Thread: What is your perfect razor?

I was daydreaming of all the razors I've owned and loved, and started wondering about the "perfect" razor. Who would make it? What would it look like? What would its features be? And then I began building it in my mind.

Vintage or new? I'll take vintage. Hollow or wedge or concave grind? I'd prefer hollow, I think. Carbon steel or stainless steel? Whatever, both are fine. And the point? Spike, definitely. How wide is the blade? I believe 13/16" is the magic number. Jimps or no jimps? Jimps, please. Thumb notch? Not[ch] necessarily. Any other special features? I can't think of any. What about the scales? Give me a nice dark brown hardwood, triple-pins in bullseye nickel, and a bright eye-catching wedge (yellow or red or blue or green).

Okay, so I think my current favorite razor (photo below), despite its round point, is close enough. And the only change would be to add custom hardwood scales. (I'm not sure if unnecessarily removing the flawless original scales is some kind of SRP sin, so I may leave them. But then it wouldn't be my dream razor, would it? Hmm.)

Anyway, what is your perfect razor?

Christopher

I would have had a definite answer to this question six months ago.
Now it is more difficult.
Sure, I have grinds and points preferences. Usually they would be a Hollow, 7-8/8" and with a Spanish point.

The thing is, I've been so fortunate as to be able to buy so many different razors from all over the spectrum and so many of them deliver such good results.
I think I love the variety of my collection too much to really name just one kind!

I think my ideal daily shaver would be 6/8, just under half hollow, bit of a smile and swayback, that Sheffield style Spanish point. Notches - I go back and forth. I do really dig a double thumb notch and a finger notch. Hit me with some black horn to wrap around her, and I'd be a happy man.

150+ years old, in great condition. Barber's notch, humpback, smiling wedge, 7/8. Scales in horn. Preferably worked over by one of the fine restorers on this site

I am ambivalent because I love whatever razor is in my hand at the moment. I enjoy using a variety of styles and sizes. That said, I have contemplated what razors would be my keepers if I reduced my 25 down to 7. The answer in order of preference today would be:
6/8 Thiers-Issard Le Grelot
6/8 Hart Steel
6/8 Heljestrand No. 6
5/8 Dovo 105 Black Micarta
5/8 Le Grelot P-Hospital, Medaille d'or Paris, 1931, 71
6/8 Thiers-Issard evide sonnant extra, Medaille d'Argent, 1931, 69, 1196
6/8 Wade and Butcher "The Celebrated"

My answer might be different tomorrow. There is no perfect razor for me because I love them all but the 6/8 Thiers-Issard Le Grelot is my "preferred" razor at the moment.

Roundpoint. 5/8 full-hollow. Ivory scales.

Seven. In a box.

Well my perfect razor would certainly be vintage - forged in a thunderstorm by Thor's hammer, scales fitted from wood shaved from the hull of the USS Constitution, and blessed for a lifetime of great shaving by the Pope.

Seriously though...I would at this point in the wildest of my RAD dreams yearn for a 6/8 razor, full hollow with a shoulder, slightly curvy shank/spine, crisp square point, no barber's notch or jimps, with rugged looking, unpolished horn scales.

My perfect razor is which I bought/restore the last.
And so every time.

Originally Posted by manah

My perfect razor is which I bought/restore the last.
And so every time.

+1. Thanks Alex. I couldn't have said it better.

My ideal is close to yours. 6/8ths or 13/16ths, carbon or stainless, heavy, thick spine, top and bottom jimps, thumbnotch is nice but not necessary. The majority are round point, but I don't really have a strong preference as some regarding the point.

When I look at my keeper razors they are all between 6/8ths and 13/16ths with the exception of two American blades that are 11/16ths, and hollow ground, except the Livis and a TI Super Gnome that are more half hollow, one W&B and a Dorko that are quarter hollow.