Thread: Mastro Livi... Is it just me?

Originally Posted by Bill31521

He made one video of a razor that was returned saying that they used a coarse stone that resulted in chips. He then proceeded to remove the chips with a belt sander. Lol.

That's not as silly as it seems. A fine belt on low speed would save a lot of grunt work. Like wise a wet grinder would do that job well also.

I tried one several years ago and it shaved great but IMHO not worth the coin.

I’ve had 4 or 5 Livi’s over the years. Still got one in the collection. All have been great shavers. People pay what they think a razor is worth so pricing is very subjective. I can’t say that any that I had, had any fit or grinding issues.

Very useful information, I have long wanted to read reviews and comments about the products of Mastro Livi. On video can be one thing, and in life quite on different. For me, a very important factor is the further maintenance of the razor. I mean, over a long period of time. This requires a very good geometry of the razor blade and of course the quality of steel. I'm not a fan of belt pastes as pastes don't give a better shave. I'm a fan of good finishing stones. When sharpening the blade on a good finish stone, sharpening will be more durable.Of course razor will serve longer, provided good leather belt for fine-tuning cutting edge razors. This my personal IMHO.

Well-said, Gipson. TBH, there was a time not too long ago that this discussion would not happen.
Seems negative things said of recent Kanoyama as well. Things change. Names sometime go on until they are associated with declining quality instead of the great quality of years gone by. As names are bought and torches pass, things change.

Anyway, an interesting discussion.

Originally Posted by Gipson

Very useful information, I have long wanted to read reviews and comments about the products of Mastro Livi.

For me, a very important factor is the further maintenance of the razor. I mean, over a long period of time. This requires a very good geometry of the razor blade and of course the quality of steel.

That is exactly my point.

That razors don’t leave a workshop or factory shave-ready is nothing new, but I expect that an experienced straight shaver, who is used to hone his own razors from time to time, will be able to maintain that razor.

If the geometry of edge is so unique (or inconsistent) that an owner would have to set first a new bevel then that is a show-stopper for me.

I always found it strange that Livi published so many excellent videos about his razors and how to maintain them, but never educated shavers much about honing.
It felt like he did not want users to hone his razors and as if he wanted to imply that shavers could go on forever with his strop or were expected to send a razor back to him when the time for the eventual honing came.

As said earlier, I don’t doubt that there was a time when Livi deserved all that praise and I congratulate all who found one from that period or a newer Livi that shaves well, but buying a Livi-priced razor and hoping that it does not turn out to be a dud is just not for me.


B

There was a video by Razorguy of Mastro Livi dulling a razor on a glass then using his cro ox loom strop bring it back to a shavable edge. Oddly enough Razor guys videos have been removed from YouTube.
Lucky for us Livi has a new stooge.
https://youtu.be/Qo6oihjQ3WM
Here he dulls a razor edge down on a towel and 13 laps on his cro ox strops a few passes on leather and hey presto! A shaveable razor.
I believe Livi hones his razors for them to be solely used with pastes. I went to touch up my Mastro Livi with a few passes on a Naniwa 10k and ended up having to create a new bevel as it didnt hone to the edge with the spine on the hone.

I have written a response to this thread 7 times now, and haven't posted one yet, each time it just doesn't come out right

So KISS principle applies now

I see a higher percentage of ALL razors with problems, I mean seriously, if they hone easily I don't see them as often, that is just the nature of the beast for me

I don't rate artistic value as that is in the eyes of the maker, and the buyer, I only look at the function of the overall razor

Grinds - I rate the grind on the hones NOT in the shave, as many of us know, you can get great shaves from some wonky ass bevels.
Livi's heel grinds are often pretty rough and require a fix that is used mostly on new GD's
The continuity of the grind is Second Tier in my line up of Custom Makers there are usually 5 in the top tier as I rate them
Remember this is judging it on the HONES for evenness, not the final shave.
Livi's rustic style on some of the scales have required some fixes over the years, but if you want machine production then don't buy one


If you like the razor buy the razor and dial it in, but you are in the end buying a Handmade custom product, there will be naturally more variations because of that fact


8th attempt is a go

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I don't rate artistic value as that is in the eyes of the maker, and the buyer, I only look at the function of the overall razor

Grinds - I rate the grind on the hones NOT in the shave, as many of us know, you can get great shaves from some wonky ass bevels.
Livi's heel grinds are often pretty rough and require a fix that is used mostly on new GD's
The continuity of the grind is Second Tier in my line up of Custom Makers there are usually 5 in the top tier as I rate them

A much better way of stating what should not be happening when purchasing a $600 razor.

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

There was a video by Razorguy of Mastro Livi dulling a razor on a glass then using his cro ox loom strop bring it back to a shavable edge. Oddly enough Razor guys videos have been removed from YouTube.
Lucky for us Livi has a new stooge.
https://youtu.be/Qo6oihjQ3WM
Here he dulls a razor edge down on a towel and 13 laps on his cro ox strops a few passes on leather and hey presto! A shaveable razor.

His new guy actually posts here, like razor guy used to, in the Mastro Livi razor club
I assume the relationship with razor guy must have gone south, his videos deleted, and a new guy emerged.