Which do you guys prefer?
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Which do you guys prefer?
I'll go with mirror!
There's no option for satin on mirror Joe. What's up with that?
James.
Mirror is really nice. In fact, for a show piece I would pick it. However, I don't own or plan on owning strictly show pieces. I like a good shaver, but I hate to risk the condition to shave with it. I am getting one of the Le Grelots from B&B in a mirror finish, but I will more than likely ruin the mirror finish in fairly short order.
Not sure what satin on mirror is. That being said, the poll only gave me 4 options. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Jimbo
I've always been tempted to do a satin finish on some of the stainless razors. Carbon really needs a bright finish to help with corrosion resistance. Satin always seemed unfinished to me. A satin finish is very easy to achieve, while a mirror takes a ton of extra work (particularly with carbon steel).
I tend to do mirror finishes unless the blade is so pitted I don't want to take off that much steel. In that case I'll do a satin finish that doesn't show the pits as much.
Brushed,or satin,but most people ask me for mirror
I like both but the satin is probably more utilitarian for an everyday shaver.
Mirror finish for me . Although I think it would be a good idea to offer a satin finish option at a lower price . That way someone who doesn't have alot of money , could buy a custom razor for a little less money . I might be interested in a 7/8 wedge , spike point , extra long monkey tail , satin finish SS , with "plain jane" scales , at a more "affordable" price ;).
Mirror or patina, never satin.
Mirror looks exquisitely pristine and refined.
Patina looks well used and sagacious.
Satin looks unfinished and mass produced.
I let almost all of my carbon steel tools age naturally (not just razors). If I don't clean it well enough on one occasion, it shows, and I am more careful the next time around. The tool ends up telling the story of it's service life to one degree or another and I end up taking extremely good care of the tools that I have respect for.
Thats a hard question. I like the looks of mirror however its impractical to me unless its kind of a Sunday only shaver. Eventually its going to get all scratched anyway so for a shaver to use every day I'll take a brushed or satin finish even though I like mirror.
I guess I prefer mirror but only if it's well done... I've seen far too many bunged edge details from heavy handed buffing to just say polish it. That said, I do like how a mirror polish on a carbon blade helps to shed water. I don't mind satin though, I think it can look really nice but on the other hand trying to keep a satin surface free of finger prints is a whole other story. Ultimately, I like'em all, only I might like polished carbon blades just a wee bit more. It's hard to beat a perfect mirror polish when crisp details are retained.
Christian
Satin for me, but a well done satin, like bead blasted. To get a good uniform satin finish is actually harder (I find) than a mirror finish.
I prefer satin most of the time. Satin seems to be more utilitarian, like a good tool something that get used. Mirror seems like more of showpiece that I don’t want to scratch up.
Charlie
I voted for mirror.
Hey Guys,
what do you do with your razors ? :shrug: After 35 years working with knives, swords and razors, i can see how a knife or sword can have a mirror finish marred with use { still like to start with a mirror, though } but a razor ? Only the edge touches your face. When stropping { or honing} only the edge and the "edge" of the spine touch. How your mirrors are marred escapes me. My seem to last just fine.
As others have said - mirrors not only look great, they have no where for water, soap,etc. to cling and cause rust or discolouration.
Not trying to offend anyone - we all have our opinions and as Joe asked :w thought i'd share mine.
Adam, you may have forgotten wedge razors... they can and do scratch and that does make them look rather.... ugly. Mind you, so do satin finish wedges if the scratches are deep enough. I guess that why most of mine seem to bear a delicate pitted/rust finish. :D
Regards
Christian
Satin finish for me, it's all business. A mirror finish looks good but it show every little thing if it goes wrong.
Lately, I've become a middle of the road kinda guy. The middle priced
TI's have both finishes, mirror on the front, satin on the reverse. It doesn't make much difference to me.
LIMIT
I went with satin finish. I've never had a mirror finish and I wouldn't know how to deal with it. I'm sure it'd get scuffed up in little time. Then again, I don't have money to buy showpieces. If I did, I'd get them all in mirror finish.
to me, it depends on the razor.
I always go for mirror shine on carbon steel when I restore a razor.
The reason is that a perfect mirror is very stain resistant, whereas satin or brush finish gives the water and moisture something to cling to and creep into.
My last restoration had a flawless mirror finish. Even if I immersed it in water and pulled it out, it would be completely dry.
I also like acid finish, and a nice patina can be considered appropriate for old sheffields. For solingen razors.. not so much.
But all of this is purely my opinion of course.
What was the question, blondes or brunettes? Just like that, each razor speaks of its own beauty. I've got a beautiful mirror wedge that I'm afraid to look at for fear of scratching it. Then again, one of my favorite workhorse razors has waterstains on her patina finish. She's pre-1890 old, and I wouldn't clean her up for the life of me. Then again I did see fit to give her a new set of Bocote scales! PS I just posted 100!!! Where's my prize?
I went with mirror always. Although, I do not own a stainless razor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by heavydutysg135
No, really? :roflmao
I prefer satin because I don't want my razor to look like a mirror, just like I don't want my mirror to look like a razor. I'd hate to mix up my personal hygiene tools with my wife's :eek:
For me, mirror is the goal but it is not always practical. So I would agree with others that it just depends on the razor. Most of the razors I keep are workhorses that I don't give a damn what they look like. I just want to keep them in a manner that will allow them to last longer than I will.
I sell razors locally. I know that most people like shiny things so I try to oblige when possible. I go as close to mirror as I can without spending ridiculous hours doing it.
Satin for me
Bump, to keep the poll going.
Mirror finish is best in theory, I think because from a purely practical point of view, it repels water the best and should have more chance of staying rust free.
Having said this, there seem to be many grades of mirror finish. From matt+ all the way up to "looks like chrome". Some razors have a front being fully mirrored and the back still showing the grind striations through the mirror polishing.
The highest quality I have seen (excluding some of the latest hand made razors) are usually 7 day sets from various Sheffield manufacturers. Both sides are 100% mirror finish.
The other thing that has to be said however is that the number of such sets were I have opened the box to find the most horrible rusty mess makes me wonder if anything stops the corrosion of carbon steel over time in a moist environment like England.
Clearly, razors are built to be used and not stored unless protected by oil.
I quite like the old razors with a patina. I assume this happens to razors left in a drawer in somewhere like Nevada. The bright silver edge and bevel look stunning against the grey patina.
+1 for me on this.Quote:
Originally Posted by littlesilverbladefromwale
Lynn
Satin would be great for a razor in rotation, but that mirror finish always gets me drooling.