Straight Razor from Spyderco
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
CPM154 has my attention. I have shaved with razors of that steel and give it thumbs up. I’ll add your suggestions to the list for sure.
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
I don't know enough about straight razors and steel properties to make any kind of educated guess what might be good.
My gut says something like 52100, but I'd be curious how a high chromium carbide steel like zdp189 might do. I'd also like to try something with a medium mo/w/v mix like M2.
My gut says something like 52100, but I'd be curious how a high chromium carbide steel like zdp189 might do. I'd also like to try something with a medium mo/w/v mix like M2.
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Thanks jpm2. 52100 has always been one of my favorites. She is a fickle mistress of a steel unless the heat treatment parameters are fairly tight. 52100 is also capable of bainite structure. That the prototype is O-1 in bainite makes the transition to 52100 fairly easy on principle alone. Truthfully, I'd like to know how ZDP189 performs in a razor shape too.
Keep adding to my wish list.
Keep adding to my wish list.
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
I started shaving with my ZDP stretch before I bought a real straight. Went to like 8000 grit and stropped it on split hide and then smooth leather. I thought I was doing pretty good too. Then I shaved with a nice vintage full hollow razor and it was like night and day. I would love a ZDP straight razor but I also like your suggestion for cpm 154.Mike Blue wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:09 pmThanks jpm2. 52100 has always been one of my favorites. She is a fickle mistress of a steel unless the heat treatment parameters are fairly tight. 52100 is also capable of bainite structure. That the prototype is O-1 in bainite makes the transition to 52100 fairly easy on principle alone. Truthfully, I'd like to know how ZDP189 performs in a razor shape too.
Keep adding to my wish list.
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Thanks VashHash. The potential steels have been discussed for a couple years now. A considerable advantage when working with Spyderco is that nearly all the employees know steels and performance. They have their recommendations too. As the list grows I'm sure one or another steel will rise or fall in contention. For now, O-1 In Bainite has the lead to get this razor in the works. Sal can add to this, but the choice of O-1 is a traditional steel for razors and Sal wants to have a blade done to bainite microstructure. This opens the door to several branching paths.
I'm off for a few days to a Razor Meet/Hammerin in Burkburnett Texas. The people there do nothing but razors and I'm sure I'll collect a lot of feedback about what they think. Anyone is welcome to visit. PM me for details if you're interested.
I'm off for a few days to a Razor Meet/Hammerin in Burkburnett Texas. The people there do nothing but razors and I'm sure I'll collect a lot of feedback about what they think. Anyone is welcome to visit. PM me for details if you're interested.
- Stuart Ackerman
- Member
- Posts: 2084
- Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 2:39 pm
- Location: New Zealand
- Contact:
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Hey Mike...
any pics from the Meet might be nice? :)
any pics from the Meet might be nice? :)
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Hi Stuart. There is too much to pull this way. Here's a link: https://sharprazorpalace.com/get-togeth ... -meet.html
Toward the end of those linked pages are the beginning of pics and video, mostly forging and grinding I think. This is one of the good sites for razor information anyway. I will be in Texas tomorrow.
Toward the end of those linked pages are the beginning of pics and video, mostly forging and grinding I think. This is one of the good sites for razor information anyway. I will be in Texas tomorrow.
- Stuart Ackerman
- Member
- Posts: 2084
- Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 2:39 pm
- Location: New Zealand
- Contact:
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Thanks for the links, Mike...
Enjoy your time there!
Enjoy your time there!
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
I’m curious about blade shape. Will there be a large hole, or tiny hole? I’m not even sure how you hold a straight razor...
-
- Member
- Posts: 1559
- Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2015 5:36 pm
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
I love that this keeps showing up, I hope sal notices
S30V, VG10, M4, XHP, BD1, Cruwear, Elmax, Maxamet, 204P, H1, K390, A11, Rex45, LC200N, M390, 20CV, BD1N, S45VN waiting to afford MagnaCut
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
I'm hoping for an Irish point.
Either way, I'm excited!
Either way, I'm excited!
"If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so."
-Thomas Jefferson
-Thomas Jefferson
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Hi Koenigsegg,
I try to pay attention. I'm going to have to build it. Mike, Ed and Howard are building the Salt pot heat teat for me. This is our intro into straight razors so the plan is to serve those that will use them. I found it to be a great adventure shaving with a straight razor. You really have to focus and pay attention.
sal
I try to pay attention. I'm going to have to build it. Mike, Ed and Howard are building the Salt pot heat teat for me. This is our intro into straight razors so the plan is to serve those that will use them. I found it to be a great adventure shaving with a straight razor. You really have to focus and pay attention.
sal
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
I find it relaxing and therapeutic. I'll definitely pick one up. Any word on the grind? I'm hoping for a thin full hollow. I know round point is safer for most but I'd prefer a square or Spanish for precision.sal wrote: ↑Wed Feb 19, 2020 10:37 pmHi Koenigsegg,
I try to pay attention. I'm going to have to build it. Mike, Ed and Howard are building the Salt pot heat teat for me. This is our intro into straight razors so the plan is to serve those that will use them. I found it to be a great adventure shaving with a straight razor. You really have to focus and pay attention.
sal
- Larry_Mott
- Member
- Posts: 2589
- Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2015 5:00 am
- Location: Helsingborg, Sweden
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
I would like to see a Spyderco razor!
