Anxiously awaiting arrival of my new Chandler 6/8 Wootz Wedge!

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03-19-2009, 09:50 PM
Angeleyes

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Anxiously awaiting arrival of my new Chandler 6/8 Wootz Wedge!

First of all, many thanks to Don and Lynn at Straight Razor Designs! I am always more than pleased with their incredibly attentive customer service and superior products.

I was lucky enough to secure one of only three seemingly rare razors made by the talented Joe Chandler--this particular razor is made of A. Pendray Wootz Damascus (6/8 wedge) with gorgeous mammoth ivory scales. From what I have learned this razor is amazing in every single way. I should have it by tomorrow afternoon, so I have been growing a nice thick beard this week to immediately mow down upon it's arrival! LOL! :medvl:

I will update this thread after my first shave to let everyone know how it performs for me. From what I discussed with Don, there should be little feedback and the whiskers should simply "run and hide!" I expect a silky smooth shave like another wedge I have used, but the Wootz Damascus should have a frighteningly sharp edge in comparison!

I will attach a picture courtesy of Straight Razor Designs, and also a couple more pictures once I have it in my hands. Thanks for checking out my thread, friends, and thanks again to Don. Feel free to post any impressions of wedge style razors any of you may own--they are quite a different breed from what I have experienced! I hope everybody has a great end of the week and weekend...
03-19-2009, 10:32 PM
JimmyHAD

Congratulations ! I wanted that razor. The spirit was willing but the wallet was weak. :shrug: I know you will enjoy it. :tu
03-19-2009, 11:29 PM
Angeleyes

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Congratulations ! I wanted that razor. The spirit was willing but the wallet was weak. :shrug: I know you will enjoy it. :tu

I can relate; I had to make some magic happen to justify buying another high-end razor.

(Hard to relate the purchasing of $1k+ razors to the fiancee--especially after buying a new Glock 19 and Husky SMR motorcycle! LOL!) :chop:
03-20-2009, 12:27 AM
JimmyHAD

The key word there was fiancee. Once she closes the deal the new toys will be few and far between. :D
03-20-2009, 12:50 AM
Bill S

I have one of the other Chandler Wootz razors (green lip abalone scales) and have shaved with it quite a few times. This blade is the WMD for whiskers. When I got it Lynn told me to be careful, it was REALLY sharp. If Lynn says that, a wise man takes heed and he was absolutely right.

The razor puts to rest two myths: One, you can't get a conventional straight as sharp as a Feather, and Two, you need a 7/8 or bigger razor to really plow through the beard. I'm not convinced about either statement anymore, and I have shaved with a Feather plenty of times over the last few years.

Enjoy it in good health and congrats. :tu
03-20-2009, 05:56 PM
sebell

Great choice, this razor sounds like one in a million.

Enjoy!

- Scott
03-20-2009, 06:08 PM
Angeleyes

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill S

I have one of the other Chandler Wootz razors (green lip abalone scales) and have shaved with it quite a few times. This blade is the WMD for whiskers. When I got it Lynn told me to be careful, it was REALLY sharp. If Lynn says that, a wise man takes heed and he was absolutely right.

The razor puts to rest two myths: One, you can't get a conventional straight as sharp as a Feather, and Two, you need a 7/8 or bigger razor to really plow through the beard. I'm not convinced about either statement anymore, and I have shaved with a Feather plenty of times over the last few years.

Enjoy it in good health and congrats. :tu

Glad that you posted to my thread! Hope that you are having a good week. I considered going with the razor you have, but I heard it is like an axe! It's a very beautiful razor as well! I feel that we are very lucky to have secured these special, rare razors. The 6/8 Wootz is apparently a bit lighter and not as severe a wedge--much more like the Satin Wedge it was apparently designed after, if I am correct.

Great choice, and be safe with that wootz!!! I do believe our razors are better served for self-defense! LOL! :jedi:
03-20-2009, 06:13 PM
Angeleyes

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebell

Great choice, this razor sounds like one in a million.

Enjoy!

- Scott

I appreciate it! Enjoy your weekend, and check back to my thread this weekend and I will have more feedback regarding my first shave with it!
03-20-2009, 06:19 PM
smokelaw1

In discussing a new Livi custom with Lynn, my eye kept going back to this razor. I'm glad yo ubought it, as I was getting really close to blowing my custom budget on it! And i really want that livi.

