Fantastic, and I agree that's a great size. Really nice razor!
My homemade 8/8 smiley
- Thread starter bluesman 7
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Hmmm... What to do with all those 8/8 razors...
Very nice work! I like how it sits in the scales. Nice and deep. Very unassumingly 7/8.
Looks awesome, send my way for proper disposal.
Maker's mark looks good 
I really like the latest one.
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- #246
Thanks Larry and Tim. I think my next few will be this size.
Well, I like 7/8, 8/8, 6/8 in that order and still enjoy using all three sizes in my rotation, so it's kind of a high class problem.Hmmm... What to do with all those 8/8 razors...
Very nice work! I like how it sits in the scales. Nice and deep. Very unassumingly 7/8.
I agree about sitting deep in the scales, the thinner grinds lend themselves to this.
Give me a week or so and I'll send it your way, but not for disposal.
Maker's mark looks good
Thanks Sam, it's a symbol representing my birth sign (not that I'm into astrology) and also functions as a stylized V. I was apprehensive about the crudeness of it, but now I like the juxtaposition of that aspect on the polished steel.
I've read through the whole thread this morning but I wouldn't call it a thread but more a combination of art book and documentary of advanced metal working. Thank you.
Excellent
Nice!
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- #251
Thanks Polarbeard, I think of this thread as a journal. As I've said in the past, it makes me happy that people are taking the interest to read the whole thread.
I need to make a few 7/8s, but you've got me thinking about a 6/8.
After the yellow razor, I am a little gun shy about getting too thin, so of course this one ended up just a bit thicker than I would have liked (talking a few thousandths here). The bevel reveals are a bit wider than I like also, which is partly the result of the very acute 15* bevel angle. It still has plenty of audible feedback though. I've shaved with it the last three days and I am loving it.
Thank you.
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- #252
I've updated my tools and process quite a bit and thought I'd journal the changes.
First the forge. The forge is still a loose stack of fire bricks, but now it's on a wheel mounted fire brick table with a new burner that I made for it. The new burner is an order of magnitude better than the roofing torch I had been using. The forge table is the same height as my anvil so when I'm working long material the anvil can support the cold end while heating and the forge table can support the cold end while I'm forging if necessary.
This is looking into the forge opening where the work goes in and out. The gas is turned off here and this is just residual heat.
I also made myself a pair of tongs. I have forged tongs in the past and it is a lot of work. I made these with 20th century technique, arc welding and stock sized steel. They are not traditional or much to look at, but they are a pleasure to use and much better than the vise grips I had been using.
First the forge. The forge is still a loose stack of fire bricks, but now it's on a wheel mounted fire brick table with a new burner that I made for it. The new burner is an order of magnitude better than the roofing torch I had been using. The forge table is the same height as my anvil so when I'm working long material the anvil can support the cold end while heating and the forge table can support the cold end while I'm forging if necessary.
This is looking into the forge opening where the work goes in and out. The gas is turned off here and this is just residual heat.
I also made myself a pair of tongs. I have forged tongs in the past and it is a lot of work. I made these with 20th century technique, arc welding and stock sized steel. They are not traditional or much to look at, but they are a pleasure to use and much better than the vise grips I had been using.
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- #253
I now start with 1/4" by 1" 1095 steel. I forge the end down to 1/4" x 3/4" for 3" and the put two cuts half way though the bar 2-1/4" apart with an abrasive cutting wheel.
The two cuts are then connected with a hot cut chisel on the cutting table of the anvil. I suppose that it's obvious that these cuts form the tangs of two razors.
Then the tang and blade are drawn out. The smile is a natural artifact of forging out the blade.
The two cuts are then connected with a hot cut chisel on the cutting table of the anvil. I suppose that it's obvious that these cuts form the tangs of two razors.
Then the tang and blade are drawn out. The smile is a natural artifact of forging out the blade.
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- #254
At this point I do a heat treat process to reduce the grain size, spheroidize the iron carbides, and leave the steel in a soft condition to drill the pivot hole and do the rough grinding.
I then grind the toe and heel shapes, correct the smile if needed, and make the edge and spine concentric. Then I adjust the tang angle with local heat and drill the pivot hole.
After that the rough grinding of the hollows is done and the tang is finished to 320 grit.
The razor is then quenched and tempered, and the finish grinding on the hollows is done.
Thanks for reading.
I then grind the toe and heel shapes, correct the smile if needed, and make the edge and spine concentric. Then I adjust the tang angle with local heat and drill the pivot hole.
After that the rough grinding of the hollows is done and the tang is finished to 320 grit.
The razor is then quenched and tempered, and the finish grinding on the hollows is done.
Thanks for reading.
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Nice work, blues
Very cool to see how you do it. Thanks Bluesman!
Most interesting, thank you for sharing
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- #258
Thanks guys.
Like with all crafts, the tools and the product sort of meld together. Sometimes making the tools is just as satisfying as making the razors.
What a great thread. Read the whole thing last night. What a cool process. Thanks for posting.
Wow this thread is a trove of awesome knowledge. Subscribed!
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