its official, i have done it

[D.irving79]

i have officially gotten a wedge blade shave ready.

:D:D:D

[Single Wedge]

Pictures. Which wedge. I am going to have my Rapide wedges done. How did you do it?

[D.irving79]

it was a kampfe bros. wedge. ill get together a little "slideshow" in a bit.

[Single Wedge]

Kampfe Bros. Lucky dog. That is like 1890. Ruby Lane has a Kampfe Bros. Stropper device. Pretty cool actually.

The rapide, actually I had an idea to use Rolls wedges in there if i can get the safety bar off. Then I can strop and sharpen easily.

[D.irving79]

Kampfe Bros. Lucky dog. That is like 1890. Ruby Lane has a Kampfe Bros. Stropper device. Pretty cool actually.

The rapide, actually I had an idea to use Rolls wedges in there if i can get the safety bar off. Then I can strop and sharpen easily.

the razor/wedge i have is 1888. the stropping device im using is a GEM.

the rolls wedges are too fat and not wide enough.

[D.irving79]

ok. here goes. step by step how i sharpened a wedge blade. the easy way would be to obtain an allegro model E razor sharpener, but theyre pretty scarce. anyways, on with the show...

first, the tools of the trade:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/DIrving79/RAZORS/wedge001.jpg

at the top we have a stropping attachment. under that we have a stropping handle; mine happens to be the handle of a GEM razor. to the left we have the hone section of a rolls razor. in the center, the wedge blade itself. to the right, the stropping machine. in this case, a GEM. and lastly, a strop. i used a valet.

after you insert the stropping attachment into the stropping handle, you will want to insert the blade:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/DIrving79/RAZORS/wedge002.jpg

youll notice that its hanging out slightly. that is to cope with the metal edges of the lid of the rolls hone. next, the actual honing itself:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/DIrving79/RAZORS/wedge003.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/DIrving79/RAZORS/wedge004.jpg

i neglected to keep count, but i kept it up for at least 40 minutes to an hour. whilst honing, apply LIGHT PRESSURE.

after youve done a decent amount of honing, youll want to do a little stropping. prepare the stropper:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/DIrving79/RAZORS/wedge005.jpg

youll notice the empty slot in the middle. on the right, theres a spring backed pin that pulls out for blade insertion. pull it back, insert the blade, snap it into place:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/DIrving79/RAZORS/wedge006.jpg

now youll need to run your strop through the stropper. hook the strop to a secure place facing you, pull it under the first roller, then under the turn pin, then under the second roller. youre basically doing this in steps towards you:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b305/DIrving79/RAZORS/wedge007.jpg

you run the stropper up and down the strop. the turn pin flips the blade back and forth exactly like it would a valet auto strop razor. repeat as needed. i tested the blade on my face. even a dull blade can cut arm hair. the finger test can work as well.

[mastermute]

Cool! Thanks for sharing!

[rodd]

Awesome!

[Single Wedge]

Awsome

[hoglahoo]

Wow. That's cool! and old.. that's an uncommon style razor

[Automaton-Tim]

I have seen one of these kampfe brothers razors in my local antique store, too bad they want $35 for it.

[D.irving79]

what year is it?

[mastermute]

I would be interested in one :D

[D.irving79]

I would be interested in one :D

thief! ;)

[mastermute]

thief! ;)

Oh.. I'll pay for it! Or a trade.. an Allegro Model L?

[D.irving79]

i need an E. i never see them anywhere. bollocks :(

[spinyeel]

I've actually had a lot of fun sharpening some old Segal blades on a Tam O'Shanter hone.The key is to use a little Paraffin oil and a very light touch.:D

[Single Wedge]

I honed my Henckle wedges this weekend too. I however do not hav kewl stroppy thing so I used a real strop. Work great. I even manged to rehone my straight on the same stone.

Thanks.

[D.irving79]

some henckels sets came with an allegro stropper model E than ive been searching all over the place for but cannot find.

[Single Wedge]

Mine just came with the handle. Have you tried Tias or goantiques?

[D.irving79]

not lately. im trying to put together my own. if it comes to fruition, ill post about it ;)

[Padron]

Congrats Dave!

That stropping device is really cool :)

[D.irving79]

thank you sir :D


just a little update: i shaved with it in an 1888 kampfe star today (saturday) and while it wasnt a GREAT shave, it was good; the blade is shave ready for sure, it just needs some fine tuning here and there, a little more honing and stropping. i gave it an hours worth on the hone again today and about 50 rounds on the stropper, so hopefully tomorrows shave will be a lot better.

[Damon]

Cool thread thanks for sharing the info and photos. I've always wondered how those razors worked.

[D.irving79]

yeah it is pretty interesting. it also reminds me of how easy we have it with SE/DE blades...hahaha.