Second restoration project, Carl Schlieper "Eye", Solingen

[Derwent]

This is the second razor I bought to restore... not sure how old it is, but a bit of google says the Eye branded razors made by Carl Schlieper are a good thing.

Again, it cost me ten bucks, and I knew it would need work.

This time, there was no attempt to make it usable without pulling it down.

I used a 1.5mm drill bit in a mini chuck, spinning it by hand like a pin vice to drill the hinge pin and remove the blade.

There was a section of the toe that was bent with a nasty crease...it didn't show well in the photos, so I was a little disappointed.

I tried gently massaging it back into shape, gently bending and flexing against the bend, gentle tapping on the crease to try to smooth it out.

I got maybe 80% of the bend gone, almost to a point where I would try to live with it, when there was a ping, and the whole bend section snapped off... all I can guess is there was a micro crack at the crease, or it just wasn't happy being pushed back into shape...either way, the area that was previously bent no longer exists...

It is a nice deep 6/8 blade, and I can either lose about 5/8 of blade length, or turn it into a 4/8 blade...

I have decided on a shorter 6/8 blade, but I don't think it will look right in the long scales, so the resto just went up a notch and I've got my first set of spare parts scales...

 

[Derwent]

Here is the initial bend... not easy to see in a photo.

Little chuck works well for drilling pins without damage...

Aaaand it broke!

Here is my plan...

Any thoughts?

Kinda like the idea of doing some stag antler scales, natural side out...

 

[rbscebu]

Sorry to hear of your loss and my condolences go to you. Your loss reminds me of when I lost a major part of the heel on a Gold Dollar W59 while stropping it.

I think that you have made a wise decision to shorten the blade rather than narrow it down. Watch the temperature of the steel as you work with it. Never let the steel get to 200°C, even for a fraction of a second. It will start to change the crystalline structure of the blade. Very thin steel, like near the bevel, can be heated up in the blink of an eye if you are not careful.

I would suggest that you consider doing your blade cutting/grinding underwater. You can use a Dremel with flexible drive shaft for that. Others will have different suggestions but I don't think that they offer the same protection from overheating as underwater does.

 

[Derwent]

Sorry to hear of your loss and my condolences go to you. Your loss reminds me of when I lost a major part of the heel on a Gold Dollar W59 while stropping it.

I think that you have made a wise decision to shorten the blade rather than narrow it down. Watch the temperature of the steel as you work with it. Never let the steel get to 200°C, even for a fraction of a second. It will start to change the crystalline structure of the blade. Very thin steel, like near the bevel, can be heated up in the blink of an eye if you are not careful.

I would suggest that you consider doing your blade cutting/grinding underwater. You can use a Dremel with flexible drive shaft for that. Others will have different suggestions but I don't think that they offer the same protection from overheating as underwater does.

I will likely do most of it using a Tormek water stone grinder.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Don’t think you could have saved much of that toe and got a shaving edge on it anyway, due to deep pitting. It’s pretty rough.

How did it break?

You will also need to correct the heel to move the heel corner well away from the stabilizer.

These razor are good to experiment on, if you purchased at a good price. But for restoration buy razors in the best condition you can afford. As often said, “Restoration begins at purchase”.

Rock on.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I will likely do most of it using a Tormek water stone grinder.

I would think the Tormek would be extremely safe. I've used one for years for my plane irons and chisels. They never overheat.

 

[Derwent]

Don’t think you could have saved much of that toe and got a shaving edge on it anyway, due to deep pitting. It’s pretty rough.

How did it break?

You will also need to correct the heel to move the heel corner well away from the stabilizer.

These razor are good to experiment on, if you purchased at a good price. But for restoration buy razors in the best condition you can afford. As often said, “Restoration begins at purchase”.

Rock on.

Cost me ten bucks...figured I'd learn something from it.

I was doing a combination of gently flexing the bend back to where it should be and gently tapping with a small hammer along the crease while supporting the other side of the blade on a curved makeshift anvil.

It was working...I got more than 80% of the bend out before it went ping.
The break started right at the apex of the crease.

I think the only way I could have saved that tip would have been to anneal it, straighten it, re heat-treat it, regrind it... which I have the skills to do, but not currently the equipment...

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

Never had luck straightening a razor, even warped they can be honed with a rolling X stroke. Tried the 3-pin method and they will move a little but not worth the risk.

Doubt you could re-heat treat without re-warping, the steel is too thin. Razors are heat treated before they are ground.

Should make a nice shortie, some of that pitting will just have to stay.

 

[Bevel]

View attachment 1465195


Any thoughts?

I made a shortie with almost the exact same amount of blade removed.
Shorties are great at getting ATG on some areas where a full length straight won't get to like on the neck towards the Adams apple.

 

[Derwent]

Update...shorty conversion was going well, but there was a hidden crack in the tang and a short drop onto the bench put paid to it... turns out it was doomed before I got it...

 

[Bevel]

If you have access to a tig welder go for it. It's far enough from the cutting edge to get away with it.