Thread: Folding vs Fixed

What I have found is that it's a preference thing. Actually, the folders are WAY easier to store & take up less room as if you safely store a fixed razor you will have a base for each one unless you make a custom one for yourself. I don't know about a kamisori though as I have never used one or had one in my hands.

Scott speaks the truth. You cannot just toss one in a drawer!
I expressed my concerns of storage to Charlie, sent it back to him and he made me a nice box!

I am glad I decided on making a pic of these three that I have...my two have some spots of rust that will take some elbow grease to get out...I'm talking sandpaper.

I use both and find the scaled version very much easier to use. With the scales at 90 degrees I notice that the fingers either side have far greater control than having the same hand position on a fixed.

I've found I got used to the fixed versions I have (one from Bruno, one from Stu (str8raz0r) - a custom maker here in Brisbane) and eventually learned to manoeuvre and strop them as easily as a scaled razor.

The big difference I've noticed between fixed and scaled is angle control. With a scaled razor the scales are held between your ring and (pinky or middle) finger, and this 1. physically limits the amount by which the shave angle can accidentally change (e.g. slippery hands) and 2. gives more deliberate control over the angle when shaving.

With a fixed razor you are relying entirely on (potentially slippery) finger and hand grip to control the angle and IMO there's much more potential for that razor to twist in the hand if, for example, it gets a bit hung up in beard during the shave.

Frankly I think a razor maker needs to have the "traditional" scaled razor in their repertoire eventually.

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

The big difference I've noticed (e.g. slippery hands) you are relying entirely on (potentially slippery) finger

Frankly

James.

Sigh.......Dry your hands, cobber. Dry em!

What is the difference between the razors shown in this thread and a kamisori? Is it just the grind ?

For the first 6 months of my straight shaving journey, I almost exclusively learned using a Feather Artist Club SS replaceable blade, fixed handle razor. The shorter 2 inch (50 mm) blade and the fixed handle made it very nimble, easy to maneuver around all the critical contours. One soon learns the similiar but different grips to use. I found the fixed handle as easy to use as I later learned for regular folded razors.

The problem is storage. For the Artist Club SS shavette, I simply removed, cleaned the blade and stored the blade in a small container of oil between shaves. But for fixed blade kamisori style razors, a storage holder or box is necessary to protect the blade and for personal safety.

I always got close comfortable shaves from the Feather Artist Club SS razor but after my first 6 months, I switched to regular folded razors and found them more fun because of the vast variety of size, grinds, scales, blade designs of both new and vintage razors, along with the nostalgia of using razors with a long history of tradition.