Thread: Custom Razors...Perhaps You Don't Get What You Pay For

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

In Reality,can you really call any Hart Razor a custom??

Good point. That's a bit like calling a TI a custom razor, while in fact it is mass produced (or at least, multiple of the same thing) with scales that were probably pre-made and then fitted.

Tomato-tomahto I suppose. Classic Shaving likes to refer to a certain sub-group of their razors as "Custom". Actually the entire spiel goes like this-

"Hart Steel Artisanal Razors
Though primarily known for their production line of straight razors, Hart Steel also has the luxury of occasionally offering special limited edition razors. These razors allow their makers the freedom to experiment with unique scale material, new forging techniques, and other flights of imagination in their role of razor artisan technicians. Here is where you can enjoy the fruits of their labors: one-of-a-kind straight razors handmade and assembled in the U.S.A".

Perhaps "Artisanal" is a better term. One like another to me. For sure, there is a huge gap between a Hart Steel, an "Artisanal" Hart Steel, a Tim Zowada, and a Robert Williams. You can bet there will be a country kilometer of difference between all the aforementioned and my upcoming Brian Brown (one way to tell a TRUE custom piece is the agonizing waiting period). But point being is that I like all these razors and each fills a specific niche in my routine, as do all my "production" razors. They all get love and proper recognition, but yes..some DO get a tad more than others.

Yea, I look at it as production, semi custom/limited editions and true custom razors for new razors.

Bob

Originally Posted by Phoenix51

Tomato-tomahto I suppose. Classic Shaving likes to refer to a certain sub-group of their razors as "Custom". Actually the entire spiel goes like this-

"Hart Steel Artisanal Razors
Though primarily known for their production line of straight razors, Hart Steel also has the luxury of occasionally offering special limited edition razors. These razors allow their makers the freedom to experiment with unique scale material, new forging techniques, and other flights of imagination in their role of razor artisan technicians.

I wonder what those new forging techniques are that no one has never tried before.
"razor artisan technicians" what the hell is that? Like razor maker, but making it sound as if one needs a PhD to get the job done?

Hart "razor artisan technicians" forgot to hone my custom HartSteel razor. They credited me $20 for having to hone it myself. It is perfectly good steel and shaves great but it was advertised as being shave ready. Not even close.

Artisanal? What a horrible word! Surely 'artisan' is better in most circumstances - using 'artisanal' appears to be a mangling of the language in a way which says more about the user in a negative way to me - ie making something out of nothing, like calling a 'bin-man a 'garbage disposal officer' - not necessary, except to inflate the ego of the bin man.

Only my personal opinion, though - a Millianal opionlet, you might say...

Regards,
Neil (anally-retentive) Miller

To me, artisanal is perhaps a better term than custom, if only to differentiate between the proper custom makers and the semi-custom makers. It also rides a bit on the 'maker movement' that is quite widespread in this generation. Indeed I'm part of that you might say with my Zulu Grey hones and also the straight razors I'm working on.. But indeed, calling everything that is made by hand 'artisanal' can become quite tiresome especially when you even have large designer houses using the term on their heritage products etc. It's like the large distilleries using the term 'craft beer' on a special line of their products.. I think it's fair to say that the ideas of 'craft' and 'artisan-made' are quite clearly used as marketing devices by all given the current maker-orientated climate of the day.

Personally, I'd look to market my own razors as 'handcrafted' as that I think is an accurate assessment of the products I'm creating. This is in contrast to the likes of Dovo or TI, as they really do mass-produce razors in the truest sense. Their focus is on volume first and quality control second. For an operation like Hart Steel, I think this could become a problem as well down the line - making more vs. making better. For me though, using the term 'custom' can apply to any small operation where there is still the ability and desire of the maker to produce products that are for the most part made by hand/hand operated machinery (even cnc in my opinion), with an attention to detail and quality of workmanship above all else.

