Is it big enough to be a chip?

I was starting to clean up a razor I just bought, a Torrey, with a slight smile and a barbers notch. Black scales, Bakelite or celluloid maybe? The blade looks to be in very good shape but just for fun I took out my jewelers loupe. With the loupe I can see 2 nicks in the blade. One right in the center, the other by the heel. I can't see them with the naked eye. So just how big do they have to be to become an issue? I'd post a pic but you can't see it in the picture either.

I went ahead and gave it whirl. Great shave and no nicks.



Oh I just thought of another question.

On my Western Bros. I found the blade has a very small longer piece right at the heel, actually right at the corner. Maybe someone ground the blade down? Or can it come from years of honing? Anyway the first couple times I used it I was very happy with it. But the third time I found the bad spot on the blade. Rather it found me. On my first stroke I got a fairly deep vertical cut, almost an inch long, by my ear (my cuts are generally horizontal). Luckily my styptic pencil performs miracles. Obviously I have not used the blade since.

Since it really isn't a giant meat hook I wondering what would be the chance that I could grind that one spot down with my Dremel and save the razor from spending the rest of it's days in a display case? I figure I'd give it a shot because I can't make it any worse. It is not usable as it is now anyway, right?

Glad I found this place. Looks like a great site.

~Edit~ I think the cut might actually leave a small scar. If it does I will certainly make up a better story on where it came from. So if you hear me telling someone a tall tale don't blow my cover ok?

On the Torrey, if you can get great shaves with the blade as is, that tells me you need not worry about it.

With the Wester Bro's, yes, you should be able to grind down that spot. Often there are protrusions on the heals of blades that have been honed a lot, because there is more metal at the shoulder, and once the blade is past the shoulder it's easier to leave it (though clearly dangerous).