Maestro Livi Buffalo Horn with Three Holes and a new Blue Tonge Damascus blade.

I have had this razor for some time. It had the older Damascus (Damasteel) blade on it. I had Maestro Livi replace the blade, for reasons I will not go into, with the Maestros newer Blue Tonge Damascus. The Maestro also put decorative fluting on the spine and the shank.

This razor also shaves very very well. In fact I think that it may be a cut above the ATS 34. This shave was comfortable and the razor is well balanced. This Damascus is supposed to be a bit softer than the Damasteel Damascus which makes it somewhat easier to hone or touch up.

It also comes in a veneered box of Burled Maple with the small replica of the scales of the razor.

My thanks go to Lynn Abrams as without his help I could not have had this razor rebladed.

Gorgeous blade!

but (excuse me for saying so) I don't think the spine fluting goes well

I was just disappoited in a TI LE and you seem to have experience with Livi - are these razors abso-freakin-lutely impeccable or would I still find small reasons to be disappointed, as I seem to be able to do with any razor I have laid my hands on so far (maybe except a mint Puma 52, and it has plastic scales :rant: )

Thanks
Ivo

OK.......let me clarify something. The reason that the blade was replaced was by no means the Maestros fault. It was something that I did thru experimenting with different things that made the blade more or less unshavable so with Lynns help we got the blade replaced. The original blade was actually a very good blade.

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Originally Posted by str8razor

This razor also shaves very very well. In fact I think that it may be a cut above the ATS 34. This shave was comfortable and the razor is well balanced.

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Bill I will second this. I received a Maestro Blue Tonge yesterday and it is unbelievable, I couldn't be happier........except after shaving 22 hours ago I don't have near as much stubble as I would like. :)

I'm fixin' to unload about 10 razors here pretty soon for another Maestro!

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Originally Posted by izlat

are these razors abso-freakin-lutely impeccable or would I still find small reasons to be disappointed, as I seem to be able to do with any razor I have laid my hands on so far

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Ivo these razors are hand made and are truly a work of art, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you look to pick something apart I'm pretty sure your going to find something you don't like :thinking:

I have purchased quite a few razors (new & used) in the past 2 1/2 months and nothing comes remotely close in my personal opinion, in form or function. I personally look at all razors as tools, the Maestro's just happen to wind my particular clock considerably tighter while giving me more shaving pleasure. For me...this is what it's all about.

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Originally Posted by 520dvx

Ivo these razors are hand made and are truly a work of art, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you look to pick something apart I'm pretty sure your going to find something you don't like :thinking:

I have purchased quite a few razors (new & used) in the past 2 1/2 months and nothing comes remotely close in my personal opinion, in form or function. I personally look at all razors as tools, the Maestro's just happen to wind my particular clock considerably tighter while giving me more shaving pleasure. For me...this is what it's all about.

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Hi Miles

Right on for the last part! This is what I am looking for! It's just that I also know for a fact that hand production does not have to be imperfect, assymetrical, poorly finished or fit, etc. - I see this in other tools / objects. I am not willing to accept imperfections in razors... especially quite expensive razors... I realize most people here say I have to...

I do agree they look like works of art (even though my wife, who is an Art Director, is making fun of me for this at parties). I just like meticulously crafted stuff and have somewhat demanding stylistic preferences and quality requirements (just because I am generally very careless with most things and don't give a crap)

Cheers
Ivo

Gorgeous razor - one day I'll own one of these and wouldn't mind having one just like this one. The cross fluting all the way down the spine works for me, makes it distinctive.

That's an amazingly beautiful razor. The Maestro sure makes some nice razors.

Wow. That's a wicked cool looking razor. I like the Damascus pattern especially. The was it looks like wood grain is awesome. Hopefully some day I'll be able to afford one of the Maestro's razors.

