Karambit and straight razor

**yarkzy** · 07-24-2012, 05:06 PM

I had some free time so i made these two knives. They're both 1084 and i heat treated them myself. Soon I will be ordering some 154 cm and sending it out for a professional heat treat . I think i might even try and sell the next couple knives i make. please share your thoughts with me. thanks!

**six** · 07-25-2012, 02:07 AM

I just happen to be looking at the Chronicles of Riddick I dig the K-bit

**cardoso5fr** · 07-25-2012, 03:19 AM

Did you never use a straight razor?????

The tail end is in the bad way. Normaly it make a hook to place the little finger over and the three other finger are between the hook and the handle.

The handle seem to be too much thick for me. A little to much weight to be confortable during the shaving.

The space between blade and start of the edge is too small. You need to have enough place to put the index in various position of the blade and handle. It seem clearly that it's not the fact.

I don't enjoy speally the nose of the straight but that is only my taste. That is not usual, and i think that the "point" is not a good idea for a shaving tool. Especially under the nose or near the ear and eyes...

How did you honed your blade?

Is it a wedge?

About the kerambit, i would have thought that kerambit have an hole in the bottom of the handle. For me that one is simply an hawkbill fixed blade. The handle is not bad at all. The grind would need to be a little bit more "marked". with straight line. That is a bit too "soft" for that style of knife.

**yarkzy** · 07-25-2012, 08:40 PM

thanks six!

cardoso5fr , I have never used a straight razor. But i do enjoy making them.

I don't mind the tail end that much but your right it would be better if it went the other way.

Yes the handle is very thick, much thicker than i planned but it had already been epoxied before i realized it.

I didn't know there was supposed to be an unsharpened portion of the blade.

The point may not be the best idea for shaving.

I honed it by using the belt sander , sand paper up to 600 grit , Japanese water stones to 6000 grit , then strop, I think its close to shaving sharpness.

Yes its a wedge.

The karambit would look nice with more prominent lines but i didn't think I'd be able to get even flat lines on it.

**cardoso5fr** · 07-26-2012, 02:42 AM

Normally on a straight. The edge is done by the angle between the back of the blade and the "edge" himself.

6000 is too high grit to have a real straight razor. I hone my blade with 10000-12000, two various compound and i complete with a lot of leather.....

Try this

. To pass that test don't make the straight a good shaving tool, but if it don't pass, that is not a shaving tool at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvOrEHEhYgw

A good ebook

http://straightrazorplace.com/srpwik...ral_Manual.pdf

**yarkzy** · 07-27-2012, 11:11 PM

well according to the test its not a shaving tool but honestly i'm not too surprised as i had no intention of shaving with it. Thanks for the tips though and i think I'll buy some higher grit stones so i can get my knives much sharper , maybe even shaving sharp

**Lyon** · 07-30-2012, 11:46 AM

For the really high grits you may want to think about using a paste on leather. Take a look at this. http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...944/482858.htm

cardoso5fr thanks for the youtube link. I'll have to give it a try latter. I have not researched out the best way to test but other than going by how it actually feels when using it I go by how it "grips" my thumb. If you run your thumb parallel with the the blade and lightly touch it you should feel the blade "grip" your thumb. Of course when you get your hands dirty you will see a little straight line where the blade "gripped" it

.

**yarkzy** · 07-30-2012, 07:45 PM

thanks lyon i think i might get that and maybe some higher grit stones too. What kind of hone would i need? thanks

**Lyon** · 08-01-2012, 02:12 PM

I am not the end all for straight razor sharpening but since no one else is chiming in guess I'll point you in the right direction.

IMHO the best way to see if it is shaving sharp is to shave with them. You can tell whey you need to hone them by how it feels when you shave. The reason for saying this is because a lot of people claim that a blade is razor sharp or shaving sharp on EDC blades and they are plainly not. In fact they are not even close. By shaving with a straight razor you learn what that kind of sharp really is.

Also, as cardoso5fr said you need to be aware of the angle when sharpening. I put electrical tape over the back and then lay it down (the tape keeps the back from wearing). As with all sharpening edge angle if very important and need to be suited to the task so that makes the geometry of the razor play a factor as well.

With that being said I am getting by with an extra fine arkansas stone. I would love to have a 4 sided leather paddle stop and pastes as well along with maybe another razor hone just for fun. Read the product descriptions and manufacture recommendations to help guide you on the link I gave above.

Matt