Thread: Grind question

Hey guys, I recently got a new razor (Thiers Issard 6/8 Spartacus) and I'm not sure if I should be satisfied with it. The spine appears to be very uneven. While the edge appears to be centered with the spine, the points where the spine make contact with the hone are asymmetrical. Would this not make an asymmetrical edge? And either way, should I be concerned? Is this how TI makes their razors, or did I get something that slipped through the cracks of QC? Also while the back of the razor has some sway, the edge doesn't smile at all, again is this normal for TI razors or did the person who honed it make an error?


Bonus question: My first razor, a Boker, while being half-hollow, had a much thinner blade than this hollow TI (looking at the razor toe-on you can barely see the blade on the Boker). Does hollowing only refer to how close to the spine the hollowing happens with different blade thicknesses coming from different manufacturers, or should this TI be hair-thin behind the edge?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the mishmash of questions.

Yeah that's not very good. How do the bevel widths compare on each side?

Realistically though, it probably won't affect its function but if it bugs you then you should try to swap it for another.

If there is a difference I can't tell with the naked eye (where are those damn calipers?)

I was kind of hoping to read a sentence saying I would be justified in asking for a new razor based on aesthetics alone, thanks! Hope the (reputable though to remain unnamed) seller sees it my way.

The max width of the spine may be asymmetrical as measured from the edge but it will still form a good shaving edge. It is an issue of aesthetics for you. Now if the spine smiles and the edge doesn't that could be a more serious issue.

A good shaving edge indeed, but if the edge is asymmetrical would it not add another variable into my shaving technique? And would that make it more difficult for me as I begin to learn to shave with a straight (had the Boker for a while, it sat unhoned for years after a younger version of myself showed it little respect).

And for those well acquainted with TI razors, is there a chance that the swayed back shouldn't translate to a smiling edge? I don't quite know how I could measure it precisely but the part of the spine contacting the hone/strop appears to sit on one plane rather than follow a curve that would enable rolling-x strokes. As in the outline of the contact point curves with the shape of the spine, but the contact point itself appears to be very flat. Is this normal or did the honemeister overwork it to flatten the edge unnecessarily?

Originally Posted by lemonqq

A good shaving edge indeed, but if the edge is asymmetrical would it not add another variable into my shaving technique? And would that make it more difficult for me as I begin to learn to shave with a straight (had the Boker for a while, it sat unhoned for years after a younger version of myself showed it little respect).

At worst it will shift the bevel toward the "higher" side of the grind by a degree or two. I (and no one I know of) is that precise in holding their razor at a constant angle during a shave. It's aesthetics...nothing else.

Fair enough, thank you friend.

I have a TI that appears to be ground similarly, and it appears in this case to be purely aesthetic. I admit, the bevel on one side is ever so slightly "wider" meaning it creeps up the blade about 1 mm more on one side, but the edge is straight across the blade, takes a great bevel, and shaves wonderfully. As for hollow grind, that is pretty hollow for a TI. All of my TI blades are not ground quite as thinly as their Dovo or Filarmonica (the thinnest I have) counterparts, but this by no means detracts from the shave. My TI razors are a go-to for me and never disappoint.