Thread: can you fix a bent blade?

Trying to straighten a warped blade is a subject that has come up here often. Usually the answer is to just hone it using a rolling X stroke. If you can create a bevel on both sides for the full length of the blade then your ok. The width of the bevel will vary but that is of no importance.

Some guys try to use the knife straightening method but that is not advisable with a str8 razor. The steel is to thin and brittle and will crack, ....usually.


Just my $.02,

Tell me about this "knife straightening method."

I've never had a knife that needed straightening, and since this razor was a freebie, I may be willing to gamble with it. Also, it's a 1/2 ground, so there's a fair amount of metal.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Trying to straighten a warped blade is a subject that has come up here often. Usually the answer is to just hone it using a rolling X stroke. If you can create a bevel on both sides for the full length of the blade then your ok. The width of the bevel will vary but that is of no importance.

Some guys try to use the knife straightening method but that is not advisable with a str8 razor. The steel is to thin and brittle and will crack, ....usually.


Just my $.02,

Hi Randy; do you mean straightening has been discussed or the question is asked and the newb told to roll x's as I have not seen a discussion of how to fix a warped blade - if one is so inclined.

I meant the roll X stroke.
The last person to use the knife straightening method was Bill Ellis.
Essentially what is done is to place the razor inside a vice with 2 dowels/sticks on one side, heel and toe, and another dowel/stick at the apex of the curve on the other side of the blade, then tighten...slowly, until the warp is gone.

I think the process is called "Hope and Pray"

Originally Posted by randydance062449

I meant the roll X stroke.
The last person to use the knife straightening method was Bill Ellis.
Essentially what is done is to place the razor inside a vice with 2 dowels/sticks on one side, heel and toe, and another dowel/stick at the apex of the curve on the other side of the blade, then tighten...slowly, until the warp is gone.

I think the process is called "Hope and Pray"

lol, that doesn't sound like it would do me any good. If the bade was severely bent, I might be inclined to try it, but since we're talking about a minute warp, I doubt very seriously that I could improve it.

If I get a wild hair and decide to try anyway, I'll post my results.

That is the basic approach Randy; hope and pray. I have not tried a razor spine but I can imagine.

Vdub that's why I hesitate to start a discussion only i am interested in; in the end you'll say i guess i'll just hone it as required

One thing that is missing is heat. Oven, maybe boiling, a heat gun, torch blasts, hot copper block. Plenty of ways , some safer and with more risk.

If you have to move from heat to "press" you want to be close to; and have a jig that indexes quickly. I guess you could make a jig that would go in the oven as well,... but I cant think of a way have a known temp by applying heat with the blade held in a vice.

You also want the pivot point to be readily moved because you usually need to apply pressure in different spots and usually on both sides to straighten anything-bend it this way bend it back sorta thing.

One could also brew up a differential temper scenario and temper the spine further to make it less springy. Risk risk and lots of time fixing what maybe doesn't really truly need it

I'm not into having hordes of razors, so I don't know when again I will have a chance to get a warped blade.

Originally Posted by kevint

Vdub that's why I hesitate to start a discussion only i am interested in; in the end you'll say i guess i'll just hone it as required

FWIW, you're most certainly not the only one that is interested. I find it very interesting, and I'll keep an eye out for candidates. I just think that this particular razor is so close to straight that I would be unlikely to make a meaningful gain with that method. Likely as not it would end up a little more curved, but in the other direction.

Crazy plan but I think I'm going to give it a try.
Only thing I don't know about my candidates is, whether they were tempered correctly. But its no big loss if they crack.