Thread: Help!

Howdy

I'd like to Make my own straight, or at least attempt too.
Down here in Australia Straight razors are super expensive, I've pretty much cleaned out all the antique stores for half decent blades.
I've got a few hurdles to overcome, i'll list them below and hopefully the experts can point me in the right direction.

Cons.
1. I've very little metalworking experience, but am quite handy.
2. Live in a townhouse, so noise is a potential issue, grinding no problems, but forge = no
3. No Idea where to get metal or the best metal to use ( O1 tool steel?)
4. Have 0 creativity, thinking engineering type person, so will likely need to copy another design.
5. Live in Australia

Pros.
1. Work for a large manufacturing company and have access to CNC machines and many tools.
2. Live in Australia

As you an see the odds are against me actually completing a straight, but i'd like to give it a go.
I've got the finishing and honing down pat( or at least to a point where I'm happy)
I've throught about making a strop, but for some reason this doesn't hold as much interested as the razor.
I can likely order the steel through work, get it cut and potentially machined, from there I believe I need to send it away for heat treating then grind/shape/polish.
I'm looking to do an 8/8 with as hollow as I can get it.


Thanks Heaps!!

Well, since no one has chimed in...

You have a few things going for you. Lets go down the list...

Originally Posted by zimbyzim

Howdy

I'd like to Make my own straight, or at least attempt too.
Down here in Australia Straight razors are super expensive, I've pretty much cleaned out all the antique stores for half decent blades.
I've got a few hurdles to overcome, i'll list them below and hopefully the experts can point me in the right direction.

Cons.
1. I've very little metalworking experience, but am quite handy.
Everyone starts somewhere. Look for tips/tricks in forums. Particularly what people are doing in the meet-ups. I do believe someone made an hour long video of people working razors
2. Live in a townhouse, so noise is a potential issue, grinding no problems, but forge = no
I would think grinding would also be loud? I don't think it is completely necessary to forge. Grind to pre-shape, heat treat, final grind
3. No Idea where to get metal or the best metal to use ( O1 tool steel?)
01 is what I see most often, supposed to be a consistent metal for heat treat. May depend on reputability and consistency of vendor
4. Have 0 creativity, thinking engineering type person, so will likely need to copy another design.
I see no problem with that, I do believe the Filli's #14 were a thing ground 8/8...
5. Live in Australia
I don't, so can't really help with sourcing, etc. I do believe someone from Aus was toying around with 01 steel to make their own razors....Eddy79 maybe?

Pros.
1. Work for a large manufacturing company and have access to CNC machines and many tools.
This is good, especially if you can get your order in with a bulk order the company posts. This will bring the cost down. CNC could get some initial machining done, but fixturing will be an issue. Or you'll need excess material to hold the part, then cut it off after.
2. Live in Australia

As you an see the odds are against me actually completing a straight, but i'd like to give it a go.
I've got the finishing and honing down pat( or at least to a point where I'm happy)
I've throught about making a strop, but for some reason this doesn't hold as much interested as the razor.
I can likely order the steel through work, get it cut and potentially machined, from there I believe I need to send it away for heat treating then grind/shape/polish.
True, the person doing heat treatment will probably need at minimum an HRC value to shoot for. More detailed steps/process should be available in the forum.
I'm looking to do an 8/8 with as hollow as I can get it.
Would be easier to start thicker then work towards a narrower blade.


Thanks Heaps!!

Where there's a will there's a way. Once you complete this one the second will be much easier. Good luck....

Awesome thanks I've already found a place that will do all the steels for knives, curiously I believe I need 1/4 inch thick for an 8/8 blade.
Also looking to buy a second hand bench Grinder and some tools.
What does everyone use to cut the steel, would a dremil with a cutting attachment work, or will I need to go angle grinder or hacksaw?
Have been reading a tonne of posts so have a better idea now if he process.
Looking forward to posting the first one.
Hopefully someone from Australia can chime in with a good heat treatment company or it will be oxy torch and cooking oil for me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A band saw would be nice. There may be a factory near-by that will let you squeak in for a bit on lunch or break. Some people will be really generous with uncommon projects.

Found this with the google machine. Sounds like they're a variety of services place, may be able to help you out

If not, an angle grinder will work, but it will heat up the metal. How hot it actually gets (enough to burn, been there and done that many times) and how careful you have to be as far as that affecting heat treatment, I can't tell you. A dremel will probably cut it, but that being such a large piece, it will take time and maybe a couple discs. That's not the end of the world, since you could control the heat better by going slow.

I had problems finding a hack saw that will actually cut. However, I was trying to cut post heat treated razors, YMMV with non-heat treated steel.

It is kinda hard to answer this thread, where there is a will there is a way.

I would lean toward simple steels 10XX or O1 or O2.

A good vise and something to mount it on would be a priority for me. As for cutting metal a hacksaw or an angle grinder with a cutting wheel.

Files and a file card are also indispensable for me.

As for grinding the hollows, a belt grinder would be the path of least resistance, but there are plenty of other ways that will work depending on your persistence. I would search this subsection of the forum.

There are plenty of Australians on the forum, to ask sourcing questions from.

Stay safe, have fun

Charlie

Jimbo lives in Melbourne iirc.
As for steel, old files are usually very good steel. If you anneal them they should be easy enough to grind, and they're thick enough. They're also cheap. That said, known tool steel is not wildly expensive either and easier to get information about.

Thanks All
Quite excited to visit a few metal stores this weekend or possibly the wreckers for some spring steel.
Been investigating band saw's too