Thread: Fancy thumb notch and jimps: good or bad

There are three contexts for holding a razor.

• honing
• stropping
• shaving

What length, shape, angle and thickness is best for
a straight's shank? Include comments on the scales?

I ask because some are too thin, some are too thick,
some are just right. Others have an odd angle...

I like jimps top and bottom and I also like a thumb notch. Just my personal preference. I do fine with straight jimpless tangs such as those on dubl ducks but I don't like them as well.

Edit; here is a great example by Robert Williams. An S-30V in faux pearl with great jimps and thumb notch from this afternoon's shave.

Moved to the Razor Forum for more exposure...

Tom:
I like that you included all the of the important uses of the Tang/Shank and their interaction with the scales....


Everything has to come together for me in all three phases, "Off Balance" scales although not hugely important while shaving, since you can adjust your grips, become major encumbrances while stropping and honing...
Even small details like the width of the scales, where they meet the tang, or the angle of the scale ends can effect stropping...

Thumb notches need to also take stropping into consideration, some of the overly large and stylish thumb-notches can also negatively effect stropping...

Basically what I am saying is I guess I am pretty traditional, and razors have evolved for 300+ years into a very effective tool... So when you start messing around with changing and customizing them, you need to take all the phases of use into account, Shaving is but one, Stropping and Honing are the others...

Interesting Thread...

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I like jimps top and bottom and I also like a thumb notch. Just my personal preference. I do fine with straight jimpless tangs such as those on dubl ducks but I don't like them as well.

Edit; here is a great example by Robert Williams. An S-30V in faux pearl with great jimps and thumb notch from this afternoon's shave.

Wow the tail on that S-30V is a wonder.
It looks as if it is very linear and when stropping
will roll under the thumb.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

Wow the tail on that S-30V is a wonder.
It looks as if it is very linear and when stropping
will roll under the thumb.

No it doesn't but on that particular razor, as Glen noted, the thumb notch and the short distance between the scales and the beginning of the blade, made stropping a bit more challenging. Once you get used to it the stropping is fine. My middle, ring, and pinky finger seem to be an integral part of the stropping and help with any unorthodox tangs, thumb notches or whatever.

My usage maybe a little different than others, since I find that I rarely hold the tang from the top and the bottom (where jimps normally are). I usually hold the razor by the sides of the tang (where the makers mark is stamped).

So for me, I prefer a tang that is tall and thick, so that it is easier to hold for me. A W&B For Barbers Use is pretty awesome and fits nicely for me and would be pretty close to what I might consider to be perfect.

I think it's entirely personal preference. I don't like bulky scales or really "squared" edges on scales or tangs. Some thumbnotches make it a bit more uncomfortable for me to strop, as do thin tangs and really extreme diamondback tangs. But I can get used to pretty much anything if I really want to.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I think it's entirely personal preference. I don't like bulky scales or really "squared" edges on scales or tangs. Some thumbnotches make it a bit more uncomfortable for me to strop, as do thin tangs and really extreme diamondback tangs. But I can get used to pretty much anything if I really want to.

+1 on everything but the diamondback tangs, though I only have one which maybe isn't extreme enough to make a difference.