Thread: Portland Razor Co.

Regardless of any business label applied to Portland Razor Company they do outstanding work at reasonable prices.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Just to keep things in perspective price wise Portland is not an artisanal manufacture. They are a factory made razor. Maybe a smaller factory but that is what they are.

So, if you are comparing them to someone else it's TI or Dovo as an example not Zowada.

Respectfully I think that is a bit unfair. Their worst straight sees far more QA and far less volume than Dovo or TI. All of that aside, I think if you need to make a comparison it would be to a Nate's Straights or Brown Razor Works in a lot of ways...some blank-based production razors, some fully custom. I might argue in favor of Mr. Brown's craftsmanship, but the Portland folks are catching up awfully fast and their custom skill set is expanding rapidly.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter. Some folks will like one maker or the other, or even have several examples of many. That is the fun in this hobby....so much variety at all levels of the game.

When you buy a new car, there are options. Wheels, colors, convertible, engine size, engine type, 4x4 etc. Just because you pick red instead of white, does not make it custom. When doing stock removal, you get limited options in design, so there is no way anyone can argue to me that they have a custom PRC, unless it's not one of the base models offered, or was designed by you to be made by them.

Forging a razor takes a lot more time, materials, and experience, so the prices go up. When extreme skill is involved, the prices get crazy (Dylan Farnham comes to mind).

Call it semantics, but it is what it is, nothing more nothing less.

Originally Posted by prodigy

When you buy a new car, there are options. Wheels, colors, convertible, engine size, engine type, 4x4 etc. Just because you pick red instead of white, does not make it custom. When doing stock removal, you get limited options in design, so there is no way anyone can argue to me that they have a custom PRC, unless it's not one of the base models offered, and was designed by you to be made by them.

Forging a razor takes a lot more time, materials, and experience, so the prices go up. When extreme skill is involved, the prices get crazy (Dylan Farnham comes to mind).

Call it semantics, but it is what it is, nothing more nothing less.

unfortunately you are somewhat misinformed.

I offer you this page, and advertisement on how to order:
Portland Razor Co. | Straight razors and strops handmade in Portland, OR — Custom Razors
and this one, with pictures of one-off designs that clearly have NOTHING to do with their other production razors. I own #3. Just scroll right down to the bottom there.....
Portland Razor Co. | Straight razors and strops handmade in Portland, OR — Straight Razors

call it semantics, but a lot of those don't look like they came from standard blanks....nothing more, nothing less.

Originally Posted by Denvernoob

unfortunately you are somewhat misinformed.

I offer you this page, and advertisement on how to order:
Portland Razor Co. | Straight razors and strops handmade in Portland, OR — Custom Razors
and this one, with pictures of one-off designs that clearly have NOTHING to do with their other production razors. I own #3. Just scroll right down to the bottom there.....
Portland Razor Co. | Straight razors and strops handmade in Portland, OR — Straight Razors

call it semantics, but a lot of those don't look like they came from standard blanks....nothing more, nothing less.

LOL

You validated everything I said, but called me wrong. Those razors you linked are not variations of base models, one of the points i mentioned...

I'm not denying those razors are custom, just look at the price tags.

Originally Posted by prodigy

LOL

You validated everything I said, but called me wrong. Those razors you linked are not variations of base models, one of the points i mentioned...

I'm not denying those razors are custom, just look at the price tags.

It would appear I misread the context of your post, so my apologies. Apparently we agree...lol!

Originally Posted by Denvernoob

It would appear I misread the context of your post, so my apologies. Apparently we agree...lol!

No worries, it happens. They make some nice looking razors. I had inquired about a custom, probably a year or more ago, and it wasn't an option. They have really taken off as far as skill and options.

Originally Posted by FAL

Next trip to portlandia the Liberal Mecca of the Northwest, I'm going to ask about a tour of their shop, might buy a razor just to help Oregon Business, have heard or read nothing but good of those Gent's.

That sounds cool, you can even schedule a visit on their website, unfortunately that would be a real long road trip for me.

Originally Posted by prodigy

When you buy a new car, there are options. Wheels, colors, convertible, engine size, engine type, 4x4 etc. Just because you pick red instead of white, does not make it custom. When doing stock removal, you get limited options in design, so there is no way anyone can argue to me that they have a custom PRC, unless it's not one of the base models offered, and was designed by you to be made by them.

Forging a razor takes a lot more time, materials, and experience, so the prices go up. When extreme skill is involved, the prices get crazy (Dylan Farnham comes to mind).

Call it semantics, but it is what it is, nothing more nothing less.

But sir they do in fact do custom creations of their own as well as those for customers upon request. So that to me while yes, they have base models that are standard, they are not a typical manufacturer either. But like I stated, semantics or not, they are or can do customs just as any of the US artisans can.

Originally Posted by Michael70

But sir they do in fact do custom creations of their own as well as those for customers upon request. So that to me while yes, they have base models that are standard, they are not a typical manufacturer either. But like I stated, semantics or not, they are or can do customs just as any of the US artisans can.

Yes we cleared that up a little above. They have recently started that, because when I inquired it was not an option.

The main reason I actually wrote that comment was to address those that feel the artisan/custom razors are overpriced. The standard line razors are cheap because there is less involved. Custom razors that are forged have many many hours involved, not only in the specific razor itself, but in learning the skills necessary to make them. So an $800 razor isn't that expensive when you consider the cost of man hours, machinery, materials, knowledge that is required to make it.