Thread: Russian razors

I'm searching online for a cheap razor to practice honing on, there seems to be a surplus of Soviet era razors available for anywhere between £10 and £20. Are any of these worthwhile as a tool for learning to hone and are there any particular brands I should avoid?

They are usually good steel..but normally rusted badly ...not good for the cost.
Richard

For cheap razors Gold dollars are your better bet.

Thanks for the advice chaps, I'll look into one of those dollars.

Probably find lots on ebay and if you wreck'em you won't be any worse off .

If you check the classifieds regularly you can find inexpensive razors that would do well for honing practice and you can find out in advance if they have any geometry issues. I would never consider a gold dollar to be a good starting point, just because you have a risk of geometry issues. Buy a sound razor from someone in the know and you will have the easiest path.

I have a couple of Russian razors and the steel on them is very hard. They are a pain to hone, but they shave well.

Originally Posted by RezDog

If you check the classifieds regularly you can find inexpensive razors that would do well for honing practice and you can find out in advance if they have any geometry issues. I would never consider a gold dollar to be a good starting point, just because you have a risk of geometry issues. Buy a sound razor from someone in the know and you will have the easiest path.

I have bought the Revisor 3 piece beginners set for actual use, I just want to find something cheap that I can practice honing on. I learnt which brands to avoid in the beginners section of this excellent forum (for the first time the web has actually provided me with some worthwhile surfing!!)

I've got a few Russians and I'm very fond of them. I've had a Stiz and a Trud for a couple years and they both honed up well and shave great. I just got another Stiz a few weeks ago but haven't got to work on it yet. many people on this forum recommend doing touch up to learn to hone. I think it's a good way to Learn to do touch ups, but to really learn to hone you've got to learn the whole process. Here's what I would recommend if you are willing to commit some time and money to really learning. Go on eBay and buy some really ugly vintage razors with little hone wear. I'd recommend sticking with hollow grinds at first because they are usually easier to hone then wedges. A little rust is fine but not at the bevel. You can find Ugly razors that will hone up well for under $15 every day. Get two or three of those and a good bevel setter and get to it. Knock any rust off with some 800grit wet/dry and give them a good cleaning This is probably not the best idea for everyone but it worked for me. I'd also recommend getting a good bevel setter if you go this route.

Originally Posted by TomP30

I have bought the Revisor 3 piece beginners set for actual use, I just want to find something cheap that I can practice honing on. I learnt which brands to avoid in the beginners section of this excellent forum (for the first time the web has actually provided me with some worthwhile surfing!!)

There are sound quality razors that come up in the classifieds often for $50 and sometimes as low as $30. It think they are your best bet to learn with. I have to be honest, I have never owned a Gold Dollar, but they have a very bad reputation for geometry issues. I think that you should make your learning path as easy as you can. I bought really nice German blades, at inexpensive prices to learn on. I did not ruin a single blade. It is not rocket science, it just takes a little practice. Tape the spine and all will be well. Trying to learn on a razor that may or may not have geometry problem just sounds like a really frustrating path.