Notes From The Edge

[Seveneighth]

Buckler's is my favorite of the ones I can find locally.

Some I have liked a huge amount have disappeared from the local market. This one though tastes more like beer than any other to my taste buds.

Never tried it. I will keep an eye out.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

To me this one is terrible. One sip told me so. I finished the six pack but shouldn't have. I'd rather drink one of the American lagers which taste so bad I hate them. This Heineken NA is truly bad to my taste buds.

 

[Somerled]

I've never liked non alcohol beers.
It's been decades since I last tried one though

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I don't miss it as much as I thought I would. I found Becks Blue to be OK, but haven't tried any others really. I did have a few sneaky bevvies at Christmas. Three real ales over the whole period. Just allowed myself the one, and didn't take the meds that day. Apparently one of the potential side effects of mixing them is respiratory distress, and I happen to quite like breathing. It's good for you.

 

[Seveneighth]

As I have just found my lost razor my Father's Big Ben) the one I had used most of my adult life, I thought I would shave with that this morning. It has been over two years since I last shaved with it, and since then I have been brainwashed educated by all you good folks here at B&B. Last time I used the razor I didn't understand anything about good soaps, I hadn't tried different razors, I didn't even know you could buy different brands of blades.

This has made me curious - how I would rate the razor against ones bought since then, and whether my shave would be significantly better now I am using better quality brushes, soaps and blades.

What surprised me was that it felt quite unfamiliar. There is obviously a lot of water under the bridge. And maybe modern razors are better than vintage.

Three pass shave, Floris Elite soap, Proraso pre shave, Omega 011829.

It is quite a feisty little beast. Very close BBS. My technique was pretty good - down to the school of B&B. I settled into a comfortable neutral angle and then used @AimlessWanderer hover technique on my neck and some @Esox buffing on my chin for the ATG pass. The only downside was some weeping on the top lip but alum saw to that.

Comfortable result. Skin has felt a little lively all day but not uncomfortable.

There razor it's a nice heirloom, but I have others I prefer.

 

[Esox]

The only downside was some weeping on the top lip but alum saw to that.

Shaving ATG and even XTG/ATG on my upper lip can be difficult. I keep my skin there as tight as possible and then a bit tighter. My whiskers there are very coarse.

I'll mention this here too as you're a straight shaver, razor modder. There are some nice prizes.

2019 Gold Dollar Mod Competition

 

[Seveneighth]

Shaving ATG and even XTG/ATG on my upper lip can be difficult. I keep my skin there as tight as possible and then a bit tighter. My whiskers there are very coarse.

I'll mention this here too as you're a straight shaver, razor modder. There are some nice prizes.

2019 Gold Dollar Mod Competition

I find if I hit the top lip hard on the XTG then the ATG pass usually goes well. I think in this case : Feather blade + unfamiliarity with the razor resulted in a closer shave than I was expecting.

Thanks for the heads up on the Gold Dollar comp. I'm not sure I have what it takes to mod a razor that much. My only hope is that @Somerled will enter, posts lots of pictures and I can copy what he does.

 

[Somerled]

I find if I hit the top lip hard on the XTG then the ATG pass usually goes well. I think in this case : Feather blade + unfamiliarity with the razor resulted in a closer shave than I was expecting.

Thanks for the heads up on the Gold Dollar comp. I'm not sure I have what it takes to mod a razor that much. My only hope is that @Somerled will enter, posts lots of pictures and I can copy what he does.

I don't have the tools or workshop setup to do that.
Or, the safety equipment needed.
Blades can shatter and cause serious injuries with sharp bits flying all over the place. Also, if you overheat the metal and it turns blue, it's ruined.

I even have doubt's about using a Dremel to remove enough of the stabiliser on a GD so it can be honed.
I have a few needing that done and can't pluck up the courage to do it.

I'm a wimp when it comes to things like that.

If I ever get my garage cleared out and some bench power tools, I may consider it.

 

[Seveneighth]

I don't have the tools or workshop setup to do that.
Or, the safety equipment needed.
Blades can shatter and cause serious injuries with sharp bits flying all over the place. Also, if you overheat the metal and it turns blue, it's ruined.

