Thread: What would you Buy as a "Best" Shaver

If you were going to buy a razor for you to use exclusively as a shaver, what would you get?? Would a new custom be in order, or would you look for a specific vintage razor.?

Thanks for the input!!

Kirk

It can be ONE and ONLY ONE razor? Just wondering, because personally I'd rather have at least three or four razors at hand for a small rotation, rather than putting all of my eggs in one basket, so to speak.

Right now, anyway, I'm really enjoying a nice 8/8 Livi and an 8/8 Gotta that I have, also a Friodur 7/8 that I just got sharpened and little Red Imp 132 Wedge that shaves like crazy.

Next week will be different!

Originally Posted by exarcher

If you were going to buy a razor for you to use exclusively as a shaver, what would you get?? Would a new custom be in order, or would you look for a specific vintage razor.?

Thanks for the input!!

Kirk

I would point you to the top of this page and click on Classified.
Look for a razor with replaced scales selling for less than $100.
Not fancy scales just a nice 5/8 or 6/8 razor with a clean cutting
edge on the blade no fancy name....

Watching stuff pass by the folk in the classified will not bother
buffing, honing and putting fresh scales on a trash blade. I think I saw
a dandy a couple days ago for about $60... Nothing fancy but very
nice and clean....

I would also point you to the full razor+strop packages
that some of the sponsors have (look on the right edge and upper
right corner of this page, they are random each window refresh).
A new razor, new strop and professional honing .... and perhaps
shave soap and a brush all add up. Some of the packages are stellar.

EDIT:
Now that I see two pages of replies can the OP tell us more?
Is this a first razor or the twenty first razor. I must admit that
my reply was for a beginner looking for his first razor where budget
is tight enough to keep him at one for some time.

Bought a couple of expensive razors over this year and now I solely use my 20$ Wapi... love the 1/4 grind.

if it were only one, it would be a custom.... and if there could be more than one, I'd take a couple of customs ... but that's probably because most of mine are workhorses now anyway.

As far as vintage razors go, I love bokers, henckels, and anything that says eskilstuna on it... but there are plenty of little known razors that are wonderful shavers. Such a toss up sometimes for me

For me, trying out razors is a major contributing factor for straight shaving. Having tried a few over a hundred razors, I have learnt to appreciate the fun in this, and I am quite certain that I still have not found the perfect razor.

Customs are not an option because I like vintages too much. Besides which, I can get 5 to 10 good razors for the price of a custom.

In a squeeze, and at the time of writing, I would settle for my Dorko 300 because it is big, has a stiff grind, and looks good. Tomorrow, who knows...

Regards,
Robin

Originally Posted by BeBerlin

I still have not found the perfect razor.

The perfect razor is a bit like the Unicorn. It doesn't exist. Any more than say, the perfect car or motorcycle.

Originally Posted by exarcher

If you were going to buy a razor for you to use exclusively as a shaver, what would you get?? Would a new custom be in order, or would you look for a specific vintage razor.?

Thanks for the input!!

Kirk

Ladies and gentlemen:

That is a difficult question to answer, since I have many more shaves to enjoy and razors to try. For now, if I must have an answer, I would choose my Wacker 1st Model "Old Sheffield" 6/8" razor with bone scales and dreadnought point. It by no means gives me the best shave. Rather, I like its looks, balance and the perfect way it tucks itself into my hands.

Regards,
Obie

I have a few razors, but for the past 7 or 8 months, I have been using one daily shaver. An 8/8 Filarmonica square point Novodur. I also have a number of fillies, and this one is the ugly duckling. I bought it for $70, but almost returned it as it had a lot of water spots. I decided to clean that off, and I have to say, it took a wicked edge. Not only that, it holds it. It is just a little better than my other fillies, even another 8/8 Novodur I have - I don't know why.

Other than sharpness, this fillie is so smooth at the same time. It also balances, handles and strops perfectly for me. I think those attributes are just as important as sharpness.

Probably not perfect, but for now, I am happy with this. I need to give it a name.

No, Robin, the pumas are not for sale...yet.

I have only one at this moment I bought many years ago, a W R Case with bone handles like they use on their knives and it just wasn't much of a shaver out of the box but what did I know?
Way before there was an internet-hahaha
I have worked on it, through the stones strop etc and it shaves pretty well but again, what do I know-nada
So I finally broke down and bought a New Old Stock Dovo 7/8" with Genuine Ivory scales that is being sold as shave ready by Lynne.
When it arrives I will try it out and then I will know something-
It is all that much better than mine then my Case is headed to Lynn.
Eventually I would like to have 8 in the rotation while one is out until I really get the hang of honing-
The Case does not have even bevels on each side but it still shaves- probably not up to its capacity.