Thread: Any wisdom on removing stabilizer?

I have a few thoughts and ideas, but to be honest it is well above my skill set. In order for the finished blade to look sensible you would reduce and blend the shoulder and not just cut it off. At times when blades get cracks just in front of the heel, they get cut off. They always look like someone cut the heel off. Check the butchered blade thread to see what I am talking about. I would not do that with that blade.

Originally Posted by NittanyGator

I'll have to measure tomorrow, I'm guessing it was 13/16 before grinding away the chip, and maybe will be 5/8 after.

I suppose I could leave the shoulder and push the heel a little further away from the stabilizer, if the wisdom of the group thinks that's best. Was curious if anyone had done a shoulder-ectomy.

If you are careful from here you shouldn't lose that much. I have a w&b FBU that had a 1/8 deep chip in about the same spot and it's about 15/16 in the center. I gave it a big ol belly

I guess it's closer to 8/8 than I remebered, definitely not at the heel and toe but I just hated to lose any more blade than I had too.

If you really want to eliminate the stabilizer, and I can see the justification given the modification needed to deal with that chip, I would suggest that you send it to someone experienced with doing regrinds on a belt grinder. It's not hard to do with the right tool and experience.

As it stands now after grinding out the chip the razor is 5.3/8 at the heel, 6.3/8 at the center and 6.4/8 at the toe.

Do I need to take off the extra 1/8 along the center and toe to match the heel?

I kind of like the look of it as-is and would hate to lose the extra thickness but am concerned the edge is not a consistent distance from the spine for honing reasons.

I think I'll keep the shoulder/ stabilizer but modify it to approximate the look I want, getting rid of the double shoulder so to speak and blending a nice facet into the tang.

Originally Posted by NittanyGator

As it stands now after grinding out the chip the razor is 5.3/8 at the heel, 6.3/8 at the center and 6.4/8 at the toe.

Do I need to take off the extra 1/8 along the center and toe to match the heel?

I kind of like the look of it as-is and would hate to lose the extra thickness but am concerned the edge is not a consistent distance from the spine for honing reasons.

I think I'll keep the shoulder/ stabilizer but modify it to approximate the look I want, getting rid of the double shoulder so to speak and blending a nice facet into the tang.

The different widths will not affect the honing at all. One of the beauties of a smiling blade. The bevel angle will be different from heel to toe, but you will be able to roll right through. The only reason to change the width would be aesthetics, and it looks fine to me.

This is all true as you can see in the pic I shared it is narrow one the heel and toe and center is wider. The bevel is equal all across on it. If you like it just refine and hone

Thanks for all the feedback guys, it was very helpful and probably kept me from going too far. I'm so happy I decided to rescue this one.

Unfortunately busy at work and 2 liitle ones at home it will probably have to wait until winter for scales, which will be my first try.

Something really satisfying about giving a 100 year old razor thats been rusting, broken in a flea market junk bin a new lease on life.

Originally Posted by NittanyGator

Do I need to take off the extra 1/8 along the center and toe to match the heel?

I kind of like the look of it as-is

No you do not need to take off the extra width. Some Sheffield blades deliberately were made that way, the toe end tends to be where more of the shaving action is done anyway, and the fact that you like the look really is all that matters.

Well said.