Seraphim Seramix Redux

**Seraphim** · 06-27-2011, 07:49 AM

I puled this blade back out of mothballs for another try...

I reset the bevel, and the final angle is now ~27 degrees, as opposed to my previous attempt which was most likely closer to ~35 degrees.

We'll see....

**PapaFish** · 06-27-2011, 10:11 AM

Man I hope it works! I realize that Ceramic is brittle, but I would think that as gingerly as we all treat the edge on our blades, that this (in theory) should work. I like that you have a scope and can actually see what the edge looks like before and after a shave (please post a "post shave" shot so we can see if the stubble is indeed destroying the edge). Thank you for all your work on this!

**tvldatsi** · 06-27-2011, 10:34 AM

fascinating, godspeed Seraphim!

**Seraphim** · 06-27-2011, 11:33 AM

It is now my official opinion that ceramic is unworkable as a medium with which to create a functional straight razor edge.

For a knife, that can get by with a large bevel angle, sure, it'll work. But for a razor with a sub 3o degree bevel angle, it just doesn't cut the mustard.

Here's a shot of my quicky re-handle job, and a pic of the edge after a single WTG pass. The blade felt a bit rough, like an unfinished 8k edge, and had some pull. It was at about a ~4 HHT prior to the shave.

My curiosity is now satisfied with ceramic as a razor material. It is off my list.

**PapaFish** · 06-28-2011, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Here's a shot of my quicky re-handle job, and a pic of the edge after a single WTG pass. The blade felt a bit rough, like an unfinished 8k edge, and had some pull. It was at about a ~4 HHT prior to the shave.

My curiosity is now satisfied with ceramic as a razor material. It is off my list.

Thanks for the close up picture. I had really hoped that you could get it to work! I guess my curiosity is satisfied, too. At the very least, you now have a cool looking kitchen knife...
What kind of knife was it when it began it's life? A Kyocera?

**honed** · 08-02-2012, 01:03 PM

At last, it's done, the very first smooth & comfortable ceramic blade shave

But it took a full-blooded, full-time obsessed sharpener to git 'er done

**Seraphim** · 08-02-2012, 01:34 PM

Great video!

**Doc226** · 08-02-2012, 02:03 PM

I'm glad I still have some hair and don't have to head shave yet.

**PapaFish** · 08-02-2012, 03:05 PM

I wonder how many shaves could be had before a refresh was needed... Thanks for the video!

**Kentos** · 08-02-2012, 03:07 PM

Very nice. Any info on blade longevity? I assume stropping on leather is pointless?

**honed** · 08-02-2012, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by Kentos

Very nice. Any info on blade longevity? I assume stropping on leather is pointless?

He just finished the shave less then 12 hours ago, so no such reports yet.

We are still haggling about all the gritty details on facebook

Stropping would probably be pointless. It's just a superhard chunk of synthetic material.
Steel has some "Life" in it, ceramic is pretty dead & that coupled with the hardness would make me think that leather stropping wouldn't make any difference.

**Kentos** · 08-02-2012, 03:13 PM

Tell him he looks younger WITH hair.

No, don't.

**Seraphim** · 08-02-2012, 03:25 PM

Bevel angle used?

**ladykate** · 08-02-2012, 03:29 PM

Great video - If it becomes available, I would love to hear the feedback about the longevity of the edge. He did a few things with that edge that I wouldn't do with a real razor on my face. Also, that tip was looking pretty lethal. I skipped to the end expecting to see some blood.

**honed** · 08-03-2012, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Bevel angle used?

10-15 degrees per side. Tom used his normal routine of "actively convexing" on the stone, i.e you make an active effort not to hold the angle precise, but allow a slight
variation. If you keep the movement/variation steady, this "play" makes for a slightly convex edge that is a bit stronger then a straight v-bevel.

No signs of edge detoriation during the shave reported.

**Seraphim** · 08-03-2012, 06:38 AM

Perhaps I did not give the large bevel angle honing a proper chance. I bailed after half a pass, as it did not seem to be effectively removing whiskers. That was three years and 7 thousand posts ago, I was young and impatient.

At a small bevel angle it didn't hold an edge.

Maybe my ceramic was of inferior quality to a real Kyocera?

**Alum of Potash** · 08-03-2012, 07:29 AM

No doubt this one's made the rounds before, but have you tried obsidian?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWSTE6WLB0Y

**PapaFish** · 08-03-2012, 11:53 AM

Apparently if it's not a Kyocera, it's not a Kyocera! They are doing things to this ceramic knife that I wouldn't do to any of my knives, or straights for that matter! You might want to fast forward to 4:20 or so, that's where it shows 3 other brands, then Kyocera, and they do some speed testing.

**Seraphim** · 08-03-2012, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by PapaFish

Apparently if it's not a Kyocera, it's not a Kyocera! They are doing things to this ceramic knife that I wouldn't do to any of my knives, or straights for that matter! You might want to fast forward to 4:20 or so, that's where it shows 3 other brands, then Kyocera, and they do some speed testing.

Great.....now I gotta go out and buy a Kyocera....

**danjared** · 08-03-2012, 08:35 PM

I once had a couple Kyocera knives. One was the dark ceramic and another the white one. I tried sharpening both with DMTs and recall one seeming harder to abrade than the other. I'm not sure if it was real or my imagination. I think it was the darker one that seemed harder.