Thread: What do you guys think of a Dremel?

Here is a thread that I found helpful. Dremel attachment recommendations - Straight Razor Place Forums

I have ruined a few blades with my Dremel. Thus I agree that care is warranted.

Basically my routine is to use the Dremel polishing paste (Jeweler's rouge) with this attachement

to get all the heavy stuff.

Then I finish it with some Maas and one of the 1/2 inch felt polishing wheel.


staying aware of which way the tool is rotating is important especially when you near an edge. The "pull' should always be away from or across the edge. I have made some big chips when I wasn't careful.

Originally Posted by Pyment

I have ruined a few blades with my Dremel. Thus I agree that care is warranted.

Just wondering, how did can one ruin a blade with a dremel aside from chipping the edge? I've caused a massive chip in one of my razors, but want to know if there's anything else I need to be careful about.

If you are not careful you can easily overheat the edge and ruin the temper of the blade. A friend of mine who was expert in the use of a Dremel to polish a blade (after 10 hours of hand sanding in progressive grits) would use a glass of water filled with ice cubes and dip the blade often as he polished with the Dremel.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

If you are not careful you can easily overheat the edge and ruin the temper of the blade. A friend of mine who was expert in the use of a Dremel to polish a blade (after 10 hours of hand sanding in progressive grits) would use a glass of water filled with ice cubes and dip the blade often as he polished with the Dremel.

How come dremeling ruins an edge but sanding doesn't? When I polish at 5000rpm with a felt wheel or tip, the blade feels much cooler than when I sand it for example. It doesn't even heat up at all from what I can tell.
I asked Glen about this since I expected a buffing wheel to overheat a blade more than any dremel and he said that it's highly unlikely to ruin a temper using a dremel. He told me to keep the blade below a temperature that would scald my finger.
I'm wondering if I use my dremel correctly though. I may be using it wrong and that may be why my blade doesn't heat up. I gently touch the felt wheel to the surface. I can't get the blade to shine up quite like others do. I've seen heavily scratched blades that are still very shiny, but mine are still a bit matte after emery compound and jewelers rouge. Does anyone have thoughts on how I can improve my polishing?