Kamisori #1 WIP and now with #2

Good looking stuff, a bunch of nice pictures solidifying the fact I wont be trying one for a long while.

Have you thought about maybe getting a wet wheel grinder, not sure but it seems that those would be very benefial to that thin of a grind like that.
 
Thanx! I figured out real quick, the hardest part about a hollow grind is the first half dozen passes. Once ou get the initial channel cut in, the wheel just falls into place and you just keep it going back and forth. I also found I have to grind on top of the wheel so I can see if I have the blade at parallel to the weels axis. That's how's I ended up with a twisted edge, I was grinding low on the wheel so I could see the edge and I had it at an angle.

I will update with more progress pics as I go along


Thanx everyone for following along.

-Xander
 
Good stuff so far!

When you shave with this thing, to make it a comfortable experience, there are several ways to make it easier- like shave after a shower or soak your face in warm water towels, use a good quality shaving soap with a brush to work the soap into your face, etc. Then there are the sharpening stones and strop to master, and things like starting out with the grain, then across the grain, and finally against the grain for the finest shave...

You may already know this stuff from shaving with DE razors, but if not, a tour through the razor forum here, some reading over at classicshave.com, or several other places will get you started.
 
Thanx Salem, but yes, I already have been wet shaving for quite some time. Also just getting into straight shaving on a regular basis now, building technique I'm struggeling with. I haven't used a kamisori yet, can't afford one, so that's why I am making my own. I do have one coming on loan though. I am fairly regular on the shaving sub forum here as well as the other boards, too.

I plan on trying to make a western straight after I finish these two, but I really need a proper grinder!

Either way, I'm having fun doing this! We'll see how it comes out!


-Xander
 
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On a bit of a drift... I always had skin irritaion from shaving. So much so that I eventually stopped shaving with a razor, altogether.(I switched to a set of clippers and went with that stubbled look.) Then I heard from a friend that he had the same problem and applying zinc oxide after shaving helped. I have been doing that for almost 3 months and NO ISSUES!!

Sorry... back to your regular scheduled program.
 
Rick, since you already like doing things the hard way (making knives, not buying them) why not try your hand at traditional wet shaving. Get yourself a brush and decent soap/cream, and carve away at your facial flair, I mean hair!


-Xander
 
Ok, so ginding this thing is done in small increments, I really have to concentrate so once I begin to get distracted or the wife starts bugging me I just stop. Now that I have an actual kamisori to compare I realize that the edge angle is larger than I thought, the traditional comes in right at 21* inclusive. This one is right around 15* inclusive, I know this kamisori will have all the audible experiance a full hollow western straight has.

Update pic, its getting thin! 150# finish now, thinning out the edge and straightening it as well.

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-Xander
 
Well folks, I got the handsanding done, 220# finish and buffed with black compond on a loose wheel. I like the satin finish this leaves. I am sharpening it now, working on the final grits. Bevel was set with a Norton IB8 combo India stone just to the apex. Then I switched to films, 600, 800,1000, 1200, 2000, 4000, 6000, 12000 then to CrO2 loaded balsa strop and then on to leather and newspaper. I have a large granite slab I use as a surface plate for my sanding films to keep the edge flat.

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This razor is closer to an asymmetrical grind western than a traditional Kamisori. I didn't realize that Kamisori are ground with a largr edge angle, so this one comes in at ~15* and is a half hollow grind done free hand. It is suprizingly noisy! Hopefully I can get a nice smooth edge on it, too. Honing this it isn't necessary to alternate 3:1 or 10:3 or whatever else, it is made of mono steel construction and fully hardened to about 58-59 Rc so spine wear will be like a western on both sides.

Ok, here is the edge! I still need to finalize the edge just a bit more, but I just completed a test shave with the razor! It was smooth but not as sharp as it could be. Hopefully the owner has better honing skills than I do! I will work on it a bit more before I box it up to send off.

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-Xander
 
Xander , you shave your legs with that thing?:D Looks good! nice WIP.
 
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