Gold dollar razor

[Southbound1]

Hey all,
I have honed maybe 30 different Gold dollars and I haven't ran into a dud until now. Yesterday I honed up a Gold Dollar resin and before honing I noticed it had a frown so I took a diamond plate and corrected it. And then I tried to reset the bevel, the edge would not take, meaning it would just crumbles, not just small chips but larger chips about half of the width of the bevel. I have learned a lot honing from GD razors, and like them actually, but this one is a dud and poorly heat treatment. I trashes it. I know it's the heat treatment, because I had had cheap knives before that would just crumbles before the edge would actually apex. I guess we all can get a dud of an egg with anything.

 

[Billski]

It might be a dud.

 

[rbscebu]

It seem rather strange. Sounds like an intergranular bonding problem that developed during heat treatment.

Why I find it strange is that, for their price, I expect GD razors are heat treated in batches. When that is done, usually one or two in the batch are hardness tested and all in the batch are considered a pass or fail.

Another cause could have been your correction of the frown. If done such that the edge gets heated, that can also interfere with the intergranular bonding. It doesn't take a lot of heat and a very thin edge can heat up surprisingly quickly under dry abrasion. I hope this wasn't the case for you.

 

[Southbound1]

It seem rather strange. Sounds like an intergranular bonding problem that developed during heat treatment.

Why I find it strange is that, for their price, I expect GD razors are heat treated in batches. When that is done, usually one or two in the batch are hardness tested and all in the batch are considered a pass or fail.

Another cause could have been your correction of the frown. If done such that the edge gets heated, that can also interfere with the intergranular bonding. It doesn't take a lot of heat and a very thin edge can heat up surprisingly quickly under dry abrasion. I hope this wasn't the case for you.

I only used a worn 325 diamond plate, then I went to SG/500 and everytime the bevel would get to the point to were it was set or 'apexed' the bevel would crumble. First time it has happened to me. Just curious if anyone else has ever encountered this?
Thanks
Mike

 

[bluesman 7]

It's easy for me to imagine that in a manufacturing environment that there would occasionally be stray razors blanks found on the floor or wherever. A pre HT blank thrown into the post HT bin is all it would take.

 

[MO1]

Haven't experienced this with gold dollars. I do have one w59? That is extremely hard though, inconveniently hard... I took it up to an 8k, it did take some time in between the stones. I'm still working on erasing the 8k scratches on my jnats.

 

[rbscebu]

Haven't experienced this with gold dollars. I do have one w59? That is extremely hard though, inconveniently hard... I took it up to an 8k, it did take some time in between the stones. I'm still working on erasing the 8k scratches on my jnats.

I agree that the GD W59's (a type of stainless steel) are noticeably harder than normal HCS blades when honing. I found W59's easier to hone on lapping films rather than stones. The lapping films, to me, appear to work better when honing harder steels.

The hardest blade that I have worked on is the Titan ACRO T.H. 70 that had a measured hardness of about 68 RHC. Bloody hard work but takes a wicked edge and holds it very well.

 

[global_dev]

I have not seen this with a bevel set around 1000 IME of about a dozen or so 66s.

i have seen some big gouges coming off a Coarse DMT that took time to refinish on finer hones.

 

[buca3152]

I never seen that either. And I've seen a load of gds. But as was said anything is possible. At least your out a few bucks and not a couple hundred.

 

[Southbound1]

I never seen that either. And I've seen a load of gds. But as was said anything is possible. At least your out a few bucks and not a couple hundred.

Thanks for the reply, Bill I was hoping you would chime in man! Thats the kind of luck I have, I could walk around in a 100 acre field and there be one hole, and you bet I would step in it, first thing!! Lol.

 

[Adonay]

About the steel used in gold dollars, do they have differences between models or is it the same **** in diferent scales?
I have two GD one W56 and one 66 (must cheap model), for me the diference is the shape, but i don´t know if have diferences in steel.

How do you compare GD steel with German razors is retention much lower?

 

[Southbound1]

About the steel used in gold dollars, do they have differences between models or is it the same **** in diferent scales?
I have two GD one W56 and one 66 (must cheap model), for me the diference is the shape, but i don´t know if have diferences in steel.

How do you compare GD steel with German razors is retention much lower?

I may be wrong but, all the steel is the same in GD's. I think the higher the model number the more refinement goes into the manufacturing process. For example a 66 will not be as thin of a grind or as good as say a 208.

As far as steel, GD's actually have 'harder' steel than 'some' of the vintage razors, JMHO - though. I know guys who gotten over 75+ shaves on a GD before having to rehone. I have never kept up with how many shaves, but I know I have gotten 25-30 easy. Slash goes indefinitely amount of shaves, with the diamond pasted strop, without going to the stones. Gold Dollars used to get a lot of controversial views, but I like the Gold Dollars, they can be a good tool learn you how to hone, plus they are user/beginner friendly, because the bevel angle is calculated at between I think 18.5-19°,.so they aren't a laser, compared to say 16-16.5°, but they are capable of providing comfortable close shaves with some work.

Mike

 

[rbscebu]

About the steel used in gold dollars, do they have differences between models or is it the same **** in diferent scales?
I have two GD one W56 and one 66 (must cheap model), for me the diference is the shape, but i don´t know if have diferences in steel.

How do you compare GD steel with German razors is retention much lower?

You will know if the steel is different when you compare honing them. I have now W59's and a 66 that has been sitting in Manila for a few months waiting to be delivered to me. Once I get the 66 I'll know if the steels are the same.

Normally it is the steel hardness that determines edge retention - the harder the longer, but there are other factors like alloying elements and different heat treatments that also come into play.

 

[bluesman 7]

@Southbound1 If the razor is trash anyway try testing it with a file. I would try testing near the edge as sometimes the spine is softer anyway on some steels due to the extra thickness there slowing the quench.

 

[Adonay]

@Southbound1 In my experience i don´t see diference in steel too. The difference for me is in the finish, which is much superior in W56, quality of the scale, comes shave ready.
I like my GD´s is very usefull. And very cheap.

Usually I can use it for 2 months, then I take it on the strop with Cromox, and I use another month, then I have to go to stone.

 

[Southbound1]

@Southbound1 If the razor is trash anyway try testing it with a file. I would try testing near the edge as sometimes the spine is softer anyway on some steels due to the extra thickness there slowing the quench.

Never crossed my mind. Good idea
I done trashed it. I think it may have been quenched, because it was fully hard but it missed the heat treatment.