TI LE 00144 arrived

I guess I am just too picky but I am starting to think that I should really stop looking for that perfect razor... and disregard the looks, just focusing on the shave quality / experience... but it bugs me to find issues!

To start with, gold pic just looks ugly with the blond horn. Dark horn would look much better. This is a purely aesthetical concern, but for this kind of money one might as well feel aesthetic pleasure just looking at it. Then, the gold wash is actually scratched already... Might as well be gone, for all I care... Blade is not perfectly centered between the scales when closed, half the crown is missing on the tang stamp, the wedge between the scales is plastic! PLASTIC! :rant: :rant: :rant:

I have not shaved for more than a week, so I'll hone it tonight and try it... Had 4 other razors I have not tried yet and one more I tried once but touched up shave ready and was wondering what to choose from these 5... All of them should be somewhere at the top of my rotation. But now I guess I have to give this one a go, unless I decide my beard requires a bigger blade

Sorry to hear that Ivo. Bad cenering can be hazardous to the edge. May be grounds for returning the razor.

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Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Sorry to hear that Ivo. Bad cenering can be hazardous to the edge. May be grounds for returning the razor.

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Really?

Listen to this: I took a look and it seems now the spine is centered between the scales. HOWEVER, the edge is like 1.5mm from the right scale and 3+mm from the left scale. Whaddaya know, I took a more careful look and believe now that the edge is not centered in the middle of the spine. The slope angles are gifferent on both sides from spine side to edge... I understand this is hand-forged, and maybe this is OK? Not sure what to do...

Ivo

Send it back. Mine is perfectly centered and has clean stamping. I'm not sure about the end wedge, I assumed it was horn but I'll have to double check. My scales are blonde-and-black, and very attractive.

You should let them know in no uncertain terms that you will NOT be paying good money for sloppy workmanship.

My scales are the same, Michael.

I really hate to send it back but I guess I will. There is also the issue that the intentionally left hand forging impressions differ on both sides by at least 1cm.

Why on earth do they want to send out product like this???

Thanks
Ivo

Wine was on sale the day they made it?

I don't think TI makes a perfect razor. Mine wasn't, it's got a slight looseness in the pivot when it's opened 180 degrees that I haven't yet fixed, and there was a very slight frown on the last 1/4 inch at the spike tip that I had to remove on the norton. And the spine on these things is just the most bizarre thing I've ever seen on a razor, I don't know what the heck they were smoking when they decided this was a good idea. But I still can't get over how insanely great this razor is.

Anyway, send it back to Classic (or wherever) and get them to send you a new one. It probably won't be perfect either, but it will hopefully be close enough.

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Originally Posted by mparker762

Wine was on sale that day?

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:roflmao I love wine and would be OK if this were a $20 - 60 razor...

A true story from the time when my gramps did his residency in France... Came across a patient with all symptoms of cirrhosis. After examining him, he tried to determine the cause. Asked him whether he drank and the patient told him in an outraged tone "Heavens no, doctor :eek:". My gramps paused for a sec got an insight and asked the patient "How much wine do you drink per day?" The patient nonchalantely said "7 liters" :D

Whaaa? I can take vodka and whiskey and stuff but 7 liters of wine would kill me...

I guess this fella drank it instead of water

Ilija, who drinks 7 litres of water? Even this is crazy!

Cheers
Ivo

I just got a TI 7/8 in violet wood.

While the blade seems fine, I will say that the scales are pretty chintzy and my guess is that the spacer is plastic (there's a small crack in mine).

However, I unfortunately think that TI is not alone in having quality issues - I have a Wacker that doesn't have the best finishing and has scales that are average at best and a Dovo classic that I have to be careful closing as the blade/scales are not properly aligned.

The funny thing is that I find that my vintage razors are as well built as the new razors I have - including the vintage razors that were only ever intended to be everyday shavers.

I don't have near the experience as most of you, but this is what I've noticed from the varous new and vintage razors I've acquired over the past month or so.

What do other people think about the new vs. vintage quality issue?

I drink about 4 liters of carbonated mineral water on top of a glass or two of juice and about 5 cups of coffee a day.

Ivo - If you're unhappy with it, send it back. Better to do that than to be stuck with the razor that you don't like. As long as you haven't honed it or anything, I'm sure they'll give you a replacement or a refund.

Yes, I haven't honed it, luckily (no hone at work today) and it is going back.

Cheers
Ivo

If they give you a refund, I hear those Maestro Livi's are awfully nice, and not much more expensive.

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Originally Posted by mparker762

If they give you a refund, I hear those Maestro Livi's are awfully nice, and not much more expensive.

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There are actually cheaper Livis - $380 - 410 - 425.

I was thinking I want the best blade though, and thought the TI is IT. Heh, this is funny:
TI is IT

I will ask for a replacement first, I think.

Cheers
Ivo

I got my first maestro yesterday, a 7/8s damascus and I have about 10 TIs including a damascus and I'll tell you the maestro kicks the TI's butt big time in every category. I used to think my Pierre Thiers LE was the cats meow in razors but not anymore.

The response from CS:

Hi Ivo,

Sorry to hear that you are not pleased with your Historic Pierre Thiers Hand
Forged Razor. These razors, hand made in 1884 are noteworthy for their
individuality and historic character more than for their uniformity. We
will accept the return, however, and reship an inspected razor that has less
character.


Thank you,

Customer Service Team
ClassicShaving.com

My answer, after I edited it to avoid being obnoxious:

Thank you very much.

What you call "less character" I call "more meticulous craftsmanship." I have older hand-forged blades and they seem perfect. Granted, they aren't by Pierre Thiers, and this is why I am buying this LE - but I expect at least comparable, if not superior, quality.

Cheers
Ivo

Funny stuff... and if CS gets cocky about it I am just getting a refund

Their response was a little bit more smarmy than I would have expected. I'm sure the /blade/ is a historic work of art that will provide generations of great shaves. The scales, slapped on by somebody paid by the piece at TI's factor, are a different story.

Or maybe your particular blade, as one of my piping instructors once said of a chanter, was made by an apprentice. ;)

Keith,

As English is my second language, I had to look up 'smarmy' lol

anyway, I certainly hope the blade was not made by an apprentice (this would be a misrepresentation by CS / TI, as the claim is there were only 450 hand made by Pierre himself). However, it's funny - I thought about it - how can one prove the blade was forged by PT himself??? No way, I would think!

There is one more thing - the same razor sells for $10 less on knifecenter.com (the price difference is nothing) but there the claim is that only 400 (not 450, as CS says) were made. Now this is getting a bit weird. Maybe just a mistake?

As for mine, I just thought that maybe Pierre made it when, as Michael suggested, wine was on sale :eek:

Cheers
Ivo

I totally agree with you, Ivo.. Character my foot! They're just excusing sloppy workmanship. Who knows, maybe these blades came from Pierre's reject pile and got pinned by a drunken new transfer from Zeepk.

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Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

I totally agree with you, Ivo.. Character my foot! They're just excusing sloppy workmanship. Who knows, maybe these blades came from Pierre's reject pile and got pinned by a drunken new transfer from Zeepk.

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what a thought! :roflmao

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

I totally agree with you, Ivo.. Character my foot! They're just excusing sloppy workmanship. Who knows, maybe these blades came from Pierre's reject pile and got pinned by a drunken new transfer from Zeepk.

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They'd probably tell you to take it up with Pierre. He might be a bit hard to dig up, though. :D

Poor Zeepk. I wonder if they even know how badly their razors suck.