Question About Gold Dollar Straight Razors

[steveclarkus]

I just use a Dremel to grind the shoulder. I’ve never done anything with the spine.

 

[buca3152]

Hone them as they are. Heel leading stroke and you can get the whole blade. 30 second mod with a dremel if you want to. Dremel is a good tool to have. Lots of blades need correction and elimination of heel hook. Not just gds. The funny thing about it all is when people are comparing a $300 blade to a $4 GD. Lol.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Could you explain the part I added bold to? Everything else makes sense to me, but I can't get my head around that part.

I understand the shoulder and stabilizer grinding part, but not the spine part.

Also, just curious, what kind of and size of bench grinder do you have, and do you see a small mini grinder as up to this task?

Thanks, and happy shaves,

Jim

Mini grinder? Like a small bench grinder? Not enough power. A full size bench grinder can be useful but a dragster style belt sander upside down in the bench vise works great. My main modding tool. Next best, a dremel or reasonably powerful knockoff, with sanding drums. They cut quick and are controllable. I also do a lot of polishing with dremel and felt wheels with diamond paste.

 

[Ice-Man]

Mini grinder? Like a small bench grinder? Not enough power. A full size bench grinder can be useful but a dragster style belt sander upside down in the bench vise works great. My main modding tool. Next best, a dremel or reasonably powerful knockoff, with sanding drums. They cut quick and are controllable. I also do a lot of polishing with dremel and felt wheels with diamond paste.

Its funny you should say that Slash I just got a dragster belt sander that has clamps that you use upside down and clamp it to the bench, so now I can push the spine up once thinned.....

 

[Slash McCoy]

Its funny you should say that Slash I just got a dragster belt sander that has clamps that you use upside down and clamp it to the bench, so now I can push the spine up once thinned.....

Wow sounds great. Looking forward to seeing the new GD mods from it.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Mini grinder? Like a small bench grinder? Not enough power. A full size bench grinder can be useful but a dragster style belt sander upside down in the bench vise works great. My main modding tool. Next best, a dremel or reasonably powerful knockoff, with sanding drums. They cut quick and are controllable. I also do a lot of polishing with dremel and felt wheels with diamond paste.

Thanks, Slash.

I'll scratch mini-grinders off my list of possibilities. I believe I already have a Dremel somewhere unless my wife decided it was somehow a tool I don't need.

I also may have a power driven belt sander. My brother made one for some use, and I inherited it when he died. I don't know if it's a dragster style, but I can find out.

You use the Dremel as a hand held tool or what?

[I know there are devices to hold the Dremel so you can use your hands only to hold the object, and not the Dremel.]

I have greatly enjoyed reading all your stuff about modifications and honing, etc. both here and elsewhere on the 'net.

My first SR arrived today. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it yet, but it looks pretty good for $11.90 with shipping. Amazon. No stabilizer was the big attraction for me + the reviews were good.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Slash McCoy]

You can definitely get that one to shave. Just hone it and go. For modding I would go with the #66. I been meaning to get me a couple 1996's to mess around with. That might be the ideal razor to buy and hone and sell shave ready.

I just hold dremel in my right hand usually, with razor resting on steel or aluminum plate for heat sink and edge guard.

Google for Black & Decker Dragster Sander. There are knockoffs but the B&D machine is not expensive. I like it because the nose roller is very small diameter, about right for making thumb notch or pushing the hollowgrind further up into the spine. The flat part is great for thinning spine and shank. Also for final profiling of the nose.

The Dremel and sanding drum is great for fairing it all together so the blade and shank sort of flow together with no step or shoulder to be seen. You will go through a lot of the drums so buy in bulk. Felt or cloth wheels (I prefer felt) are great for polishing. Hand sand to 2000 grit, and then use diamond paste beginning at 3u and progressing through to .1u for a nice mirror finish. Very impressive. Pretty don't shave! But it does look nice.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

You can definitely get that one to shave. Just hone it and go. For modding I would go with the #66. I been meaning to get me a couple 1996's to mess around with. That might be the ideal razor to buy and hone and sell shave ready.

I agree, but remember I'm a true beginner. Never shaved with a SR other than my Feather SS folder. Never honed a razor.

I know your general advice (and most everybody's) is to learn to shave with a SR first. That means I've still got to acquire one or two shave ready razors + a strop. At least.

The 1996 was only $11.90 and it looks like a pretty decent razor (not that I have anything to compare it with or any knowledge or understanding). I believe I can hone it (but again zero experience) once I get the lapping film and the acrylic or whatever.

I think I have found places to get these items, but I'm still doing a lot of homework. Link to my "file" on places.

I just hold dremel in my right hand usually, with razor resting on steel or aluminum plate for heat sink and edge guard.

