Posted this in the "what are you waiting for" thread, but figured it deserves a thread of it's own. @twhite Waiting on a new White & Foster collaboration, "The Skeletorama Razor." Exploring some new concepts, nothing too outrageously out of the box, but it will be definitely different than your average razor. At this time, it looks to be made primarily from 17-4 PH stainless sheet, stainless, and brass sheet. The concept is "can an adjustable razor be built using mostly off the shelf parts and common hand tools, and be just as good looking and performing as modern stainless razors?" A 'DIY kit razor,' if you will. Almost modular, with room for creative and artistic freedom. A real handyman type weekend project. It's also a skeletonized design, both in the head and handle, hence the odd razor name. Stay tuned over the next few weeks for updates. I'm going to sit on the parts list for now, but the tool list is pretty straightforward thus far. 10-32 tap and die Jeweler's coping saw Hand drill #55 drill bit #21 (or 5/32") drill bit 1/16" drill bit Countersink bit Glasses repair screwdriver kit Mill File Sandpaper Adjustable offset wrench (Cresent wrench) Tom is going to make the template design at work, but is going to be doing the fabrication at home, as proof of concept, primarily using the above list of hand tools. (Edit: and probably a drill press to speed up the process). An SE single edge "Skeletorabbit" might be in the works too, if this concept proves to be workable. Edit: I'll tease some parts. 40mm slim watch spring posts for guard bars and cap bars. Motherboard stand-offs for some of the handle parts. Many of the other pieces are much the same, inexpensive, easily found, off the shelf parts. I don't really have an end goal for this project. A lot depends on final costs, and of course, razor performance. Perhaps a group buy to drop costs and/or a build contest or something.
Original concept doodle Refined 2nd draft. Top cap detail. Future pictures will probably be coming from Tom as 3D renders.
We've ditched adjustability for now. Still working on some details. I come up with stuff, Tom tells me why we can't do it, and we go a different direction. One example is designing the baseplate to keep the overall footprint below 1". Above 1", it costs 30% more. Also, just figuring out what things can be used. Is it easier to use a motherboard stand-off kit for the handle parts, or threaded rod with tubing? We are constantly juggling ease of building, vs cost, vs skill. I've also gotten overly attached to the idea of using stainless watch spring bars for part of the cap and also the guard. There's probably easier ways to design it, but I thought it would look cool. The overall theoretical design phase is pretty much done. Tom is going to take the design and tweak it to fit my blade curvature ideal, and then he is going to start making prototypes, and then go from that to an actual DIY style build. Kind of a reverse production thing. Make the CNC model and use it to design the one you can make from thin sheets of metal, with some extra steps in the middle. Edit: the final version will probably look like a cross between that render and about 15 others, some of which look nothing like it.