Thread: Portland Razor Company “Hydra” 6/8 Spanish Point (square) - long winded read

Portland Razor Company “Hydra” 6/8 Spanish Point (square)straight razor,
made by Scott M.

Disclaimer:
(This straight was purchased at the full price as shown on the razor company’s
website. There is not, was not and never will be any compensation, favors, discounts, gifts nor threats from the Portland RazorCompany regarding this razor nor anything of that nature related to what I may have to say about this razor. I am doing this strictly because I was pleased to see a U.S.based straight razor manufacturer attempting to
start up a business that is of interest to me because of my fondness for wet shaving and
those things that accompany that practice.)

My remarks are strictly my observations on the actual product in hand, shaving with the product, and my thoughts about changes in the product that may or may not need to be made. Inherent in this is my familiarity of what I consider to be a traditional straight razor of the kind we are aware of dating back several hundred years and manifesting itself in say a 6/8 DovoFirst Class straight razor available to today’s straight razor shavers as a kind of a normal benchmark in terms of size, grinding, shapes and scale profiles. I am no
expert by any stretch of the imagination when it comes tostraight razors but I do know what I like in a straight razor.

This is the Hydra model is a 6/8 Spanish tip square point straight razor of 01 steel. It is dressed in mahogany scales with gimps top and bottom. The razor weighs in at 1.7 oz. or 48 grams and is well balanced. The3/16” thickness of the spine through the shank and the tang is equal width as light taper starting around the mid point of the tang. I would call the grind a quarter hollow with a wider than normal bevel perhaps due to the width of the spine or grinding practice. The edge, under my loupe, looked good. The blade is tight and centered in the scales. There is a notch starting just above the heel of the blade which turned out to be a comfortable place for my thumb to rest while shaving both right and left handed. Not used when shaving my neck up to my chin line which I do with my right hand only and grasp the shank with my right thumb and forefinger. This notch did not interfere with stropping in anyway nor did the height of the shank. The notch did cause me to adjust my mind to the sensation of my thumb being farther forward than my normal straights while I was shaving. The shaving angle was a touch tighter than my normal shaving angle because of the notch. The shave was one pass on my face and a two pass with re-lather on my throat up to the chin line. I was satisfied with the shave and the razor and I think it is a fair value with all things considered.

I would prefer a thinner bevel and do not see why the maker could not manage that. I
would like to see an overall taper in the 3/16” width starting just before the pivot area and extending back to the end of the tang.

Changes for the sake of changes to, in my mind, present the razor in a more traditional
sense would be a centered pin at the spacer with the top pin not as high as it is on this razor. No pins at all on the front would work well with this straight. I also like a flat
finish on wood scales. A bit more definition to the stabilizers, although strength of stabilizer is not an issue with a one quarter hollow grind. Less height at the shank/tang carrying through to the tang. That's my story and I am sticking to it. : )