Has anyone had any first hand experience with the "singing" razor of Thiers-Issard? I see a few for sale, new, at around 180.00 or so, and was wondering if they are that much better than a 80.00 Dovo? The shape of them sure looks stunning.
Printable View
Has anyone had any first hand experience with the "singing" razor of Thiers-Issard? I see a few for sale, new, at around 180.00 or so, and was wondering if they are that much better than a 80.00 Dovo? The shape of them sure looks stunning.
I bought a 5/8 "singing TI with stamina wood scales from knifecenter.com as my first razor. Unfortunately that was before I found SRP and found out about factory honed and "shave ready" so after I received it I had to send it out for a professional honing before it was usuable. But after that it has worked flawlessly. I cannot rate it against an $80 razor but I can rate it against my $100-120 boker edelweiss, and dovo bismark both with bone scales. Honestly I rate the TI first followed by the boker and then the dovo. Although they are all 5/8 the TI is significantly bigger through the tang making it a little heavier and overall a meatier razor. As far as value only you can decide that. I can say as far as shave quality they are all superb, though the bone scales of my dovo have pulled away from the wedge making a floppy razor so fit and finish I lean towards the boker or TI but that is only my specific experience and to my knowledge is not representative of the brand.
My problem with the current production is that they call 'singing' something that's closer to half hollow ground. So, I sold mine, and have only the old stuff which I prefer.
I also subscribe to the idea that the only way to know for sure is to bite the bullet and give it a try.
Gibbs,
The C135 steel TIs labelled as 'Evide Sonnant' shave very nicely for me :)
As an aside, I have found the edges on these C135 razors, once dialled in, last very well indeed.
Have fun !
Best regards
Russ
I saw some at knifecenter.com as well, but who has them that they come "pre-honed" I did not find them at Straight Razor Design.
Could be you got the basso or baritone model rather than the soprano or mezzo style. Them's the breaks, I guess.Quote:
Originally Posted by gugi
:shrug:
Half hollow grind don't shave as nice? Or, what is the purpose of a half-hollow grind vs the Full Hollow grind? Perks in the coffee maker better?:needcoffee:
It is making the straight razor process.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gibbs
As technology developed people were able to make more hallow grind blade blade and save steel.
I like TI razors whether the older vintage or the current stuff. I think I have 14 of them at last count. IME they take and hold an edge and shave very well. On the downside their quality control can be lacking in the scale department. I have a workback with beautiful horn scales, for example, that are 1/8" short on the pile side.
Most are on the money but there is the occasional faux pas coming out of their factory from what I've seen and read. Great shavers though. Classic Shaving is an SRP sponsor and carries TI. If you're in Canada Rasage Poulin and in the UK member Steve Dempster TI UK and The Perfect Edge.
Hi Vern,
I don;t have the Evide Sonnant singing blade with C135 steel, but I have a SilverWing with the same steel. Russ is absolutely right, this steel once dialed in is an absolute dream to shave with :tu.
Even at half hollow, it will shave very very nicely (heavier grind). Just make sure that it comes shave ready or if you're going to hone it yourself, be prepared to spend some time on the stones as the C135 is a hard steel (in my experience at least). I think you will love this blade.
So, if you have two do they harmonize? :rofl2:
I have a 5/8" Celebration SilverWing which is also the C135.It holds its edge pretty good, but like the others have said, it takes a bit of work to dial it in. Once you get the edge on it set, I find it shaves about the same as my GoldEdge...same buttery smooth, easy chopping goodness (and to be honest, It would take some serious shave comparison testing for me to decide which I prefer).
I also have the 7/8" Le Thiernois which is C135 as well. I prefer the heft of this razor and find it gives me a better shave, but it's on the same level as the SilverWing. Still needs that fine tweaking on the hone, but once you get it, you REALLY get it.
