Thread: My Mastro Livi razor, at last: a wonderful life experience!

Just took some pictures of this razor with my USB microscope. I hope this helps to clear things. I understand you may say it was a different razor or suppose any conjecture, after all I do not expect you to believe me. All I can say, this is the razor filmed in the video, the one Mastro Livi fixed and which I bought. And I am very happy I did. Please consider the blade is oiled and that's why you may see tiny bubbles or dirt particles.

The blade at 20x. It looks shiny because of the oil and you can see some dirt trapped in the oil.




The same blade at 800x. The many colored points are created by how the light is being reflected. The same effect we get in the very edge of the blade where you see "white spots or lines" which may be confused with chips. This picture was taken in the middle of the edge. I do not see any chip. Do you?




Another picture at 800x taken near the point. Where are the chips?

Originally Posted by jodypress

I've personally spent time with both Antonello and Mastro Livi and can say it was the most fantastic experience. Seeing my razor created from some pieces of metal through to a masterpiece. I thoroughly recommend going to see him and watch him create a razor for you. It's a wonderful and magical experience.

Thank you Jody for your kind words. We all had a wonderful time together with Mastro Livi and I too treasured that very fine time as well as enjoying good and friendly company. I just hope we will all meet again and talk about razors and, why not, food and wine!
You are right about Mastro Livi not using smartphones, computers, internet and the like. He leaves that to his son. He always says he is not interested in that and prefers spending his time in making razors and experimenting with steel and razor making. After all, if you would just see what kind of cell phone he uses, you would understand all that in a moment!

Originally Posted by markodams

Hi Taskind, Indeed that makes sense.

If you pause the vid at 26:27, 26:28, 26:29, 26:32 and so on you can very clearly see chips. You could say that its the poor vid but I don't think so.

Hi there, I watched those parts several times and what I see is the reflection of light. I see these reftlections in my microscobe all the time.

Originally Posted by razorguy

I personally shot the video and I personally edited it. I did not cut anything from the original videos. And I did not certainly edit the video in order to put Mastro Livi in a good light. Why should I do that?
Moreover, I bought that razor and I was present while they were checking the edge with both the USB and optical microscope. The only way I had to show the edge was filming the monitor and what the USB microscope provided. And, on this regard, everyone into photography knows about the "pitfalls" of taking pictures or filming a monitor because of the way the image is being formed and how monitor's lighting system is involved in the process.
Do you really think I would have bought a razor with chips? Do you really think I would pay a razor with such faults? Really? I may not be an expert, but I guess it does not take an expert to see a chip with a microscope and, in more than ten years of restoring razors, I guess I can recognize a chip in the edge, even with naked eyes or thumb's nail.
Who personally knows me, knows what my job is about and how I am and that I never accept compromises when it comes to my job and to my life. And there is no exception here.

Dear Razorguy,
I dont know you personally neither Mastro livi but you always have been a kind and helpful friend . Please dont be offended ,I did not want to say that you changed the video or revised it. What I wanted to say was, if there were a bad point in this video , no one would release it. An ordinary guy would say " oh there is a problem with this razor and let's fix it or throw it away, the customer is righ." No one would make a video to be critised . And No one would buy and pay for a bad razor. The image in my mind for mastro livi is, If mastro sells a razor he will certainly stand behind it. Ofcourse there may be some defects all the time, but he doesnt sell it intentionaly without fixing it. I can only speak of myself but I don't think Markodam's intention was to make any accusation for you. I think he wants to make things more clear ( if he is not the first owner of that razor)

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I disagree. First of all we are looking a 400x. I think the anomalies that may look like chips to some people at the time stamps mentioned are a combination of reflections, and/or residue from Mastro cutting the dry hair, and shaving his cheek. Add to that skin from the dry shave.

I routinely check my honing with a 40x microscope, and a 30x eye loupe. At that relatively low power I will see residue from the HHT and from the strop. At 400x I can only imagine how much more it would show.

Looking at the earlier scans with the microscope, before Mastro fixed the blade, I am betting the first owner of that blade used heavy slurry and did circles. That would account for the mixed scratches further up the belly of the blade past the bevel. Circles are fine if you are practiced at using that technique but they remove more metal, more quickly, than x strokes, and in an unpracticed and heavy hand may be too much of a good thing. The same with slurry. A little can go a long way. Some guys watch honing vids and end up creating so much slurry they're essentially dragging their razor through mud.

Referring to the video made years ago of Mastro honing a snake razor ....... I dare say if you look at a video of Lynn Abrams honing 5 or 6 years ago you'll see differences in the technique he is using now, as opposed to what he was doing then. Not surprising that Mastro also has more than one way to skin the cat, figuratively speaking.

