Holding a Razor while Working

I've seen mention a couple times of a "jig" or something that "Bill" (I assume Bill Ellis?) showed that would hold a razor while working on it. The context led me to imagine a flat "thing" that held the blade. I found a post for his "sanding jig" which was the hose. What I am talking about sounds like a clamp or a surface to hold the razor flat while working on one side - possibly while sanding.

Does that ring any bells for anyone?

I think what you're hearing about is essentially a flat board with a thin strip attached to it to press the spine against while the blade can lay flat. Also some will add rare earth magnets to keep the blade in position while sanding. These are set into the base board along the thin strip (inlaid and glued in place) to hold the blade.

I had one at one time , made several changes to it, but tossed it. I'm sure someone will come along with a photo or link to an actual jig.

I made one using a block of wood, hard drive magnets and a sheet of aluminum. It works great. But I found the back stop (as pictured) was too tall so I replaced it with a 1/4 inch thick piece of wood.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/374708-Straight-Razor-Sanding-Jig

Perfect, thanks Mike!

I just disassembled an old harddrive and use the harddrive case as the plate... Remove the magnets holding the needle and stick it on the back of the metal plate and done

You can kinda see the corner of the harddrive case plate here off a western digital green drive that died in my drobo

I was wondering if that was not what that was. So the plate is softer metal?

post #3 of mike H's linked thread has a link to bill ellis' blog with his instructions. i found a pack of 3 rare earth magnets at ace hardware. 2 of the magnets would have been more than enough. a popsicle stick has worked well as a backstop for me - thick enough to work but thin enough that it is lower than the spine

LBussy said:

I was wondering if that was not what that was. So the plate is softer metal?

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I doubt it's tempered hardened metal... Never had a problem

Heespharm said:

I doubt it's tempered hardened metal... Never had a problem

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From what I was able to find, hard chrome is 65-69 HRC, I can't find a reference for normal chrome. Similar sources show high speed carbon and tool steel at 55-66. But, you'd definitely know if you were getting scratches.

It's not chromed metal

OK here we have a little sanding jig I made for razors that will need more work than just the buffing wheels with compound, the hardwood section as three rare earth magnets sitting flush and housed out level to the surface of the hardwood then glued down, then a 4 1/2 in X 1 1/2 in piece of mild steel glued firmly on top so that becomes a really firm magnetized plate that will hold your blade and edge very important flush and tight on the plate, also you see a small raised piece of hardwood that stops the blade moving back off the jig tight where the spine sits, also you will need a small hardwood sanding hand held stick with a piece of 4mm leather glued to the rounded off end, now cut your various grades of wet & dry to fit the width of the sanding stick hold firmly and away you go, always slide your razor off the plate when you want to turn your blade over, forgot to add you will need to clamp the jig to something firm while sanding, a good little set up for blades that have some serious pitting going on.

Heespharm said:

It's not chromed metal

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Okeydoke. The one I have here on my desk (what IT guy DOESN'T have one taken apart just laying around?) looks chromed.

FILLY14 said:

OK here we have a little sanding jig I made for razors that will need more work than just the buffing wheels with compound, the hardwood section as three rare earth magnets sitting flush and housed out level to the surface of the hardwood then glued down, then a 4 1/2 in X 1 1/2 in piece of mild steel glued firmly on top so that becomes a really firm magnetized plate that will hold your blade and edge very important flush and tight on the plate, also you see a small raised piece of hardwood that stops the blade moving back off the jig tight where the spine sits, also you will need a small hardwood sanding hand held stick with a piece of 4mm leather glued to the rounded off end, now cut your various grades of wet & dry to fit the width of the sanding stick hold firmly and away you go, always slide your razor off the plate when you want to turn your blade over, forgot to add you will need to clamp the jig to something firm while sanding, a good little set up for blades that have some serious pitting going on.

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Seriously sexy!