All time classic razor

Hi All,

I was wondering what razor would you consider an all time classic. This may be hard to explain what an all time classic is but I'd think it would be a razor with excellent reputation, quality performance and unversally recognized as one of the best. Not neccesarily a fancy razor, but one that has proven itself with a design that lasted the test of time. For example, in the fountain pen world (my other hobby) an example of an all time classic pen would be Parker P51.

From my limited knowledge, a Wapienica seems like a classic razor on the inexpensive end of the scale but what about a higher end example?

What do you think?

Cheers,

Rafal

I think the Wade & Butcher For Barber's Use near wedge barber's notch in a fairly wide blade is as classic as they come.

Sorry but the Wapienica is not a classic.

There are many many razors people might consider classics. Just about any vintage razor. however I would think in order for a razor to be a classic it would still have to be in production and none of Dovo's current offerings have been around long and I don't believe TIs have either. So to me personally there are no classics. But what does that really mean? Nothing really.

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Originally Posted by aroliver59

I think the Wade & Butcher For Barber's Use near wedge barber's notch in a fairly wide blade is as classic as they come.

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Thanks guys,

Those large Wade & Butcher blades look awesome. If I found one and had it restored, it might end up like a very nice razor. Maybe even a heirloom-nice.

When I think classic, a heavy wedge always comes to mind.

I disagree, respectfully, with bigspender. to me classics are no longer in production, that's what makes them classic. I'm not a collector and haven't been in this even a year, so don't know about collectability. but I say that of course the most classic are the oldest, nice blades. regardless of manufacture. I'm basing all this off my views on cars. then after age I think you get into scarcity. personally when I look at a razor it has to really grab me somehow. either the lines are great, the materials are gorgeous, or its unique, but classic (not into the really new fangled handles and such).

I think for instance Torrey is a real classic. I haven't heard a bad thing here about them, they aren't the oldest, but probably the oldest American, and my understanding is they are American, not american branded made elsewhere (no aspersions, just distinctions). beyond that I think individual examples that aren't cookie cutter. I have seen posts with razors where the only difference is the handle or stampings, even if they were different manufacturers. I have only 26 blades (19 if you don't count the 7 day) and 6 or 7 spikes there's hardly a difference between them. but I have two w&b that look nothing alike. I like that about them.

oh, and there is nothing classic about round points! for some reason the last two weeks I've developed a total dislike for the appearance of them. I'm going to reshape the tips of most that I end up keeping.:mace:

Red

I don't know about classics, but I can say that when a certain something (country/style/material) is mentioned, centain razors pop into my mind.

Some examples:
Stainless - Friodur; Swedish - Helji or Engstrom; American - Red Imps; Collectible - Ducks; Barbers - Butcher's Barbers Use; British - Greaves (don't really know why I make that association)

Maybe that's more like word association (try it, it's fun), but I think that's part of what being a "classic" is all about.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aroliver59

I think the Wade & Butcher For Barber's Use near wedge barber's notch in a fairly wide blade is as classic as they come.

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Yeah, I make that as the classic razor of the late 19th century. For me, the classic razor of the 20th century would be a full hollow 5/8, made in Solingen.

To me the classic razor is: Böker - The Celebrated

I would say that the "classic razor" would be the archetype of razors, meaning, the razor that is immediately idendified as a razor beyond any doubt by anyone who is not a razor specialist. For instance: a W&B might be a classic to us, but the barber's notch would be a little too much... a spike point is elegant but there's something "wrong" on what concerns the archetype. Because of so many images people have seen in movies, photos and whatnot, I'd say that the archetypical razor is a 5/8 round point, no matter where it comes from.
For me a "classic" is no more than a benchmark for whatever it is. But mind me, the perception of archetypes and therefore, the perception of classic status - a symbolic value atributed to some object - varies a bit, despite the fact that an archetype does not vary in it's essencial lines. That's what an archetype realy is... but whatever involves the atribution of symbolic values is not ground as safe as the previous one...
Everybody knows what a razor might look like (excluding most eBay sellers... they don't have a clue!) meaning, if someone is asked to describe a razor, they will describe, more or less, the lines of the western razor (that don't change much from model to model or maker to maker). Nobody in the western world would describe a razor that fits the looks of a japanese style razor... I guess. This creates an archetype... but the definition of classic, being both an atribution of symbolic value and the benchmark for the definition of what a thing has to be (either as a whole or as a strating point) is much moe complicated and it takes someone who is a bit more knowledgeable to define a classic for himself. And others might follow his ideas... or they might not... ;)
So, to me, there's an archetype. And I can add my idea of a classic razor: a 5/8 spike point. Maybe with tortoise scales. Why? Because a classic has to be a bit more than the archetype... it must raise it up a notch but keeping in mind that a classic is precisely that: a classic... meaning deportment and style and constitute a safe choice wherever, whenever.

Hope this confuses the hell out of you! :p I got a bit confused, I confess... ;)

This is just the opinion of someone relatively new to straights (one month in now) but I would say in Australia the Bengall is a classic because it is reputed to give a good shave and is also very avaliable. It seems they were very popular in Australia before safety razors became popular and as a result it is fairly easy to find one still in good shape.

I tend to agree with Big Red. A model A Ford is a classic as is a '57 Chevy. The old W&Bs and the later FWE or Dubl Ducks qualify in my mind. There are many others.

If you want some examples of classic razors you will find some member's favorites here.

A seller once told me that he values Wostenholms, Dubl Ducks and "some of the Swedish steel makers" most for the quality of the edges they can take.

Interesting post.

The way I see it there is classic and there is classic. They have these classic car shows and the cars are classic? Maybe to collectors but I don't see anything classic about a chevy corvair or chevy nova. Or maybe you walk into a clothes shop and they sell classic suits. Whats classic about that? If you wore the suit in the 1930s or 1890s you'd look silly.

To me what makes something classic is its a timeless item either design or function wise. If you can't buy it now well so much for timeless design. I would say a straight razor is a classic shaving implement because it has been relatively unchanged for a very long time and it can still be bought. A hollow ground razor is timeless also because its been around a long time and can still be bought but a true wedge? They don't make em anymore and haven't for a longtime unless a custom guy will do one for you so its not timeless its obsolete and not a classic to me. In ways razor brands long gone may be classic in the way the corvair is or that classic suit is.

Gentlemen, gentlemen,

Tsk, tsk, tsk, are you not forgetting the ne among the plus ultras, the best of the best, the end-all of the be-alls, the most coveted among the most closely held, the head above all the shoulders? The CHRONIK!!!!:rock:

I don't have one, but I know were I to have one and merely flash it in the mirror, the whiskers would jump off my face - such is the reputation of the CHRONIK!!! that stubble flees the safety of its follicles rather than suffering the indignity of defeat by the insuperable, the CHRONIK!!!:bow

:tu