I even have doubt's about using a Dremel to remove enough of the stabiliser on a GD so it can be honed.
I have a few needing that done and can't pluck up the courage to do it.

I'm a wimp when it comes to things like that.

If I ever get my garage cleared out and some bench power tools, I may consider it.

This puts me off a bit.

I played around grinding metal as a kid and watched my dad correct a couple of knives on a wheel. Not sure how he managed that without affecting the temper. A highly respected engineer in his day, my father tends to make things look easy and then when you really quiz him on it, it turns out there was some advanced maths calculation going through his head all the time and what looked like a lucky bodge job was actually carefully calculated and planned. The curse of being the son of an engineer is inheriting their bravado and none of their engineering.

Actually making a blade fascinates me. I have watched countless videos and at some stage I would like to try. I wonder if modding is a true stepping stone or a diversion. The but that fascinates me is the tempering of the steel and the steps to grind the razor whilst maintaining the temper.

Still, I will research the modding, and mud give it a go this year...

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

This puts me off a bit.

I played around grinding metal as a kid and watched my dad correct a couple of knives on a wheel. Not sure how he managed that without affecting the temper. A highly respected engineer in his day, my father tends to make things look easy and then when you really quiz him on it, it turns out there was some advanced maths calculation going through his head all the time and what looked like a lucky bodge job was actually carefully calculated and planned. The curse of being the son of an engineer is inheriting their bravado and none of their engineering.

Actually making a blade fascinates me. I have watched countless videos and at some stage I would like to try. I wonder if modding is a true stepping stone or a diversion. The but that fascinates me is the tempering of the steel and the steps to grind the razor whilst maintaining the temper.

Still, I will research the modding, and mud give it a go this year...

Great making it look easy story. Also a great dad story!

Once you're actually an expert some things really are easy. Others, never.

Without a shop and the proper equipment I can't imagine attempting this mod stuff. I live in a pretty big old house but don't have a shop, or good basement, or garage (or the tools for that matter). Mod competition and such are out for me.

I suspect with the right stuff and experience it would be really fun and interesting to make nice razors out of Gold Dollars. The steel is said to be very good. The mods made in the competitions look as cool as any of the super expensive custom razors. Whether they perform as well I don't know.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Clay S]

Great making it look easy story. Also a great dad story!

Once you're actually an expert some things really are easy. Others, never.

Without a shop and the proper equipment I can't imagine attempting this mod stuff. I live in a pretty big old house but don't have a shop, or good basement, or garage (or the tools for that matter). Mod competition and such are out for me.

I suspect with the right stuff and experience it would be really fun and interesting to make nice razors out of Gold Dollars. The steel is said to be very good. The mods made in the competitions look as cool as any of the super expensive custom razors. Whether they perform as well I don't know.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Yeah. I really don't have a space where adding a lot of metal filings would be OK. The scales I could find someplace to do the work, but the blade, not so much.

Have a happy shave!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Yeah. I really don't have a space where adding a lot of metal filings would be OK. The scales I could find someplace to do the work, but the blade, not so much.

Have a happy shave!

I have to do my scale work when my wife is gone and have it all looking like I was never there before she returns. Since she does her quilting hobby at her girlfriend's house which takes a lot of time I have the time and space to do some things without disturbing her or making her think I'm going to damage the kitchen or the dining room.

She knows I hone in the dining room and doesn't like that even though she can see I damage nothing and make no mess. She's be mortified if she saw what I do when making scales. Why? I have no understanding of why.

Doesn't matter really. It is what it is. I make scales and she doesn't need to know how they're made or where. Don't ask. Don't tell.

Metal filings, and grinders, and belt sanders would be another matter.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[AimlessWanderer]

This puts me off a bit.

I played around grinding metal as a kid and watched my dad correct a couple of knives on a wheel. Not sure how he managed that without affecting the temper. A highly respected engineer in his day, my father tends to make things look easy and then when you really quiz him on it, it turns out there was some advanced maths calculation going through his head all the time and what looked like a lucky bodge job was actually carefully calculated and planned. The curse of being the son of an engineer is inheriting their bravado and none of their engineering.