Seems to me our resident steel junkies are overthinking the steel question.. As far as i can remember, grandad's face was always smooth as a baby's behind, and he used this Erik Anton Berg jobbie. His father was barber at the second Cavalry regiment no less :)
Seems to me our resident steel junkies are overthinking the steel question.. As far as i can remember, grandad's face was always smooth as a baby's behind, and he used this Erik Anton Berg jobbie. His father was barber at the second Cavalry regiment no less :)
"Life is fragile - we should take better care of each other, and ourselves - every day!"
//Eva Mott 1941 - 2019. R.I.P.
//Eva Mott 1941 - 2019. R.I.P.
- JacksonKnives
- Member
- Posts: 837
- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:28 pm
- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Wow, that's a great heirloom razor, Larry! Do you shave with it?Larry_Mott wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2020 11:58 amI would like to see a Spyderco razor!
Seems to me our resident steel junkies are overthinking the steel question.. As far as i can remember, grandad's face was always smooth as a baby's behind, and he used this Erik Anton Berg jobbie. His father was barber at the second Cavalry regiment no less :)
I think the reason we're talking so much about the steel is that if Spyderco makes a razor that looks and performs just like all the others, there won't be much reason to buy it other than as a collector piece.
As much as I love Spyderco, I only buy knives that are new and unique enough that I'll use them. Obviously there are members on this forum who will buy anything with the hole and bug trademarks on them, but for a project that's this far into the niche it's going to need to be unique. I have a dozen razors that shave just fine, and none of them shaves better than a Feather disposable blade despite my (impatient) efforts with stropping compound.
I have no doubt that Sal could find an overseas manufacturer to make razor blanks, then assemble and hone them in Golden, probably for a similar price to what the German and French makers are selling razors for. But even if the gains in edge retention are only measurable in a few shaves, it seems to me that Sal (and Mike, and Ed) are most interested in blazing a new trail.
Last edited by JacksonKnives on Thu Feb 20, 2020 12:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
—Daniel Jackson
- Larry_Mott
- Member
- Posts: 2589
- Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2015 5:00 am
- Location: Helsingborg, Sweden
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
I don't. It's not sharp enough and i don't want to ruin it trying to sharpen it myself. I plan to take it to Eskilstuna some day, they have a museum where you can buy some old Eskilstuna knives and also get them sharpened.JacksonKnives wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2020 12:34 pmWow, that's a great heirloom razor, Larry! Do you shave with it?Larry_Mott wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2020 11:58 amI would like to see a Spyderco razor!
Seems to me our resident steel junkies are overthinking the steel question.. As far as i can remember, grandad's face was always smooth as a baby's behind, and he used this Erik Anton Berg jobbie. His father was barber at the second Cavalry regiment no less :)
***
Mike, who else has been making Bainite razors? I did some snooping and saw that Howard Clark is at the hammer-in, what's his stuff like? I only know of his swords.
"Life is fragile - we should take better care of each other, and ourselves - every day!"
//Eva Mott 1941 - 2019. R.I.P.
//Eva Mott 1941 - 2019. R.I.P.
- JacksonKnives
- Member
- Posts: 837
- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:28 pm
- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Mike, who else has been making Bainite razors? I did some snooping and saw that Howard Clark is at the hammer-in, what's his stuff like? I only know of his swords.Mike Blue wrote: ↑Wed Feb 19, 2020 6:17 pmHi Stuart. There is too much to pull this way. Here's a link: https://sharprazorpalace.com/get-togeth ... -meet.html
Toward the end of those linked pages are the beginning of pics and video, mostly forging and grinding I think. This is one of the good sites for razor information anyway. I will be in Texas tomorrow.
[Edit: OK, Sal is mentioning Howard being involved in the heat treat. Didn't realize which Howard it was until just now. More excited with every post.]
- JacksonKnives
- Member
- Posts: 837
- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:28 pm
- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
Good plan, I hope you can find someone with the skills to match your razor! Eskilstuna razors are well-known for hard, fine-grained steel, and it should give you an excellent shave.Larry_Mott wrote: ↑Thu Feb 20, 2020 12:38 pmI don't. It's not sharp enough and i don't want to ruin it trying to sharpen it myself. I plan to take it to Eskilstuna some day, they have a museum where you can buy some old Eskilstuna knives and also get them sharpened.
- Stuart Ackerman
- Member
- Posts: 2084
- Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 2:39 pm
- Location: New Zealand
- Contact:
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
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 tried over 50 different razors over the years, and I will happily buy a Spy Razor, what ever its steel type or profile, fixed or bendy...
BTW, I own around thirty razors, and I rotate them each time I trim...
My strop is horsehide leather, no abrasive...works just fine for me.
Remember folks, this is effectively a collaboration between Sal, Mike Blue, and Howard Clark...history in the making, with an EDGE... :)
I have tried over 50 different razors over the years, and I will happily buy a Spy Razor, what ever its steel type or profile, fixed or bendy...
BTW, I own around thirty razors, and I rotate them each time I trim...
My strop is horsehide leather, no abrasive...works just fine for me.
Remember folks, this is effectively a collaboration between Sal, Mike Blue, and Howard Clark...history in the making, with an EDGE... :)
Re: Straight Razor from Spyderco
The prototype has a larger hole. Not larger than 13mm.
I'd encourage looking around. There are numerous videos and websites to see about straight razor shaving, and those are designed to help beginners or the curious.