Here's a demonstration of straight razor grinding on my little grinder. My website is www.lewisrazors.com My work is sold through www.straightrazordesigns.com/i...
When I start grinding I usually do not go all the way form the spine to edge each pass. I tend to grind three troughs one at the edge, one in the middle, and one at the spine. Once I get the hollow the way I like it I blend those together and try to grind from spine to edge. Sometimes I have to rock the razor a little bit while grinding to get scratch marks from the spine to the edge. The hollow in the blade does exactly match the diameter of the wheel.
I do not really think too much about where the guide is relative to the wheel. The thing I think about and make sure that I get right is the angle of the blade. It is important to end up around a 16 degree total angle. Thank you for your input, I appreciate it.
Thanks for the information. I have been thinking about a mist setup. I will use a drip set up sometimes on the higher grits. I think a mist system would be better. I tend to grind very slowly when finish grinding.
The width of a razor should be about 3 1/2 X the width of the spine. For a .138 thickness of steel the width should be about .483 . You would need a small contact wheel to do a full grind on blade that thin. Maybe a 1 or 2 inch wheel to do a pretty deep hollow.
The grinder in the video is a 1/4 hp, I have ground numerous razors on that grinder. I think a bench grinder motor might work if you can slow it down enough with pulleys. I am just speculating, I do not know for sure. The angle needs to be about 3.5 or 4 in spine thickness to 1 in the blade width. It works out to about 16 degrees total. The diameter of the wheel determines how hollow the grind will be, A 1 inch blade ground with a 5 wheel would be more hollow than one ground with an 8 wheel.
The main advantage to a smiling blade is that they are fun to use and look cool. It is easier to grind a straight blade and to hone a straight blade. Shaving wise they are about the same. I do enjoy the challenge of grinding, honing, stropping a smiling blade. To me a smiling blade is just more fun.
There is one specific advantage to a curved/smiled edge. If, when being made, it's stretched into it's shape it makes for a sharper edge by way of stretching the molecules thinner. However, as the man said, if you are grinding the shape, it looks cool :)
brilliant fixture for the knife basic but effective, have you looked into micro mist lubrication air fed water system delivering micro lubrication a small flow is all you need to cool your knife
interesting on your finish grind- looks like you're running a pretty slow wheel- I sometimes use a mist coolant when I'm doing my final grind; saves the fingers and allows more time on the grind without worrying about overheating the steel-
What kind of motor do you recommend to do the work? Are you looking for HP or its torque ratio? I though about taking a bench grinder (dual post) and put the large pulley on one side and the small one on the other side. Will a bench grinder handle the job? And one more...how do you achieve the angle? Did you setup the guide rod to a specific distance away from the wheel? And does the wheel size on the cutting end matter? Like a 5"wheel as opposed to a 6" wheel? Thanks for your help. Nick
+George Clinton The metal was 1/4 inch stock, The rest is made up of all thread and a nut/bolt and a all-thread coupler for the all thread it is soldered together. There is a metal nub or button on the horizontal part of the thread. I do not have plans or a parts list, I just cobbled it together from the scrap drawer.
so basically hollow grinding you keep "pushing the spine of the blade onto the wheel and go from cutting edge to spine each pass? i want to hollow grind on my grizzly and so many questions i dont know how to ask them all :p
I've been doing a pretty good amount of business with Travers Tool- their web is travers.com- They have a good line of misting units- Keep in mind a lot of their stuff is import - some is very good, some middlin', some junk- but their prices are very low and they have most everything in stock- However, I don't buy my grinding belts from them- those come from Pop Knives in White Oak, Georgia-
Thanks for your input.
I rely on proper heat treating techniques to get the blades molecules / crystalline structures the way I want them.
When I start grinding I usually do not go all the way form the spine to edge each pass. I tend to grind three troughs one at the edge, one in the middle, and one at the spine.
Once I get the hollow the way I like it I blend those together and try to grind from spine to edge. Sometimes I have to rock the razor a little bit while grinding to get scratch marks from the spine to the edge.
The hollow in the blade does exactly match the diameter of the wheel.
Awesome work. I'm very impressed.
Thanks for posting.
K Plante You are welcome.
I mostly use 1095 and O1, both of those steels take a nice and feel good on the face and are not too tough to hone.
I do not really think too much about where the guide is relative to the wheel. The thing I think about and make sure that I get right is the angle of the blade. It is important to end up around a 16 degree total angle.
Thank you for your input, I appreciate it.
Thanks for the information. I have been thinking about a mist setup. I will use a drip set up sometimes on the higher grits. I think a mist system would be better. I tend to grind very slowly when finish grinding.
The width of a razor should be about 3 1/2 X the width of the spine. For a .138 thickness of steel the width should be about .483 .
You would need a small contact wheel to do a full grind on blade that thin. Maybe a 1 or 2 inch wheel to do a pretty deep hollow.
Thank you very much for the information and sources, I an going to look into them.
