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

Originally Posted by stefanosup

what's cooking? I think that soon we will see other photos!

You are quite right! As for new pictures, I guess I need to wait a little more. Yesterday, after a quite long, amazing and busy day from morning to night, we decided to call it a day. More to come, soon. More or less, depending on my end of month duties.

My modest contribution to this great thread: Livi/Pinin 6/8 boxwood and purpleheart weekend set.

Keep posting!

Originally Posted by MichaelS

My modest contribution to this great thread: Livi/Pinin 6/8 boxwood and purpleheart weekend set.

Keep posting!

Congratulations! What a lovely set!

Yet another impeccable shave with Mastro Livi Grifetto. I absolutely love this straight razor, easy to use and giving a super smooth shave. I also love the scales of Grifetto, made from olive wood, directly recalling the lovely view you have here in Umbria, where hills are full of olive trees: definitely an Umbrian wood! This Mastro Livi Grifetto steel is velvety yet very effective, giving a deep and smooth shave, a straight razor I am certainly suggesting to everyone who wants to get into the wonderful world of wet shaving with a straight razor.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am very proud to show you the latest addition to my personal collection of straight razors and, this time, besides being a new stunning razor made by Mastro Livi, it is also a very special straight razor in many regards.
You certainly remember about the beautiful blade Mastro Livi made about two months ago, the result of one of his countless experiments on steel and damascus steel, in which he combined stainless steel to his carbon damascus steel. You can see the picture of this blade here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ml#post1423232
This blade has been the very first one ever made by Mastro Livi and created by using this special technique. Few weeks later, I found out he mounted scales on that beautiful blade, and the resulting straight razor can be seen here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ml#post1436399
I guess you understand my astonishment when I saw that super stunning straight razor: it simply is breathtaking with those superb mother of pearl scales. I asked Mastro Livi whether that straight razor was available for sale, but he promptly answered that he is not going to sell it, as it was the very first straight razor made with that technique, it was going to be part of his personal collection and historical items of his production. As I wanted so much to have one like that, the only thing I could do was ordering one. And this is what I did. I had to wait a full month and, today, Mastro Livi finally phoned me and told me my straight razor was ready and I could go there to pick it up.
When I went there, I could not believe to my own eyes: the straight razor he made for me is far beyond my expectations and it is a breathtaking beauty. It is made from a San Mai billet: the outside layers are made from martensitic stainless steel (therefore it is tempered and suited for making an edge) and the middle layer is made of Mastro Livi Carbon Damascus steel. He colored the blade in the best way possible: the stainless steel is light gold - and I am sorry my pictures don't do justice to it - whereas the middle damascus layer is of a wonderful blue, and with its waves, it makes me think about the beauty of a seashore.
Ladies and gentlemen, here it is my new Mastro Livi Combined Stainless Steel/Carbon Damascus Steel straight razor!

The upper shiny part of the blade is made from martensitic stainless steel - therefore it can be tempered and used to make a cutting edge - whereas the "wavy" blue bottom part is made from Mastro Livi Carbon Damascus Steel. Scales are made from bi-colored cocobolo wood and I find it to be absolutely perfect for the blade.
This is what Mastro Livi showed me when I arrived this morning to his workshop. You cannot believe my astonishment when I saw it: in my opinion this is one of the most beautiful and stunning razor ever made by Mastro Livi, just another proof of his talent, craftsmanship, art and skill. I am absolutely speechless.
He however told me he needed some help because he was thinking about the name he will use for all the straight razors made by using this technique, that is by combining stainless steel and carbon steel, including damascus steel. He told me he was thinking about a name, but he could not find one he really liked, so he asked me to help him find a good name.
The very first thing which came to my mind has been "CarboInox", as this new steel is the result of combining carbon steel to stainless steel. We both agreed it sounded nice, and this is how the name was born. I also suggested him the logo, because I was thinking about Mastro Livi signature and thought it should have been something similar to that. So I told him he could write a capital C "embracing" the letters a-r-b-o, then Inox, all being made by Mastro Livi own writing.
He loved the idea, and I am very proud and happy for having suggested such a name and logo that will be used for all future Mastro Livi razors made from this special steel. Just like Grifetto - which name was created by me and stefanosup - I am proud for having contributed to give a name to another Mastro Livi masterpiece. I am very proud of this!
This is the "CarboInox" logo handwritten by Mastro Livi and will be used for all straight razors made with this technique:

