Thread: What are you working on?

Boy that spine, heel and stabilizer needed a lot of work but after shape, sand, test bevel, repeat, shape, sand, test bevel, repeat... I got this from the edge.


I know, I know. I could have taped and honed around it but I wanted it all to be straight and right. Call it OCD.

Not too wide. I think it's good. Now I can polish.

An even bevel just looks correct.

If you approve Shaun that makes me feel much better. After all, you're the "apex" guy.

Nice looking bevel, Paul-I just finished an American blade that I tried to set a bevel on yesterday on a Chosera 1k with heavy slurry from the brown turd, and felt like I was trying to hone carbide steel. Hardest steel I've ever come across; I finally gave up in frustration. I'm even thinking about starting this one on a well-worn DMT 325. Persistence and patience are key.

It's funny how a blade's problematic geometry can sometimes be easily seen and other times not. I will sometimes pick up a razor that looks very crisp and almost new. Then upon bevel set It becomes apparent quickly that it has terrible geometric problems. Perhaps that's why it looks so new. It may have been problematic in the beginning and consequently never got used. This one looked like it had been used a lot. The patina in between the bevel and the spine was quite dark. My assumption has always been that these type razors were not from collections but rather from a "toolbox" used like a hoe or a rake where it was taken out of the shed and used without preservation in mind and then put back away. Maybe someone picked it up and tried to revive it and discovered it was beyond their capability but not before leaving dramatic hone marks. Maybe it got used a lot by someone who eventually passed and it was handed down or sold off. Who knows why people sell things sometimes.
Now I'm rambling but I think I'm not alone in trying to understand something about a blade's history before proceeding with it much like you would with a dog at a rescue or a horse when riding. Understanding the animal helps you know how to proceed with it... Or maybe that's just me. Anyway, I am emphatic about trying to make the thing look as unabused as possible. That's why I don't really like to do things like stacking tape or tricky honing techniques IF, and that's a big if, The spine or edge or both can be corrected. Sometimes they just can't. I do this in my work also. I try to not just get things to work but correct them to right: treat conditions, not symptoms. I don't want to leave a mess for the next guy. Partially because I think my work is a reflection on me and I guess I'm a little egotistical about that but also partially because I figure with any luck I'll BE the next guy.

I cut and shaped up some basic black linen micarta scales for the Genco Wedge I have in progress. I'm waiting on some 3" wheels and bluing I ordered for the tang and spine. The pits were too deep to get out completely, but I can live with that. The plan is to even it all out on the blade faces with some black emery compound on a 3" wheel, then do the blueing and see how she looks in those scales. Once I get 'em polished back to actual black, I'm hoping it will all come together with a thin white bone wedge, and I guess stainless collars.

I've always wanted one of these; I kinda dig the utilitarian, more square American wedges.

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

I cut and shaped up some basic black linen micarta scales for the Genco Wedge I have in progress. I'm waiting on some 3" wheels and bluing I ordered for the tang and spine. The pits were too deep to get out completely, but I can live with that. The plan is to even it all out on the blade faces with some black emery compound on a 3" wheel, then do the blueing and see how she looks in those scales. Once I get 'em polished back to actual black, I'm hoping it will all come together with a thin white bone wedge, and I guess stainless collars.

I've always wanted one of these; I kinda dig the utilitarian, more square American wedges.

This project just gave me and interesting idea but I am not going to tell you because you might steal it.......................

Nice Aaron. Is that the one you were trying to get the bevel set on? How'd that go?

No, it was a different one I'll post another day-pretty whipped today. I got it in line, it just took awhile and I wasn't getting that good "soft steel" feedback like you get on some Sheffield or Solingen blades that you can feel shaping up and smoothing out (like say, a vintage Boker or Wostenholm).

Sue me, I like softer steels some times for that easy, organic-feeling honing progression(and yes, I know they don't stay sharp long).