Thread: Me + dremel = disaster

Originally Posted by onimaru55

The only time I have ever had trouble with a dremel is if the razor was not securely mounted to a holding jig of some kind with the edge flat to the jig.
Hold a razor freehand & use a dremel & you'll soon see what not to do.

Yep. When I had my accident (and very nearly lost a good blade) I was holding it freehand.

Look, they say a poor craftsman blames his tools, and that is true. But IMO, the dangers of the Dremel (catching the edge, overheating the blade, etc, etc) are too prevalent to let me recommend using the tool to newbies for blade restoration. A jig will greatly improve your chances, but to be honest, I say start sanding, buffing and polishing by hand. Yes, it is a lot more work and slower. But the odds of you damaging the blade or yourself are way lower.

The best accessory I bought for my Dremel was a flexible shaft, It really comes into it's own for polishing because the motor is hanging out of the way and all I'm holding is a metal tube the size of a thick pen, it handles so much better than trying to balance the mass and weight of the main tool. I also use it in a home-brew mini router base made from maple with an acrylic base plate in conjunction with dental burrs for inlay work.

I built a version of the magnetic razor jig which is documented on here somewhere, I used a humongous magnet from an old 18" bass driver set in an MDF block covered with a sandwich of aluminium and thin cork, the magnet is strong enough to hold a meat cleaver while polishing, but the downside is, if there is any swarf or strands of wire wool lurking anywhere near it it grows a beard rapidly

Originally Posted by onimaru55

The only time I have ever had trouble with a dremel is if the razor was not securely mounted to a holding jig of some kind with the edge flat to the jig.
Hold a razor freehand & use a dremel & you'll soon see what not to do.

+1
I am yet to damage a razor with a Dremel, the jig is indispensable though.

Originally Posted by osdset

The best accessory I bought for my Dremel was a flexible shaft, It really comes into it's own for polishing because the motor is hanging out of the way and all I'm holding is a metal tube the size of a thick pen, it handles so much better than trying to balance the mass and weight of the main tool. I also use it in a home-brew mini router base made from maple with an acrylic base plate in conjunction with dental burrs for inlay work.

I built a version of the magnetic razor jig which is documented on here somewhere, I used a humongous magnet from an old 18" bass driver set in an MDF block covered with a sandwich of aluminium and thin cork, the magnet is strong enough to hold a meat cleaver while polishing, but the downside is, if there is any swarf or strands of wire wool lurking anywhere near it it grows a beard rapidly

And if you hone on a DMT with a magnetised razor, the fun really begins.

You can demagnetise it, though.

Well, there are 2 things to consider.

First is that you always have to be aware of how the wheel is spinning, so that the weel doesn't catch anything.
The second is that you always have to be aware of how the wheel is spinning, so that the weel doesn't catch anything.
Dremels are very useful, but the risk of dremels, or any roatary tool really, is that you make the wheel spin into an edge or corner, rather than out of it.

And for actual removal of material with flapwheels, discs, etc, dremels are a bit dangerous because there is a risk of local overheating or making deep scratches.
That is why I think the best thing for newbies is to start with plain sandpaper and elbow grease.

Originally Posted by NeoNights

This situation is pretty confusing from the perspective of a noob.

I got my hopes up when I saw Lynn Abrams approve and demonstrate the use of a dremel in lieu of a good bench buffer.
Then, my hopes were elevated even further when I read guides on this site (under Cleaning & Polishing)
that mention using a dremel as an easy, precise, and efficient way to buff.

In the end, I was disheartened to learn that almost everybody vehemently denounces the dremel as a viable razor restoration tool.
-Especially when my primary concerns have always been portability, weight, multiple voltage compatibility, and space efficiency.
Other than the dremel, there doesn't seem to be any other options.

So the underlying issue here is that the dremel has the inherent ability to destroy thin blades?
Or is this only a case of an easily mishandled tool gaining unjust notoriety?

Like any other tool one must exercise caution...

The major problem with a Dremel is the inexperienced hands that are normally holding it

The recommendation on SRP has always been, and probably always will be, to use your hands and no power tools for your first few restorations to get an idea of what working a razor is actually like..

We have a saying from the old restore chat days and it has always held true "Rush a Restore, Wreck a Razor" if you take your time and do a few by hand you will learn many things about razors

If however you insist on using a Dremel here are a couple of things that will lessen the chances of disaster..

Work with a heavy wedge blade first, they handle newb mistakes better with their thicker steel..
Invest in a scrap piece of soft pine, or build a Magnetic Jig, it can be as simple as keeping the edge on the soft pine at all times that the Dremel is spinning..
Learn when to walk away from the razor