Thread: Bengall in Black Bean

This Bengall came in pretty shiny & just for a rescale but after a close look there seemed to be a few issues that would have made honing a challenge for the owner so I offered to set the bevel on it. There was excess wear at the toe which I couldn't change, a slight frown near the heel & the edge was worn close to the stabiliser. A few before pics here to make up for all the ones I left out in the past

Taking it to the wetgrinder I reshaped the heel & edge some into a slight smile then some DMT work. New profile below. Gave it a few strokes on the DMTC to set the spine then added 3 layers of tape to get rid of chips, pits & grind up some good steel. Next some DMTF gradually removing tape then finished on DMTE with no tape & considered the bevel set.

Then I started on the Shapton GS 2k for 20 or so strokes & things looked good. (Approx 200x mag)

Then I just had to finish & shave test it. This pic is post shave. (Approx 200x mag) The edge is very sound & an awesome shave.

The Black Bean was supplied by the owner & although I found it prone to split along the grain it also sanded surprisingly smooth on low grits.
The request was for a bushman's workhorse look so finish sanding was at 240 grit then a couple of stiff coats of Organoil (an Aussie made tung oil mix containing some wax) to finish off. A buff with a soft rag 24 hours later gave it a nice satiny reflective lustre that will only improve with handling as oil finishes do.
Wedge is teak & has brass pins & washers throughout.

She'll head North to Queensland on Monday.
Enjoy Mick !

Nice Job mate looks real good!

Lotta work to get those frowns out (except if you have a grinder a ? )

Love that oil finish, feels and looks great.

So .... what did you finish it with??? You left us hanging at shapton 2k!

+Simon

Words just don't do it justice mate.

What Oz hasn't said, is that he told me there was a good chance it wouldn't come good, depending on that pitting you see in one of the pics. He asked me if I was a gambling man...Which I most definately am not. The razor was a blade only, generous gift from another Gentleman on this forum. Since it had cost me nothing and the original plan was to just make up some scales for it, and I would do my own honing. Oz said he would just take a look at the edge, to tell me what I'd be in for in that regard. With the news that it looked doubtful, I told him I'd pay him for his time, he could keep the scale timber, just send the blade back. I would slap on a cheap plastic set of scales, bread-knife it and put it in the display cabinet just for looking at.
Oz suggested he just have a go and work on setting the Bevel, if it looked like it wasn't going to work he'd stop no harm, no foul. So I said alright.
The next I heard was the scales were made and he was going to be giving it a test shave.
Of course I said I thought he was just going to just set a bevel...Maybe...Then send it back for me to finish one way or the other.
He said it was a case of successfully finishing the bevel, then being overcome with curiosity, and just having to have a look at the next grit stage...and the next...and the next thing he knew it was finished.
We have now sorted out a deal, an exchange of skills. I'm still getting the better deal, but I insisted that I do something in return.

My first dealings with Oz have been the absolute pinnicle of customer service and satisfaction. A Gentleman to whom the phrase, 'has gone above and beyond his duty', does no justice.

I am humbled by the effort that Oz has gone to, just on speculation. I hope to be able to send some...More financially rewarding, jobs his way in the future. Afterall, man cannot live on basic strop repairs alone.

Oz, You are a true Gentleman in every sense. My most heartfelt thanks to you.


Mick

That came out great!

excellent....

what can i say mate what a great save and great scales i think i be sending some razors your way for some loving