So, I would say that a custom razor is one that is made to a level of fit and finish that mass-manufacturing simply can't replicate. It doesn't matter if the design is produced again and again, if the workmanship and quality of build and materials is there, then I'd call it a custom. A truly one-off piece or a razor that is 'designed' by the customer I would say is a 'bespoke' piece. The term 'custom' when relating to blades comes from the knifemaking world, and there clearly it is used to define handcrafted/high quality pieces, not necessarily ones designed by the customer...

- Mike

I hate to be pedantic, but all these words are as old or older than the use of razors or knives. They have defined meanings already. Some people may care to use them in non-standard ways, but that is by-the-by and not really relevant.

Take Custom Made for instance. It means made to suit the needs of a particular customer. Razors, knives, etc do not enter into it except that they can fall under this meaning - ie they do not dictate the meaning of the word nor do those who make custom razors or knives. The meaning is quite clear - made to personal order, a 'one-off', not a run of things.

Bespoke means exactly the same thing as Custom Made, except it is used more in the realm of clothing, eg bespoke tailors or custom tailors. It still means made to one individuals personal needs, a one-off. Exactly the same as Custom Made.

An Artisan is someone who makes something by hand. A skilled worker offering hand-made goods is the same as an artisan, or craftsman or craftswoman. Their goods are hand-made.

It follows that an artisan may or may not offer custom (ie bespoke) items.

All the other stuff that comes in between according to certain makers, like (but not limited to) custom stock, etc, is just so much guff to inflate the makers egos.

Easy, isn't it?!

Regards,
Neil

I don't know if it is 'to inflate the makers egos' as much as it is to sell more product. As tattooer, the late Bob Shaw used to say, "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with BS."

Originally Posted by Neil Miller

I hate to be pedantic, but all these words are as old or older than the use of razors or knives. They have defined meanings already. Some people may care to use them in non-standard ways, but that is by-the-by and not really relevant.

Take Custom Made for instance. It means made to suit the needs of a particular customer. Razors, knives, etc do not enter into it except that they can fall under this meaning - ie they do not dictate the meaning of the word nor do those who make custom razors or knives. The meaning is quite clear - made to personal order, a 'one-off', not a run of things.

Bespoke means exactly the same thing as Custom Made, except it is used more in the realm of clothing, eg bespoke tailors or custom tailors. It still means made to one individuals personal needs, a one-off. Exactly the same as Custom Made.

An Artisan is someone who makes something by hand. A skilled worker offering hand-made goods is the same as an artisan, or craftsman or craftswoman. Their goods are hand-made.

It follows that an artisan may or may not offer custom (ie bespoke) items.

All the other stuff that comes in between according to certain makers, like (but not limited to) custom stock, etc, is just so much guff to inflate the makers egos.

Easy, isn't it?!

Regards,
Neil

For sure these terms are much of a muchness in technical meaning, and really like Jimmy says truth be told it's just to sell more products. I think a high quality product will always speak for itself despite how its manufacturing methods are labeled.. But I just meant that the term 'Custom' is often an American used term that at least in the knifemaking world doesn't strictly mean 'made to the customers specifications' as one would correctly understand it to, rather it is used to distinguish mass-production from, I suppose, small-batch production by a single craftsperson.

The word Bespoke is more of an English term, which although commonly is used to describe garments, does technically encompass any made-to-order product.
I mentioned this only because some years ago I had a rather heated discussion with Bill Ellis regarding the meaning of the term 'custom' as it relates to handmade cutlery.. and I was pointing out that technically it does mean 'made to the customers specs' rather than just being handcrafted from the artisan's imagination as a one-off or limited run etc.. That conversation led nowhere fast, but I took away from it that at least American knifemaking folks (makers and buyers) have really defined that word in their own unique way.

So, anyways, that's all I was trying to convey

Bottom line, it would be great if we could call made-to-order products 'Custom' or 'Bespoke' and simply call the rest either 'factory-made' for mass produced items, and then 'handcrafted' or 'Artisanal' for one-offs or very small batch production by single craftspeople/artisans. But that's in an ideal world I suppose

- Mike