Thread: Unsung hero

A few years ago when i started str8 shaving all the talk on this site was how the well priced perfect beginners razor was what we all no as the "wapi" or the proper name if im spelling correctly wapinieca. I got started with a erusta 7/8 stainless/boehlersteel razor withc was my great grandfathers that i have since had wonderfully rescalled and still use and love. After reading up on this site i decided to buy a wapi A. because it was cheap and at the time rad was in full force and B. i really liked the look of the stainless scales. At the time they were readily availible as nos from a few different vendors. I think i spent 40$ on it or something rediculously cheap like that. When I first got it I didnt really like it to much because the scales were so heavy it felt like the weight was pulling the scales away from my face making it hard to handle. For a long time i didnt even use it at all. A while back i sent it out to be rescaled by maximillion who we all no does an outstanding job. He put on a nice set of black carbon fiber looking scales i dont even no what they are really but they look bad a$@. AT that time i had a ton of razors including some very expensive customs so i really didnt give it the time of day. After all its just a cheap wapi right? About a week ago I decided to pull it out and hone it up and see were i got. Well let me tell you the shaves i have gotten from this thing in the past week are incredible. I have some really good big name razors and this cheap old polish razor hangs with all of them and imo beats out quite a few. I absolutely have found a new love for this thing. If you are a beginner I highly recomend you try to get your hands on one. Back when i started they were extremely easy to get your hands on I dont believe its that way anymore. The reason i recomend them is they shave great. They dont break the bank at least they didnt back in 08, and they are easier than anything i have ever honed and i have honed up a ton of razors. They take a great edge with minimal effort. I dont no how all of the other members here feel but imo they are extremely underrated and are a fantastic shaver.

I have a Bill Ellis "hybrid" which is most likely a Wapi and it shaves great and keep a very nice edge.

I have the non stamped version of the Wapi which I bought from Steve at the Invisible Edge three years ago. It is a great shaver and one of my first. It is one of the few early razors which I kept and many have come and gone since then. Many claim they are not superb and some have even likened them to GDs and DAs. I have used several and they were all excellent. I understand some are warped and don't hold an edge, but I am yet to experience such defects on a Wapi.