Thread: What is your definition of a custom razor?

Originally Posted by 32t

Good point.

For me I am wondering about the difference between the difference between artisanal and custom.

If I think that it is butt ugly and useless but is that what the customer wants does that make it custom?

If I make something that I think is cool and hope someone else also thinks so and buys it is that artisan?

Charlie Lewis, my hero, makes artisanal razors. His own imagination yields his unique and personal designs. He makes what he wants to make, and they are put up for sale for whomever wants to buy them.

Some razor makers are willing to make custom razors, which as I suggested, are created by interactions and communications between the buyer and maker.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Charlie Lewis, my hero, makes artisanal razors. His own imagination yields his unique and personal designs. He makes what he wants to make, and they are put up for sale for whomever wants to buy them.

Some razor makers are willing to make custom razors, which as I suggested, are created by interactions and communications between the buyer and maker.

I am thinking that I am confusing artiisnal and custom.

Custom then looses its appeal to me.

I think they both hold equal but different appeal. I consider an artisanal razor to be a creation from the imagination of the razor maker. A custom razor is a collaborative creation from the imagination of both the buyer and the maker. Both should yield a unique product.

Hmmm. I have two razors that were made in small numbers, but there are several others that have exactly the same blade. I have one razor that at this point I have never seen another like it. However it was entirely the builders design, I had no input. While the one of that I have is very unique and I had no design input, I still consider it a custom. I also would say the same of Charlies razors. They is is also the joint design between the smith and the end user. Those are without a doubt a true custom with no room for debate. So I guess we half agree. Anything that is not produced in quantities of more than one I consider custom.

So if someone has a custom made for themselves, with lots of input on the design, and then decides to sell it, does it become an artisanal piece that was created by a collaboration of the original owner and the bladesmith and lose it's custom title?

If Charlie makes a custom for himself, and then decides to sell it, is that any different?

So in that respect the title of custom depends on the ownership staying in the hands of the original person who commissioned the work.

Brian Brown had a thread along these lines.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Charlie Lewis, my hero, makes artisanal razors. His own imagination yields his unique and personal designs. He makes what he wants to make, and they are put up for sale for whomever wants to buy them.

I would still consider them Custom Razors. True, certain things may carry over from one design to the next (a particular thumb notch, or jimps), but it is essentially a one-off item. That it appeals to someone enough for them to buy it is not relevant to the uniqueness of the piece.