building a straight razor quiver for first shaves

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09-09-2012, 02:45 AM
cheetahmeatpheonix

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building a straight razor quiver for first shaves

Cheetah here with todays first installment.

I just went through 30+ of my razors and picked out 5 that I thought would make for an interesting array of shaving experiences for me as a beginner. Factors that influenced the collection are size, style, width and shape of blade, age and manufacturer. I know some red flags are going to raised regarding thw width of the blade but I just love larger blades.

3/4 Packwood - near wedge
7/8 George Wostenhelm - faux frameback
7/8 Wade & Butcher The Celebrated Hollow Ground - half hollow
8/8 Wade & Butcher - wedge
8/8 Wade & Butcher Barbers Use - wedge

I am ready to send these out of restoration/ sharpening. I wanted to get peoples imput on my choices. there are lots of conversations on the forum about weight, degree of hollows and shaving with really old razors that I would like to be able to comment on.

Sorry it's alittle pic heavy but I want to give clear images so the debate can remain friendly..LOL
09-09-2012, 02:49 AM
cheetahmeatpheonix

Oh I forgot. The last 2 W&B's have the most issues. The top one has pitting on the edge so that might be a problem of course. The Barbers Use has a slight frown so that might be an issue as well but if I have the frown honed out now then we should be good.

Thanks

Cheetah
09-09-2012, 02:54 AM
Theseus

The only thing you seem to be missing are a full hollow and an extra hollow.;)

Nice blades BTW.
09-09-2012, 03:04 AM
Cangooner

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theseus

The only thing you seem to be missing are a full hollow and an extra hollow.;)

Nice blades BTW.

I'd agree. Do you have 5/8 or 6/8 full or extra hollows to throw into the mix? They have a *really* different feel to the heavier grinds you have selected. I prefer the heavy ones but if you want a full spectrum experience, there should definitely be some lighter ones in the mix too IMHO.
09-09-2012, 03:09 AM
mapleleafalumnus

I love that Packwood! Is it just me or does it look like something a Klingon would use?
09-09-2012, 03:14 AM
Cangooner

Quote:

Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

I love that Packwood! Is it just me or does it look like something a Klingon would use?

It totally does! But the thing I really love about Packwood razors is no one seems to know the first thing about them! Unless something has been dug up recently, I think even Manah is stumped. And if he doesn't know something about a razor I figure it is probably either not worth knowing, or simply unknowable!

I just thought of another suggestion: how about a 'real' frameback? I have never used a faux frameback so I don't know if there's much difference, but I'm sure there are plenty of folks here who will be able to tell you if they are sufficiently different to warrant another addition to the quiver.
09-09-2012, 03:15 AM
Scookum

I'd be willing to test these for you. I'm a beginner and could try them all out. I guarantee to give a full write up when I'm done with them in about 40 years.
09-09-2012, 03:15 AM
mapleleafalumnus

Manah not know something about razors?!?!
HERESY!!!
09-09-2012, 03:25 AM
cheetahmeatpheonix

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cangooner

I'd agree. Do you have 5/8 or 6/8 full or extra hollows to throw into the mix? They have a *really* different feel to the heavier grinds you have selected. I prefer the heavy ones but if you want a full spectrum experience, there should definitely be some lighter ones in the mix too IMHO.

Let me see what I have. I know I have a french Arbenz that I a frameback but it's a 7/8's as well

http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...-rootbeer.html
09-09-2012, 03:37 AM
Cangooner

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheetahmeatpheonix

Let me see what I have. I know I have a french Arbenz that I a frameback but it's a 7/8's as well

http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...-rootbeer.html

Oh yeah, I'd throw that Arbenz into the mix too just on principle - that's a beaut!

Seriously, are we going to have to have a whipround to find you a small/midsize blade? :rofl2:
09-09-2012, 04:06 AM
cheetahmeatpheonix

4 Attachment(s)

OK so after digging through more razors here are the closest things to full hollows that I have.

17/16 Tally Ho - full hollow
7/8 Holley MFG Co stubby - 1/2 hollow
3/4 W&B Celebrated Anglo-Saxon Concave Razor - faux frameback
5/8 E.G Gustafsson Eskilstuna faux frameback
09-09-2012, 04:41 AM
Theseus

I just took a look at your pictures under the microscope and it looks like the Tally Ho is covered in extremely rare and highly contagious bacterial microbes. Better send it to me so that I can dispose of it properly.:w
09-09-2012, 05:12 AM
EisenFaust

building a straight razor quiver for first shaves

All I have to add is 'damn you cheetah!' ;)
09-09-2012, 10:54 AM
Grazor

,,,,,,(yawn)
09-09-2012, 03:23 PM
Cangooner

In the interest of cajoling you into using a smaller blade (!) I'd say go fro the Eskilstuna. At 5/8 and a hollow-ish kind of grind it will give the sharpest contrast to the other beasts you have assembled.

BTW I love the fact that a call out for lighter blades results in the appearance of a 17/16 Tally-Ho! :rofl2:
09-09-2012, 10:15 PM
roughkype

If you don't already have a shoulderless blade in your lineup, I vote for the Holley half hollow. This is because they're very different to strop; you might find (as I did) that that's significant enough to matter. Much easier without those stabilizers hanging up on the strop edge.

Great idea, by the way. I envy your breadth of choices.
09-10-2012, 09:40 AM
Grazor

2 Attachment(s)

cmon cheetahAttachment 106178

Attachment 106180:shrug:
09-10-2012, 02:13 PM
cheetahmeatpheonix

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cangooner

In the interest of cajoling you into using a smaller blade (!) I'd say go fro the Eskilstuna. At 5/8 and a hollow-ish kind of grind it will give the sharpest contrast to the other beasts you have assembled.

BTW I love the fact that a call out for lighter blades results in the appearance of a 17/16 Tally-Ho! :rofl2:

LOL I was just trying to see what I had based on the requests of the people who replied to the post. So I was holding up my razors a looking at the chart we have that shows you the different profiles of the blades. I didn't even think that I had a full hollow or half hollow. It became a quest just to see what i had.

Good times
09-10-2012, 02:15 PM
cheetahmeatpheonix

Quote:

Originally Posted by roughkype

If you don't already have a shoulderless blade in your lineup, I vote for the Holley half hollow. This is because they're very different to strop; you might find (as I did) that that's significant enough to matter. Much easier without those stabilizers hanging up on the strop edge.

Great idea, by the way. I envy your breadth of choices.

Thanks by the way.

I'm not sure if I have a shoulderless or not. I do have 4 or 5 really early stubtail blades so I will check there first.

Cheetah