Thread: W&B Wedge with bad regrind

Originally Posted by aalbina

OK - thanks - I am listening to all the advice. I've told the machinist to hold until I give the OK, pending the advice I get here. On a wedge, wouldn't it be important for both sides - spine to blade - to be the same length? How could I possibly set a bevel on a hone when the blade itself isn't centered between the sides of the spine? The blade sort of looks like this (of course I'm exaggerating):

Attachment 226834

I'm not arguing with good advice - I'm trying to understand. I've been here long enough to see people argue until they get the answer they were looking for in the first place - that's not the case with me.

Adam

Very few that were made before 1890 ish are dead even, after 1890 they got better but even then they are not all even.. In fact many look just like your exaggeration...

To hone a razor with really good geometry is pretty easy, or as I like to say "Honing is easy right up until it isn't"

I am not saying the razor doesn't need a re-grind, but I am saying a re-grind would be my last choice


AGAIN !!!!! from the two pics I can see, I can only give an opinion on what I can see



ps:

You only have a few choices here


#1 Apply tape to correct the geometry, and then use some honing gymnastics to work around them

#2 Grind the crap outta the spine and create huge bevels trying to "Even" up the inconsistencies on a low grit hone

#3 Re-grind the razor

#4 Shelf the razor


Hope that helps

I do not understand where you sent the razor. I would think that if I was looking to get the grind fixed you should send it to someone that regrinds and makes razors. To truly get a really great assessment perhaps you should send it to Glen, Max, or Brad to mention a few. PM me if you want to get some real particulars on finding those guys.

+1 on what Glen said except he forgot the option...send it out to get honed :<0) If an experienced guy can't hone it then he can sure tell you exactly what it needs. I would keep it away from the big scary machines though. Straight might sound nice but if the bevel goes half way up the blade it won't.

I found pictures of your razor on eBay. I concur with Glen. It's not a regrind. Someone has done a ton of hand sanding on the blade and most of it seems to be on the show face. A poor restoration attempt but it sure looks like it can be honed. Take 10Pups advise and send it out to someone with experience.
Rarely are the old Sheffields flat and they can test your patience to hone. If you shop around for honing prices you'll find some folks charge a little more to hone a wedge and with good reason IMHO.

Thanks for the advice everyone - I'm talking with one of the guys RezDog mentioned to send it out and have them attempt to hone it. I'll know more once I send them pictures and get the razor into their hands.

Thanks

Adam

So Adam asked if I would post the pics here so that maybe his adventure would help others

If you guys look close at the OP you will note the Dremel bumps, when a razor is restored using a Dremel better then 9/10 times there will be little divots in the face of the blade from where the Dremel touches first.. Those bumps plus the dead dull situation gave me a good idea what Adam had been up against

He tried honing it first with tape and then without trying to get the bevel to come together and here are the pics of the razor whne it got here
The edge was dull I mean dull..






So looking at what I had in hand I decided a multi stage attack was in order..

#1) I went to the 2x72 and re-ground the bevel

#2) I took it too the buffers and re-polished the steel to take out all the old hone wear and let me start at square one and a more even polish

#3) 5 layers of tape and a 400 grit hone and I had the bevel restored to a cutting edge in short order

#4) Dropped to 3 layers of tape and went to the Chosera 1k and set a real bevel

#5) Chosera 1-5-10 with a lightly slurried Select Grade Coticule and we have a shaving edge that is pretty darn straight and even, OMG and it is fairly small

The results







Hope that gives you some ideas

I bet the OP is glad he had you do the work on that blade, Glen, rather than some machinist.

He definitely is happy with the work Glen did! Best advice I got here was to give it to an expert in razor restoration.

BTW - the machinist is my son and he has multiple machines in the shop, to include grinders, and a Bridgeport in my garage. Still not the right guy to work on it - I agree. But he's not just some machinist he's a mechanical engineer with quite a bit of experience. He actually teaches machining and was mentored by a tool maker with 30 years experience.

Not arguing - Glen was certainly the way to go. Best not to risk this razor as a learning ground for someone who hasn't done it before. My son actually told me the same exact thing - I was just to stubborn to listen to him until I got so many recommendations completely in line with his here on SRD. That's why I love this forum - so many knowledgeable people so willing to help!

Very happy with Glen's excellent work! Can't wait to get it in my hands. I hope this thread keeps someone as stubborn as I am from ruining a great razor.

Adam

Originally Posted by CZMark

I bet the OP is glad he had you do the work on that blade, Glen, rather than some machinist.

Spectacular work.



You're going to love that W&B.

Nice job bringing that one back! I bet it shaves wonderfully, I love Sheffield steel.