Straight Razor from Spyderco

[Mike Blue]

...Mike, who else has been making Bainite razors? ...

There are few custom razor makers compared to the number of custom knifemakers . I'll admit that making a razor is something all of them could do, but making a razor is definitely not the same as making a knife. I found this out by building friendships with a number of knowledgable people who are razor afficianados. I thought I knew a few things then, but I found out I really had to revisit what I thought I knew about sharp and the dynamics of how a razor works when compared to a knife.

Within the knife world there are a number of makers who have the knowledge to heat treat a piece of steel to produce Bainite microstructures. Of those only a few with the proper equipment to do so, and the time or interest to make it happen. I'm sure i'm not the only one who has, or could, among the handful of those who can, but I"m the only one so far who persisted to this point.

This is a project that began among good friends who have shared knowledge with each other over decades. That means a lot to me.

[Mike Blue]

I seldom shave now, except to clean up the edges of my beard, but every now and then I blitz the lot and start again, :)

I have a full beard. I use a straight to shave around all the edges. No modern razor can cut longer hair like a straight. I good razor simply wipes away the hair. A multi blade would clog before any meaningful work got done. They choke on even a few days of growth.

Another advantage is that my razors will likely wind up in the hands of my grandchildren's grandchildren. These blades, like that beautiful Ekilstuna razor, last generations. They don't wind up in a landfill with all the other disposable plastic and steel use a little and throw away things.

For those who enjoy the ritual and being truly in the moment, a straight razor will give you immediate feedback if you are not paying attention to the task at hand. It's a kind of meditation.

[sal]

Hi Jackson,

Mike, Ed and Howard are my Guru's in this project. Enormous amount of information that they have and better still, are willing to share. I plan on learning their heat treatment techniques and trying Bainite in other applications. It's an exciting project that we've been discussing for a long time.

sal

[Stuart Ackerman]

Imagine the missing folder C100 in L6 Bainite... :)

[Mike Blue]

Howard was at this recent razor meet. There were plenty of questions asked and answered. One of the attendees lives near Denver. I got to ask a lot of questions about forge performance at altitude. That helps a great deal when designing a burner for the salt pots.

My imagination has been working overtime lately too. I wouldn't say reading the Heat Treater's Guide is fun, but there are other steels capable of bainite microstructure. We will have to cull the list to develop potential candidates. O-1 is easy, meaning time, or cost effectiveness in comparision to say, L6 or 52100. Spyderco has some prior experience with O-1 and 52100. It's not difficult to make one additional step for other applications.

[Mike Blue]

To add more thoughts about Damasteel, prompted by Sal in the UKPK knife thread recently.

Sal: you're a mind reader as always! LOL.

Damasteel would be a great option for a straight razor. Testing Vanax (the clad material) against whiskers would be a useful and beautiful addition to the knowledge base of steels. So would the regular DSxx patterned material. They use some materials that have good potential. The small blade I have is Odin's Eye from the very early nineties when Damasteel was just beginning their process. I do not know the exact mixture of steels but is not a clad core. It's provenance is most likely Kay Embretsen via R. B. Johnson and then to me. It's very good material. I could easily see a pattern welded blade in a straight razor.

I don't normally work with stain resistant materials but if I did it would be either Damasteel or Devin Thomas' material.

[dancer]

I've been shaving with vintage straights for about 8 years now. Sharpened on the 3×8 UF stone and stropped on leather before I shave.

I am really looking forward to this.

Given the number of steels that seem to be on the possible options list, I would LOVE if this turned into a kamisori mule project.
My wallet might hate it, but I'd be dancing in circles!

[dancer]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know what is the blade width on the prototype?

I'm a big fan of shaving with an extra hollow 4/8. But I don't mind a wider blade, especially if it's damasteel!

[Mike Blue]

The prototype is 8/8.

[Sonorum]

If I shaved I would get one.

[RustyIron]

If I shaved I would get one.

It's not just for your beard.

[Pancake]

If I shaved I would get one.

It's not just for your beard.

I shaved for a while with a SR (now DE only) but someone has to be way more manly than me to shave with SR in the other regions...like...armpits and down there :D :D
I can't imagine the possible damage :D

[Sonorum]

If I shaved I would get one.

It's not just for your beard.

I shaved for a while with a SR (now DE only) but someone has to be way more manly than me to shave with SR in the other regions...like...armpits and down there :D :D
I can't imagine the possible damage :D

I have to admit that I'm not confident enough in my skills to attempt that.

[RustyIron]

I have to admit that I'm not confident enough in my skills to attempt that.

To be honest, I"m not yet convinced it's time for me to go to a straight razor. Japanese DE blades for me. I'll continue to watch, and see what happens here.

[sal]

It's an adventure for sure.

sal

[Jgreenepa]

I’m a new member here, but a long time wet shaver. There's definitely interest on the dedicated straight razor forums in a Spyderco Straight. I've owned Spyderco knives for decades, and would buy a Spyderco Straight as soon as it was available.

[sal]

Hi Jgreenepa,

Welcome to our forum.

Many projects slowed down due to COVID. It's still in the plan, but delayed.

sal

[bobnikon]

This is akin to the box cutter discussion. All of these, including the regular knives, are luxury items. They are all doing something that a MUCH cheaper tool could do. But we will buy them, and use them, and rave about them. Even if we have little bits of toilet paper stuck to our face while we are doing so...

I currently use a safety razor, astra blades, and a silvertip brush. It is not the fastest, or the easiest, but I enjoy it, so why not. If there was a Spyderco straight razor, I would happily nick myself with it.

[Tucson Tom]

Wow, I thought this was all tongue in cheek, but maybe it is going to happen!!

It would certainly push me over the edge to risking my neck (literally) with a straight razor,
which is something I have been considering for some time.

Yes I am a safety razor man at this point, shaving with what many people would call the old fashioned double edge blades (which do a better job than all these fancy modern multi-blade systems they use to skin you out of your money).
A straight razor is the next logical step. I'll be eagerly awaiting results from this project.

[Pancake]

Yes I am a safety razor man at this point, shaving with what many people would call the old fashioned double edge blades (which do a better job than all these fancy modern multi-blade systems they use to skin you out of your money).
A straight razor is the next logical step. I'll be eagerly awaiting results from this project.

DE razors rocks!!! Fellow wetshaver here.
I have one straight razor at home, did some shaves with it, but....as a everyday shaver, it's not as convenient as a DE. DE shave could be extremely quick, I spend more time lathering up my face.
Spyderco straight razor could be cool. Am I going to buy it....maybe, it depends. If it could be shave ready out of box, it could be good. Some SR are shave ready, I heard very good things about Ralf Aust razors.
But, SR are kinda niche market, and Spyderco could have hard time competing against such SR as Thiers Issard, Ralf Aust, or vintage ones.