Thread: Repairing a broken Shank or Tang

Hey I have a question for you guys in the repair world. Have any of you tryed/succeded in repairing a broken off tang or shank? I'm sad to admit that I have droped a razor, and that it broke clean in half at the shoulder, but with a little determination and luck managed to reattach (rather crudely I admit) the blade to the shank. I used a micro torch and some solder it seemed to work rather well. So I guess the next step is to see if I can get a shave ready edge on it or if I destroyed the temper (though I have to buy a hone first). I believe with a little skill and a little practice a shank can be reattached (though not as attractively as the orrigonal) with out ruining the edge. Any thoughts on it guys?

Hope the razor was worth the effort. In most cases I wouldn't bother.

It was my first razor haha, and it was more to see if it was possible, incase (god forbid) it happens to something I love shaving with. Though I have to say it realy wasn't that much effort, for me at least, but for those who have no practice in metal working Im sure would have difficulties with it.

Got any pictures?

If your solder is the same stuff we call solder, i'd imagine that the join will be considerably weaker than the rest. Go careful it doesn't fail during a shave, it could do some damage!
If it was hot enough to create a sound join i'd have thought it would have ruined the steel's temper.
If it's beyond repair, I'm sorry for your loss mate.

Sadly no at the moment i dont have any pictures as its at my non-school year home (aka my parents place). I agree it would likely be weaker then the orrigonal but i dont think weak enough to be overly conserned about (solder im talking about is used predominatly for silver and copper). Though i know for a fact that silver handled knives use solder to attach a stainless steel blade, yet the blades still hold an edge (no idea if they will hold a razor edge though. If I am correct solder melts at a temp lower then the annealing proccess for steel, as well as you dont have to get the steel red hot for it to bond just hot enough to melt the solder as long as you are using flux. Again I could be wrong, but I think with experimentation and a little practice this could be used to repair razors with great sentimental value, if not for use at least for show.

Just an idea.
I don't know much about razors, but from a mechanics perspective I think it could work to put tape (paper tape, not plastic) over the edge and then just stick the entire thing into some sand, pour water into the sand and go ahead. I think the wet sand would give enough heat transfer to keep the edge cool enough to keep the tempering. Stick it into the sand so that the place you want to solder right over the sand. Silver brazing would be about as strong as you can get it, only question is if the cooling would be efficient enough.

Another good thing about silver brazing is that it only require a few micrometers of space.

I don't think solder would work - it is too weak as a bonding material. If you were to join it together with a torch, I would think that you would have to braze the two together, but you definitely risk ruining the temper of the blade.

You might also be able to try some JB weld for a crude (but strong) joint. It's used (as far as I know) primarily by mechanics and farmers to repair engine blocks, but is usually available at most hardware stores. It's grindable once dry, and provides good holding strength. Oh, and it dries grey.

If it were me, I'd try, as flyboy suggested, to find a way to keep the blade cool all the while brazing the tang to the blade - that would provide your most permanent solution, IMHO.

Mark

I already did the repair experiment, with solder and it created a surprizingly strong bond, though in my next experiment (god forbid i break another razor) i mite try what flyboy said or something relatively similarpossibly creating a jig of sorts that holds the edge and most of the blade in a coolent such as water.

Well I finaly got around to sharpening the razor, and surprize it held a razor edge, though not as sharp as I'd like (probably my honing as its my first attempt at honing any razor and it has a small smile). It cut hairs on my arm easily enough though. so now all I need is to make some new scales for it and post some pics. I think this may be a good resoration technique for razors of great sentimental value that you still wish to use.