Thread: What razor to get for my husband

You wanted:

1. "I want to find him a high quality razor that has a fancy handle."
2. "I would say I am thinking under $300 USD."

You got:

1. A razor of dubious quality, albeit with a fancy handle.
2. Budget exceeded by US$ 50 or more (it will need professional honing, and Ron is spot on with his observation that honing this razor shaped object will require professional skills).

Quick summary: An interesting, unexpected choice. Good luck.

Originally Posted by RobinK

You wanted:

1. "I want to find him a high quality razor that has a fancy handle."
2. "I would say I am thinking under $300 USD."

You got:

1. A razor of dubious quality, albeit with a fancy handle.
2. Budget exceeded by US$ 50 or more (it will need professional honing, and Ron is spot on with his observation that honing this razor shaped object will require professional skills).

Quick summary: An interesting, unexpected choice. Good luck.

While yes this would not have been my pick/choice I do not see a need to discount toally the OP's choice. In fact, her husband may be more than qualified to hone a "smiler" like this with no issues. Jerry Stark is a small time artisan builder no doubt and while a Ralf Aust 7/8 horn handle we all know would be shave ready the OP bought a gift and razor that I am sure will and can very likely come shave ready and provide a lifetime of shaving quality.

My wife would have never thought nor bought me any razor as a surprise so I applaud the OP/CrabbyCakes. While we all suggested options we should not get tiffed our suggestion was not followed. I like many try to help here in a decision for a person to make a choice based on input. Can you really say you have always heeded advice given and never flew off the limb and crashed???? Doubt it.

So lets support her choice and rejoice in the fact she may have very well scored a great razor for her husband.

To CrabbyCakes I say kudos and even if the razor needs a special honemeister I am sure it will be well received and a gift to be remembered. The only thing I have seen with JS razors is they need a little more attention to final detail and it will be a success.

I am off the box of soap and ready to go to the next thread for great conversation.

Originally Posted by Michael70

While yes this would not have been my pick/choice I do not see a need to discount toally the OP's choice.

No, and no. Actually, it was you who recommended that razor (incidentally the only person to do so in this entire thread). And nobody "toally" discounted anything here. The razor is above budget, several extremely experienced have commented on the geometry problems already, and non-shave ready razors have been reported. I'm sorry, but just because the guy calls himself an artisan doesn't mean he does not have to live up to the same standards as Dovo. Or, for that matter, Gold Dollar. You sell razors that aren't shave ready, you are in the wrong place here at the Straight Razor Place.

Originally Posted by Michael70

The only thing I have seen with JS razors is they need a little more attention to final detail and it will be a success.

Interesting. I had never even heard about the man before. How odd...

Well the razor is exactly what I was looking for a gift. I am very happy. It might not be what everyone would have picked but that is fine. The razor was well under my budget. My husband has a smiling razor at the moment. If it is not what he wants in the long run I will be more than happy to get him another razor, as previously stated. I am a big girl and am fine what the fact that people might disagree with what I selected. I am not sure how to close a thread but I think anything more at this point is unproductive. Thank you every one for their help!

Originally Posted by CrabbyCakes

Well the razor is exactly what I was looking for a gift. I am very happy. It might not be what everyone would have picked but that is fine. The razor was well under my budget. My husband has a smiling razor at the moment. If it is not what he wants in the long run I will be more than happy to get him another razor, as previously stated. I am a big girl and am fine what the fact that people might disagree with what I selected. I am not sure how to close a thread but I think anything more at this point is unproductive. Thank you every one for their help!

I agree, closed for mod review.

Originally Posted by CrabbyCakes

It might not be what everyone would have picked but that is fine.

I don't want to do you a disservice because you may be missing the point the more experienced members here are trying to make. The issue is not the aesthetics of the razor, but the function.

Unevenness along the spine due to imprecise grinding makes a razor hard to hone. Honing a razor is about precision and repeated execution of the same stroke, so if the grinding is inadequate the task becomes pretty difficult. Only poor (incorrectly heat treated) steel is impossible to hone, but how easy the job is done is a direct result of the maker's skill.
Razors are pretty simple objects, so there is no shortage of people who just make something that looks like a razor, is aesthetically appealing and can even be made to shave, but really mastering it takes time and experience.
There is also no shortage of aspiring honemeisters who are not taking work on razors with grinding problems - their skills are just enough to only do the easiest work.

In my book Charlie Lewis (member here with a screenname spazola) is the person who has mastered the aesthetics you are liking, and had you been able to get one of his razors you wouldn't be getting comments about unevenness of the grinding or problems with the edge.