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Talking Dremel Rotary Tools & Accessories For Razor Restoration

What's considered the basics is highly variable. There are gentlemen using only hand tools (zero power, period), and those who say you need a lot of stuff just to make scales, link.

Me? I have no idea yet, but I'm learning stuff. I have only one razor in the restoration process. It's not finished, but I've made a lot of progress without anything more powerful than elbow grease and sandpaper. Next: scale making!

Happy shaves,

Jim

I dont like my 'work' to take any more time than necessary so I like the best tools for the job that do the work quickly and efficiently with the least amount of fuss and...work lol.

I'm with Mike on this.

I think Mike needs to get his spoons out and set that quote into stone :001_rolle
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
I think Mike needs to get his spoons out and set that quote into stone :001_rolle

Funny. While I was typing what you quoted above, I was thinking 'MMOC' hahaha.

Working a spoon on a wire wheel takes time to turn it into a chisel, but I'll go to work on another if I can scrounge one somewhere. :tongue_sm
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
When I made my balsa strops I needed to get some diamond paste.
Being in the UK it was looking like I would have to order what I needed from overseas to keep the price reasonable.
Then I found a guy in the UK who was selling off a range of diamond pastes in syringes, as a one off by the looks of it.
Ranged from 5 microns to 0.25 microns.
I only needed the 0.5 and 0.25 for the strops.
The rest - no ideas yet.
They were going cheap, so, snapped them up.

View attachment 928795

The idea of sanding razor blades to a mirror shine does not appeal to me. Too much like hard work :001_unsur
I bought a pack of felt wheels for the dremel and started polishing with the pastes I had left over (5 - 1 micron).
Results were amazing. Very shiny mirror finish with not a lot of effort.

Recently made a set of scales with Kirinite.
I was going through the progression of wet and dry sandpapers to polish them up, but it was taking forver to do.
Tried the felt pad with 5 micron paste and, wow, instant shine.
Went down the progression of pastes and was very impressed with the results.

I know this method is probably wrong for some things.
I would be carefull with some metals and platings.
But for most straights, I can't see much wrong in doing it like this.

Edit: The point Ian makes above is very important when using a dremel on blades.
Check which way the bit is spinning before putting it on the blade.
You want it to spin from the spine down to the edge and not the other way.

I found Slash @Slash McCoy's post on the ones he uses. Link.

Also, here's an eBay vendor (US) selling the diamond syringe stuff. Not exactly what Slash uses, but I suspect looking more I could locate it. Link.
 
The syringes you linked looks exactly like the stuff I have.
My alternatives for buying it were China, which is where most of it is made I'm guessing.

You only use really small amounts. So, it should last a while.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I use mine a lot when restoring razors.
It's a current model and there's loads of attachments available for it.

I use the flexable shaft pretty much all the time and bought packs of these
View attachment 928573 View attachment 928574

Felt pads are great for polishing and the wire brushes make short work of rust patches and marks.

Both were very cheap so don't have to worry too much when they don't last long.
There seems to be a market for cheap alternative accessories for the dremel.
Just need to do your homework to make sure what your buying is suitable and will do what you want.

For mine this is available (think it's suitable for many other versions as well)

Edit: If your going to use the dremel to drill pinholes in scales you'll need 1.5 mm drill bits. My dremel didn't have the collets to go to that diameter. There are collet kits available or you can get a multi chuck accessory. You need to check if the adjustable chuck fits your dremel though.

There are lots of answers to collet questions and multichuck questions. Link here. Some of this stuff isn't obvious should problems arise (I had problems with collet removal).
 
I started to purchase a Dremel half a dozen times. I've been able to clean up old knives as a practice for a SR going through a series of wet/dry sand paper. It really surprised me to see how steel responds going from 600-2500 grit.

One of my favorite sellers seems to over do it a bit in trying to make the razor shine resulting in a loss of the script and etchings. For those I restore, I plan at this point to allow some of the patina to remain if it means destroying the razors originality, but as with all things, it's just a personal choice and not right or wrong.
 
