Thread: Quick questions

Hello once more,

Well, after looking at the prices and seeing how fast the razors that you guys sell fly off the market, I have decided to wait until either during my trip to europe this summer of afterward to buy another razor that works. I do have some quick questions and I hope you all have some answers. I am beginning to think I should get ahold of that training DVD just so I can catch al the lingo you guys are saying. I still dont know all the peices of the razor.
First, I was wondering, Since some of you guys/girls(maybe?) are from europe, Is it easier to find razor shops over there?? If they are more common perhaps I will just take some extra cash to pick up some equipment whilst I am there. I am going to albania and greece btw. There is also a posibility that a friend over there may come to visit me and he lives in germany, should I ask him to pick one up for me??
Another question is due to a myth that I have heard. I read somewhere that stainless steel razors are not ever good razors and you should stick to high grade carbon steel blades. Is this true?

I can take a stab at your last question. I have a couple of stainless razors, and both shave really well. They are harder than the carbon steel blades, and so can feel a bit "tinnier" or scratchy when you shave, but they hold an edge, generally, longer than a carbon steel. On the downside, they are a bit harder to sharpen than carbon, but not overly so. And of course they are more resistant to rust than a carbon steel razor - but proper care of either type of blade mitigates that issue to some extent.

As long as you get your razor from a reputable manufacturer (eg Dovo, Henckels) I think you'd be happy with either stainless or carbon.

James.

And I'll take a stab at your first question. Not sure about Greece or Albania, but your friend will definitely be able to pick something up for you. Though if you do find somewhere in Greece/Albania I'd hazard a guess that there might be cheaper prices than in Germany.

Good luck
M.

My sharpest razors are carbon steel, but my stainless razors are just a tich behind. Stainless razors came along fairly late in the game, which means they are all consistently high quality steel and manufacture. My carbon steel razors run the gamut from "C" to "A+", but my stainless razors land between "A" to "A+".

Stainless razors are a bit harder to hone (especially vintage because they've been so neglected) but aren't any harder to keep going once they're sharp.

I wasn't happy with the selection I found in London and Paris. Too bad too because I was hoping for a nice keepsake from my trip. There's more choice on line or just waiting around here actually. Post WTB thread and you should get some decent offers.

X