Let's make a razor!

mikew

mikew

Messages
511
Location
Ilkley
When I first set up my workshop I always planned on making razors but decided to 'get my eye in' by making a few knives. Several years later and I'm basically a professional knife maker and have never even attempted to make a razor! Time to stop messing about.

This slightly odd looking item is to be my prototype.

12987447004_96d9e04cd6_z.jpg


The rational being that the grinding and heat treating are the big challenges for me here and this design will allow me to practise both without spending time drilling pivot holes, tapering tangs etc only to destroy the thing in the oven.

It will be 22mm wide with the sharp bit measuring 70mm and the overall length being around 150mm. The grind will be something like a half hollow as I only have an eight inch contact wheel and I'll be using carbon steel for ease of heat treating and cost. I do have a rather large piece of RWL34 ready to go but it's expensive stuff so I going to hold onto it for now.

I'll update this thread as I go and hopefully we'll all learn something along the way. Even if it's that I should stick to knives :)

Any/all input is most welcome :)
 
Hi Mike. I'm going to put my neck on the line here and say that having heard about your knives I'm sure you will make some great razors as well - therefore I want to be first on the list to buy one from you - once you are happy that they a commercial proposition.

Appreciate that this one is a test only - but one little design change will make the overall aesthetics and scale fitting much nicer - add a little bit of curve (whaleback) to the tang so that the pivot hole will sit a little lower - this will enable the scales to show off the spine without too much of a curve.

Rob
 
Hey Rob, I hope you're a patient man!

This razor won't have scales (Japanese styley) but I take your point. Once I'm happy with the grind and HT I'll play around with a few designs that are a little more conventional.
 
Here's an interesting video Mike from Charlie Lewis from the straight razor place I have always loved watching his videos a true craftsman and always great instruction with all his videos.

[video=youtube]http://youtu.be/tvFO3TqhDj0[/video]
 
Cheers Jamie, that's a great video. Charlie gave me some good advice about grinders years ago. I like his no nonsense approach.
 
Thanks for the encouragement gents.

It would be good to get some feedback on the prototype if anyone's up for it. Although it may feel a little weird to shave with I'd be interested to get opinions on the grind and how the steel feels on the the hones etc. What I don't want to do is make an expensive mediocre custom razor. I think there are already enough of those around :)

If you'd like to have a play please speak up in this thread. It'll be a good few weeks before anything is ready to post out though.
 
Exciting news. I'd like to see the finished product when they are almost at the finish line. Videos and lots of pics would be a great way to keep us in the loop.
 
Hi Mike I own a Max Sprecher custom and what I've noticed with a lot of these custom razors they tend to be quarter hollow grinds I'm not sure if this is because a full hollow is more difficult to produce but I suspect so, as regards to weight and size even though it's a big razor 8/8 it really is quite nice to shave with even though I much prefer full hollow blades myself, things I really like about the razor is the monkey tail and the french point is another feature I like the fit and finish of the razor is in my opinion flawless and I'm pretty picky about these things, I'll leave you with the spec's but if you ever want any other measurements off the razor that's not a problem.

Max Sprecher 8/8


This is a custom razor made in the USA.
The razor has been fitted and customized with G10 Hunter Orange tapered with a G10 Pistachio tapered wedge.
The blade has been satin finsihed. The spine and tang have a mirror polish.
The blade's width is 8/8
French Point : 1/4 Hollow
Steel: 1095 - Double Tempered
Total weight: 3.40 oz
Total cutting edge: 2.70 inches

 
mikew said:
Thanks for the encouragement gents.


If you'd like to have a play please speak up in this thread. It'll be a good few weeks before anything is ready to post out though.
Click to expand...

Hi Mike put me on the list - I'll also hone it if you like so that I get a direct comparison to my usual razors.

Rob
 
That razor looks a beauty Jamie. What's the thickness at the spine?

I think the reason we don't see full hollow grinds these days is because you need a really small contact wheel. Something like a 4 or 5" diameter. Most grinders that are aimed at knifemakers will have 8 or 10" wheels hence the half/quarter hollow grinds. I plan on getting a grinder that can take small wheels when funds allow as I like full hollows too.

Rob, I'd love you to put it through it's paces.

I'll be using O1 tool steel for the first couple which, on knives anyway, takes a great edge and holds it well for a carbon steel. It will be very interesting to see how it holds up on a razor. I like it at 59 RC for knives so I'll start there and we'll see what happens.

It would be nice for historic reasons to use silver steel but it's only available in round bar so there's a lot more work involved.

I'm already getting excited!
 
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