The grinder in the video is a 1/4 hp, I have ground numerous razors on that grinder. I think a bench grinder motor might work if you can slow it down enough with pulleys. I am just speculating, I do not know for sure.
The angle needs to be about 3.5 or 4 in spine thickness to 1 in the blade width. It works out to about 16 degrees total.
The diameter of the wheel determines how hollow the grind will be, A 1 inch blade ground with a 5 wheel would be more hollow than one ground with an 8 wheel.
The main advantage to a smiling blade is that they are fun to use and look cool. It is easier to grind a straight blade and to hone a straight blade. Shaving wise they are about the same. I do enjoy the challenge of grinding, honing, stropping a smiling blade. To me a smiling blade is just more fun.
I have a few vintage SHEFFIELD made straight razors, but I've never dared to use one on myself, mainly because as I've never been shown how.
@traditionalsmith I do both stock removal and forging, it depends on my mood
There is one specific advantage to a curved/smiled edge. If, when being made, it's stretched into it's shape it makes for a sharper edge by way of stretching the molecules thinner. However, as the man said, if you are grinding the shape, it looks cool :)
brilliant fixture for the knife basic but effective, have you looked into micro mist lubrication air fed water system delivering micro lubrication a small flow is all you need to cool your knife
I started off using coolant but then switched to dry, it is a lot less messy
interesting on your finish grind- looks like you're running a pretty slow wheel- I sometimes use a mist coolant when I'm doing my final grind; saves the fingers and allows more time on the grind without worrying about overheating the steel-
Looked at some of your razors on Strait Razor Designs website. Man those are cool! Got to pay to play though...
Great video.
Yes 16 total angle form top of grind to edge. It is really 16-ish there is a bit of wiggle room in either direction.
Nice to see cooling during rough grinding...
The cooling makes it easier on my hands
What kind of motor do you recommend to do the work? Are you looking for HP or its torque ratio? I though about taking a bench grinder (dual post) and put the large pulley on one side and the small one on the other side. Will a bench grinder handle the job?
And one more...how do you achieve the angle? Did you setup the guide rod to a specific distance away from the wheel? And does the wheel size on the cutting end matter? Like a 5"wheel as opposed to a 6" wheel?
Thanks for your help.
Nick
Nice little jig on there. Just the thing I was looking for. Is it your design? Thanks.
Great job 👍What diameter is the grinder wheel and the size of the arbor hole? Thanks
thanks for the reply ! cheers!
Yes it is my design. Thanks
The tool rest your using I'm guessing you made that yourself. Would have a parts list I could use. How thick was the metal in this video?
+George Clinton The metal was 1/4 inch stock, The rest is made up of all thread and a nut/bolt and a all-thread coupler for the all thread it is soldered together. There is a metal nub or button on the horizontal part of the thread. I do not have plans or a parts list, I just cobbled it together from the scrap drawer.
Very nice, Mr.Lewis I presume?
so basically hollow grinding you keep "pushing the spine of the blade onto the wheel and go from cutting edge to spine each pass? i want to hollow grind on my grizzly and so many questions i dont know how to ask them all :p
woooow, i dont have words, masterpiece
Thank you very much.
donde podria encontrar una polea como esa?
The big pully on the motor came off of an old grinder I had. I made the smaller pully that is on the motor.
Thank you
are you able to repair the belt if is broken or you just buy another one?
hey lewis, what do you think the advantages are in a smiling blade compared to straight? are there any pros/cons? any more likely to cut me open?
@arnold02000 it is both, a hobby, plus I also sell my razors through Straight Razor Designs.
so if you are working with lets say .138 thick steel the hollower part wont dissapear and be a hole in the steel because of a full high grind?
do all your razors have hollow grinds?do all straight razors have hollow grinds?please forgive my ignorance but this is all new to me,thanks
Yes, straight razors are hollow ground.
muy buen sistema para biselar,gracias!
+Mau Romer Thank you for the comment.
Is this hobby, or do you make these to sell? Interesting skill.
Thanks
if i may ask what steel do you use for the razors?
what thickness of steel do you use?
Very nice work.
Thank you.
what grit is the final sharpening? what grit have used in total on the grinder?
220 grit is about highest grit I go by machine, then hand sand to 600 or a 1000 depending on the look I am going for.
Thank you.
+George Clinton You are welcome
Did you have plans you went by to build your belt grinder?
I do not have plans. I built the grinder by eye and trail and error.
What is the distance between razor and belt ,also what angel ? Thanks
The distance varies a bit, I am shooting for a total angle of 16 degrees for the blade
I use .250 most.
You should hear me talk about a box chocolates.
I just buy another one, the belts wear out fast.
I've been doing a pretty good amount of business with Travers Tool- their web is travers.com- They have a good line of misting units- Keep in mind a lot of their stuff is import - some is very good, some middlin', some junk- but their prices are very low and they have most everything in stock- However, I don't buy my grinding belts from them- those come from Pop Knives in White Oak, Georgia-
nekem nagyon tehcet.hasonlo szak mám volt.
Anyone ever tell you that you sound like Forest Gump?