The following pictures are the front and back view of the blade. Isn't it beautiful? To me, it gives the idea of a seashore.

One of the things amazing me the most, is the razor's point. I am not talking about the "barber's notch", but how Mastro Livi managed to have both stainless steel and carbon dioxide in the edge. The stainless steel he used is of martensitic type, it can be tempered and therefore it can be used for a cutting edge. You see this in the following picture.

Here you can see the spine of the straight razor, in particular the middle layer made of Mastro Livi Carbon Damascus Steel, and you can see how it is perfectly centered in the blade. Not to mention, how thin it is and, if you want to reveal its pattern, you of course need to give the blade a full hollow ground, something Mastro Livi completely does by hand and with his well known skill and craftsmanship. Just amazing!

Here are the specification of my new Mastro Livi razor:

Mastro Livi CarboInox, 6/8 Full Hollow, Barber's Notch

• Steel: "CarboInox" San Mai - Combined Stainless Steel and Mastro Livi Twisted Carbon Damascus Steel
• Blade: 6/8 Full Hollow, Barber's Notch
• Scales: Bi-Colored Cocobolo Wood

By the way, this morning I also bought something else. It is now a very long time I wanted to buy a set of table knives made by Mastro Luca Livi (Mastro Livi's son) and, this morning, when I went there, I also found out my table knives were finally made and "razor-sharpened" by Luca Livi. The knives are completely made by hand and - in this regard - I would say "like father, like son". Another proof of the family talent and the long family heritage, dating back to the beginning of 1700s. A stunning beautiful day! Now, with my pride and joy, I can show to the guests of my table remarkable and artisan made knives.

Simply beautiful, elegant and, in particular, super sharp and super cutting edge! Congratulations to Mastro Luca Livi! Great knives! Not just straight razors: a "wonderful life experience" at the table, too.

A memorable shave. A stunning beautiful straight razor, a magnificent soap, a fabulous brush, a luxurious aftershave. I wanted the best for the first shave in which I used this superior, stunning, amazing and beautiful Mastro Livi CarboInox straight razor. I love Mastro Livi Carbon Damascus touch and thanks to this razor, which point is made of stainless steel, I discovered a new pleasure in shaving. The blade is velvety and smooth - like every Mastro Livi carbon damascus steel is - while the point becomes a little more aggressive - because of stainless steel - very effective is some particular spots of the face. A superior straight razor, just another proof of the craftsmanship, talent, art and skill of this remarkable Italian artisan, a genius in making straight razors, both in performance and beauty!

Great great great razor. I'm very happy for you! This is one of the best razor I ever see made by Mastro Livi. Very nice also knives of Luca Livi. For this I say you that I want to eat with you!

Originally Posted by stefanosup

Great great great razor. I'm very happy for you! This is one of the best razor I ever see made by Mastro Livi.

Thank you stefanosup! Just another masterpiece made by the endless talent of Mastro Livi!

Originally Posted by stefanosup

Very nice also knives of Luca Livi. For this I say you that I want to eat with you!

My pleasure!!! I guess we should that often, despite knives or whatever. I may bring wine, if you want, as well as cooking.

Razorguy, My friend .. enjoy with your razor and knifes. Your razor is reaaaly wonderful. It looks like a masterpiece and as I myself know mastro Livi's razors I believe it is a masterpiece

Amazing work, again. I am envious, but enjoy the images vicariously on here..
Enjoy the shave..