Thread: Straight razors = tough steel

Boy, straight razors have some tough steel! I was trying to cut the end off a Wm. Elliot & Co. straight razor to make a "shorty" and a hack saw with various teeth hardly made a dent. I'm going to have to take it to a local machine shop and have them cut it for me. Straight razor restoration is tough. I'll also have him shape some handles for me at the same time out of some purple acrylic scale material. I've had to buy some brass washers and collars off the net, I drove around checking for them but nobody had 1/16th washers etc.

If you have a Dremel with a grinding wheel you can just grind it yourself to the length you want but be careful and go slow as the thin part of the blade will disappear very quickly. Also watch the heat, if you get the metal too hot it will loose its temper and ruin the blade. When doing any Dremel work I keep a finger near the area I'm working on and if I feel any heat the blade gets dunked in water to cool it off. BE SURE TO WEAR EYE PROTECTION!

Cut mine with a dremmel and cut off wheels.
Wet a rag, put it in a cutting board, clamp the blade to the wet rag, spray the blade, and cut from edge to spine, or heel to toe, with blade turning clockwise into the steel.
You'll have a better chance of not cracking the blade again this way.

And the rag will dissipate the heat.

Yeah a Dremel will do it, you can use a marker to color the area as a guide, little at a time, not too hot. +1 on eye protection, it can never be said too many times.

Originally Posted by xiaotuzi

Yeah a Dremel will do it, you can use a marker to color the area as a guide, little at a time, not too hot. +1 on eye protection, it can never be said too many times.

2nd that motion on eye protection.
The nic thing about the marker is ,if you don't like your line, just wipe it off, and draw it again.

This one I marked for either a shorty or a skinny...well a heavy 9/16.

Originally Posted by outback

Cut mine with a dremmel and cut off wheels.
Wet a rag, put it in a cutting board, clamp the blade to the wet rag, spray the blade, and cut from edge to spine, or heel to toe, with blade turning clockwise into the steel.
You'll have a better chance of not cracking the blade again this way.

And the rag will dissipate the heat.

Nice set up. Do I see some Cincinnati Super Jr. C-clamps? I like me some c-clamps...

Experience... Be really careful with the Dremmel. If you're not experienced with their use you and or the razor can easily be hurt.
Even buffing with it can be dangerous, it can easily pull it out of your hands if you're not really careful.


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Yep, I went to the hardware store and bought some cut off wheels, now if it would stop raining and dry out. Its about 110% humidity in the garage right now. Its still raining with the sun just a blazing, You can see the steam rising off the road outside. The dogs are inside, scared of something, must be a storm brewing somewhere out of earshot. There are lots of clouds around some dark some light grey.