Custom Razor

[cooncatbob]

I like the Edwin Jagger razors, but I don't want to spend $70 plus $$ for a Merkur Classic head with a Faux Ebony, Ivory or Horn handle.
So being a guy with a lathe, a drawer of old razors and a hunk of Bolivain Rosewood I decided to make my own. I don't have a Classic 3 piece Merkurs to use the Head from (discovered Merkur use 10/32 threads not metric) So I'm using the Head from my Stahly Live blade razor. It's better made then any of my 3 piece Gillettes. I'm using the handle from a Travel Tech and I've epoxied it into a piece of Rosewood. When my new lathe centers arrive I'll turn it down.

 

[rtaylor61]

Now THAT is a HEFTY classic!

Randy

 

[guenron]

That should turn the trick... When first reading I missed the last sentence and freaked! I look forward to seeing your final product.

 

[cooncatbob]

Couldnt wait and started turning my handle, using the cupcenter in the threaded end of my handle. almost buddered up the threads in the end, had to run a tap in to clean them out. I gues I'll have to wait for my live center to arrive.

 

[cooncatbob]

Well I got my live center from "LittlemachineShop.com" and boy does it make my lathe more user friendly. Well i turned my razor handle to match my brush. I'm going to put an new Feather in it and try it out tonight. Bob.

 

[With The Grain]

...

 

[Kyle]

Very cool.

 

[birchhook]

color me impressed!

 

[Aky007]

Excellent work!

 

[roughrider]

Great job.

 

[mrob]

Niiiiiiiice!

 

[Dinder1]

So when are the official B&B razor and brush set going to be available????

Cheers, DJ.

 

[cooncatbob]

Tested that baby out and she handles like a dream (pardon the pun). Weight is only 65 grams which is pretty light for a handle this size. The large diameter of the middle combined with the bulbus end make for a sure grip even though it's smooth wood. I've alway like the guard bars of the Stahly head which are much higher quality then a Gillette Tech. It's a mild shaver but put a Feather in it and it's BBS

 

[MJB]

That's just plain cool.

Out of curiosity what poducts do you use to waterproof/soapproof the wood and prevent stuff from getting into the threads where the shaver head meats the handle.

MJB

 

[Phog Allen]

Hi Bob. Please forgive if this has been asked/answered before but how would one of those little Jet mini lathes for pen making work out for this? I can easily see from your pics that the blank of rosewood is very hefty and I doubt it would clear the bottom channel of the mini lathers. Just a thought. I've done no wood turning since junior high school and even then, it was mediocre stuff at best. Just some rudimentary gouge work. This turning interests me but I thought of the pen angle just for giggles. From what I've been told, the mechanicals for these pen kits are not very good but turning small shapes like razor handles is very enticing. I guess I'm just wondering what your take is about these mini lathes vs. a full sized lathe. Thanks.

Regards, Todd

 

[cooncatbob]

That's just plain cool.

Out of curiosity what poducts do you use to waterproof/soapproof the wood and prevent stuff from getting into the threads where the shaver head meats the handle.

MJB

If you mean how is the metal razor handle held into the wood. If you look at the pics in the opening post, th Gillette travel handle is knurled and apx 1 1/2 inch of it go into the wood. I coated both parts with marine grade slow setting epoxy and pressed the handle into the wood.
I finished the handle with spray can lacquer. I should have used Tung Oil or Polyurethane but I was in a hurry. The bueaty of lacquer is if it starts to wear I can just respray it.
I think that a pen turning mini lathe would work fine for razor handles. I was using such a big blank 1 1/2 by 1 1/2 because I bought a 24 inch piece 2 by 2 and cut it to make brush handle blanks. Blankity-blanks has pen blanks that are 7/8 square by 5 inches long that would be ideal for razor handles. When I was talking to Aron he was telling me about the Resin impregnated blanks that are perfectly stable and don't require a finish, you just polish them. Perfect for razor and brush handles. You can't order from there website, you have to call leave a message and Aron will call you back and BS with you for 1/2 hour about wood, but you'll learn alot he knows wood and he's a master turner.

 

[Jonnybc]

I'd love to have a metal lathe, you could just keep buying Merkur Classics and turn out all sots of custom razors.

I wonder if my local college has a class...

 

[cooncatbob]

I'd love to have a metal lathe, you could just keep buying Merkur Classics and turn out all sots of custom razors.

I wonder if my local college has a class...

I took 2 years of machine shop in High School and took a similar course at the community college in the mid 80s.
Great book "How to run a lathe" by South Bend Lathe. Ebay.
I'd like to get one of those Mini Machine Lathes but even more I'd like to get a South Bend 9 inch bench top lathe like this bad boy.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-1933-SO...ryZ42282QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Jonnybc]

Back in my dim and distant past I was a "Skilled Centre Lathe turner". This included my favourite peice was a 2" four start acme thread with a nut. Just turned for fun but it was a nice piece of work, I think it's at my parents now.

Anyway, enoough reminiscing. I haven't touched a lathe in about 17 years, shame really.

 

[Phog Allen]

Hi Bob. Thanks for the information. I have really been tempted by that Jet mini lathe the last few years and this little tidbit about razor handles my push me over the top. There are so many of these old Gillette three piece razors around that it would be easy to make up any number of them. Of course, a fella could just use a new Merkur standard three piece as well. Very interesting.

Regards, Todd