Thread: Mastro Livi Razor Club

I first became acquainted w/ his fine work either here or on a companion site. The other day was watching a shaving vid on youtube and noticed a video w/ his name. Clicked on it to find out he has a channel there. I watched two of his vids from beginning to end. Like how he calls his shop his laboratory. He has a mini, self-enclosed, barbershop connected to it as well.Was surprised as I had not thought of his razors for some time. Muist have been 5 years since I heard of them then up pops his youtube channel!

Originally Posted by rostfrei

I first became acquainted w/ his fine work either here or on a companion site. The other day was watching a shaving vid on youtube and noticed a video w/ his name. Clicked on it to find out he has a channel there. I watched two of his vids from beginning to end. Like how he calls his shop his laboratory. He has a mini, self-enclosed, barbershop connected to it as well.Was surprised as I had not thought of his razors for some time. Muist have been 5 years since I heard of them then up pops his youtube channel!

Just a clarification note. The videos you watched on Youtube have been made by me and the channel "RazorGuy StraightRazorChannel" is run by me. It is not Mastro Livi's channel and I have no business association with him. As a matter of fact, my job is not about straight razor or shaving, I am just a passionate straight razor shaver, restorer and collector, not to mention Mastro Livi's straight razors!
Mastro Livi is a dear friend of mine and those videos are a tribute to the art, talent, craftsmanship and wisdom of a truly great and amazing Italian artisan and friend. I am also making them in the aim and hope to be useful to all the wet shavers in the world as I believe Mastro Livi's knowledge and art is a valuable treasure and heritage to be shared with others. As I understand I am a privileged one for living few kilometers away from Mastro Livi laboratory, as well as being his friend, I believe I owe this to others in order to let them all benefit of the endless Mastro Livi's knowledge and talent about straight razor making and maintenance.
Mastro Livi has a laboratory in which he works and makes all of the cutting tools he creates every day. This includes straight razors, knives, barber's scissors and many other cutting tools.
Mastro Livi's Barbershop is actually built inside of this laboratory and I am super proud for having suggested this idea to Mastro Livi whom liked since the very moment. It is a private barbershop reserved to Mastro Livi's clients who can personally test their razors before buying them. I believe this to be a proof of honesty and a guarantee of the quality of his job. You have the chance to personally test a razor - the barbershop has everything, from water to aftershaves - and if you are happy with it and like it, you can buy it.
Mastro Livi's Barbershop is also the place where we shoot the "Mastro Livi School" videos, a long term project made of many episodes. The episodes are all conceived and written by me and Mastro Livi and in many episodes we benefit of the professionalism and skill of Barber Luigi Migni, whose help, contribution and support for the shaving lessons has been fundamental and priceless. As a matter of fact, barber Luigi Migni is one of the very few here in Italy who still uses a real straight razor for shaving his clients and he learned how to shave with a straight razor from his master about 37 years ago when he was a boy and was working and learning how to become a barber in his master's barbershop.
As for the other videso, most of them are about the making of my straight razors, with the exception of a couple which are about the making of stefanosup's straight razors, a member of SRP as well as a dear friend of mine I met at Mastro Livi laboratory.

I was up to NY to see my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren and my son-in-law took the Mastro Livi 6/8 round tip with ebony scales that I gave him out for a shave. He came over to me and said he couldn't believe how really smooth the shave was and how sharp the blade is. He looked at my RW34 I have and asked if he could try it and I said not to press his luck. Made me feel very happy seeing how the razor I gave him made him feel. Hated to part with it but felt great sharing the Mastro Livi experience with him. Being Italian, it gave him great pride in owning this work of art.

I think this was very kind of you. I am sure your son-in-law has appreciated very much your thoughtful gift, being Italian, I am sure he is proud for shaving with the very best Italian razor of all times, not to mention, a masterpiece of Italian art and craftsmanship. You are a remarkable man.

How often do you sharpen with Green chromium oxide. I don't want to over do it with my razors. My Mastro Livi started to pull just a little bit.

Originally Posted by Miketig

How often do you sharpen with Green chromium oxide. I don't want to over do it with my razors. My Mastro Livi started to pull just a little bit.

So far, I have used Chromium Oxide in just one Mastro Livi razor, the one I wanted to hone by dulling its edge on purpose. You can read more here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ml#post1560593

However, if you feel your razor started to pull a little, a healthy pass on linen side of Mastro Livi loom strop and chromium oxide will certainly fix it. This is what I usually do with my straight razor which start to pull and this is what Mastro Livi suggested me to do in such cases.
As for the rest of my Mastro Livi straight razor, I have never honed or passed on chromium oxide, saved the one I used for my RWL34 honing experiment.

What is the difference between Damascus steel, carbon steel and stainless steel as far as the shave is concerned. I have a carbon steel and a RW 34 stainless steel Mastro Livi. I can feel the difference in the way the razors perform but they both give very smooth close shaves. Is the Damascus really worth more then double? I should have my new Mastro Livi Stainless steel here this week and will post pictures. I swore this was my last one but I love the look of the Damascus. Who wants to retire?

Razor Guy, you almost talked me out of buying a Mastro Livi strop. Your right about the Mastro Livi razors, no maintenance. Probably will buy the strop because the other razors I own, won't mention names, do need the maintenance.

Like you said, every steel feels different in the way they perform although all giving - provided they are well honed and well made - a smooth and close shave. In my humble collection I have some Mastro Livi razors and I guess I tried most of the steels and Damascus steels he makes and they all feel different on the skin.
Mastro Livi Damascus steel - I mean the artisan Damascus he makes, either carbon or stainless - is also something you would buy, not because of the smooth and impeccable shave they give, but also for the beauty of the patterns and the beauty of genuine craftsmanship. To me, this adds a tremendous pleasure to the pleasure of shaving: a magnificent razor worth using and super performing, last but not the least, beautiful to see. Like you said, the feel of each of them is different and you may also find out you prefer some in specific occasions.
I am not going to retire for sure: the day I bought my first Mastro Livi - two years and a half ago - I swore it was going to be just one and, in case I would have bought another one from him, it would certainly have been after quite a long time. Well, today I own twenty Mastro Livi razors and I guess I am not going to stop this, not yet. As you can see, I was absolutely wrong.
As for Mastro Livi loom strop, the day I bought his strop I realized it was so different from the rest and I dismissed, in that very moment, the about one dozen of hanging strops I have. Since then, I am only using Mastro Livi loom strop and now I have three of them. To me, it is a great tool for maintaining straight razors, in particular those I like to restore myself.

I appreciate as usual your knowledge and experience with Mastro Livi. Looks like after the new year I am going to break a resolution I made and look to purchase a Damascus steel razor. I could easily never shave with it, just open the box, put it on a shelve and admire it each morning. Being practical, to spend that much on a razor and not use it would be a shame.