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Thiers-Issard Blond Horn straight razor - new purchase
Below are pictures of my new Thiers-Issard Blond Horn straight razor.
After shaving with a Shavette-style disposable razor for about a month now and doing research on SRP, I went to The Art of Shaving (I'll refer to them as AOS) here in Grand Central Station in New York City on Monday, January 3, 2011 and bought a magnificent Thiers-Issard blond horn carbon steel straight razor. My shopping experience at AOS is what a shopping experience should be--it was educational, very interesting, and an event I will never forget.
I went to AOS on Sunday, January 2, 2011 to buy a Dovo Shavette being my Shavette-style disposable broke. But when I saw the Dovo Shavette I was disappointed the stainless steel model was not very heavy in my hand and I feel overall construction leaves something to be desired. I suppose for what it is the Shavette is a pretty good disposable. But I just couldn't see spending $45 on it, I just don't think it's worth the money. So Andrea, a shaving salesperson at AOS, showed me their straight razors at my request. This young lady of college-age I must say gave me the education of a lifetime regarding straights. For a month I have been learning about straights on SRP and YouTube and I have learned a lot. But, wow, Andrea took it to a higher level - how straights are made, how they are designed and why, how to handle a straight, sizes, metals, history, on and on she explained the world of straights. The seven straights AOS offers are Dovo and Thiers-Issard models. Check their website. Retail price ranges from $100 to $260. Basically, these straights all have the same blade, so, it is the handle material that determines the price. If I were blind folded and had to pick a straight, any of the seven AOS offers I would be more than happy with. Being money is tight for me being I am unemployed for quite a while now due to the very weak economy, I thanked Andrea for giving me an education and I told her I would return tomorrow with my wife to buy a straight from her. Since my purchase would most likely be a $200 or more sale I wanted my wife to see and understand why these superb straights cost what they do. IOW I knew if she choose the razor then it would be easier for her to accept the expense of it, plus she has an aesthetic eye for beauty and these straights certainly are works of art.
So my wife and I returned to AOS the next day and Andrea once again gave a lesson on straights. Before we went to AOS together I had hoped my wife would like the razor I liked, the Thiers-Issard blond horn which was the most expensive straight at AOS at $260. Well, I was right. Her aesthetic sense shown through. She loved the blond horn straight too. So we bought it plus a small Dovo strop with paste. My wife said the shopping experience was very interesting, she enjoyed it very much. But not as much as me. If you ever saw a happy man it was me at the shop. Man, I was dancing on air I was so happy. Not only did I get a TI, which I wanted over a Dovo, but, wow, I got the TI Horn, the finest straight and most expensive straight AOS sells. :)
I am a long time customer of AOS, over 10 years, having bought two silver badger shave brushes and shave soaps, etc. 'The Art of Shaving' logo etched onto my TI straight's blade I look at with pride. Personally, I like my AOS TI better than non-logo TI straights...because aesthetically I don't really care for artwork especially with gold-inlay on many TI straights' blades, I much prefer the black etched lettering on the carbon steel blade as mine is. It's personal taste, that's all.
Jeremy, the AOS manager, gave me my complimentary straight shaving lesson. He demo'ed shaving using a Dovo Shavette with no blade. He shaved his face with it in a mirror and taught me exactly every correct movement you do with a straight including how to properly stretch the skin. His demo took about 20 mins and I must say, I was very impressed as to his technique. I watched several YouTube videos on how to shave, but Jeremy's technique was something unique and quite excellent. He said an old barber taught him this technique. Once Jeremy finished demo'ing his shave then he had me shave my face with the Shavette with no blade. He said I did excellently but of course I made a few mistakes which he corrected. I was so impressed by his lesson I told him he should make a YouTube video because I don't think his technique is out there. Jeremy is a natural and excellent teacher. He is very articulate and patient. And I love that there is nothing set in stone with him, if there is a tweak you need to do then you will find it, as he told me. My TI purchase also entitles me to a complimentary shave lesson by a AOS master barber which I will do soon. Jeremy says that lesson is different than his. So I look forward to it.
Here is an excerpt of the email note I sent to Jeremy and Andrea giving them feedback on my first TI straight shave at home. If you are visiting New York City and want to talk with a really down to earth, knowledgeable, wonderful man, to share straight razor conversation, or to buy some fabulous shaving products, please stop in to The Art of Shaving in Grand Central Station and say hello to Jeremy Wade. I trust your visit with Jeremy will be just as eventful and wonderful as mine and my wife's was.
By the way, they say TI is pre-shave-ready. It is, there is no doubt about it.
cf1323
a.k.a. Charlie
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January 4, 2011
Dear Jeremy and Andrea,
I am speechless. My Thiers-Issard Horn straight is nothing less than superlative. I shaved last night for the first time (with my Geo. Trumper shave cream) and I had to email you to tell you about it. My TI straight is simply World Class. It's like driving a Rolls Royce. I particularly love its [heft/weight and feel in my hand], it's like holding a jewel in your hand that does work for you and does it so easily. It is so far above the straight I had bought 30 years ago for $30 that I used for 6 months. I am amazed my new TI straight is so easy to use, incredibly easy to use. I felt I could have shaved with my eyes closed. The blade's sharp edge glides over the skin extremely smoothly and effortlessly, I got zero nicks, no blood, no razor burn, nothing. I can't believe it. I got a near perfect shave, I would say 99% perfect. I think in a very short time I will be 100%.
I love your technique, Jeremy, of flipping the blade over, reversed (thumb on top) with back of wrist always toward the face. I think it is an excellent technique. But there were a couple of times that I just couldn't use your reverse-blade-hold for my neck right-side (beard grows on an angle). So I used some creative holds of my own, which I had used with my shavette-style disposable, and I was able to get a good close shave on the neck then.
I tell you, I can't believe I shaved for about a month with a shavette-style disposable. A disposable really butchers you up good, I know. But I did well with a disposable, albeit with long arduous shaves and a lot of blood, but at the end I got very good using my disposable. Maybe that is why I did so excellently tonight with my first time with my new TI straight. Now I know that a disposable and a straight are two totally different things, two totally different worlds.
Thank you so very much, Jeremy and Andrea, for all your help and caring...regarding my purchase of this incredibly superb handcrafted razor. Owning my new TI horn straight is no doubt a life enhancing experience...that I will certainly enjoy for most likely the rest of my life.
All the best,
Charlie
You're welcome, my pleasure
You're welcome, Rmaldon240. I am happy I can share my experience.
I love the black plastic handled TI you bought too, and so does my wife. I wanted her to choose a straight for me. So when we went to AOS to see their straights together, I asked Andrea to not tell my wife the prices of all the straights...because I wanted my wife to choose a straight for me unbiasedly price wise. And guess what?...it came down to two straights...the TI horn and the TI black handled one like yours. Your black TI is gorgeous, I love its clean, dark, serious look. If my wife would have chosen the black one over the horn one for me I would not have been disappointed. Beautiful clean and simple classic straight it is.
When you had your complimentary master barber shaving lesson at AOS a year ago...did the master barber actually shave you?...or did he demo how to shave without actually shaving himself/you as Jeremy did with me?
Regarding AOS's lavender shave creams...now that I hear that you and Jeff love it I must buy some and try it. Thanks.
Charlie