Many guys already have my CD on how to restore straight razors. In it, there is a handy dandy jig that was the brainchild of one Kerry Jones. It allows you to work the blade, all the way to the edge without taking the chance of breaking it or hurting yourself as those spinning wheels, buffs, and discs do their magic. There is a little more info on how it works on my razor info blog.
Bill, That's an awesome jig, and I use mine all the time. I have made a few modifications to mine. I hollowed out the space for my rare earth magnets with a spade bit (1-inch), and sanded the top flat with the magnets. I then used barge cement to glue some formica over the top of the jig (on top of the magnets), and shaped it all together. Works like a champ, and the formica gives me a nice, dead-flat, area to work on that's easy to clean off, without the accumulation of metal particles. Additionally, I used very strong magnets (so strong you could actually crack the edge if you picked a full hollow up wrong), so the formica gives me a little buffer between the work piece and the magnets. Mine's made of 3 layers (red oak oak, rock maple, red oak...It's what I had laying around). Joe P.S. Thanks for the invite.
A very dandy tool Now that would sure save me from doing all my fingers when using my dremel....or blootering the edge...a nifty idea. simon:signs021
Well Bill looks like your a hit already ,thanks for the heads up I think I`ll lob here a while and see whats going on Kind regards Peter PS your jig is a lot better than mine ,works great though
Well I guess I'll just butt in here and welcome you gents. Welcome to The Shave Den Joe, Simon, and Peter! :signs021
Joe... Now I gotta make one like you are talking about. Super modification, by the way. Did you put a small back rail on yours?
I did, to give the razor something to butt up against. Had to place the rail at the very edge of the magnets, so that when a razor is butted up agains the rail, it's roughly centered over the magnets. I learned the hard way that if there's too much space between the rail and the center of the magnets, the magnets will pull the razor away, and it's hard to keep still.
I made the discovery like Joe, that if you are too far away from the rail with the magnets, they will pull the blade too far away to get the intended use out of it. That being, to prevent the blade from sliding back as you push against it with whatever tool you are using. Also, make sure the rail is only about an eighth inch high so it is not thicker than the blade you are working on.. From the rail, drill the centerline of the hole half of the diameter of the magnet. That will put the edge of the magnet right on the edge of the rail. You can also make it so the magnet is slightly under the rail.
