Thread: My first "custom"

Nice work! So... did it take an edge?

Thanks for all the encouragement, guys. I worked on honing it yesterday, and it seems to be taking an edge. The steel is definitely hardened, as it took me well over an hour to go from blunt to having the bevels mostly established. The bevels are uneven, showing me where the grind could have been better. It's not really any worse than a lot of the meaty vintage blades I've honed, though.

I'm coming to the conclusion that grinding a razor really well is difficult, and the production lines may not have always done the best job possible. Not that the old razors are bad, far from it, but it just takes time to do a really even grind. And in a factory, time is money.

I'd wager that the razors made by our resident makers are much better than most of the production models from the golden era.

Anyway, I got the bevels mostly established, and I'll finish honing it today. Tomorrow is the big Shave Test.

Josh

If it shaves well, you can send it to me so I can verify the results!

Congrats, Josh! I'm excited to hear how it takes a polished edge...and even more to hear how it shaves! That will definitely be an enourmous sense of satisfaction, shaving with a razor that is yours from start to finish!

Mark

Josh - very nice looking set up with the grinder and a great looking first razor.

Where is western Pennsylvania are you? I spent nearly 30 years in that part of the country mostly in Butler.

Particularly for a first effort, I'd say it came out exceptionally well.

Thanks, Joe. I'll be giving you a call soon. I have tons of questions.

Josh

Outstanding job, Josh! My first straight was one of your restos, so it only makes sense that I help you with your research in any way possible. Outstanding! Let us know how the edge turned out.

Thats exeptional for a first try .
I do believe you have found your calling& now theres another person who makes, to add to my wish list .
Keep up the good work Paul

So how did the shave test go?