Stop me before it is too late.
Until today I haven't enjoyed a new razor. I have been buying and learning with old Ebay special blades for quite a while now. 3 were shave ready and at least one really was while most were in a sad state but came back to useful life. I have bought some from the usual other sources of old razors some of them in remarkably fine condition and have honed every razor I own with the exception of the ones I just received and I am stuck.
I have a seven day set of JA Henckels #53 5/8 razors which have never been honed. They have some kind of factory edge which will strop up to a sad level of sharpness I won't put on my face. Some of them had residue of an oil or rust preventative but they are all pristine save for some darkness near the pivots on a few. Only one or two have even the light circles indicating they have been opened a time or two over the years and the scales look like they have never been handled.
Ever have a birthday cake which looked so good you just didn't want to cut it? I am inclined to hone one and send one out to be honed. I can shave those two and save the others. I feel conflicted about taking something old and using it up. Or is this just another Escher label issue? In other words is preservation important OR do those of us who collect these items do so primarily to use them? I am inclined to believe from my simple investigations to conclude the latter. Unless someone stops me with a compelling point of view it would seem the virgin steel is about to be wed to a course old stone.
Photos to follow.
Putting the steel to the stone
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JimmyHAD
........For myself, I would want to kick the tires and take them around the block.
.......Someday I may break out one or both of the pristine sets and use them, but not today. :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by
sharptonn
..... I say this is a black handled Henckels set which is not a holy grail collectible, but a fine set to use! WHO better than YOU!
Henckels are GREAT! Enjoy them all! ;)
Well JimmyHAD captured my angst perfectly. Sharptonn pushed me over the edge.
This set was intended for use. It isn't the Holy Grail. There are lots of razors which should be in custodial care but
these ain't those.
Tonight I ran SATURDAY across a 6K King(there was a good bevel already set). Then it had many passes on an 8K Norton.
Series of circles followed by rolling X's as the blades have a gentle smile. The I finished them on a dry Thuri about 25 rolling X's.
I didn't spare the leather she got 200 lashes. The razor is none the worse for wear not a blemish and only the tiniest bevel I ever did sharpen.:rock:
Arko on a SOC to scrub my two day face and soak with a hot towel. MWF on an Omega Pro 49 for the first combo WTG/XTG. Then the Vie Long soft horsehair
to apply the Institut Karit for the daring ATG. I don't normally have the confidence with a new blade for ATG but the little black beauty was sliding along so sweetly.
The results are no nicks, no cuts, no burn, no stubble. A DFS if ever there was one.
As a full fledged untested beginner nearly everything I try for the first time is the biggest or best. The Henckels are simply the greatest shaving implements ever produced and since I no longer have RAD:roflmao there will be no future contenders for the title.:beer2:
Thank you SRP for taking me this far so fast and without stitches. You guys are great!