I made a razor

[Legion]

The grinder is running at 2850 RPM. I'm not sure if there are different rubber wheels available, I only have the one. There might be an issue with belt length? Dunno.

It was just one of those spur of the moment things. One minute I was messing around in my work shed. I looked at a file and thought "I wonder if I could grind this?" Three hours later I was in trouble because I wouldn't come in for dinner.

 

[onimaru55]

Can't rush art

 

[joshua82]

Me likey! Now i'm gonna be grinding all my files away!

 

[grump]

Nice job and idea!

Now this I have put on my project list.

 

[Legion]

I just thought I would show you this.

I was a bit torn between two thoughts with this razor. On one hand it is a really cool looking razor (I think, anyway) and it is fun to shave with, but it is a touch handle heavy. I also started to think that I needed a chisel ground utility knife, that was really sharp for my leather work and other stuff. And the shape of the handle is actually really comfortable when you hold it like a normal knife.

So....

I honed a second bevel at a more durable angle and made up this sheath from left over strop off-cuts. I also made myself a watch band while I was at it. I'll post that too, somewhere else. I love when I find a use for all those funny sized bits of leather I can never bring myself to throw away.

It still is super sharp. Shaves arm hair like a fiend, but the angle is a bit steeper so I can chop stuff without damaging it.

I actually think I like it more as a knife. Plus, it give me an excuse to make another razor.

 

[professorchaos]

That is wicked! How does it shave?

 

[Legion]

That is wicked! How does it shave?

It shaved well! Very sharp, as razors with that grind tend to be. Holding it takes a little getting used to, and I was always a bit nervous about dropping it. The next one's handle profile will be a little less flat. I'm actually thinking it will look more like a traditional kamisori, but with a slightly longer edge.

 

[Stone Dude]

You could put decorative drilled or milled holes along the spine of the handle or even all the way around. You can fill them with a colored resin then sand flush and polish. The resin will take a polish and be flush and should look classy. This will remove a fair amount of metal and replaced with light weight resin may give a better balance to the whole tool without having to give up the shape of the handle. You could drill them all the way through, to hollow out the handle. Black resin to look like onyx

I want one of these. Maybe not even to use, its badass just to look at.

 

[Kentos]

Legion, did you ever grind out Mark II? I am contemplating following in your footsteps....

 

[Legion]

Nah, not yet. I did get as far as ordering some steel. But other (easier) projects have taken up my time.

For what it is worth, I recommend NOT trying to grind hard steel. Get it annealed, grind it, then heat treat. Your life will be so much easier.

I'm kind of thinking I am more interested in knife making than razors. In Australia I can still buy razors (for now...) but lots of knives are near impossible to get. It might be a more useful skill to be experienced at making those. (For when the zombies rise, I mean...)

 

[TheVez2]

The handle on that thing is wicked. I love the pattern left over form the file marks. Reminds me of reptile or fish scales.

 

[newtobengall]

very cool Legion.

 

[ShaveThis]

You could put decorative drilled or milled holes along the spine of the handle or even all the way around. You can fill them with a colored resin then sand flush and polish. The resin will take a polish and be flush and should look classy. This will remove a fair amount of metal and replaced with light weight resin may give a better balance to the whole tool without having to give up the shape of the handle. You could drill them all the way through, to hollow out the handle. Black resin to look like onyx

I want one of these. Maybe not even to use, its badass just to look at.

I think this would be a very good idea and make it tastefully decorative (in a manly way) while balancing it out.
Great job. Please make sure to post other pieces of your work!

 

[Nanewt02]

ther elbow grease involved in this piece will make it priceless. so, you can make a straight razor out of any metal file and will work?

 

[Legion]

ther elbow grease involved in this piece will make it priceless. so, you can make a straight razor out of any metal file and will work?

Any file? Well...

Files have been a source of metal for backyard knife makers forever. They are usually (at least in the old days) made from good quality high carbon steel. Generally, you don't try and just grind one down, but you can if you are stubborn.

 

[Drybonz]

Very creative! Thanks for sharing!

Legion, I usually think of a file as being pretty heavy. How is the weight on your razor? Just curious.

 

[Legion]

Very creative! Thanks for sharing!

Legion, I usually think of a file as being pretty heavy. How is the weight on your razor? Just curious.

Too heavy, especially in the handle. That is the main reason I changed the bevel angle and made it a knife. I could have drilled the handle to reduce weight, but I don't have tools that will drill un-annealed steel. Next time it will probably have a skinny kamisori style handle with a wrap.

 

[Drybonz]

Too heavy, especially in the handle. That is the main reason I changed the bevel angle and made it a knife. I could have drilled the handle to reduce weight, but I don't have tools that will drill un-annealed steel. Next time it will probably have a skinny kamisori style handle with a wrap.

Ah ok... It seems like you could shorten the file area of the handle and then move the heel forward (shorten the blade) to lose some weight. You probably already considered that, but I was just thinking it might lighten it some.

 

[Legion]

Yeah, it would. But it was just a proof of concept thing. I wanted to see if I could do it, and I did. It shaved well for my couple of tries. I get lots of use from it as a knife, though. Because of its grind it is probably the sharpest one I own, so it gets constant use for my hobbies. And the handle shape fits very well in the hand. The only problem is the high carbon steel is prone to rust very easily. I keep a good coating of Ren Wax on it, and it seems good.

 

[hillbilly]

Wow! That is boss!