I started to purchase a Dremel half a dozen times. I've been able to clean up old knives as a practice for a SR going through a series of wet/dry sand paper. It really surprised me to see how steel responds going from 600-2500 grit.

One of my favorite sellers seems to over do it a bit in trying to make the razor shine resulting in a loss of the script and etchings. For those I restore, I plan at this point to allow some of the patina to remain if it means destroying the razors originality, but as with all things, it's just a personal choice and not right or wrong.

I leave a slight paytina to mine as well. I don’t want them to look brand new, they have some history to be proud of.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
One of my favorite sellers seems to over do it a bit in trying to make the razor shine resulting in a loss of the script and etchings. For those I restore, I plan at this point to allow some of the patina to remain if it means destroying the razors originality, but as with all things, it's just a personal choice and not right or wrong.

If you want to remove a patina with as little wear to the finish as possible, try Bar Keepers Friend. Its a very powerful cleaner, not a polish. I havent found anything that cleans stainless steel better. It can leave a surface a little dull but a very light, gentle polish restores that just as quickly.

It could remove any etching like a name or scroll work on a blade if you're too enthusiastic, but it didnt hurt my Nickel Tech or the frosting on the cap.

This is that Tech before using Bar Keepers Friend, but after I used AutoSol. The AutoSol doesnt clean, its polishes. I didnt want to go any further with it because it would have removed the frosting.

IMG_1359.jpg


The same Tech after, literally, a 5 second scrub with BKF and my thumb.
IMG_1607.JPG
 
In over 30 year of hobby gunsmithing I have worn out several dremel tools. I'll bet almost as many things have been repaired with a Dremel as have been ruined by one! All good advice given above. They are indispensable tools in the workshop. The only thing I can add is regarding safety. As mentioned, eye protection is a must, of course. When I work on my lathes, drill press, or any power tool that rotates, I stand by "no jewellery, no sleeves". A ring that catches on the work in a lathe can swiftly remove the finger. A sleeve catching on the work or the cutting bit will pull everything into the cutting zone, with disastrous consequences.(even the little dremel can make a mess of soft flesh)
Use the slowest rotational speed on your dremel that accomplishes the task at hand.
Just my $0.02

PS. If you like using a Dremel, try a compressed air die grinder. It's like a Dremel on steroids.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
For those I restore, I plan at this point to allow some of the patina to remain rather than polishing to the point of destroying the razors originality. As with all things, it's just a personal choice, and not right or wrong.

I'm sure some would argue that it's just about a moral issue, but I agree with you 100%. It's also okay to do one thing on one razor and another on another razor. To me, some of it depends on the condition of the razor as received, and on how am able to visualize the possible end result.

There are gentlemen vastly more advanced than you and me in the restoration process. I enjoy reading what they write, but don't understand it all yet. Some of their razors go from a hot mess to a showpiece; in the process they seem to damage nothing and restore everything. I'm sure some of it is experience.

I leave a slight patina to mine as well. I don’t want them to look brand new, they have some history to be proud of.

I get what you're saying. However, I don't think it destroys the history to restore something. No, I'm not saying all razors deserve restoration, or in any way need to be restored, or should be restored. I'm only trying to echo that it's up to you and me to decide the razor's fate in our hands.

I might have a bone to pick with people who ruin razors trying to "restore" them. We've all seen razors on eBay which have been sanded with 60 grit sandpaper and have the scars to prove it. Etc. Probably somebody can take a few of these and make them look decent again, or even great, but do I want to? Not usually. While I enjoy the hobby I also value my time.

If you want to remove a patina with as little wear to the finish as possible, try Bar Keepers Friend. It's a very powerful cleaner, not a polish. I haven't found anything that cleans stainless steel better. It can leave a surface a little dull but a very light, gentle polish restores that just as quickly.

It could remove any etching like a name or scroll work on a blade if you're too enthusiastic, but it didn't hurt my Nickel Tech or the frosting on the cap.

This is that Tech before using Bar Keepers Friend, but after I used AutoSol. The AutoSol doesn't clean, its polishes. I didn't want to go any further with it because it would have removed the frosting.