Google for Black & Decker Dragster Sander. There are knockoffs but the B&D machine is not expensive. I like it because the nose roller is very small diameter, about right for making thumb notch or pushing the hollowgrind further up into the spine. The flat part is great for thinning spine and shank. Also for final profiling of the nose.

The Dremel and sanding drum is great for fairing it all together so the blade and shank sort of flow together with no step or shoulder to be seen. You will go through a lot of the drums so buy in bulk. Felt or cloth wheels (I prefer felt) are great for polishing. Hand sand to 2000 grit, and then use diamond paste beginning at 3u and progressing through to .1u for a nice mirror finish. Very impressive. Pretty don't shave! But it does look nice.

Oh, my. Thanks so much. Incredibly useful! Already Googled (on your advice). Not too expensive.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[psfred]

The point is that when you thin the spine, you get a very wide flat spot on it, and it will hone away more slowly than the edge, resulting in a thicker bevel angle than you want pretty soon.

Grind the hollow higher to reduce the size of that flat spot to similar to the size of the bevel at the edge.

You can relieve the stabilizer with a dremel, but I use a bench grinder (six inch size) with a very fine, soft wheel -- the one I use for rough grinding of the bevel on chisels and lathe tools. The standard gray wheel is far to coarse and hard, it's very very likely you will either snag the razor into the wheel and ruin it, overheat the edge and destroy the heat treat, or both. In any case, make a metal guard for the edge, even unhoned it's quite sharp enough to give you a nasty cut if you slip.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The point is that when you thin the spine, you get a very wide flat spot on it, and it will hone away more slowly than the edge, resulting in a thicker bevel angle than you want pretty soon.

Grind the hollow higher to reduce the size of that flat spot to similar to the size of the bevel at the edge.

You can relieve the stabilizer with a dremel, but I use a bench grinder (six inch size) with a very fine, soft wheel -- the one I use for rough grinding of the bevel on chisels and lathe tools. The standard gray wheel is far to coarse and hard, it's very very likely you will either snag the razor into the wheel and ruin it, overheat the edge and destroy the heat treat, or both. In any case, make a metal guard for the edge, even unhoned it's quite sharp enough to give you a nasty cut if you slip.

Thank you. Very clear.

 

[Seraphim]

They look pretty rough around the edges when you first see them, but they clean up nice.

Just like that guy you see in the mirror every morning....

 

[steveclarkus]

Just pulled one out of the drawer a few minute ago to play with and the spine was hopelessly bent. Alas, almost $4 down the drain. Money I’ll never recover.

 

[Ice-Man]

Just pulled one out of the drawer a few minute ago to play with and the spine was hopelessly bent. Alas, almost $4 down the drain. Money I’ll never recover.

they make great wind chimes lol, and who would steal it as you would find them with the trail of blood......

 

[steveclarkus]

Loppers and razor wind chimes. I’m beginning to understand how you guys kicked the Vikings out.

 

[Ice-Man]

Loppers and razor wind chimes. I’m beginning to understand how you guys kicked the Vikings out.

Yeah but the best bit if you attach them on a 3 foot wire, and spin them over your head they make a noise but when they hit ya you lose big chunks of flesh as the blade is spinning...….
Plus we are cunning and sly lol the Vikings came in brute force without a plan....

 

[Slash McCoy]

Just pulled one out of the drawer a few minute ago to play with and the spine was hopelessly bent. Alas, almost $4 down the drain. Money I’ll never recover.

You may be able to straighten it in your bench vise. At the point nearest the center of the bend, tape a piece of brass rod or whatever, crossways to the blade, outside the bend. A half inch or so to either side of it, on the inside of the bend, tape another piece of brass rod. Clamp the whole assembly in the vise and tighten. Leave it a few hours and tighten some more. Keep doing that until the razor cracks or is straight. It works, more often than not. If not, like you said, out four bucks.

 

[steveclarkus]

Slash, I kinda like the wind chime idea.

 

[steveclarkus]

Yeah but the best bit if you attach them on a 3 foot wire, and spin them over your head they make a noise but when they hit ya you lose big chunks of flesh as the blade is spinning...….
Plus we are cunning and sly lol the Vikings came in brute force without a plan....

If Arne reads this, he won’t be able to sleep.

 

[steveclarkus]

You may be able to straighten it in your bench vise. At the point nearest the center of the bend, tape a piece of brass rod or whatever, crossways to the blade, outside the bend. A half inch or so to either side of it, on the inside of the bend, tape another piece of brass rod. Clamp the whole assembly in the vise and tighten. Leave it a few hours and tighten some more. Keep doing that until the razor cracks or is straight. It works, more often than not. If not, like you said, out four bucks.

Got curious. It's in the vice. Thanks