Thread: Perfect is the enemy of good...

I was working on my first ever razor restoration. I had an Ernst Wupper & Co. with tortoise scales that was in pretty rough shape.

I was able to salvage the scales with a good oil soak and some epoxy. I had the blade to a beautiful chrome-like finish. I was really proud of the work I had done, especially as it was a first restore. I was even thinking about entering this razor in the restoration contest.

I was going to re-pin tonight and hone it tomorrow. But... there was one little tiny area of pitting on the blade, barely noticeable, except for under the right lighting. I wanted this thing to be perfect... I started re-sanding from 320 grit, and was able to remove the pitting. I progressed up to 1500 grit and had the blade looking nice. Just a little of my top-secret polishing compound with the dremel and I'd be back to my chrome-like polish... Then disaster struck; the polishing wheel caught the edge of the blade and jerked the dremel chuck into the blade, tearing out a huge chip and cracking the blade severely. The blade is ruined.
I don't even know how many hours of work I had into this razor. Probably more than I should have, as I kept trying various shortcuts and then going back and doing things the right way. But, after all of that, I took my near-perfect blade and killed it by trying to make it completely perfect.

I will have to find a new blade for these scales, they are nice.

Oh, and the important question... Since I didn't complete the restoration, can I still enter my next attempt in the contest? Or, as this was my first attempt at a restore, am I out of the running?

It sucks, but a lesson learned, right?

Here's two pics of one I had once - was yours an unusual grind too?

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

was yours an unusual grind too?

No. It was just a regular hollow grind. (I'm not sure how to tell what amount hollow...)

Sorry to hear. I ruined my first blade last week. Basically the same story...except for the "perfect" part. Lucky for me it was a junked lil Engles Wedge. Really Really pitted along the spine. I was trying some new "top-secret" compounds myself on a dremel buffing wheel and ZING! Blade goes to the ground hitting the leg of the chair I was on in the process.

BIG ole chunk gone. I was sick, can't imagine how you felt. My gf was there and couldn't understand. "You said it wasn't any good anyways...what's the big deal?"


I don't think she'll ever understand

Lesson learned: Those wheels can grab the ridge of a spine just as well as they can the edge.

Ya know there is this guy on the forum, does a lot of restores, and every single time somebody says Dremel, he says Ooooo that is not such a great idea.... but then who listens to him anyway

What was his name again ???? G somthing???? yah that was it...

Just be glad it was only the razor that had a chunk out of it, and not you...

That's the reason why I don't like dremels, but also because of my own ineptitude when it comes to anything that spins fast.

Did you throw the razor away? I hope not. Depending on how much edge was left you could turn it into a nice little mini razor.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Ya know there is this guy on the forum, does a lot of restores, and every single time somebody says Dremel, he says Ooooo that is not such a great idea.... but then who listens to him anyway

What was his name again ???? G somthing???? yah that was it...

Just be glad it was only the razor that had a chunk out of it, and not you...

Dremels are like straight razors. Great tools if you are careful and know what you are doing

You really need to watch the direction the wheel is turnign when using your dremel.

STill have all your digits, right?

Originally Posted by HNSB

I was working on my first ever razor restoration. I had an Ernst Wupper & Co. with tortoise scales that was in pretty rough shape.

I was able to salvage the scales with a good oil soak and some epoxy. I had the blade to a beautiful chrome-like finish. I was really proud of the work I had done, especially as it was a first restore. I was even thinking about entering this razor in the restoration contest.

I was going to re-pin tonight and hone it tomorrow. But... there was one little tiny area of pitting on the blade, barely noticeable, except for under the right lighting. I wanted this thing to be perfect... I started re-sanding from 320 grit, and was able to remove the pitting. I progressed up to 1500 grit and had the blade looking nice. Just a little of my top-secret polishing compound with the dremel and I'd be back to my chrome-like polish... Then disaster struck; the polishing wheel caught the edge of the blade and jerked the dremel chuck into the blade, tearing out a huge chip and cracking the blade severely. The blade is ruined.
I don't even know how many hours of work I had into this razor. Probably more than I should have, as I kept trying various shortcuts and then going back and doing things the right way. But, after all of that, I took my near-perfect blade and killed it by trying to make it completely perfect.

I will have to find a new blade for these scales, they are nice.

Oh, and the important question... Since I didn't complete the restoration, can I still enter my next attempt in the contest? Or, as this was my first attempt at a restore, am I out of the running?

Originally Posted by Bruno

Dremel are like straight razors. Great tools if you are careful and know what you are doing

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

You really need to watch the direction the wheel is turning when using your Dremel.

Still have all your digits, right?

Ahhh good points indeed...

Just a little hint here OK for those of you that use Dremels and don't have the experience that Bruno, Jockeys, Ben and some of the other guys do...

Three things can happen very very fast with Dremel

The first is the obvious one, of catching the edge with the wheel going in the wrong direction.. I know we say it a 1000 times, but hey it still happens and damn it happens so fast....

The second is the Dremel "Spin and Snap" This is where the wheel is going correctly but the Spine catches and the Dremel spins around the back of the entire razor, and SNAP bye bye blade...

Third is the edge of the wheel catch, that drives the chuck into the edge of the blade..

All of these happen in a split secod...

They can be pretty much avoided by just using a smoothly sanded piece of wood (oh you can make the magnetic holder also) just rest the edge against the wood at a slight angle and keep it there the entire time the wheel is near the razor this will eliminated or at least greatly reduce Dremel risk.... About 6 in by 12 inches should do the trick sand it smooth or you waste felt wheels...

There is my Dremel tip of the Year !!

"I never said I couldn't use one, I said, I had no use for one" ~ Matthew Quiggly

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Ahhh good points indeed...

Just a little hint here OK for those of you that use Dremels and don't have the experience that Bruno, Jockeys, Ben and some of the other guys do...

Three things can happen very very fast with Dremel

The first is the obvious one, of catching the edge with the wheel going in the wrong direction.. I know we say it a 1000 times, but hey it still happens and damn it happens so fast....

The second is the Dremel "Spin and Snap" This is where the wheel is going correctly but the Spine catches and the Dremel spins around the back of the entire razor, and SNAP bye bye blade...

Third is the edge of the wheel catch, that drives the chuck into the edge of the blade..

All of these happen in a split secod...

They can be pretty much avoided by just using a smoothly sanded piece of wood (oh you can make the magnetic holder also) just rest the edge against the wood at a slight angle and keep it there the entire time the wheel is near the razor this will eliminated or at least greatly reduce Dremel risk.... About 6 in by 12 inches should do the trick sand it smooth or you waste felt wheels...

There is my Dremel tip of the Year !!

"I never said I couldn't use one, I said, I had no use for one" ~ Matthew Quiggly

Just want to add that at a Dremel's RPM, things heat up quickly as well. Don't let the metal heat up too much if you're using it on the steel and definitely be cautious if using it to clean up pins/scales.