Thread: Thiers Issard

I agree with all have said. An uneven bevel seems to be the norm but shaves just fine if you can get past the OCD.
I have 2 TIs from the invisible edge, a basic and high end, both have wonky bevels but are fine shavers. Wether basic or high end they use c135 carbonsong. Send Steve Dempster from the invisible edge an email, he is more than happy to help in any way, he also sends them out shave ready.

You know, I doubt there is a difference in how basic and high end models have their blades ground. They likely all come off the same production line and some are taken for further embellishment to the blade and a fancier scales is added. That is what you pay the extra for not the basic production of the blade. I could easily be wrong though.

Bob

Yup, your paying for fancy scales and spine work. Cant see them having a different grinder for the basic models. I could be wrong though

I hone quite a few TI's some of them have uneven bevels and others are OK, what I will say that C135 carbon steel is bloody hard stuff, but It holds a mean edge I don't own any but I wouldn't turn my nose up If the right one came along.

My experience mirrors Jamie's, I have 4 modern TI razors, two 11/16, and two 6/8. Of the 4, 2 are expensive and two are 'basic black' series. One expensive razor and one cheap have uneven bevels on one side. Both the 11/16 have even bevels, both 6/8 have uneven bevels. All shave very well.

I'd have to caution against the more expensive, fancy TI razors, or at least understand what you're likely to get. You're paying a lot for bling and the chances of getting a razor with an uneven bevel according to my experience is 50/50, and the more expensive ones are not necessarily ground better than the cheaper ones. Inexpert grinding is not exactly what I have in mind for a $300+ razor since it loses a lot of resale value, though not a deal killer on the cheaper razors like the basic black series which The Invisible Edge sells since they do shave very well and hold a good edge. I'd prefer the BB series to a Dovo Best. Another positive for the cheaper TI razors is that you can have them re-scaled much, much cheaper than you can buy nice scales from TI, so unless you just have to have the fancy metalwork, this is IMO the way to get a nice TI and cut your losses if the bevel is wonky.

Cheers, Steve

I have two TI razors that shave very well. One has stainless steel scales, which make it a bit heavy and unwieldy. They are fine blades, but I would not say that they are exponentially better than an early 1900s Geneva or a Clauss that you could pick up at a swap meet for 10 bucks.
If you fall in love with the look of the TI, jump all over it. Its a good choice.

Originally Posted by MrZ

I have two TI razors that shave very well. One has stainless steel scales, which make it a bit heavy and unwieldy. They are fine blades, but I would not say that they are exponentially better than an early 1900s Geneva or a Clauss that you could pick up at a swap meet for 10 bucks.
If you fall in love with the look of the TI, jump all over it. Its a good choice.

Are your razors modern or 'old' TI. The 'stainless scales' comment makes me think that they are older, before C135.

Cheers, Steve

So is C135 like stainless and or INOX ? I don’t like INOX raozors they just seem harsh, anyway here are the two I am looking at, the first one I like a tad more due to the spine working and tip.

https://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/7...heatfield.html


https://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/6...ne-design.html

Originally Posted by Jnatcat

So is C135 like stainless and or INOX ? I don’t like INOX raozors they just seem harsh, anyway here are the two I am looking at, the first one I like a tad more due to the spine working and tip.

https://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/7...heatfield.html


https://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/6...ne-design.html

C135 is carbon steel, not stainless.

I thought that the 135 in their steel brand stands for 1.35% carbon content, but I don't remember if I saw something to this amount from Thiers-Issard or if it's just a speculation on my part. That's in general on the high end of carbon content which tends to correlate with higher hardness as well (lots of other variables).
For example a very typical high carbon steel is 1095 which has 0.95% carbon content, or you can see O1 which is basically the same content.

The 'stainless steel razors' are also made of high carbon steel (e.g. 440C which has carbon content of 0.95% to 1.2%), it's just that they are a bit more resistant to oxidation/corrosion than 'carbon steel razors' due to including other elements in the alloy (primarily chromium and molybdenum).