Thread: brand new TI razor

Hello all, I'm hoping to get some advice from a honemeister, or someone who has honed a brand new TI razor. I bought it a few weeks ago, and she is simply stunning! Dreadnought 7/8 with buckeye burl scales (I have a buckeye burl brush being made now!) So out of the gate it was very sharp, but the shave was very harsh. I figured it was either technique or lather issues, so I tried changing things up for several shaves, still very harsh. So I am a decent honer, able to get smooth edges on my jnat, and recently acquired a 20k, so I figured I'd hone this bad boy. The previous honing appears to have been buffed over after it was honed. I can see significant hone wear when looking closely in the light. When I put it to the 1k, one side took several minutes to even out a bevel. The opposite side is far worse, I've spent probably close to an hour on the chosera 1k, and the edge will not contact more than approximately 1 cm of the hone at a time. I'm really frustrated so I set it down for now. I already had an issue with the seller because it arrived to me with several rust spots, but I'm curious if this is a typical problem to have with a brand new $400+ razor?? I can edit some pics in later if necessary, I'm about to be busy so I can't right this second. Thanks!

Did you order it shave ready?

Unless it is seriously damaged, it can be honed with a rolling x, but if there is hone wear, send it back. It may be an issue if you have honed it and not discussed these issues with the vendor. Either way it can be easily fixed, with a proper honing.

Many cutlery shops use belts to “sharpen” razors like they do everything, and believe they are just another knife…

I have honed many new TI's none had hone wear.

$400??????????

Yea I've already committed to keeping it, but it is from a reputable vendor who assures shave ready razors. The hone wear is really covered up well because it was surely buffed after it was honed. I'll definitely get some pics up and let you guys see for yourself. Yea new TI razors are not cheap. It was a 400+, however I was given a nice discount due to the rust on it. Sending it back would cost a lot as its from the UK. It's been one disappointment after another but the razor is quite stunning and I'm sure one day I'll be pleased.

Have you taped the spine when honing? At that price you really should have returned the razor when you had the chance - it's only about $20 for postage to the UK. However, that doesn't seem to be an option but maybe you should ask the seller to take it back for re-honing. If it really is that bad, he may still be able to get a replacement from TI.

It's $20 if I don't declare the value, but that's a risk I'm not willing to take. Which brings postage up to around $50. I tried taking some pictures but because it was buffed over its really hard to see, much less take a good picture of. I guess I'll contact him and see what they say. It's going to be hard at this point to do anything about it because I've already shaved with it and have started the honing process. Well I guess I'll wait to hear from him until I send it out, but I'm thinking it's going to have to go to a pro...

here is a pic from my shave of the day post a while back. I simply find it hard to believe this razor every saw hones outside of the factory, and the vendor is very reputable, with many members here very satisfied. I emailed him with some questions, ill hopefully hear back soon.

I have honed a lot of new TIs - I hate the bl@@dy things. The steel is far too hard, and 4 out of 5 exhibit some form of major error, eg kinks in the spine (meaning bevel tip and heel on one side and middle on the get honed, the rest of the bevel stands off the hone, as if the blade from tip to tang is slightly banana shaped; or errors in grinding (really - I have seen a dip in the hollow going right through the bevel, I think they only way they got that one to look normal was to hand-hold it at a higher angle and use a revolving belgian hone on it - like Dovo do).

I have never had one that was anything like shave ready out of the box. For the money the mid to high end models cost, I think TI should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. As I said, this not based in a stars-in-the-eyes- attitude of an owner with a decent one, but a workman who has had to rescue a whole lot of them.

You either have to grind the spine flat (ie get rid of the 'knobby' bits that are in the way) or heavily tape it. The last one I had took metal removal from the spine followed by polishing the spine out, taping it with two layers of tape to elevate the blade enough to minimise the makers errors, followed by a third layer of tape foe a smaller bevel. as the steel was so hard it had a tendency to crumble (microchip).

Some you can sort out with tape alone, happily. I had one that had an enormous (figuratively speaking) bulge on each sid of the spine - these had to be ground out the polished away with a series of finer hones to make it look acceptable before stating again to get it to shave.

I have one of my own. Very disappointing blade altogether.

If you spotted buff marks on the blade hiding a poorly executed hone job (ie scratches going into the hollow part) then you really should have sent it back straight away, in my opinion.

Regards,
Neil

PS: I just noticed you mentioned it had rust on it and was discounted due that fact, yet you paid a high price for it as if it was brand new????

Surely the buffing was to remove the rust???

Only my opinion, but i would only have paid a third of its value, certainly no more than £80 to £100 pounds, even then I'm sure I would fell disappointed.

You have my sympathy.

It was purchased brand new, and i havent narrowed down anything yet, but my thoughts are as follows. It was a new razor, and the vendor is supposed to hone them prior to sale. The rust on the razor leads me to believe it was factory sharpened and factory buffed, then sent to the vendor. It somehow missed any form of inspection, hence the rusty spots would have been picked up on. To me, the razor was never honed to shave ready because it was never put to the hones after it left the factory. I am still inquiring about the issue, and only express my humble opinion on the matter. I guess im just a sucker for the scales on this thing because others whom i trust told me to send it back as well. Oh well, live and learn, im sure ill be happy with it at some point...

It is a beautiful razor. I have a soft spot for TIs. I'd send it to a pro for homing and call it good. It will cost less than 50 for return shipping and the honing fee. Providing it doesn't need serious work.