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Handmade #2

rtedwards said:
Whoaaaa, beautiful. How did you cut the slot in the frame?
Click to expand...

I used a Dremel disc cutter mounted in my vertical miller

Deckard said:
As a matter of interest, how did you heat treat the blade?
Some say O1 likes a little soak time but I'm not so sure for such thin sections.
Click to expand...

I heated in to just past critical (tested with a magnet) and quenched it in oil, it is only 0.5mm (20 thou) thick so I didnt think it would need much soaking, then I tempered it at 400* for an hour

clovis said:
Perhaps an odd subject for a first post but..... given the loctite product isn't available anymore, would something like belzona, or thistlebond work? There are used industrially for fixing various things including bearing housings, crank cases, pump impellers & volutes etc. They've proven to be very durable and long lasting as lo ng as the application and curing process is properly done. Fantastic work by the way, you must have a real sense of satisfaction from the results of your work.
Click to expand...

Welcome to Coticule.be :thumbup:
I dont see why not, a razor doesnt go through extremes anything like as severe as the workings of an internal combustion
Engine, at least thats what I thought when I chose the loctite :)

Bart said:
Beautiful work, my friend. I have been staring at you file work on the tang. It's not only of classical beauty, but unique and makes your work stand out from all others. :thumbup:
I had expected you to come up with this level of aesthetic mastery after 5 or 6 attempts, but not so soon. If it shaves as well as it looks, you have achieved an amazing result.
Well done,
Bart.
Click to expand...

Ah you should know me better my friend ;)

Thank you everyone for the kind words, a quick update:

I seriously need to work on thinning out the blade, I dont own a belt sander but I am looking at drum sanders or similar, the problem I am having is that the blade steel is too thick near the bevel, resulting in a bevel that is so wide that I have spent an age trying to create then set it, I have returned to the workshop on 3 occasions now after deciding to thin the blade out and try again, its getting there SLOWLY, and of course I still cant even be sure that the steel will take and hold a good edge :-/ oh well, attempt 4 is tonight, I am going to work through my greasless compounds, concentrating on the bevel area, and then I shall take it to the stones again, wish me luck.

Best regards and many thanks
Ralfson (Dr)
 
Ralfy,
Have you asked if anyone in your area has one of the small wet grinders with a small 10cm or smaller wheel like our WEN or Craftsman. A scissors/razor grinder at a local barbershop may be still in commission. wet grinder
You may also find that you could make non-stop smooth flowing grinding pass along the edge on a larger machine; kinda like a faux frame back.
Good luck, she is surely a keeper!
Respectfully
~Richard
 
I did consider a Tormek T3, but its a chunk of cash, and I am not sure if it will the job?

Failing that I am thinking about making something that I can use, in the form of wooden contact wheels and attaching emery cloth to them for use in my milling machine.

Best regards
Ralfson (Dr)
 
Loyd Harner on srp describes in a post how he ground a faux frame back verticaly against the contact wheel. This could concievably be done on a belt sander. I've done follow grinding on a belt sander (modified) with surprisingly good results, will reveal all when razor is finished.
You can pick up a sander for about 40 quid and I use it a lot for all sorts.
I find it's easier for me to thin the blade before fixing in the frame. Charlie lewis has got the process down cold but not sure if the stuff is still on the net has he has changed his web site. Will have a scout for it.
 
I have a friend that made a similar wheel that you describe for a little variable speed wood lathe. He made a long shaft and turned a couple of wheels of chip board/particle board on it while in the lathe. He used a wide paddle with abrasive paper on it rested against the bed to assure that the surface was flat and parallel to the lathe bed. Since you have a lathe or even on your drill press that should be duck soup for you.
He used cloth carpet tape to attach the diagonally wound sanding belt/abrasive strip to the wheels. The long shaft allowed the wheel/drum to be used from both sides for grinding/finishing. I had to be about 10mm diameter to keep from whipping under load.

Bye the way, there are thin milling cutters called Woodruff Keyseat cutters. Like a small very stiff saw on the end of a shaft; they are designed for cutting steel and metals and are available in varying width of cut. .
Respectfully
~Richard
 
Hey Doc,
Your heat treat sounds good. You say you have a mill. Is it a horizontal or Knee? And, do you have a lathe? I have an idea that could be benificial according to how you go about mounting it either on a lathe or mill. Either way I would make a large dowel for a shaft and a large diameter wheel to fit the shaft, both from wood. The shaft would be centered on both ends. The wheel would be about 12 - 15 inches in diameter and as thick as needed be, I'm thinking about 1 1/2" thick. The inner hole for the shaft would have a simple keyway cut for a wedge to hold it in place on the shaft. On its pirimiter would be at least 1/2" inch holes evenly spaced about its circumference according to the diameter of the wheel and the length of your wet/dry sand paper supply. Run a perpendicular saw kerf from the surface of the wheel to each hole. The paper would then be chosen by grit desired, cut into the appropriate widths and the ends neatly placed into the saw kerf. The ends of the paper would then be held tightly by a tapered wooden dowel into the hole, likewise for the other ends for the entire circumference. Wala, a grinding wheel for the lathe or mill.

Get out your thinking cap and rig up a sliding afffair made of three pieces of wood nailed together all the length of which would be suitable to service your project + handle length + safety of the hands. They would be nailed in a "U" shape in order to hold another board that would fit inside the "U" as a sliding mechanism. A simple channel can be cut the necessary length into the side of the sliding board and a nail driven through the side of one or both sides of the "U" shaped housing to capture the sliding board. Next afix the affair under the griding wheel above and glue your blade to the face of the sliding board. Wala, a poor man's surface grinder. If it is mounted in the mill the x or y axis can be used for the tiny feed in adjustment after each pass. If it is mounted in the lathe you will have to work out a paper shim adjustment of some sort. I can't think of everything, well I'll bet that your wheels are turning right now anyway.

