Thread: New offering from TI coming

Originally Posted by pinklather

I don't have, and have never used a TI. They look handsome, and from what I've read, seem to be addressing past quality issues w/ their stainless offerings, scales, etc. The historic blades are really beautiful.

What caught my attention here was that they were the last company offering a 1/4 grind - and then they stopped. They were the last ones to offer that grind. Seeing new production include the 1/4 grind is very encouraging, and I suspect they will be rewarded for doing this. Naturally, if you're the only company offering a 1/4 grind, you could keep this only in the higher cost lines, but I think they'd do better to have some lower cost version of this grind. A look at past threads on Grelots, and 'favorite blade' threads will show (wag) about 18% of the favorites being 1/4 grinds. Also note the majority of blades from R. Williams are in this grind also. It tells me that this is a niche with some following that a company could fill. I hope TI continues to do so. 'Would love to see Revisor do likewise. The wacker offerings are all but gone & supposedly there are no more blanks to finish.

There are some blades with 1/4 grind at lower price categories. Just check Martin's site http://www.rasurpur.de, he has these with plastic and horn scales, with and without etching. These aren't as cheap as original TI Le Grelot but not as expensive as new Crown Wing. http://www.rasurpur.de

I need another razor like I need a hole in my head but you got my interest on this one.

I just wanted to mention that I've been using the Grelot Crown Wing as my main razor since writing that review and the shave it gives me has continued to be really, really fine.

Since posting the review of the Grelot Crown Silver Wing razor I've received a number of personal mails inquiring about where and when it will be available. So, in order that I don't end up writing individual responses to a myriad of curious users I'm going to tell you what I know about the situation as it was communicated to me by my contact at TI.

First of all, Thiers-Issard was a bit taken by surprise by the overwhelming response to this creation. I'm told that 220 of the 350 pieces in the Grelot Crown Silver Wing series are already spoken for... these orders being placed in a mere ten days' time. Happily, the first production of the Crown Wing is starting to trickle out to the world.

The following are some of the retailers to whom an initial (small) supply of the Grelot Crown Silver Wing razors is being sent: Rasurpur Rasurpur.de - Your first address for Thiers Issard straight razors., Thiers-Issard UK Home, Classic Shaving Men Shaving Kits, After Shave & Men’s Grooming Supplies - ClassicShaving.com, Rasage Poulin Rasage Poulin Fine Shaving and Grooming Products: Calgary, Alberta, Canada and Fendrihan Fendrihan, Classic Wet Shaving Store.

That list is, however, not exclusive and I'm told that almost every retailer who is already a supplier of TI razors has expressed interest and/or placed some sort of an order for the Grelot Crown Silver Wing.

I guess the only thing to add is that you may have to exercise a few weeks of patience while the factory works to meet the unexpected demand backlog.

One thing I am confused is the use of "Grelot". As far as I can tell there is no bell of any shape or form on the razor, and if Thiers-Issard is alluding to the defunct Le Grelot company, the razor has nothing to do with it either, as it's a brand new forging of a completely different steel, designed and executed entirely by Thiers-Issard.

Is there anything I'm missing, or is this just the latest attempt at generating some sort of hype and the corresponding $£€¥ ?

Originally Posted by gugi

One thing I am confused is the use of "Grelot". As far as I can tell there is no bell of any shape or form on the razor, and if Thiers-Issard is alluding to the defunct Le Grelot company, the razor has nothing to do with it either, as it's a brand new forging of a completely different steel, designed and executed entirely by Thiers-Issard.

Is there anything I'm missing, or is this just the latest attempt at generating some sort of hype and the corresponding $£€¥ ?

I don't know if you are missing something but as far as I understand origin of the name is because its design is based on 1/4 hollow ground Le Grelot that Thiers Issard Made year or two ago. As it was really successful they used similar design and also name - people know it, everyone seems to like the original blade, they will buy it. Does it make any sense to you? But I think that the most important think is if it is a good razor, I don't care about its name.

The Le Grelot razors made by the original company had a bell stamped in the tang. The one that TI did a limited run of a few years ago was the same shape and grind as this new offering and had the bell stamping since that limited run was made from vintage forgings from the old Le Grelot factory.

TI had bought them out and that is where the forgings came from. I can see gugi's point in asking the question. TI also gained rights to the name so I guess they can use it on whatever they want but it is not a vintage forging newly finished as that older limited run was.

Hello, Ignatz:

Your review of the Thiers-Issard is excellent. Thank you. It's a lovely razor.

Regards,
Obie

They only use the grelot because it resembles it. That's the only connection.

It does resemble one of the LeGrelot models:


and it resembles equally well the No 69 Puma (don't have a photo of the 6/8 version handy so the 5/8 would do):



I guess if they bought the Le Grelot brand name they could use it for marketing in ways that they can't use Puma. Still I'd be much happier if Thiers-Issard showed more pride in their work and held their brand name in higher regard than that of their now-out-of-business long-term competitor.

And for the record I have plenty of LeGrelot and Thiers-Issard razors which I consider fantastic both in craftsmanship as well as in functionality. But I see this as the equivalent of Dovo, Revisor, or Giesen & Forsthof stamping Filarmonica on their blades, it just seems purposefully misleading and wrong.