Thread: How do you make your jimps?

I'm curious. It seems there are several ways to go about it. I see various jimps and find some more appealing than others. But is it just a matter of appeal? or is there further significance? and what tools and methods are used to produce jimps anyway? Pictures will be highly appreciated too.

Thanks.

I don't make them but I do appreciate them. I remember an old thread where, razor maker extraordinaire, Joe Chandler said using the teeth of a jig saw blade as a template for spacing was a good idea.

Checkering files work well. A jig saw blade clamped to the side of the razor like Jimmy mentioned also works well. You can also rig up a threaded stop to regulate the spacing of the jimps.


If you search for jimps you can find threads on all of these methods.


Charlie

Originally Posted by TCB

I'm curious. It seems there are several ways to go about it. I see various jimps and find some more appealing than others. But is it just a matter of appeal? or is there further significance? and what tools and methods are used to produce jimps anyway? Pictures will be highly appreciated too.

Thanks.

I don't see any valid reason to have them, except maybe not wanting the razor to look ordinary - and if you don't think ordinary is good, in a razor, that is what scales are for.

But if you must, and you are talking about doing it before the steel is hardened, I would drill a line of holes or file notches in a piece of brass, then cut it along the dotted line to leave a line of semicircles. Then I would temporarily epoxy it to the blade as a guide.

If the blade is hardened I would use a diamond burr in the Dremel tool. You should clamp a piece of brass to the blade, to make sure the rotation doesn't make it roll.

Originally Posted by Caledonian

I don't see any valid reason to have them, except maybe not wanting the razor to look ordinary - and if you don't think ordinary is good, in a razor, that is what scales are for.

So, you dont consider jimps to be of ANY functional value at all? It's just esthetic?

Originally Posted by TCB

So, you dont consider jimps to be of ANY functional value at all? It's just esthetic?

If that. I think they could only be marginal and ingenious function, at the most. Why aren't they all doing it?

I'm not sure it's a matter of statistics. But I understand your point.

Thanks to all for the kind advice and insight.

Originally Posted by Caledonian

I don't see any valid reason to have them, except maybe not wanting the razor to look ordinary - and if you don't think ordinary is good, in a razor, that is what scales are for.

But if you must, and you are talking about doing it before the steel is hardened, I would drill a line of holes or file notches in a piece of brass, then cut it along the dotted line to leave a line of semicircles. Then I would temporarily epoxy it to the blade as a guide.

If the blade is hardened I would use a diamond burr in the Dremel tool. You should clamp a piece of brass to the blade, to make sure the rotation doesn't make it roll.

Hmm. Have you tried to shave with blade without jimps and one with jimps? How was your grip and controll of the blade?
I love Sheffields but unfortunately often those old ones do not have jimps which is for me pain.

Originally Posted by adrspach

Hmm. Have you tried to shave with blade without jimps and one with jimps? How was your grip and controll of the blade?
I love Sheffields but unfortunately often those old ones do not have jimps which is for me pain.

Personally I find bone shaves better than horn, and both are well ahead of plastic, but I hesitate to draw conclusions. The boards are full of people finding a difference between razor and razor, and ascribing it to whatever reason they find most satisfying. But I will continue using the sharp side.

Are you sure that we talk about same thing?