Grinder for Gold Dollar modding ?

I have this Craftsman Utility wet grinder I was thinking of using to learn to mod Gold Dollar straight razors.


Has anyone here tried a low rpm (170 rpm) wet grinder like this. I'm hoping it will keep heat from being an issue.

What type of modifications do you plan on doing with it? Seems rather limited in what it could do.

Mainly just grind off the shoulder and maybe thin the spine. Just to learn with Looking at the Harbor Freight mini polisher grinder for a more long term solution. Also have a Harbor Freight Dremel clone to play with. I've got a dozen more Gold Dollars on the way so I need to figure out if I might can learn enough to get in on next years Gold Dollar modding competition. BTW: mycarver your work has been very inspiring !

Thank you!

Use caution thinning the spine as it will affect the blade angle. Measure twice, cut once.
For what it's worth all the GD mods I have done were made with just a Dremel type tool. Heat build up is pretty easy to control and a Dremel type tool makes quick and versatile work of it all.

Thank You for the reply. I have seen what can be done with the Gold Dollars and basically just want to get one shave ready on my own to see if straight razor shaving works for me. My son ordered one supposedly shave ready from fleabay and in my opinion it isn't even close. I have my Grandfather's Geneva straight but it needs work. So I thought I would practice on Gold Dollars as they are cheap until I have the necessary skills to restore it or til I have the funds to get it properly restored.

I agree with the dremel it would be the best investment you would make for razors. they work wonders on shaping scales as well. sears did have them under the craftsman name. I have 5 dremels, 4000, 2 400's, 300and the craftsman which was a 275 dremel. the 275 in the craftsman is varispeed the dremel 275 had 2 or 3 speeds. the 4000 I use only on scales I have it mounted and use a flexshaft.

kn4wd said:

I agree with the dremel it would be the best investment you would make for razors. they work wonders on shaping scales as well. sears did have them under the craftsman name. I have 5 dremels, 4000, 2 400's, 300and the craftsman which was a 275 dremel. the 275 in the craftsman is varispeed the dremel 275 had 2 or 3 speeds. the 4000 I use only on scales I have it mounted and use a flexshaft.

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My Dremel was the best power tool investment I ever made, period. It can be used for so many things. And it takes up so little space, it's like a mini workshop.

Just be very careful. If the steel changes color, the temper is ruined.
If it is just at the heel, then you can carefully grind through it into the still-hard steel.
Go slowly and allow plenty of time for the blade to cool. The thin edge will turn very quickly.