Thread: Sharpening jimps

Hay all I would like to refresh the jimps on a couple razors. After experimenting with cheep needle files, I thought I'd ask you all. What is the best way?

Matt

Jimps are cut with a checkering file before the razor is hardened. You could use a dremmel but that is going to take some steady hands and one slips and you will wish you left it alone. Checkering files are not cheap and guessing which one you need could turn out expensive not to mention when you do find the right one it may dull out before you get what you want.. Just my initial thoughts with 2 cents thrown in.

Yes, I have also found them best left alone, Some fancy razors with polished and widely spaced jimps can be polished or lightly buffed there while most jimps were never polished and shiny. If crud or rust has built up, a little fine wire brush by hand is best.

Pups speaks with experience. I made a mess out of a few before I figured that out!.

External thread repair files are a cheaper option than checkering files, and offer a lot of different TPI configurations between the metric, imperial, and British sets, but are as risky as pup indicates above if the spacing is wrong.
If you find the perfect pitch, on the back stroke only, they might clean out crud, but brass wheels or brushes are safer for your finish.

I've always found it best to use a brass brush or a wire wheel (brass) for a dremel, works great and cleans right into the points.
If you file them you will have to soften the exiting edged a bit or it would feel rough.
Clean well first!

I used to clean my with a little soda blaster, however it was pointed out that they were made that way and it is part of dating a razor, well eras of German razors for sure. So unless there is some thing bad going on I just clean them lightly with steel wool and WD-40

Originally Posted by 10Pups

Jimps are cut with a checkering file before the razor is hardened. You could use a dremmel but that is going to take some steady hands and one slips and you will wish you left it alone. Checkering files are not cheap and guessing which one you need could turn out expensive not to mention when you do find the right one it may dull out before you get what you want.. Just my initial thoughts with 2 cents thrown in.

this may be a stupid question but, could you use a checkering file to clean the gyms? I haven't had any luck with wire brushes or any of the normal dremel tools so that's a thought?

Take care my friend, the Dremel and the straight razor are natural enemies: we're talking predator/prey here

In other words, bear in mind the sage advice already tendered regarding wire brushes - steel brushes are OK too, razors are much harder so the jimps won't be damaged.

Adding a bit if metal polish to your wire toothbrush, helps clean um up.

Originally Posted by mattnat

Hay all I would like to refresh the jimps on a couple razors. After experimenting with cheep needle files, I thought I'd ask you all. What is the best way?

When I used to shave with a straight razor and did my own work (such as it was), I used "cheap needle files" to "dress" (sharpen) the jimps on (those that had) them. IIRC, I bought a 5-file set from Harbor Freight. For cleaning, I did what others already mentioned: a wire-bristled "toothbrush", wielded gently.