Thread: Razor Preference --- Plain or Ornate?

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

I tend to like razors with an all business look --- black or white scales, a nice square point or Spanish point blade and little else. I don't care for gold wash or elaborate ornamentation. So what say you -- what do you like?


Justin

I don't care as long as they are good shavers.

About blade shapes, I really love the look (and feel) of my Heljestrand No.31 with the thumb notch and the little "nick" between the notch and the shoulder.

Razor style? Smooth, shiny, and plain, and horn handles, or wood if it has gorgeous grain. I guess I diverged from plain there, but only a little

Bjorn -- I agree, the TIPTLE is perhaps the ugliest razor out there. There may well be a reason they were stashed under Pierre's bench, unfinished; the good looking forgings got moved down the production line - not moved under the bench. I have one. I held it up to my mirror. I now have a new mirror. Frightened glass develops such an interesting crack pattern.

Bruce

Plain blade with a worked spine is my preference.
Minimal gold plating is ok but only in a very small amounts.

I don't like gold wash at all, but I don't mind a little decoration on the scales. I quite like the German plastic/celluloid scales with inlaid silver-colored decorations.

I guess I don't mind inlaid silver on the handles as long as it is minimal!

As most of my razors are not new, I have to do a certain amount of restoration on them, and therefore remove most of the etching/goldwash. I prefer only very deeply etched blades so you know it will last the restoration. I wouldn't buy a new razor unless it was a custom or plain. I don't see the point in the goldwash on the new blades - it only looks good in the shop and then it only gets worse each day.
Scales for me are open to having anything on, but again most of the razors I get need new ones, so they tend to be wood and plain, although I haven't outruled trying my hand at inlaying one day.

I prefer plain, no-nonsense razors. They can certainly be well-made and polished etc., but I can't see the point of gaudy and elaborate decoration on something which is essentially a tool, unless you plan on using it as a display piece. What makes me salivate are clean lines and functional looks.

That Heljestrand No.31 looks pretty good, btw.

I like elegance in any tool as long as its not over the top!

My preferences now run to plain with any decoration coming from the scales .Theres just something about nice plain steel.Paul