Still want a Wootz blade...hope to have one someday. My current favorite razor is a Chandler 8/8 damascus.
03-20-2009, 06:33 PM
jnich67

Nice, I like the clean lines. :rock:

Jordan
03-20-2009, 07:01 PM
Bill S

Smokelaw,

What are you thinking about for your Livi, in particular the steel? This thread was started about the Wootz, which is awesome, but the Maestro works with some material that is in the same league in terms of performance, just not as rare. Whatever you end up with Lynn won't steer you wrong.
03-20-2009, 07:05 PM
mparker762

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokelaw1

Still want a Wootz blade...hope to have one someday. My current favorite razor is a Chandler 8/8 damascus.

TI makes a wootz razor, and Classic Shaving has them in stock. I've had one for awhile, as have several others around here, and can attest that their shaving ability is quite impressive.

There was a discussion thread on SRP about these razors a week or so ago. One member also posted photos of his rare 7/8 TI wootz razor.
03-22-2009, 10:11 PM
Angeleyes

Quote:

Originally Posted by mparker762

TI makes a wootz razor, and Classic Shaving has them in stock. I've had one for awhile, as have several others around here, and can attest that their shaving ability is quite impressive.

There was a discussion thread on SRP about these razors a week or so ago. One member also posted photos of his rare 7/8 TI wootz razor.

I didn't realize that the TI Damascus razors are made of true wootz! That's awesome--very nice looking razor.

Well, I have now shaven twice with my new Chandler wootz and it's amazing! It was a little intimidating at first, as I wasn't used to using a true wedge regularly (and one so sharp at that!) It's actually so sharp that it was truly effortless to shave each area of my face, and I had little need for multiple passes. You barely feel it glide across your face then everything is GONE!

I hope everyone is having a good weekend, and thanks for the thoughtful posts to my thread! I will take some good pics when I get a chance--I wish there was some way to capture the beauty of the mammoth ivory and the detail within the wootz damascus, but I believe it's futile! You have to see one up close to fully appreciate...
03-22-2009, 10:21 PM
Kees

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angeleyes

I didn't realize that the TI Damascus razors are made of true wootz! That's awesome--very nice looking razor.

There has been discussion ages ago about the TI Damascus. It is made of Damascus steel and not of wootz.
03-22-2009, 10:37 PM
mparker762

If by "damascus steel" you mean pattern-welded steel like the Livi's and Zowadas, then no, it's definitely not. If by "damascus steel" you mean the stuff the scimitars were made of, then yes, it is, as they were also made of wootz.

TI claims they're made of wootz. See the Classic Shaving page here.

There's only a superficial similarity between wootz damascus and the pattern-welded damascus once you've held both. They're about as similar as ivory and white linen micarta.
03-22-2009, 10:48 PM
mparker762

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angeleyes

I wish there was some way to capture the beauty of the mammoth ivory and the detail within the wootz damascus, but I believe it's futile! You have to see one up close to fully appreciate...

You might want to save up for a Livi Takeda as well then... They're made San Mai construction with a tamahagane core, and the tamahagane exhibits a similar graining pattern as wootz only more subtle. Beautiful beautiful blades.
03-23-2009, 09:19 AM
Kees

Just read this about the TI Damascus and decide for yourself: http://straightrazorpalace.com/gener...amascus-2.html
03-23-2009, 01:31 PM
mparker762

I was a participant in that thread, and have since acquired a TI Damascus for myself. There was a more recent thread by bigspendur where he discusses some of the distinctive properties of his own example, and compares it with his other pattern-welded razors. If they're not wootz then they're something with similar performance. Maybe TI's using that stuff the German fellow is making out of Leopard tank cannon barrels? I dunno... Mine has some features in the steel that make me think it's not garden-variety pattern-welded steel.
03-23-2009, 01:42 PM
smokelaw1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill S

Smokelaw,

What are you thinking about for your Livi, in particular the steel? This thread was started about the Wootz, which is awesome, but the Maestro works with some material that is in the same league in terms of performance, just not as rare. Whatever you end up with Lynn won't steer you wrong.

Lynn knows my pretty particular desires for this razor. We've discussed steels at some length already, and I have a feeling ti's going to be an even longer discussion. So glad he's not afraid to spend time really getting at what somebody wants, as opposed to just selling a razor. Makes the process really fun!

But for now, no more threadjacking back to this Chandler...so nice!