This wooden grinder could have its face cut to match a desired contour within reason too. The wet dry paper would allow you to have a squirt bottle of water to keep your (blade's) temper cool.

Oops, one more thing. On the saw kerfs it may be benificial to cut a slight "V" champher to allow for the thickness of the two pieces of sand paper as they jointly bend and tuck into the saw kerf. This would help prevent any bunching at the junction of the two which would cause a bumpy grind.

Just thinking.

Very Respectfully

Chasmo
 
Many thanks, thats food for thought indeed :thumbup:

My lathe is far too small for a setup like that, but my miller would suffice for a vertical type of set up, I did consider just making wooden contact wheels and mounting them on a threaded shaft in the mill, I could then just hold the blade and go at it, that would suit my style of working just fine

Best wishes and thanks again

Ralfson (Dr)
 
I don't know why I didn't see this sooner. All I can say is Wow! Nice design and craftsmanship. Ralfy, I'm quite impressed. Look forward to your report on how it shaves.

Regards,
Stephen
 
Thanks again chaps, quick update:

after reworking the blade, finding the bevel was still too wide, reworking again, finding the bevel was too wide, reworking.... etc. etc. you get the picture, I finally manage to say the steel would not take a decent edge, it could only be the heat treat, so I had 2 choices, either heat treat again and risk the now thin steel warping, or make a new blade and go from there, I chose the first option, nothing to lose, worst case I make a new blade.

The heat treat went well :thumbup: although the blade did warp, and not in a way I expected, the resulting bevel is now wavy, because of a slight "Ripple" along the edge, however cosmetics aside, the honing went very well indeed, HHT4 on a thick hair off the Coticule :)

I am going to take it for a spin shortly, and if the edge holds up, I will consider this a success, the learning curve may have very slightly leveled out just a little............for now :huh:

Shaping the Blade:
Greaseless in 80, 150, and 300 grit

b8824a0a.jpg


Forming the bevel:
Wet/dry paper over a large natural stone, in 400, 800, and 1500 grit

c2c148e3.jpg


Best regards, and thanks for looking
Ralfson (Dr)
 
How can you be sure heat treat was unsucsessful?
I've flufed up blades at final grind in a cold second. As the blade gets thin there's not enough section to heat sink the friction heat, could it be possible it lost its temper during thining? When this happens it's dead quick and edge just buckles.
I've only done final grinder a few times on heat treated edge and I heat sink the back of the blade with a wrist band drenched in ice water, Keeping the pressure light and going slow helps to.
 
Deckard said:
How can you be sure heat treat was unsucsessful?
I've flufed up blades at final grind in a cold second. As the blade gets thin there's not enough section to heat sink the friction heat, could it be possible it lost its temper during thining? When this happens it's dead quick and edge just buckles.
I've only done final grinder a few times on heat treated edge and I heat sink the back of the blade with a wrist band drenched in ice water, Keeping the pressure light and going slow helps to.
Click to expand...

The edge stayed dead straight but wouldnt take a sharp enough err edge? lol
I have worked some very extra hollow grinds the same as I did this (my Grah plumacher is that thin you can flex it with your thumb nail, I would swear I ruined it, but it took and holds a lovely edge)
and since I re-treated its taken a sharper edge easily, I did soak it a bit longer, and changed from dirty engine oil to clean vegetable oil, who knows I could have fluffed it grinding and simply not known, but I doubt it?

Regards
Ralfson (Dr)
 
The final griding must be performed by a fine emery rubber wheel ,that do not leaves the temperature reached a point such to effects the heat treat.
Best regards
Emmanuel
 
I always do the final session with my bare hand supporting the back of the blade, and quench in water at the first sign of it getting hot, I figure hardened steel is heat sensitive sure, but not as heat sensitive as my skin :thumbup:

Regards
Ralfson (velvet hands)
 
I see my friend . My comments concern the mate Deckard.No doubt you have sensitive hands.You aren't red neck .Are you? :love:
Best regards
Emmanuel
 
I have hands like a baby, they are quite large, but everyone agrees I am blessed with very very soft skin

Ok just shaved and I must say it was outstanding! I dont know if O1 tool steel is common for razors? but my shave was very smooth and light, at times I honestly could not feel it cutting but it was, no Alum sting, and I sit here now with a face as soft and smooth as I can ever remember having.
I checked the edge at 60X mag, and it shows no signs of any chipping etc. 2 days growth was wiped away :thumbup:

Regards
Ralfson (Dr)
 
tat2Ralfy said:
I have hands like a baby, they are quite large, but everyone agrees I am blessed with very very soft skin

Ok just shaved and I must say it was outstanding! I dont know if O1 tool steel is common for razors? but my shave was very smooth and light, at times I honestly could not feel it cutting but it was, no Alum sting, and I sit here now with a face as soft and smooth as I can ever remember having.
I checked the edge at 60X mag, and it shows no signs of any chipping etc. 2 days growth was wiped away :thumbup:

Regards
Ralfson (Dr)
Click to expand...

Sounds like you got things spot on, well done:thumbup: .
O1 is superb for razors and fairly fine grained, though excess temp during heat treat can cause grain growth (not good). The only down side to 01 is that it rusts easily, but shouldn't be a problem to the likes of us guys.
 
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