I would get another TI in a heartbeat, I'm just hoping they put out something even bigger than the 7/8"
There are $100 TI razors to be found brand new out there if one looks...
depends on what you want. it can shave very nice, but it doesn't have the flex of the extra hollow ones. when i buy a razor called 'extra hollow', i expect it to be exactly that. if the naming is just a decoration, i would be making a completely different choice based on that component.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gibbs
the grind is usually important - look for example the difference in desirability of say the 1/4 hollow and 3/4 hollow le grelots (of course one is unavailable, so that probably contributes more than anything else)
Just curious here, but say you have a $180.00 Dovo made of Swedish steel, and it's tempering and make up and you have the Thiers-Issard of around $185.00, full hollow ground, but made of different steel and they also might treat their metals a bit different. How much difference is there between Solingen German steel razors and those that are made in France? I've always though Solingen blades were top of the line and you couldn't' get any better. Once they have been honed and stopped to the same level, could you tell them apart in a blind shave test?
BTW, I shaved tonight, just one little nick, with a WISS I got at a local antique mall. Now, I've only been into this "straight razor" shaving for around 3 weeks. I joined my first straight razor forum, this one, on Feb. 8th, but was about a week before I got my 2 razors at the antique store. The one razor I bought, a WISS, German made, had a frown on the razor edge. So, I used a flat stone and back and forth motions and wore it down to the point that ALL of the edge is now dull, but it is finally flat across the edge. Then I set out putting on a bevel from some Notron Stones I got recently, and tonight I worked on the bevel some more, and noticed that I had to use my Dremmel to remove a bit of material from the rear of the razor's edge that made getting the rear most part of the edge sharp. A stabilizer, I think it's called. http://vernsdidj.com/pictures/misc/razors/wiss.jpg
Anyway, working with magnifing glasses and a fine grit sanding disc, I decreased that thicker part near the blade edge that kept me from geting that back part of the edge to touch the stone. I notice too, when I looked at it, that I could see the blade's edge near the front, then it disspeared in the center (as it should) and then I could see it again near the back of the razor's edge. This is looking STRAIGHT on at the blade with it held in the right light. The razor is old and has had a lot of honing on it, and has worn down the back of the razor. So I put electrical tape on the back of the razor "spine" and honed with a 1000 Norton slip stone until I could no longer see the edge of the razor in front or in back. Then moved onto the 4000 Norton and finished up with the 8000 and a Belgian Coticule slurry stone on the 8000 Norton. I could no longer see the edge and it cut HHT before I stropped it. I stropped it about 40 times, both up and down, and then shaved with it. Did alright but not sure if it's really sharp "shave ready" yet. I'm learning. But, I took a razor from completely dull (actually had a frown) and made it flat AND dull then brought it back to sharp enough to get my face clean shaved tonight.
ALL of this is because of your posts, your input, my reading and trying to pay attention. Someday I hope to get good at it. This was my 3rd shave.(with straight). I've shaved since 1969 when I was in Hight school, but never with a stright razor.
Thanks folks!!!!!
If they are razors that I've honed and used several times and somebody experienced shaves me with them I think I would be able to tell them apart. Take away any of these variables and I probably wouldn't be able to tell which is which, but I can most likely describe the differences between them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gibbs
Hi, I recently purchased a 6/8 TI with French point from Martin at Rasupur. it is one of the new forgings with the Carbonsong blade. He puts a wicked edge on his blades and it shaves great. Just watch the point though, it hunts for ear lobes but gives a great shave!
When you look at the $$180-ish Dovo and Thiers-Issards Full-Hollow grind, how do they compare to each other. Both are made in Europe, but I was always lead to believe the Solingen steel blades or razors are unparalleled in the cutting world. They are the ones that set the highest standards of razors or knives. The French Theirs-Issard are really sought out by collectors and new uses as well for their own attributes. What do you suppose separates them? Is it the steel, or process? Is it the tempering and workmanship, or the length that one razor would hold the edge better than the other?