View attachment 929442

The same Tech after, literally, a 5 second scrub with BKF and my thumb.
View attachment 929443

That is quite remarkable, Mike. I've seen you mention BKF before but had forgotten your message. Seeing it again is timely. I saw a can of BKF under the kitchen sink yesterday, too.

Boker.Tree.640.10-25-18.JPG


Yesterday I honed this Boker Tree. The photo above is of the razor as I received it. It actually looks a lot better to my eye in person; particular the scales look better in person, much better; although the lightly colored streaks are there they don't look remotely as bad as the photo.

Prior to honing the razor I polished it a good bit, but only with two implements and one chemical. I used Flitz with a brass toothbrush (avoiding the etchings) and Flitz with a microfiber cloth (not avoiding the etchings). It didn't change the razor much, but did polish it just a bit.

If I hadn't already honed it I'd use BKF now. Since I have, I won't, but I'll keep BKF in mind.

It also seems to me that some of the razors I see on eBay, usually sold by razor vendors, have been perhaps too quickly and too crudely polished to the razor's disadvantage. I certainly understand why. The sizzle sells the steak, right. The vendors are I'm sure using power tools and very little time to make the razors sizzle and shine. I'd probably do the same were I trying to make an income by selling razors.

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I can't image how razor vendors make enough income to justify their business. I'm talking eBay razor vendors who specialize in straight razors. They have to buy the razor to begin with. Most razors they sell have been cleaned and polished. The razors are also honed. The two vendors I've used say their razors are shave ready and the razors actually are shave ready. All that takes time.

It takes me two hours or more to hone a razor if the bevel needs to be set especially when and if the razor's bevel presents any issue. It's gotta take the vendors at least fifteen minutes to go though the process of honing from bevel setting to the finish, right?

How they do all that + buy the razor to begin with + sell the razors for oftentimes under $20 amazes me.

I'm going to try shaving with the Boker today. I'm not sure I got the edge right. It's very hard to know (at least I find it so) except by shaving.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
In over 30 year of hobby gunsmithing I have worn out several Dremel tools. I'll bet almost as many things have been repaired with a Dremel as have been ruined by one! All good advice given above. They are indispensable tools in the workshop. The only thing I can add is regarding safety. As mentioned, eye protection is a must, of course. When I work on my lathes, drill press, or any power tool that rotates, I stand by "no jewelry, no sleeves". A ring that catches on the work in a lathe can swiftly remove the finger. A sleeve catching on the work or the cutting bit will pull everything into the cutting zone, with disastrous consequences.(even the little Dremel can make a mess of soft flesh). Use the slowest rotational speed on your Dremel that accomplishes the task at hand.
Just my $0.02

More like your $2000.

Face Shield.480.jpg


I've not found the exact item I want enough to spend the money but I'm considering buying a leather apron to use while fooling with these tools.

Fortunately most of what I want to do requires slower Dremel speeds.

I purchased a full face shield. It won't be necessary for everything (sometimes full coverage safety goggles over my eye glasses will suffice). I don't like the idea of rotating grinders and wires made to be sold extremely cheaply close to my eyes, face, and body, but I can protect myself to a degree.

Safety please,

Jim
 
Just an interesting side note...
I have worn glasses since I was 5 years old. Whenever I get my eyes checked, the Optometrist often remarks that my corneas have no scratches or gouges on them. Then he/she usually says "You have worn glasses since you were very young." It's like I have worn safety glasses every waking moment for the last 60 years. Actually, I have! The results speak for themselves.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Those guys are probably buying razor lots paying little and maybe even getting a 13/16

Even if the razors are free the time (not to mention effort, skill, tools, and stones, etc.) have value. I'm pretty sure some of the razors have replacement scales, too.

It's just remarkable what you can find shave ready for $15 or thereabouts! It's also remarkable how expensive some of the popular razors are. Some are bid up to astronomical prices early in the auction process.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
Try the cutting wheels with fibreglass reinforcing. The kerf is a little wider, but they don't shatter.

I need to take my glasses off to see fine details and do fine work these days so I let someone else do it. My bench grinder does all the work as far as polishing goes. Its at arms length, I can see it fine haha.
 
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