Thread: Ralf Aust at Shaving Shack

Hi, I'm going to upgrade to either a vintage NOS razor or a good quality new razor. In the new category, Ralf Aust was recommended, and I found this at Shaving Shack: Ralf Aust 5/8 Carbon Steel Olive Wood Open Razor :: Straight Razors & Cut-Throat Razors :: Razors :: The Shaving Shack

My query is, how does Ralf Aust measure up to other new razors (not sure my budget could stretch to Dovo etc. :P ), and if I bought from Shack, does it come properly shave ready, or is it worth sending it off for a final honing first?

Thanks.

Ralph Austins are good quality razors. I don't own one, but have heard and read good things about them.

As to the Shack selling them truly "shave ready" I can not help there

Good luck and enjoy your new razor

I have two Ralf Aust razors, one 6/8" and one 7/8". They are both well made, attractive razors that take and hold a nice edge. I got mine from Straight Razor Designs, and they came shave ready.

I have no idea what Shaving Shack does about honing.

I believe Ralf Aust razors come close to shave ready from the factory, but they may or may not meet your own standards.

Dovo claims their razors are shave ready from the factory. Some folks agree, I did not find that to be the case with mine. I had to hone it before my first shave.

I have two and love them both! Great shavers and beautifully crafted pieces. You can't go wrong with one.

I'm not an expert by any means as I went to straight only about six months ago. I only have four razors but of the four my Ralf Aust is the best shaver. I also acquired mine from Straight Razor Design and it was shave ready. You need to get a response from someone who has actually purchased a rarazor from Shaving Shack to find out how shave ready they are.

My first straight razor was an Aust from Straight Razor Designs. I think it's a great razor. Austs are a good deal and I'd prefer an Aust over a Dovo.

I have an early 6/8ths. I can say, I have had few, if any, of vintage great blades that have surpassed it.
Again, shave ready is a much abused term in commerce. If it does not meet your standards, a few bucks to one of the noted (reliable) hone persons here, while adding to your cost, will pay back in comfort.
~Richard

I looked at the ad and it clearly says that it has the factory edge. Some of the people who manufacture do have shave ready edges on all of their, now if Aust is one of them or now I do not know. My Ralf Aust came to me hand honed after the factory. There is a member in the UK that hones as a business. You could buy it and arrange to have it sent directly to him for honing and then on to you. Celticcrusader is his screen name.

Celticcrusader is the chap who put me on to the Ralf Aust! I might ask him about that, I've never sent anything away yet, didn't know you could cut out a step like that!

I have quite a few Austs and bought most of them directly from him.
Razors do leave his workshop in a shave-ready condition and I also agree with others that Ralf Aust makes excellent razors for an attractive price.

Thus I would hold back with sending the razor for honing and save the money for later.
If you need to get your razor honed eventually, you could also send it straight to Ralf Aust, as he offers this kind of service.

One consideration; Olive wood may be quite hard and has been used since ages for razor scales, but is not the densest of his wood scales. That honour goes to some African or South American hardwoods and you may find after some time that, around the area where the scales are pinned, olive wood absorbs minute amounts of the oil (e.g. Ballistol) that you may use for conservation and that the olive wood starts to darken there, although it is not a big problem by any means.


B.