touch them up" a bit but after an embarassing amount of time spent over the course of several weeks, I was unable to bring back an edge that satisfied me.

They're both sitting in a box somewhere wiating for me to get off my butt and send them back to Boker for resharpeing. I sure wish I knew how they did it. I suspect it requires saphire or diamond paste in very, very fine grit on a large hish-speed paper wheel or something similar.

To sharpen ceramic blades, we use a special grinder.
It holds the blade in position and uses a high speed diamond wheel to regrind the edge. It probably could be adapted to hold a straight razor.

A number of years ago, Kyocera R&D, made some ceramic blades for a modern type razor. They did not go over so well with the technicians as the blade did not flex and consequently left pock marks on the techs faces.
I know that modern "Mach type" blades are thin steel that flex quite a bit, but I'm wondering if a proper straight razor has any flexibility in it.

I work for Honeywell Ceramic Components, Kyocera's main competitor in the ceramics area. If any of ya'll have ceramic knives that need to be sharpened let me know.

Steve da Newb...

Diamond wheel? I am all ears. Do you make them in-house or purchase them? If you purchase them can you find out the vendor info?

Thanks,

I have two that need resharpened! Any help would be appreciated. The damned things are impossible to sharpen by hand, as far as I can tell, even with diamond hones. Thanks! wurdmeister@gmail.com

Hey Randy,

We buy the wheels, from a number of different vendors.
I'll find out more tomorrow and let you know.
I'll also try and get some photos of the knife sharpening process, to see if it can be adapted to razor use.

Steve

Thanks Steve! Much appreciated.