How do you compare the ATS 34 stainless stell to the Damascus steel that you have? If you were to only keep one, which one you would keep, and why?
I am considering to buy one of the Maestro razor but cannot determine which steel to go, they have ATS 34 stainless, Damascus stainless and Damascus - these confused me a bit. Wish I can buy one of them to try out but just couldn't afford to do so.
Thanks for enlightening me on this.

Tom Tong

My understanding is the maestro works strictly with Stainless (I'm not sure about the japan Sourced material) and his damascus is all acid etched. If you want a true wootz blade in Carbon Steel you have to go with TI's damascus. By the way I have both a TI Damascus and a Maestro Damascus and personall I think the Maestro's is a far better razor all around. I find the TI to be very difficult to hone and maintain. But of course if you have a thing about wootz steel that's another matter.

I'm pretty sure the Takeda steel is carbon steel, at least that's how lynn describes it.

Tom,
My first question to you is how much honing experience do you have? The reason that I ask is that the Damascus whether it be the new Blue Tonge or the old Damasteel Damascus is somewhat more difficult to hone than the ATS 34 steel. The Blue Tonge is easier to hone than the old Damascus as it is a bit softer.
I have shaved with my Buffalo Horn and its Blue Tonge Damascus and I have shaved with Lynn's Blue Tonge Damascus and I really do like the shave. In both cases I felt that the Damascus was just a little sharper than the ATS 34 plus it is very attractive. Don't get me wrong the ATS 34 is a super steel and I also like shaving with it. I feel that it would depend on your honing experience and what you are willing to learn if you do get the Damascus. I had Lynn give me a few pointers on the Damascus and there is a learning curve on honing it.
Hope this helps.

Thanks for your advice.
Am I right to say that the harder the steel is (i.e. more difficult to hone), the more easier to chip? If this is the case, then the blue tonge damascus might not be my cup of tea. What I want is a steel with beauty of both worlds, i.e. very hard and can hold its edge but not easy to chip. Honing is not a problem for me as I have the time and patient to take up the learning curve of a damascus steel. BTW, is the blue tonge damascus a stainless steel? I quite like the beauty of a damascus razor.

Best regards,
Tom Tong

Tom,
You know I don't think that I really know if it is stainless steel.......I am thinking that it is not but will let someone on here that knows answer your question and then I will know also.

The Blue Tonge is a Damasteel. It is also a harder steel, but hones up quite nicely. The forged Damascus blades by TI and some of the other Damasteels were a little tougher to hone as they did have a tendency to micro chip which I have not seen with the Blue Tonge. It, the ATS 34 and the Maestro Takeda AS blades are great shavers as well as beautiful.

Lynn

Lynn,
Is the Damascus a stainless steel?

I have a maestro damascus and it is stainless steel.

As far as honing goes its like driving a car. If you have a license then you should be able to drive anything within reason. Some may be a bit more difficult or challenging but the principle is the same. The same goes with honing. If you have the basics down you can hone any razor it may just require a change in your technique and some more time, in some cases alot more time. I have a TI damascus and it is probably the hardest razor I have when it comes to hone. Also the appearance of the blade is unlike anything I've ever seen. The bevel under magnification is full of pits and etches and furrows in the steel, not chips just wierd stuff. But eventually it came around and shaves great now.

I wouldn't base my decision to buy or not buy a new razor based upon honing difficulty. Even if your just starting out you can initially send it out for honing until your skills are up to snuff. Your going to have the razor for a long time and you'll only look back and regret not buying what you originally wanted to get some thing thats "easy to hone".

I have a mastro livi damascus which is stainless steel and I have no trouble keeping the edge. I don't hone I used pasted strops. One a week il take the razor over 6micron down to one micron and then bare leather to finish off. Never had any issues. Other than the stainless damascus and the carbon damascus what other steel options does mastro offer ??

Carbon steel
Stainless steel
Stainless damascus
Carbon damascus ??

I think by now the ones starting this thread are now either expert honers, gave up on trying to hone or are dead-har har.

You covered all the variations there.