Actually making a blade fascinates me. I have watched countless videos and at some stage I would like to try. I wonder if modding is a true stepping stone or a diversion. The but that fascinates me is the tempering of the steel and the steps to grind the razor whilst maintaining the temper.

Still, I will research the modding, and mud give it a go this year...

It's very easy to go awry.

These two knives are ones I made on a three day course with a knifemaker. Despite me having worked in an engineering setting all my adult life, I was glad to have him on hand to steer thing back on course when things got wayward. I also made the bottom sheath, but the top one was made by a professional leather worker.

I know enough to know that making a straight razor, is way beyond my skill set, even without my current health issues getting in the way. I'm sure I could knock up a pair of scales, and do some minor or cosmetic grinding tweaks, but not make one from scratch, or even regrind one to modify the hollow profile.

 

[Seveneighth]

It's very easy to go awry.

View attachment 977339

These two knives are ones I made on a three day course with a knifemaker. Despite me having worked in an engineering setting all my adult life, I was glad to have him on hand to steer thing back on course when things got wayward. I also made the bottom sheath, but the top one was made by a professional leather worker.

I know enough to know that making a straight razor, is way beyond my skill set, even without my current health issues getting in the way. I'm sure I could knock up a pair of scales, and do some minor or cosmetic grinding tweaks, but not make one from scratch, or even regrind one to modify the hollow profile.

Wow - those are impressive!

How much pride when you use a knife you've made?

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Wow - those are impressive!

How much pride when you use a knife you've made?

Thanks Kit. It is rewarding, for sure. Although, to be fair, I get almost the same sense of satisfaction from the first use of a knife I've just sharpened too. I also have a few knives and pocket tools that I've modified. Some were almost a lego-like dismantle and swap for tools from a compatible donor, but others needed a little more ingenuity and careful grinding, or a few deftful slaps with a tapping bat

 

[Esox]

Also, if you overheat the metal and it turns blue, it's ruined.

Its not ruined, its colour case hardened.

Theres a member of my gun club by the name of Joe Arnold, owner of Arnold Knives here in town and a member of The Canadian Knife Makers Guild. I had a talk with him one day at the club and he heat treats his blades in the oven of his kitchen stove.

 

[Seveneighth]

...and he heat treats his blades in the oven of his kitchen stove.

Try getting that idea past my wife...

 

[Esox]

Try getting that idea past my wife...

No different than a baking sheet, but it might be on longer lol.

I've been trying to remember what he told me and I cant, but 150F keeps popping into my head. I cant grasp the time although I believe it was quite a while and may differ with steel type. I'm sure there will be info out there on some blade making forums though, if not even in this forum.

 

[Seveneighth]

@Esox , you might enjoy some links.

I hope he doesn't mind me linking this, but this is a talk by Victor Creazzi, @bluesman 7

The sound is lousy - you will need headphones. I have watched this video a number of times - I am blown away by his skill / knowledge.

Her are some other razor making vids:

Alec Steele is not a razor maker - but this series is great fun. It's also interesting watching him find his way through the process - I think it's the first razor he had ever made:

DAMASCUS STRAIGHT RAZOR: Part 3

 

[Seveneighth]

Tonights shave was with the Joseph Rogers. I honed it on a convexed 4cm wide La Grosse Jaune coticule.

The LGJs are really slow and I have never managed set a bevel with one. The convexing sped the stone up immeasurably and bevel setting was a breeze this time. Steel removal was pretty slick even in the water stages. The razor popped hairs down my arm when treetopping. That's always a good sign for a coticule.

The shave itself - Mitchell's for a pre-soak and for lather. SOC Badger / Boar mix brush. The edge didn't feel much like a coticule. It was slightly bitey as you would hope but a little harsh somehow. I thought the shave went well. No irritation. But afterwards ... it's patchy.

Enough playing around with the convex stones. Time to get back to some grownup honing. I will start my coticule experiments over the next couple of days.