Competition #3

[Legion]

Of course you COULD try annealing a few and working them in their soft state, then heat treating and tempering. Warping and cracking might be a problem, tho, I don't know. Maybe Paco will chime in on this? I am thinking about trying that, when I get home. I got some old files to anneal, anyhow.

I am simply amazed at what can be done with these under $5 razor-shaped objects. I will probably never buy another new razor that costs over $5 as long as I live. Why should I? Unless it is one of the magnificent workovers I see being sorted out by our talented Badgermen here.

GD SUBFORUM! OOOO! OOOOH! OOOOOOOOOOOHHHH!!!!!!!!

I don't think we will be making a subforum for any one brand, even one as esteemed as GD.

 

[mycarver]

You could but why? I've work enough steel making knives,chisels and such with tempering , annealing etc. that I think these would end up like potato chips. I think I've made decent progress with them even in their tempmered state that what would be gained by all the extra work?
Working with old files,, or tool steel is a different story. Why not try it on your gold dollars?
I agree with Legion,, a sub forum would be sort of useless. It's just another razor that gets redone in one way or another and gets posted just like all the others.We already have the general forum,, with a sub forum for custom/resto work into which this work already falls. We keep saying they're no different,, then why make them so with what would really be a sub-sub forum?
Next up would be subs-sub forums for W&B's,, then TI's,, then ,, the whole thing is a giant sub forum or just what it is now , a forum for all razors. Build 'em , show what you did. Everyone will find it.

 

[Legion]

I ground a razor out of an un-annealed file once. Man, that was a chore.

 

[mycarver]

I ground a razor out of an un-annealed file once. Man, that was a chore.

Done it as well. No matter how much I heated it , it was still a bugger to shape. Not like virgin tool steel that hasn't been treated.Snapping them still revealed a peculiar grain structure. Quick tests on the pieces I currently have ( A1, D2, O1) grind up with relative ease. I also believe( I might be wrong) but file steel is a bit different. I've also worked saw blades,, 6" wide band saw blades, 4 ft circular saw blades. All a PITA to work.

 

[Legion]

I was trying to not heat the file as I went because I had no method of heat treating and I wanted to keep it hard. So I had my bucket of ice water, grind, dip, grind, dip... for ever. Got there in the end, but I won't try to do it again.

 

[mycarver]

Oh,, Man you must have been determined! I couldn't imagine how you did that. You are a glutton for punishment.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I ground a razor out of an un-annealed file once. Man, that was a chore.

Do you remember the brand and country of origin of the file? How did it hone and shave?

 

[Legion]

Do you remember the brand and country of origin of the file? How did it hone and shave?

No idea. It was just one I found in the bottom of a toolbox full of vintage tools in a junk shop. Being in Australia, chances are it was English. It honed and shaved fine, once I did the hard yards grinding it. The problem was I left too much meat on the handle, and it was too handle heavy.

In the end I changed the bevel angle to around 20 degrees (though it has a kamisori grind, so...), and I now use it as a very handy (and sharp) utility knife around the house. It did want to rust pretty easily, but I recently forced a patina on it with vinegar and that has helped.

 

[paco664]

trying to reheat treat one of these blades is gonna be a no-go.... if they were a 1/4 or 1/2 grind then "maybe"....

but as thin as these are there will maybe be 1 in 100 that would survive....

just gotta be careful with em.... it is not that hard to do serious rework on one of these without losing temper in it.....

just gotta have patience....

 

[kjparker]

Just noticed this over the other place.
Mod edit

Notice time of posts, then the time of the edit by mods, and closing the thread. I have to ask why? the thread had been running for a very long time, why close it now and remove some awesome looking examples.....

 

[kjparker]

I'm actually wondering if half the people there who bash these inexpensive razors have actually tried one, or are they just jumping on the bandwagon. It's cheap and chinese so it must be no good. Some of the FUD being spread about them is hilarious!

I agree that you shouldnt buy one from the bay as your first razor and expect it to shave. I agree that it would not be cost effective to pay someone to "repair" one to make it shave. But if you can do the work, and hone yourself, then really, what have you got to lose? There really isnt much to do to make them shave.

Are they scared? do they feel threatened? That you **can** have a comfortable shave from a $4 razor? Nobody is forcing anyone to use one, but to blanket ban (even censor) all discussion about a particular brand is seriously retarded.....

 

[paco664]

I'm actually wondering if half the people there who bash these inexpensive razors have actually tried one, or are they just jumping on the bandwagon. It's cheap and chinese so it must be no good. Some of the FUD being spread about them is hilarious!

I agree that you shouldnt buy one from the bay as your first razor and expect it to shave. I agree that it would not be cost effective to pay someone to "repair" one to make it shave. But if you can do the work, and hone yourself, then really, what have you got to lose? There really isnt much to do to make them shave.

Are they scared? do they feel threatened? That you **can** have a comfortable shave from a $4 razor? Nobody is forcing anyone to use one, but to blanket ban (even censor) all discussion about a particular brand is seriously retarded.....

absolutely....

go there... make you a brand new nickname and post a "help me find a beginners setup" and i guarantee you will be pointed to a 300$ "starter set" from SRD...... a beginner setup from whipped dog will get pooh pooh'd and 10 guys will tell you that you should buy the SRD setup..... or a $200++ dollar DOVO...

 

[kjparker]

I noticed that....

Wonder if someone has shares in Dovo?

As an Australian, I whole Heartedly endorse purchasing as many GD's as you can.

http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/newsbusiness/aap/8438239/china-iron-ore-demand-flattening-bhp

 

[kjparker]

LOL

http://straightrazorplace.com/auction-talk-ebay-etc/81649-i-can-not-believe.html

 

[Legion]

OK guys.

Comp #3 is over. Let's put it to bed and I'll let you all in on comp #4 tomorrow.