We come along to SRP and read tutorials, watch videos, and practice honing. We develop some skills and suddenly we are experts and critics. How many razors have passed through Mastro Livi's hands ? Thousands no doubt. I'd say he is more than a craftsman, he is an artist. Great looking blade in those boxwood scales.

I totally agree with your words. This is what I tried to explain before but unfortunately my English is not allowing me to fully express my thoughts. But what you say is the pure truth '. Thank you for writing it.

Originally Posted by taskind

Dear Razorguy,
I dont know you personally neither Mastro livi but you always have been a kind and helpful friend . Please dont be offended ,I did not want to say that you changed the video or revised it. What I wanted to say was, if there were a bad point in this video , no one would release it. An ordinary guy would say " oh there is a problem with this razor and let's fix it or throw it away, the customer is righ." No one would make a video to be critised . And No one would buy and pay for a bad razor. The image in my mind for mastro livi is, If mastro sells a razor he will certainly stand behind it. Ofcourse there may be some defects all the time, but he doesnt sell it intentionaly without fixing it. I can only speak of myself but I don't think Markodam's intention was to make any accusation for you. I think he wants to make things more clear ( if he is not the first owner of that razor)

Dear Taskind, thank you for your very appreciated comment. I am sorry if what I wrote made you all believe I got offense for what you all said. In this case, please you all accept my apologizes. I just wanted to make things clearer and I understand both you and Markodams expressed your opinions just to clarify your thoughts and what you think. I appreciate that, of course, and this is something I would however support as I strongly believe everyone has the right to say everything. On this regard I guess I should cite what was supposedly said by Voltaire "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" as this represents the most fundamental aspect of my job. Please understand I did not take offense. I just wanted to tell a story and what I personally witnessed with my own eyes. I did not felt the pressure of being accused by anyone and I am not accusing anyone as well. I am not offended at all and, once again, I believe a forum like this one must be a place where everyone can freely express opinions and ideas - possibly sharing them with the whole community in the aim of letting us all grow together - and it is natural, in my opinion, this can raise some debates.
Markodam expressed his opinion and told us what he was seeing; I tried to reply to his truly welcome thoughts by explaining my point of view and providing facts.
As far as I can tell, no one here ever offended me, not even in this occasion. We all have the right to express ideas and opinions - this is something I will always welcome - but we all should be aware of the fact our opinions may cause debates. It is part of the communication process. I hope Markodam was not offended by my words and, if so, I hope he will accept my apologizes as well as the wish to meet him soon, to uncork a fine bottle of wine and celebrate friendship while talking about our common passion: straight razors. I did not mean to offend anyone: I just tried to provide facts and to tell what I have personally seen.

I wanted to say a few things about Razorguy (aka Antonello). We met by chance the first time I went in the laboratory of Mastro Livi for my first razor. Then we became friends' cause we like and also affect other things like good food, wine and culture. Now every time I go to Perugia we meet and eat together. I think he is a very serious person, competent and friendly and are very proud to be his friend. Who does not know him personally can not 'know these things but' reading what he writes will understand 'that easily Antonello is not a stupid guy. How could then buy a razor with defects having had the time to try it? I think we should try to talk to each other, the world of shaving is really fascinating!

Smooth, keen, velvety, impeccable. Yesterday I shaved with this new Mastro Livi razor and what I got was a very smooth shave, deep yet gentle. And, yes, absolutely BBS. As usual, here it is my entry for the SOTD: http://straightrazorpalace.com/shave...ml#post1370335
I am very happy for having bought this razor and, once again, it proved the excellent quality of Mastro Livi razors, both in performance and craftsmanship. This is the ninth razor made of this talented artisan I added to my collection and, although it is very hard to tell which one is the best, it certainly is one of the finest.
I am amazed by the kind of hollowing Mastro Livi is capable of getting in a blade just by hands, although I would not classify this as "extra hollow" - although Mastri is capable of doing that, too - this certainly is "full hollow". Just amazing.
What about scales? I simply love them! Box wood is very light yet very hard and solid. The chequered inlays add to the scales a touch of elegance and, of course, it is the sign of Mastro Livi genius and inventive. The inlays are made from dark box and African black ebony.
The overall weight and balance of this razor are excellent, also because of the full hollow ground making the razor lighter. I also like the grip, in particular the "thumb place" something Mastro Livi adds to some of his razors. I have some of them with this "thumb place" and I find it to be very comfortable while providing a better grip and stability. I am absolutely in love with this razor!

So if I might be allowed to summarize: gorgeous razor, great shave and happy owner!

all's well that ends well. This is also a great razor and I really love this type of steel. I find it really sweet and gentle as you say. I'm glad 'cause your personal collection of masterpieces was embellished by a new jewel.