Is this WUG repairable?

[weevil]

If you study this photo closely, you can just make out some damage to the front half of the blade.

I joke, but I'm gutted. Not because it was a valuable razor, but simply because it's an artefact with about 100 years of its own history and I've probably ended its useful life. Even SWMBO was saddened by its demise.

[Steve (The Invisible Edge), if you're reading this, I'm really, really sorry to have done this to your work. If it's any consolation, I'll be in touch for a replacement very soon.]

What happened? I'd just finished stropping it, ending with some very light strokes and was lifting it away from my strop. I'd been holding it so lightly (in order to try and get a feel for the draw and what the blade was doing) that it slipped and fell onto the tiled floor below. Stupid, stupid, STUPID! I'll not be stropping over tiled floors again.

It could have been worse. I instinctively tried to catch it as it fell. For the sake of my fingers, I'm rather glad I missed. I'm also pretty pleased not to have nicked my barely used TM strop, too.

Now, the title of this thread is only half in jest. Obviously I'll never again use this razor as its makers intended, but is there anything I can do with it. It is (was?) a 6/8 hollow ground. The edge along the break is still a very fine (thin) bit of steel. To give you an idea of the hollow, the faces of the bit which has broken off are almost parallel. So, could this be reground as a narrower blade, somewhere around a 4/8? I guess the spine would need reducing in width in the same proportion (2/3) in order to keep the angles correct. What else would be required?

If this sort of work is feasible, what would I need to carry it out? I have an array of files, a bench grinder, a Dremel, grit-impregnated rubber polishing blocks and a serious interest in learning all I can after this stupid error. I'm very short of razor-specific stuff (hones, pasted paddles or strops), having only my linen/latigo and practice strops. I was planning to buy stuff only as I needed it. Now I need it, what shall I get? Will a full set of Spyderco's complement my existing tools?

I'm aware of Bill Ellis's restoration CD. I realize that, if I undertake this, it won't be a straightforward restoration, but would I be right to assume that there's a lot great info therein which might help me, especially in the later stages of the rework?

I'd rather try, and fail, than simply toss this razor. At the very least, I could get some practice at honing, with a razor which I have absolutely no risk of making any worse!

Let the advice/abuse rain down.

 

[jrcrow79]

If YOU can picture yourself fixing it then it can be done..but usually steele is steele or metal is metal..bonding it wound never be the same as if there werent anything wrong with it..you could solder is (metal melt it back together)..get me?

 

[wetshavewonder]

you must have some tough facial hair!

 

[papasmurf]

initial thought . Ouch


Cut the rest of the razor and make yourself a dwarf .


I feel your pain bud sorry for your loss

 

[weevil]

If YOU can picture yourself fixing it then it can be done..but usually steele is steele or metal is metal..bonding it wound never be the same as if there werent anything wrong with it..you could solder is (metal melt it back together)..get me?

I get you, but I wasn't even considering a repair in the sense of trying to re-attach the broken bit. I'm a designer of small mechanical things by trade (mostly medical devices of late), so have some knoweldge of joining. I don't know of any adhesive which would offer a strong butt joint on such thin material. I guess it could be welded/brazed (laser weld might work), but, as you say, it would always be a repaired broken blade.

What I had in mind was to remove the remainder of the cutting edge, effectively continuing the line of the break along the blade and reprofiling the cross-section, making it a 2/3 scale version of its original form, but the same overall length.

 

[weevil]

Cut the rest of the razor and make yourself a dwarf .

I hadn't thought of that. Hmm..?

No, wait, I already have a dwarf. It's the bit pictured just below the rest of the blade. All it needs is a handle!

Seriously though, I'm intrigued. Is there a reason to have a dwarf?

 

[leighton]

Ignore the previous suggestions. Chopping it down to a dwarf would make a 1" razor. Thats just silly and a waste of good metal.

What you want to do is to grind off the good edge so that its even with the broken area. Of course, if theres any cracks, just junk it. In the end you'll have a 3/8" blade or thereabouts, maybe smaller. Worth it? Up to you. I wouldn't bother, but I am severely strapped for time, so...if you have nothing better to do, it'll make a good project.

 

[Suzuki]

Looks like you've got yourself a one of a kind, historic box cutter!

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Fnord5]

I would cut it down to make a dwarf as well, would be good for the ATG passes on the neck, if they are anything like mine (sideways) that stubby blade would work great.

 

[leighton]

After doing actual measurments, I am still of the opinion grinding it down to 3/8" blade will produce a more suitable razor. And I am speaking from personal experience. I've had a 2" razor, someone in Canada has it now.

If you chop it down to a dwarf, you will have a 1.36" blade. This is only assuming your razor started off at 3". If your razor started off at 2.75" and that would be quite odd because then it would be at actual size on my monitor screen.... Anyway, you'd end up with a 1 1/4" blade. Trust me when I say that shaving with a 2" blade is the lowest I would ever go. 2" was incredibly small. 2.5" is ok, but 2" is too small. Unless you actually have a need to shave areas only 1" in size, or 2" in my case, a razor that small will not suit you. It will become a neat oddity.

 

[Bacchus]

I've had a 2" razor, someone in Canada has it now.

Pffft.. We up here in Canada only use our axes and chainsaws to shave eh



But I agree, do you really want a stubby razor? Also, then youd have to rescale it, or it would look just plan odd

 

[weevil]

I feel that full-length narrow blade will be of more use to me than a wider, shorter blade.

If that's the way I go, will a Dremel, some hones and a copy of Bill's CD be all I need? Will I need to fabricate all sorts of jigs and fixtures in order to have any chance of making a decent fist of this, or can most of it be done by eye?

 

[BillEllis]

Make it one width, but it will never make a good shaver again. You will be changing the relationship between the bevel and the thickness of the blade too much to optimize the cutting edge. Use it as a novel letter opener or for opening packages.

Oh... I guess I don't need to tell you to never again hold a razor with such a light grip that it falls out of your hands...

 

[Prince]

Make it one width, but it will never make a good shaver again. You will be changing the relationship between the bevel and the thickness of the blade too much to optimize the cutting edge. Use it as a novel letter opener or for opening packages.

Oh... I guess I don't need to tell you to never again hold a razor with such a light grip that it falls out of your hands...

There's your answer - just be glad you couldn't catch it.

 

[weevil]

Make it one width, but it will never make a good shaver again. You will be changing the relationship between the bevel and the thickness of the blade too much to optimize the cutting edge.:

Thanks. I think. You're the last person I wanted to hear saying, "Don't bother". At least you've saved me from wasting hours on a lost cause. I'll still mess about with it, of course, just to see what I can learn about cutting, cleaning, grinding and polishing these things. Obviously I'll need a copy of your CD, so I'll just go and order that...
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...right, that's that sorted.

Oh... I guess I don't need to tell you to never again hold a razor with such a light grip that it falls out of your hands...

Nope, but say it anyway. I find that feeling stupid is a great motivator to changing behaviour.

Thanks for the advice, Bill.