Shortening razor due to damage at toe

[Ghostwriter2]

I've got a beater I picked up for next to nothing, that has some damage around the toe. If I ruin it, no big deal.

I'm thinking the best thing to do to get it working is to remove the first centimeter or so of the blade at the toe, shortening it.

What would be the best way to go about it? I'm thinking hacksaw, followed by some grinding. I've got an 8" electric grinder and a 5" or so manually cracked one, but could also just use a file, and some coarse stones to clean it up (Crystolon, India). Don't have a Dremel.

Thanks.

 

[Dave himself]

Hi and welcome to B&B. Hopefully someone here can help you out with your problem .

 

[duke762]

In my opinion, if the razor is properly heat treated, the steel will be too hard to be impressed at all, by a file or a hack saw. Most likely you would further chip the blade and a good possibility it will be worse than what you have. Some kind of grinding is in order.

Grinding produces lots of heat "FAST". If you have a hand cranked grinder, it just may be the right tool for the job. Draft some one to crank it moderately slow and since there is no electrical hazard, try to find a way to dribble water on it while you grind. Keep a dunking can of water at hand, also. If you turn the steel blue, due to heat, it's trashed. I would be careful to keep any heat away at all, away from the blade at all costs.

If you haven't handled razors much, be careful! Even a dull razor is a blood thirsty son of a gun if handled wrong and during grinding you will be handling it.....let's say creatively. Eye protection is a must! Don't cheat on this! Ever! The drafted cranker too! I'd suggest full face shields. If a chip of the blade lets go, it will have an extra high velocity due to the hardness of the steel. A tiny flake at high velocity can cause a life changing injury. Hold the blade vertically to do the grinding. If you try to grind horizontally, you risk more damage. Go slow, real slow.

With a toe chip, I'd grind with the edge up, slowly working the meatier spine area back to meet the edge. Go even slower while approaching the edge. Point or radius at the toe as desired.

Pictures always help.

Welcome to the forum! Cool first post!

 

[Legion]

In my opinion, if the razor is properly heat treated, the steel will be too hard to be impressed at all, by a file or a hack saw. Most likely you would further chip the blade and a good possibility it will be worse than what you have. Some kind of grinding is in order.

Grinding produces lots of heat "FAST". If you have a hand cranked grinder, it just may be the right tool for the job. Draft some one to crank it moderately slow and since there is no electrical hazard, try to find a way to dribble water on it while you grind. Keep a dunking can of water at hand, also. If you turn the steel blue, due to heat, it's trashed. I would be careful to keep any heat away at all, away from the blade at all costs.

If you haven't handled razors much, be careful! Even a dull razor is a blood thirsty son of a gun if handled wrong and during grinding you will be handling it.....let's say creatively. Eye protection is a must! Don't cheat on this! Ever! The drafted cranker too! I'd suggest full face shields. If a chip of the blade lets go, it will have an extra high velocity due to the hardness of the steel. A tiny flake at high velocity can cause a life changing injury. Hold the blade vertically to do the grinding. If you try to grind horizontally, you risk more damage. Go slow, real slow.

With a toe chip, I'd grind with the edge up, slowly working the meatier spine area back to meet the edge. Go even slower while approaching the edge. Point or radius at the toe as desired.

Pictures always help.

Welcome to the forum! Cool first post!

+1 to all most of the above post ^

You will NOT be able to hacksaw a razor. You can file, but you need diamond files.

A Dremel is the tool I use to shorten a razor, but it is a bit fraught if you have not done it before. I "rest" the blade edge on/in big ice cubes to get it done. Lots of PPE needed, and dont let the blade get hot.

 

[Ghostwriter2]

The grinder was perfect, quenching often. Very easy to get the profile you want. The hacksaw will chip the edge when the teeth catch the edge and make it look like one of those lovely auction site razors.

 

[Gamma]

I use a cut-off wheel on a Dremel to take off more than a few mm. Rotation of the disc MUST go toward the edge, not into it.
Grinders work, I use one to finesse the rough cut from the Dremel. I cool the blade intermittently by dunking into a glass of ice water intermittently.
Same rotational awareness is required.
Eye protection and a respirator is a must.

 

[Eshebert]

I have repaired 6 razors with chipped toes, a couple of my favorite fit into that bunch, I use a Dremel with cutting wheel and ice water to keep the heat down. I then use a mini belt sander with a coarse, medium and fine progression to shape the blade and polish the cut end. Now you’re free to use your imagination. Again, keep ice water close. This is a tried and true method used by many. Keith Johnson had a great video on it. The trick is to be patient when you start over with bevel on the toe.

See the pictures below. A Torry in its original length. It was a blade only buy, I made scales and when I started honking it I noticed a crack at the Toe. That’s what forced me to turn it into a shorty.