2018 Gold Dollar Mod Competition

[Sanb]

I’ll play — Novice Class.

I got a chance to grab 5 GDs from @forefather a couple of months ago at cost, and was impressed that these things could actually be honed up.

My goal is to make one into a fairly classic style razor. I’ve got a dremel, a belt sander, a coping saw, hones, and the misc. small tools.

Here is the result of my first grinding. I did the thumb notch / bevel removal first to see if I could even do it. Then squared off the end a bit. I took a bit off the top of the spine, esp at the toe end - I want it the look like a straight blade instead of a smiler.

I spent a long time grinding the sides of the spine. Seems like I took off a ton of steel. First round was to just thin the over-wide spine on the belt sander. The second round was to flatten the sides of the spine for the sake of an even bevel. This was done on a DMT-like plate and a 1k hone. Round 2 took a couple of hours — grind, test, grind, test etc. I never got it perfect, but good enough.

View attachment 881162

Mine has a terrible wobble and took quite a while to level the spine so the edge makes constant contact with the hone.

 

[Ice-Man]

Ah.
So it's like pimping out an inexpensive Squier Affinity Stratocaster with new pickups, etc.

Well sort of its like turning a mini into a mustang

Mine has a terrible wobble and took quite a while to level the spine so the edge makes constant contact with the hone.

Yep most Gold Dollars do mate, but worth it in the long run as they make fantastic straights....

 

[Polarbeard]

Mine has a terrible wobble and took quite a while to level the spine so the edge makes constant contact with the hone.

That's a pretty good description of a GD razor. I wonder why the sellers don't put it into their product descriptions.

 

[Andy77]

This is what makes this site so awesome...thank you for the offer but sadly i have to decline as i live in a hotel about 260 days a year.

I didn’t know that, Cuba. Until last year I had a travel job. I thought my 100 nights per year was something.

I’ll trade you an already modded Gold Dollar for 100,000 Hilton Honors points and. Then you won’t have to bring the grinder on the plane with you. Deal?

 

[mr_houston]

Well, 1st blade destroyed. I attempted to thin the blade. I tried with hand sanding - 80 grit just doesnt remove much steel. Then with a dremal and sanding drum - made it ugly and bumpy. Then dremel and sanding flap wheel - better, but not much.

Finally on my belt sander. My wheels are just too big and its difficult to grind it evenly. I just kept going to see if it would get there. No.

 

[Billski]

I'm in

 

[GearNoir]

Just make it a really thin wedge!

Well, 1st blade destroyed. I attempted to thin the blade. I tried with hand sanding - 80 grit just doesnt remove much steel. Then with a dremal and sanding drum - made it ugly and bumpy. Then dremel and sanding flap wheel - better, but not much.

Finally on my belt sander. My wheels are just too big and its difficult to grind it evenly. I just kept going to see if it would get there. No.

View attachment 883441
View attachment 883442

 

[Slash McCoy]

Don't worry. It is quite common to destroy a few, starting out. I still destroy one now and then, sometimes spectacularly. You learn a little from each attempt/casualty.

 

[Polarbeard]

Just a little encouragement

 

[mr_houston]

Just a little encouragement

I’m back. Thanks for the encouragement.

Blade 2 comes from a more screwed up GD. Grinding is done. I spent a couple of hours hand sanding with 180 grit. I won’t try to get all the lines off the blade face from original production, because I’d just ruin it going down to 60 or80 grit. I polished just a bit with Maas just to see where it is heading.

This version has a barbers notch and jimps removed.

 

[Ice-Man]

I’m back. Thanks for the encouragement.

Blade 2 comes from a more screwed up GD. Grinding is done. I spent a couple of hours hand sanding with 180 grit. I won’t try to get all the lines off the blade face from original production, because I’d just ruin it going down to 60 or80 grit. I polished just a bit with Maas just to see where it is heading.

This version has a barbers notch and jimps removed.

View attachment 884267

That is looking fantastic cannot wait to see the finished product

 

[Andy77]

Nice lines!!

 

[Slash McCoy]

Well its the middle of the month. I have seen some promising looking blades but no scales yet. I want to see some scales.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Well sort of its like turning a mini into a mustang



Yep most Gold Dollars do mate, but worth it in the long run as they make fantastic straights....

Or turning a Nash Rambler into a Formula 1 racer

 

[David]

I’m back. Thanks for the encouragement

Looking good!

 

[DeathKnell]

Your wish is my command.....[emoji16]

Well its the middle of the month. I have seen some promising looking blades but no scales yet. I want to see some scales.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[Ice-Man]

Here you go Slash

 

[mr_houston]

Hand sanding is done. I did 180, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, and 2000. Then dremel polish progression black, brown, white, green from my kit below. Then Flitz.

 

[mr_houston]

Well its the middle of the month. I have seen some promising looking blades but no scales yet. I want to see some scales.

I think I’m going with traditional black scales, but with a modern shape and transparent acrylic. I wish I had some flouresent color for a wedge.

 

[GearNoir]

Nice choice! Very well cleaned up!