Thread: Lets hear some stories: Things gone bad in the shop...

Well, I just managed to ruin the scales that I posted about here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...-progress.html
Some of you may recall my "perfect is the enemy of good" thread in which I was whining about destroying a blade with the Dremel.

The good news is that I am learning from every mistake, and I don't plan on giving up (though, some of you may argue that would be my best option hehe). So, my first complete restore will wear the second set of scales that I make. No biggie.

But, still, I am in a bit of a foul mood over it. I imagine some of you guys with lots of experience that turn out some of the most beautiful razors I have ever seen have made some goofs in the shop as well.

So... Just for fun, lets hear about your notable foul ups. Tell me about your "ah *@$^&" moments in the workshop.

Anyone that restores if they admit it have plenty. But my worst was a rare 7/8 Wonderedge. It was back before all the buffers and the way we are doing them now. It was a dremal and sandpaper which I was pretty good at. This blade was really not bad but looking for that little extra I lost control of the blade and took a huge chunk out of it to much to salvage. It kills me because I have never seen one since.

The get the last bit to perfect got me once,

I was working on a "Pass it Forward" razor a rather nice Thistle...
I had finished the whole thing, now this was back in the "Adjustable Pin" days where everyone wanted those Micro nuts and bolts...
Well that let me take the blade back out again rather easily, and I had just started using a buffer, bad combination...

I decided that I could get the finish just a bit better, so I took the blade back to the buffer...
Certain hollow grinds, have a rather sharp spine edge when they are NOS, this Thistle was one... I pushed the blade just wrong, the buffer grabbed the blade and there was a ZZZZZZZZ PING ZING TING TING TING kinda sound, as the razor shot off the bench where it had been slamed by the buffer and pieces zinged across the shop...

I came away with a healthy respect for buffers...

Now the rest of the story: is that the huge thread about this razor being built and that it was going to travel across the county yada yada yada was lost in the "Great Crash" and all eveidence of that was erased for ever and ever ... some people speculated as to the true cause of that crash I think it was a piece of that Thistle

I had a set of scales that I was scaling for a wife for her husband for christmas this year.

She contacted me a little late for comfort, so, I was already on a deadline... if I remember right it was a Sunday night and I needed to get it out priority on Monday morning for it to get there on time... I'd say it was about 8pm..and I was putting on the finishing touches.. pinned up the wedge end, polished the pins..did final polish on the blade. Went to pin the razor into the scales..peened one side fine..went on to the other....tap tap tap tap tap... CRACK. I split the scale @ the pivot end all the way through...

ended up having to re-make the set from scratch...pulled a very late night. Scales are like potato chips..you can't make just one.


Other than that, just the little things... I've lost several wedges after my sander threw them to god knows where in my work area.. cut wedges too small... cut scales too short...etc..

Worst thing I've done to a blade was kill temper at the heel when I was goofing around on a grinder, but, I was just practicing on a junk blade so that was no big deal!

Does this count...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...nt-bloody.html

Originally Posted by Philadelph

Does this count...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...nt-bloody.html

Ouch! Thats brutal.

Originally Posted by Philadelph

Does this count...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...nt-bloody.html

WOW now that looks painful

With about 20 yrs history in machine shops there have been a bunch. Lots of scrap parts due to misreading a gauge, hitting the wrong switch, heat build up and the like. I have launched my fair share of parts and more from lathes, mills and grinders. Also, I have witnessed several people getting serious cuts and heard about people getting de-gloved, lost appendages and even killed.

Ya think you need to concentrate when straight shaving? Yup, but you really need to focus 10 times more when using power equipment and for longer periods of time. Putting your hand down in the wrong place can have dire consequences and I have seen the results.

Scrapping a part can be have some humor associated with it... in time, but it also carries a significant amount of danger. Don't take the dangers of restoring straight lightly. Stay alert and be sure to wear eye protection at all times and be sure the safety equipment is in place and functioning properly.

The other day I was buffing a razor up... I think I was on the 400 greaseless at the time. I was just removing scratches, so using very light pressure - the last step on the 400. I decided to run the razor at a 45 degree angle off horozontal to vary the direction a bit. Turns out there was some grit at the very edge of the wheel that hadn't "warmed" up, and I got a fresh round of deep scratches. Cost me maybe 30 mins of work or so, but it was very frustrating still. Haven't been in workshops too long, so I haven't had anything too terrible happen.

I have been restoring for awhile now and find this thread very amusing. The longer you do this thing, the more stuff happens. It seems that no matter how careful you are, you still manage to screw some up - hopefully nothing valuable or historic. I will put my "stuff not to do" in Biblical format:

1) Never leave thy blade on the edge of thy workbench while thine buffer is on. Carbon steel liketh not hitting the concrete firmament.

2) Turneth not up the edge into thy buffing wheel. Doing so will taketh a chunk out of thy blade and possibly thine hand or foot.

3) Be thou conservative with thy griding wheel. Steel once removed, cannot be replaced.

4) Do not pursue that final pit or thou shalt turn thy blade into holy foil.

I have done all of the above, and I'm sure I have more coming.