Thread: JA Henckels #14...

Originally Posted by BobH

Not owning any of the makes of #14 blades but just going by photos of them my impression was that they may easily be the same blades. Yes, RobinK may be correct on that but there is still no hard records to prove that but everything else points to that.

Bob

They certainly may be the same as to the actual blade blanks, for the most part. However some shave differently than others which I attribute to the way a particular maker grinds them. JMO

Originally Posted by Kees

Great workmanship! Rumor has it that Filarmonica blades are German-made.

Originally Posted by Phrank

At first I was sceptical of that notion, I have the #14 Filarmonica, #14 Palmera, and the #14 Henckels, and I have to say my own personal experience leads me more to the camp that RobinK is correct, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference shaving with any of them, they are indistinguishable IME.

Originally Posted by BobH

Not owning any of the makes of #14 blades but just going by photos of them my impression was that they may easily be the same blades. Yes, RobinK may be correct on that but there is still no hard records to prove that but everything else points to that.

Bob

Originally Posted by sharptonn

They certainly may be the same as to the actual blade blanks, for the most part. However some shave differently than others which I attribute to the way a particular maker grinds them. JMO

I read the threads where RobinK adamantly claimed that they were the same, but my personal physician advised me due to blood pressure considerations to not participate in the conversation...

However...having now shaved with the Henckles #14 I will say that the feel of the steel on the hones and on my face were remarkably similar to the Filli #14. Regardless...the Henckels is now on my 'must acquire list', as it is definitely one hell of a shaver.

I suppose I'll have to get a Palmera as well...

Originally Posted by sharptonn

They certainly may be the same as to the actual blade blanks, for the most part. However some shave differently than others which I attribute to the way a particular maker grinds them. JMO

Yes, very likely so. Kindly send a sample pack of 14s so I may judge that for myself.

Bob

I am amazed at the quality of the restores of this one ,it certainly makes me revise my idea's of what is a suitable razor for restoration.
Outstanding work mate .
Cheers Paul

That's some wonderful work. Great save.

You said,

Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

The scales are original Bakelite, and were extremely discolored to what I can only describe as a green/tan baby poop color...Yuck! After a bit of work they restored beautifully.

When working on the scales was there an obvious odor produced? The oxydized shades seem more like ebonite/vulcanite than Bakelite. Curious if you smelled anything like either sulphur or formaldehyde or nothing at all.

Originally Posted by BobH

Yes, very likely so. Kindly send a sample pack of 14s so I may judge that for myself.

Bob

Bob...I concur. Tom should go to the 'Sharptonville Razor Museum' and put together a travel pack of 14's to send around to a select few of us so we can get a consensus of opinion on this question of similarity. The way I figure it, counting the trips overseas, it should only take about 5 years to return home, and just think about the data of opinions we could collect!

As an incentive benefit for Tom, just think of all the postcards he would collect for the museum. I believe we should start a Poll...and use it as a destination list as well.

Originally Posted by Sharp&Shiny

I am amazed at the quality of the restores of this one ,it certainly makes me revise my idea's of what is a suitable razor for restoration.
Outstanding work mate .
Cheers Paul

Thanks Paul! Although this was really a perfect razor to restore. Very little hone wear and the edge was perfect. Just a bit of rust BUT no pitting to speak of. I've restored a lot worse for sure and for certain.

Originally Posted by MisterMoo

That's some wonderful work. Great save.

You said,



When working on the scales was there an obvious odor produced? The oxydized shades seem more like ebonite/vulcanite than Bakelite. Curious if you smelled anything like either sulphur or formaldehyde or nothing at all.

Thank you Mr. Moo! The scales were definitely Bakelite. I've seen and restored quite a few hard rubber scales (Vulcanite) that were similarly discolored so I can understand your query. Same process of restoring but Bakelite takes a bit more work to get results in my experience. When sanding, there is not much smell. To me it smells like sanded wood, but my smeller ain't that good? When you sand with water using wet/dry there is no smell with either Bakelite or Vulcanite.

Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

..When you sand with water using wet/dry there is no smell with either Bakelite or Vulcanite.

Always a sulphurous smell sanding oxidized vulcanite (wet or dry) for me. Lots of pipes; hate it.

Originally Posted by Phrank

At first I was sceptical of that notion, I have the #14 Filarmonica, #14 Palmera, and the #14 Henckels, and I have to say my own personal experience leads me more to the camp that RobinK is correct, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference shaving with any of them, they are indistinguishable IME.

Only diff I can see in the above 14s is the Palmeras are Bellied grinds,not so the filis and the Henckels.
I cannot detect any diff in the way any of them shave.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Only diff I can see in the above 14s is the Palmeras are Bellied grinds,not so the filis and the Henckels.
I cannot detect any diff in the way any of them shave.

I remember you mentioning that before Bill, and on the current Palmera, I can't see the bellied grind, makes me wonder if it lost some steel, but it's virtually an 8/8 and should be visible. I lucked out and found another on Spanish eBay, will have a look at that one as well.

Did Palmera have bellied grinds on all their #14's? I'm going to go and check again....