GD Prep

[LBussy]

... at the back of the spine .... is that the top of the spine? The shaft? After we get past toe, heel, edge and stabilizer my geography needs work.

Do you mean the place where you hold the blade/the stamping is? I was thinking I'd do that part on a belt sander.

 

[mycarver]

Yes kn4wd that is what I was referring to. Spines may not be straight or consistent in their thickness along the length .
In this case the spine , if I remember correctly, was fatter near the shaft. So in a case like this it would essentially "lift" the heel away from a stone. Thinning the spine in this area allowed the entire edge to now lay flat against a hone. This of course assumes the spine is parallel to the edge.
This can easily be verified by a quick pass on a stone and you should see even scratches along both the spine and edge. If not , adjustments can be made to the spine until an even pattern shows up. This should be done to both sides.

You could compensate for this by rocking the blade when honing but why not just fix the offending problem and hone a straight blade. It's easy enough to do and have a straight blade from here on out.

The other part of the quote pertains to the evenness of the thickness of the edge part of the blade over the length. It won't affect getting an edge or shave quality but more of an esthetic look where the edge will end up with an even bevel across the length instead of possibly having narrow / fat sections showing up.
This occurs because the thickness of the metal near the edge say at the toe is one measurement. In the middle it's thicker . And at the heel it's thin again. The edge in this case will appear to get much wider in the center and taper off to the toe and heel. The bevel will of course be the same but it just looks kinda funny instead of there being a nice consistent bevel across the edge.

 

[LBussy]

Thanks for clearing it up,

So how do you affect the thickness of the blade? I'm familiar with the aesthetics of which you speak with the bevel - how does a guy with a dremel and sandpaper fix that? It seems like it would be a more advanced form of surgery.

 

[mycarver]

With a Dremel and some sandpaper!

find the fattest part and sand it down until the edge shows an even bevel. Wrap sandpaper around a firm backer and sand the blade until the thickness is even.
It will show up on the edge.

 

[LBussy]

Hrm ... still sounds ... advanced. But what the hey, if I ruin it I've lost $3.

 

[mycarver]

No, not at all. You can do it. Written it may appear convoluted but it's pretty basic really.

If you see a fat part appear along the edge sand down that part of the blade.

If you see a part of the edge not getting hit by the stone when setting a bevel sand down that corresponding part of the spine . It's just observation and logic. There isn't too much going on with these things. They aren't rocket science.

 

[Slash McCoy]

That's why we usually order a dozen or more at a time. You might trash a couple before one turns out really good.

Basically, visualize a perfect razor. Now look at a GD. Now remove everything from it that is not part of your perfect razor and wa-lah.

 

[mycarver]

Even the bad ones don't take much to make right.
Like I said some problems like uneven edge contact can be overcome as some suggest with rolling X strokes etc. but a pass or two with a Dremel and some sandpaper straightens things right out. They may be only a few dollars but if you're putting in the effort to modify them, make new scales etc. what's a few more minutes to do a simple fix?

You can end up with a razor you ground the stabilizers off, maybe sculpted some other areas. Spent time building scales .polished up the blade. Only to have a razor that's difficult to hone.

so fix it, or buy a dozen to find one that's perfect.

 

[johnmrson]

Beautiful work Mark, as always. Probably a little to anal for me. My GD blade fixing is more by eye and feel but that's why yours turn out so beautiful and mine don't.

 

[Winchester38]

I've had a GD66 sitting in my "repair/restore" shoebox for a month or two now. This thread has been a great read. May try modding my first GD this weekend if I can free up the time.

Thanks for the step-by-step tutorial mycarver!

 

[LBussy]

[V]isualize a perfect razor. Now look at a GD. Now remove everything from it that is not part of your perfect razor.

That's deep. That needs to be a tattoo or wall art or something.

With a Dremel and some sandpaper!

find the fattest part and sand it down until the edge shows an even bevel. Wrap sandpaper around a firm backer and sand the blade until the thickness is even.

So like what would be my weapon of choice for that initial grinding? One of the stones? What color?

Not having tried it I'd like to have a starting point so when I do go at it I'm not making it harder on myself than it needs to be. I did find Bill's post about sanding on a piece of hose. Filed that little nugget away.

 

[mycarver]

Stones I think would be a bit aggressive for what needs to be done as well as leaving scratches that may be difficult to remove . Sanding with the paper wrapped around a backer , working on just the high(fat) section will do it in short order also without fear of excessive heat build up.
This also is a natural lead in to sanding/ polishing the blade. See, one thing ( a repair) becomes part of the process of blade modification.
Just like if you're removing the stamping leads naturally to straightening the shaft if it is off center. If you're grinding away there why not straighten it at the same time which will eliminate centering issues later on? Then you won't have to say " now what do I do" when the blade hits the scales and you end up with some lame fix like adding shim washers or grinding scales.

the GD prepping I discuss isn't some odd step in addition to modding a blade but more of seeing the problems that are easily corrected as part of the modding process. The two go hand in hand.

