What's new

Making, grinding and honing a XIII century straight razor

Hi to anyone reading and thanks to anyone who will want to chime in.

I'm in a re-enactment society, and I'm trying to reproduce this razor: an archeological find dating back to the second half of the XIII century.

rasierer_01A.jpg

A very kind blacksmith made this for me during a recent re-enactment event.
As far as I know, it's wrought iron, quenched in water.
Not the best, I know, but I have to use it just 5 or 6 times a year, and not even for a full shave.

It's not exactly the same but it's quite similar, and the angles should be correct: I asked him to make the spine 6 mm thick, the blade 2.22 cm wide, and the overall lenght is 13 - 14 cm.

25c18368-89bc-464c-bf10-c78ee396355c.jpg


I'd like to try to sharpen it on my waterstones (Naniwa 1000 / 3000, combo BBW / coticule, "Princesa" slate, cheap 600 / 1200 diamond lapping plate), or...

P_20180704_005955_LL.jpg

...even better, on the sandstone, quartzite (probably) and slate historical hones I managed to reproduce (the first pic on the left), on the basis of other archeological finds (the three other pics), but I guess it needs to be ground down somehow before using these or those.

Pietre.jpg 345c4f77-9eeb-4105-bbcf-ec0d7087747b.jpg 50161713-64d8-4e83-9202-da189be3da30.jpg NMD Feb 06 05.jpg

Currently, the "apex" of the bevel is 2 mm thick.
I optimistically tried to go to town with two or three layers of tape and my diamond plate, followed by the Naniwa, but I just managed to slightly reduce the apex's thickness and to polish it nicely.

39010642_420389398367761_1825951860666662912_n.jpg

I don't have a bench grinder or a flat grinder, but I own a couple of angle grinders, a good vise and a room full of other tools. Sooooo... any advice?
 
If it is wrought iron it should file very easily, though I can't imagine wrought holding any kind of an edge. Trying to file it will tell you something in any case
 
If it is wrought iron it should file very easily, though I can't imagine wrought holding any kind of an edge. Trying to file it will tell you something in any case

I don't think I'm skilled enough to keep the same angle during the filing process.
Maybe my father is. I'll have to ask him.

Well, it needs to hold the edge for a couple of passes, tops. I'll hone it again before the next show, that's why I thought it was ok to don't use steel (and the blacksmith didn't have any, so...).

My original plan included some C70 steel or leaf spring steel, but this one was free and already done. :001_302:

I can't give any advice, but I'd love to see the finished razor once figured out and done!

Thanks! I'll keep this thread updated. :clover:
 
Well, it needs to hold the edge for a couple of passes, tops. I'll hone it again before the next show, that's why I thought it was ok to don't use steel (and the blacksmith didn't have any, so...).
My experience with a soft razor steel was that I had a difficult time getting a good shaving edge and it was gone before finishing the first pass. I suppose that if the shave is just for show, you may get away with it. It did shave hair, but not close at all.
 
I suppose that if the shave is just for show, you may get away with it.

Yes, I'm going to "shave" a fellow re-enactor's face to show how (we suppose) they used to shave in the second half of the XIII century. If I can't get it to shave decently, I'm just going to kill the edge and pretend.
 
Great re-enaction!! Thanks for sharing.:a14::a14:

Thanks! Stay tuned for follow-ups. :001_smile

If it is wrought iron it should file very easily.

It just dawned on me that I don't know how to file it, exactly; should I:
  • just create a bevel towards what should be the edge;
  • file it all from spine to edge;
  • lay the razor flat on my angle grinder;
  • lay it flat on my power sander;
or what else should I do? God, how I'd like to know how to make a razor from scratch!
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Believe it or not, the power sander might be enough. Depending on grit. But I am FAR from an expert!
 
I think that you are going to end up faking the shave. Un hardened steel, let alone wrought iron, will not make a cutting edge. You may want to leave the forging in it's present condition. If you want to make it look like it has an edge, the following may help you.

I would probably file with the center of the spine off of the tool about 1/3 of the width of the forging for starters until you have got the apex down close to a knife edge. Then you will be able to see where you're at without spoiling the look of the forging. Being soft iron, I think that knife angles are probably going to be more appropriate for your purposes. The 1/3 width that I advised will yield about a 40 degree inclusive angle. You may be better off clamping the file to a table and running the forging on it like sharpening a knife. If it's wrought iron it should file quite easily. Good luck.
 
Top Bottom