Damascus Steel and Junk Bending razors

[drmatt357]

Someone just contacted me and wanted me to hone a razor he acquired on ebay from a guy who sells new "Custom Made Damascus Steel" Thing is, the bids are at $22. I'm thinking they're junk Pakistani stuff.

Someone just posted that video of the guy snapping those junk Damascus looking razors. Anyone have that link? I really don't want to waste my time if this razor is one of those. Don't know if it would be appropriate to post the link but if the moderators don't have a problem, I will.

 

[buca3152]

Unless someone has tried these out, its a gamble. If he wants you to hone it, hone it and explain the risk hes taking. If the edge crumbles or doesnt maintain the edge, its not your fault. Seraphim and Slash mentioned some paki razors. I know slash has got one in the pipeline and Seraphim has worked a few and they are ok. No specific info on what brand etc. Whatever you find out, let us konow!

 

[Prof. Moriarty]

Do you mean this video?

 

[jpcwon]

Subscribed. I am curious if you get the razor to take any sort of semblance of an edge...

 

[drmatt357]

Do you mean this video?

That would be the one sir. Thank you!

 

[Doc226]

I would guess that will not hone to a shave ready state.

Give it a try and report back.

 

[GeneC]

Of course, there's different steels, different tempers. I'm not sure that shows anything. Btw, the test for master bladesmith is to put the blade in a vice and bend it, it should bend to almost 45deg and not break and then go back to true. Breaking only shows tempering. Higher carbon steel will be harder to break than low carbon steel. Obviously the Damascus razor had a soft edge, but it sure looks good.

 

[Bayamontate]

I received several of those and other "Damascus" razors to hone. The spines are usually uneven making for very creative tape choices and placement to get to the edge. Once you clear that hurdle, honing is not a problem if you can get through the microchipping. I was able to get a shave ready edge on most, if not all, of the razors but this edge does not last very long. If you're lucky and very patient you may get through the first WTG pass before she is dull as a spoon again. I recognize that inlay BTW. On a positive note, honing these razors can be a good exercise in futility, they are so difficult to get a shaving edge on that trying to will undoubtedly make you a better honer.

 

[goatee]

i bought a couple ebay specials that looked very similar to the one in question. (similar price as well) it did NOT take any kind of an edge at all!!!!
do yourself a favor and tell him to send them back ASAP.

i did and got a full refund. all but my shipping costs that is... lesson learned. if it's too good to be true, it probably is fake damascus steel!

 

[Slash McCoy]

Someone just contacted me and wanted me to hone a razor he acquired on ebay from a guy who sells new "Custom Made Damascus Steel" Thing is, the bids are at $22. I'm thinking they're junk Pakistani stuff.

Someone just posted that video of the guy snapping those junk Damascus looking razors. Anyone have that link? I really don't want to waste my time if this razor is one of those. Don't know if it would be appropriate to post the link but if the moderators don't have a problem, I will.

View attachment 370594

That is absolutely the ugliest razor I have ever seen.

 

[drmatt357]

That made me laugh Slash. 😂

 

[Doc226]

Slash, tell us how you really feel

 

[Obiwan]

Can't disagree.

 

[alpster]

Slash, tell us how you really feel

Slash should've gone into politics, he would make a great diplomat.

 

[PapaFish]

I have wondered about these for a long time.

I asked a seller a few questions a couple years ago and got what felt like run-around answers. At that point in time, the razors were like $5 with $30 shipping, and you could return the razor and be reimbursed for everything except shipping, provided you never honed the razor (it felt like a scam to me).

The more I hear about them, and very competent honers being able to almost put an edge on them, the more I wonder if they just don't have a good temper. I wonder if a person could take one, heat treat it, and wind up with a usable razor. My wife has a small electric furnace that can get to at least 1200 degrees... What would it take to temper one of these (temperature wise)? I remember double tempering low carbon steel in college. You just "heat to red hot, quench in water" followed by "heat to blue hot, let air cool". It resulted in a strikingly hard, strikingly non-brittle steel. I don't have any data on hardness or toughness, sorry. I guess while you were heating/cooling, you just as well start out by annealing the blade so you could straighten things up. Perhaps someday I'll buy one and try an experiment. At the moment, I have no fun money to play with .

 

[drmatt357]

I emailed the guy on eBay who sells these and asked if the blade was Pakistani steel. He admitted they were. I then forwarded his reply to the guy who wanted me to hone it and we mutually agreed to not waste my time and his money.

Phew😥

 

[Slash McCoy]

no1200 degrees not hot enough. close to 1500 degrees needed. typically you heat until the steel no longer is attracted to a magnet, hold for a little while, then quench. then to temper heat in an oven to i think around 340 for most steels. you want no more than faint yellow at the most and rypically not even to that stage. blue means waaaaaaay to hot. Plus a finished razor is too rhin to heat rreat. It will warp and rack most likely.

 

[chuckr9]

I got one of the GB Bidingham & Sons Damascus Steel 13/16 Camel Bone scales razors some time ago (before seeing the video, which was posted when I asked about this razor). I was able to hone it and get an excellent shave, but the edge is so brittle it starts to break down (almost a gritty residue) right away. As you can see from the spine wear, it was also warped when I got it. Nice razor to look at, but not one to be used for shaving!

 

[eaterofdog]

One thing I like about B&B is that it's about the only place that actually tests these razors and gives intelligent feedback. Instead of the hissy fits they have at the other forums when anything but a top shelf brand is mentioned.

But that razor looks like something you'd buy while drunk at a bar at 3 am. That's about the only time it would look attractive.

 

[drmatt357]

I just received a note from the eBay seller. It seems he forwarded my original inquiry to the actual manufacturer. This was their reply:

Hey, I understand, We do most of our own profiles from billet stock, and shape and grind ourselves, as cost runs higher with the razors, Not For Shaving by the way, i have taken to buying them from a maker in Canada, i just do not make enough on them to warrent our time, so i have been buying the razors hand ground, they are still 100%, and have had no complaints or returns, also, since we are still assemling and making the handles etc, i never send anything out that is not 100%, saves me time and money with no returns. they also make our Billet Damascus so i know them to do good work. None have any lamination problems and the problems that come with some foreign Damascus, i know well Damascus issues and lived thru all of them. Hope this helps, if you are looking for a shaving ravor, you do not want it in Damascus, its not good steel for this. hope this helps you, have a good day..pete/BSJ Knives of Alaska ps if these do not fetch a better price soon, we will not make them anylonger, the profits are not there, especaly on the Mammoth ones we make, and setting a reserve keeps us from getting any bids at all.....