 

[LBussy]

Makes sense, thanks for taking the time to explain. I imagine when the time comes I'll sit down and stare at these slabs of metal and realize it does not make sense but I'm gonna give it a try anyway.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Makes sense, thanks for taking the time to explain. I imagine when the time comes I'll sit down and stare at these slabs of metal and realize it does not make sense but I'm gonna give it a try anyway.

Once u get it right, these are great shavers, and hone up more easily than most stock razors.

 

[Biltong & Boerewors]

I know this is an old thread, but WOW!
Who would have thought a GD could look so good?
A true artist.

 

[mycarver]

I’m guessing this was directed at me. And if so, thank you!
Just curious, have you seen my other GDs?

 

[Biltong & Boerewors]

I’m guessing this was directed at me. And if so, thank you!
Just curious, have you seen my other GDs?

Correct, directed at you! Very impressive!

I started playing with the GD's a few weeks ago, just grinding of shoulders, thinning the spine and honing until I get a good shave out of them. The thing that got me interested is that when you start looking closely at what makes a good edge, you actually start learning a lot more than what you expect at first. Modifying GD's is a cheap way to learn, and make mistakes. My feeling at this stage is that the closer I can get to a geometrically correct blade, the easier it will be to achieve and maintain a good edge. By geometrically correct I mean straight, and edge parallel with the spine, spine of even thickness. I know designs differ and some come with smiles of various degrees, but that is on a different level from what I am looking to achieve at this stage. I was very impressed by the amount of care you take to prepare the GD's before even starting any modification work on them. For now, I am not even really considering the aesthetics, just functionality. For me, scales may be pretty to look at, but it's all about the steel. Pretty will come later.

I would love to see more of your work.

Kind regards,

Jaco

 

[Slash McCoy]

I have always admired the beauty and craftsmanship of mycarver's GD razors.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Correct, directed at you! Very impressive!

I started playing with the GD's a few weeks ago, just grinding of shoulders, thinning the spine and honing until I get a good shave out of them. The thing that got me interested is that when you start looking closely at what makes a good edge, you actually start learning a lot more than what you expect at first. Modifying GD's is a cheap way to learn, and make mistakes. My feeling at this stage is that the closer I can get to a geometrically correct blade, the easier it will be to achieve and maintain a good edge. By geometrically correct I mean straight, and edge parallel with the spine, spine of even thickness. I know designs differ and some come with smiles of various degrees, but that is on a different level from what I am looking to achieve at this stage. I was very impressed by the amount of care you take to prepare the GD's before even starting any modification work on them. For now, I am not even really considering the aesthetics, just functionality. For me, scales may be pretty to look at, but it's all about the steel. Pretty will come later.

I would love to see more of your work.

Kind regards,

Jaco

You do learn a lot by modding these $4 razors. The fact that they are already fully hardened forces the modder to take his time and proceed methodically, and gives you a splendid opportunity to THINK about all the mathematics and ratios and physical features that makes a superb razor that stands head and shoulders above the typical razor. The price gives you the freedom to experiment and give expression to the process and to the finished product. When you have done a few dozen of them, you truly understand The Razor as not merely an art form but also as an insanely efficient instrument when you truly have it nailed. Beauty can be elegant simplicity, or artful embellishment. Function begets beauty, and the hand and the eye complete it. I still have probably 60 or 70 at home, waiting for time and inspiration to bring me back to the bench. I may never buy any more, but many of those I have modded, and many more to come in the future, will always be cherished blades in my collection and especially in my rotation.

 

[Biltong & Boerewors]

You do learn a lot by modding these $4 razors. The fact that they are already fully hardened forces the modder to take his time and proceed methodically, and gives you a splendid opportunity to THINK about all the mathematics and ratios and physical features that makes a superb razor that stands head and shoulders above the typical razor. The price gives you the freedom to experiment and give expression to the process and to the finished product. When you have done a few dozen of them, you truly understand The Razor as not merely an art form but also as an insanely efficient instrument when you truly have it nailed. Beauty can be elegant simplicity, or artful embellishment. Function begets beauty, and the hand and the eye complete it. I still have probably 60 or 70 at home, waiting for time and inspiration to bring me back to the bench. I may never buy any more, but many of those I have modded, and many more to come in the future, will always be cherished blades in my collection and especially in my rotation.

Couldn't have put it better Slash, even in my own language.
It's always a bonus when learning a new skill is fun, even a bigger bonus when you can enjoy and appreciate your efforts with a daily routine that some see as a chore. Not everything in life has to be about the practicality, sometimes you must just make time, take the scenic route, and enjoy yourself. Few people will understand why you would want to shave with a straight razor, even fewer will understand why you would spend many hours on a cheap bit of metal to make it better.