knife from straightrazor?

[crazyengineer]

Has anyone made a knife from a straight razor?
If so, could you post pictures?
I would really like to see how you built it too if you took pictures

I collect a straights and got one for the horn scales on it. The scales are probably going to be taken off soon and put on another razor.

The razor is an older sheffield wedge, with a curved blade rather than classic perfectly straight ones (only one I have seen like this).
Unfortunately the blade on the razor is too bad to be fixed into shaving condition (or at least too cost prohibitive, its rough) but the blade is in good shape if it were a knife.

So, I've decided to make it into a small knife, since I know it is good steel and the blade is in decent shape for a knife.

thanks for the help

 

[scubasteve4sq]

i don't see why not, just anneale it first and maybe re-shape it a little in the forge. should make a good knife!

 

[crazyengineer]

i don't see why not, just anneale it first and maybe re-shape it a little in the forge. should make a good knife!

ya, I don't have the tools necessary to anneal it, and I dont think I want to reshape it too much, I actually like the blade shape on it, I may have to make the point a little better, but the only tools I have are files (maybe, depends if I can get them) and a worksharp (which I can put an 80 or 220 grit belt on). If I decide to use the worksharp, it will be dunked in cold water very frequently to keep it from getting too hot.

Honestly, what I am really stumped on is how to do the handle. I currently live in some college dorms and I am considering trying to do this with things that I hav with me (and handle material). For some reason though, I kind of suspect that it will be rather difficult

and as for the razor, here are some pictures of it. These pictures make it look worse than it really is though. its actually quite smooth. It just isnt even enough to be able to be easily fixed for shaving.

and a better picture of the blade/blade shape.

 

[Wloch248]

Are you talking about making it into a fixed blade knife? If so it would be pretty short. I have never seen that conversion, not that it hasn't been done before.

You COULD do a hidden tang knife but it would look a little silly I think.

You could get that blade to shave again, but it sounds like you have a limited amount of tools available. I dont think it has enough metal for a re heat treat without then having to take the grind up the blade a little, and the thin blades are more prone to warpage when ht'ing anyway. Plus you would have to know what metal it is for proper HT etc...... Putting it in a forge would probably not be the best idea because it is already too thin.

Personally I would clean it up a little and sharpen it rather than try to force it to be a fixed blade knife.

 

[crazyengineer]

Ya, I believe that it would need a full regrind if I want to get it shave ready, and I have no where to get the tools to do it.

I was thinking either a small fix blade, or maybe a friction folder. The blade section is about 3 inches.

And this is by no means a thin blade (for a razor) this is complete and full wedge. there is no hollow in it whatsoever. When you look at the top of the blade, it looks like this V.

I am dropping this off with someone to take the scales off for a transplant onto another razor. This blade will have no scales.

I was also thinking about making it into a fixed razor and then trying to get it shave ready again.

either way, the scales are coming off.

 

[Brian.Evans]

Yeah, pleas don't make that into a knife. Send it to me and I'll make it into a fixed razor and make it shave again. Please don't make it a knife! Email me first.

 

[crazyengineer]

Yeah, pleas don't make that into a knife. Send it to me and I'll make it into a fixed razor and make it shave again. Please don't make it a knife! Email me first.

I haven't decided anything yet lol

Tomorrow I am bringing it to someone to get it looked at and have the scales taken off for another razor so I will have a blank blade to play with basically.

I was thinking a knife because of the honing issues on this
Sucker, high spots, low spots, etc.....

Either way though, the blade is the last thing I am changing (if I change anything on it, it will only be the edge, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it)

I have been toying with the idea of a fixed straight (though this one isn't really straight lol) for while, I have another blade that is also a good candidate for that as well.

By the way you are talking, your a razor collector, this is one that I bought for the scales, while the blade is better than the pictures show, isn't that good. On the bright side, no rust really and no chips.

Either way, this is going to come out useable.

And just out of curiosity, is there something special about the razor that makes you say no? Or just the fact that it is a razor?

 

[Brian.Evans]

Just the fact that it's a razor. However, if the blade is warped, might be ok to mess with it.

Razors like that aren't particularly rare, but a small wedge like that restored can fetch a decent profit.

 

[Brian.Evans]

Fixed blade conversions are neat. Here's one I did on a Dubl Duck Perlduck

Handle is lyptus with stain and distressed finish. Razor was polished to high grits then cleaned and sprayed with warm hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and saltwater mix, then boiled for 15 minutes and oiled. I reshaped the tip and the shoulder using slow speed. It has a log cabin pirate thing going on.

 

[crazyengineer]

Ya blade isn't warped. I don't have the tools to fix it though. So getting it done would be cost prohibitive. I'm a broke ass college student.

I love razors, and would love to see it shaving again, which is why I haven't completely decided to make it a knife (I was set until someone started saying it could be fixed). I will still do a fixed handle on it regardless though, so I will start there and then think about the blade.

 

[scubasteve4sq]

If you can build a bonfire somewhere you could anneale it that way. Just build a large fire over it and let the coals burn all night. Thats shiuld bring the temp down nice and slow. I think your right about having to regrind it. From the pics it looks like someone has already attempted to regrind it and made a mess of it. Either way you should be able to make a nice piece with some history from it. Good luck!

 

[crazyengineer]

Fixed blade conversions are neat. Here's one I did on a Dubl Duck Perlduck

Handle is lyptus with stain and distressed finish. Razor was polished to high grits then cleaned and sprayed with warm hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and saltwater mix, then boiled for 15 minutes and oiled. I reshaped the tip and the shoulder using slow speed. It has a log cabin pirate thing going on.

That razor is awesome. That is the type of handle I am considering doing, whether I make it into a knife or fixed straight.
though If i do a razor, it will be a little bit thinner and knife will be a bit thicker. but who knows right now.

If you can build a bonfire somewhere you could anneale it that way. Just build a large fire over it and let the coals burn all night. Thats shiuld bring the temp down nice and slow. I think your right about having to regrind it. From the pics it looks like someone has already attempted to regrind it and made a mess of it. Either way you should be able to make a nice piece with some history from it. Good luck!

ya, it looks like some has tried to regrind it, but the weird thing is, it is smooth like someone sanded it after. honestly, it looks like half of a haf assed restoration on the blade. I am really kind of wary of annealing and anything with heat on blades...makes me nervous. I have worked with work hardened steel before and i doubt that this stuff will give me as much fuss as that....

 

[mdole]

I found an old wedge shaped straight razor that has been "handled," and turned into a knife/fixed blade razor. The antique store I found it in seemed to think it was an old sailors knife (razor converted), and it's waiting in my sharpening rotation to be put back into useable shape. I'm fond of it, but as was said above, please don't go cooking the blade just yet, the blade isn't in bad shape at all!

-Matt-

 

[crazyengineer]

I don't plan on cooking the blade

Or at least not anytime soon

But I doubt I will at all