Thread: The Holy Grail of Straight razors....

Out of curiosity Mike and for when I do it myself.

When you said many hours at the sanding block, as a all park how many hours are you talking?

I sanded my blade before putting those cheap plastic scales on. I spent maybe half hour sanding it then polished it but it didn't look any different to me after. To be fair, it is already shiny and in fine shape with just some pitting that I was trying to remove but I was a bit concerned that if I sanded deep enough to take the pitting out I might do something bad to the blade.

It all depends on the grind of the razor.

A full hollow ground razor, isn't going to handle a bunch of sanding, before you destroy the integrity of the blade. Did this myself, on the first razor I tried to restore.
Turned that puppy into aluminum foil.!

The wedge type grinds, have way more steel that can be sanded away, without harm to its integrity.

So when I say "many O' hours". Were talking days, in collective hours. It all depends on the grind, and how far I can go, with the damage at hand. ( learned thru trial and error )

Besides the shave, that's why I prefer the heavy grinds. They're the ones, if not honed to death, that are worth the time making look new, again. There's just not a lot you can do with full hollows, with a bunch of pitting.

Just clean them up the best ya can, hone and enjoy them. The more you do/restore, the more you'll learn about their limitations, and your own.

All the information you need, is right at your finger tips, and found in this forums library, and work shop. From there its learning a skill, set. Or I should say, learning the unknown.

Like anything.... You only get better at it, the more ya do it. The more you do, the more it becomes an instinct. That's why I like project blades that give me a challenge, it pushes me to a higher skill set, or level of learning out of my comfort range.

But I'm that way with anything, that I put my mind to. I just gotta know what's behind the next, door. Always forward, never stepping back.

Yup.
Best part of sanding an old wedge is you can find techniques to avoid the edge and work the spine up to bring some symmetry.
Takes a long time. Hone wear is moved-up. Blade is hollowed some to get that bevel where it should be.

Ain't no joke....

Originally Posted by outback

It all depends on the grind of the razor.

A full hollow ground razor, isn't going to handle a bunch of sanding, before you destroy the integrity of the blade. Did this myself, on the first razor I tried to restore.
Turned that puppy into aluminum foil.!

The wedge type grinds, have way more steel that can be sanded away, without harm to its integrity.

So when I say "many O' hours". Were talking days, in collective hours. It all depends on the grind, and how far I can go, with the damage at hand. ( learned thru trial and error )

Besides the shave, that's why I prefer the heavy grinds. They're the ones, if not honed to death, that are worth the time making look new, again. There's just not a lot you can do with full hollows, with a bunch of pitting.

Just clean them up the best ya can, hone and enjoy them. The more you do/restore, the more you'll learn about their limitations, and your own.

All the information you need, is right at your finger tips, and found in this forums library, and work shop. From there its learning a skill, set. Or I should say, learning the unknown.

Like anything.... You only get better at it, the more ya do it. The more you do, the more it becomes an instinct. That's why I like project blades that give me a challenge, it pushes me to a higher skill set, or level of learning out of my comfort range.

But I'm that way with anything, that I put my mind to. I just gotta know what's behind the next, door. Always forward, never stepping back.

Yep!

For me a straight razor shaver for 35 years or so it’s a Puma Gold 6/8 full hollow. A singing razor to be sure. I judge Holy Grail as the razor that delivers the best shave and stays hanging hair sharp for a long time. I have three other Pumas in my seven day rotation now. I’ve shaved with many Wade and Butchers. Not many old brands I haven’t owned. I have a pre Sheaf Works Greaves made between 1816 and 1821 that shaves as nice as any Wade and Butcher. Greaves Melted and poured their own steel. It was a high end razor compared to W&B a working man’s more affordable razor. I have a W&B now I wouldn’t want to part with two actually one I can trace ownership to about 1850. I have two Dovos I purchased new in 1997 that are nice shavers. At the end of the day if the razor is honed to perfection and properly maintained it will give a nice shave and last for generations. Either Madison or Monroe Presidents 4 and 5 were in office when the Greaves I have was made.

Originally Posted by Legman

...I judge Holy Grail as the razor that delivers the best shave and stays hanging hair sharp for a long time...

Well by that standard my list would change some. I love the big choppers. I'm like cheetah: the bigger the better. Hell, if I could shave with it then go hack up a chicken with the thing I'd be in heaven...as far as what I like aesthetically.

However,

Razors are somewhat like women in that the sexiest looking one is often NOT the one you want realistically. The one you want is the one that makes it work between you.
Somebody here has as their signature, "pretty don't shave," or something like that. Ain't that the truth. I love the W/B FBUs and they, unlike some fancy looking things, shave great but the best shavers I have in my collection are in order of preference:

1) Henry Sears and Son Queen 7/8 #740. It was a FSOTD a few days ago although not really a sexy thing. That thing is scary sharp and stays that way. I can't remember the last time I did more than strop it.

2) Westby Leicester circa 1840, first razor I restored. It is another that gives a smoking shave and holds an edge but plain to the eye.

3) Taylor <eye> Witness. Ugly as a fat lady's arse, not the grind or shape, it is just covered in dark blemishes, mainly on the spine and tang. Shallow, surface pits really but it is too hollow to sand them all out. Not a looker by any stretch of the imagination but that darn thing shaves like a monster.

None of these would resell for very much but honestly the Sears you'd have to pry from my death clutched fingers anyway.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Razors are somewhat like women in that the sexiest looking one is often NOT the one you want realistically.

If I said that and my wife saw it, I just know she would be hurt and make me suffer

Say what?....

I don't know what you're talking about......