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

17 Livi's? I hope you have good homeowners insurance with a rider for them.

It is now about two years I started this thread in which I wanted to share with you all my personal experience about the making of my Mastro Livi straight razors and, since then, many good things have happened, in particular the people I met at Mastro Livi workshop. First of all, Mastro Livi himself with whom, in the course of these two years, we got to know each other better, I got to know, not just his extraordinary artistic and craftsmanship quality, but also the remarkable, honest and wise man he is, we have become very good friends, a friendship of which I am certainly honored and proud of. Not to mention, the honor of having met all of Mastro Livi family, lovely and genuine people for sure, always nice, kind and welcoming.
The first good person I had the chance to meet at Mastro Livi workshop has been stefanosup. I met him in August 2013, the day he came to Perugia to order his very first straight razor while I was there to shoot my second video about Mastro Livi art and in which is shown the making of my first RWL-34 straight razor, the third straight razor made by this revered artisan I added to my collection. Stefanosup and I have become very good friends, we talk a lot about straight razors, soaps and other shaving related subjects, he certainly is a gentleman and someone whom you can certainly trust his word, loyal and genuine, a quite rare quality to see in our times.
Last summer I had the chance to meet another person at Mastro Livi workshop and, besides being a nice person, he is also a chef - something catching my whole interest because of my job - and a quite special one: Chef Eros Picco.
Not only Eros Picco is the head chef at an Italian Michelin starred restaurant in Milan - Innocenti Evasioni - he also have a genuine passion for knives and straight razors. Special knives and razors, I would add, because all of them have been made for him by Mastro Livi and his son Luca. Moreover, he did not simply want Mastro Livi knives in his kitchen, he wanted the Livis to create his own knives according to his own specifications. On this regard, it is something telling you how passionate Chef Eros Picco is about his job and how he does feel about cooking, knowing very well quality in cooking also means using the right tools and techniques.
When I met him - and the same day Stefanosup and his son too were at Mastro Livi workshop - chef Eros Picco was there because he wanted Luca Livi to make new knives for his restaurant and, once again, according to his own specifications and kitchen needs. Moreover, he also ordered two new straight razors, as he loves shaving with Mastro Livi straight razors.
That day Chef Eros Picco brought with him his Mastro Livi RWL-34 straight razor because it needed a touch up as it was - if I am not wrong - three years he was using that razor and never honed or refreshed it on any stone or paste. I remember Mastro Livi inspecting the razor's edge, stropping it on his chromium oxide paste by using his well known loom strop, inspecting the edge again, giving the razor back to his owner and saying "now it is ok". After three years it just needed a pass on chromium oxide: not so bad for an edge, is it?
Last month I had the chance to meet Chef Eros Picco again and, this time, in his Michelin starred restaurant Innocenti Evasioni in Milan. He runs the restaurant with his partner Chef Tommaso Arrigoni, a truly lovely haute-cuisine restaurant I suggest everyone who happen to be in Milan to visit and to enjoy a lusicous, elegant, high quality and fine dinner.
I am writing about this experience because few days ago has been published an interesting report about Chef Eros Picco in which you can see him shaving with a Mastro Livi straight razor as well as a display of his four Mastro Livi straight razors, including some knives made according to his specifications by Livi Coltellerie. The report is in Japanese language and published on Nikkei Business (in case you need so, google translator may be your friend and it certainly was mine to read it) and you can watch these pictures at page 4.
I wanted to share it with you all as I believe this too contributes to "my Mastro Livi experience", not to mention how special I consider a Chef - not to mention, a starred Chef - who is using Mastro Livi knives in his kitchen and has a passion for straight razors. Mastro Livi straight razors, of course.

Chef Eros Picco of Innocenti Evasioni holding a Mastro Livi knife in balance

I was fortunate to meet Razorguy in Mastro Livi's workshop. Antonello is a kind person and very passionate about razors and even cooking! Not only has the passion for these topics, but also a great expertise and knowledge, which makes available to all the friends. I am very happy to be his friend, and he ate and drank mostly wine unforgettable! I remember well the day that I met with Mastro Livi, remember the video footage with him and I remember meeting with the chef that person is just as friendly as well as really a cook special. I have not been lucky enough to sample the cuisine in Milan, maybe we go together Antonello, what do you think?
I would like to especially thank Antonello for pages that has given us in this forum on the work of Mastro Livi, are pages that have become part of the recent history of this magnificent discipline and without Antonello, everyone would know very little. The culture you can 'expand thanks to the work of some fans who make it available to all, and in this the people of the United States has always been responsive and helpful. The same thing you can not 'say of other nations such as the one where I live in Italy, where there is not the same sensitivity' for art and then even for razors.

Thank you Stefano, you know I mainly do that because I have a passion for straight razors and for my job. Not to mention, the fact I am very fond of Mastro Livi art and craftsmanship, in my opinion something being unique and still unequalled in many regards. I will try to make as much videos as I can because I am still convinced Mastro Livi has a wonderful story to tell the world, made of 60 years of experience and daily commitment to forging, knives, scissors, honing, straight razors and shaving. As far as I am concerned, there is still a lot to tell about this amazing artisan, the one who started the era of custom and artisan straight razors. What I consider to be amazing of Mastro Livi is that he is always thinking about new ways and ideas for his straight razors, he never seems to have enough, experimenting each day and introducing new and innovative ways for his art.
You are right: it is a pity in our country this is sometimes a subject you cannot touch and there is not so much interest in art. You know very well how things go and, after all, it is always the same old story in which poor subjects doing a pretty ordinary job believe to be the best without even realizing what they have and do, not even having the foggiest idea of and what there is around the corner.
Having said that, I think it is a great idea to go to Innocenti Evasioni restaurant: I am sure you will not regret the experience; a fine and lovely restaurant, a pleasing place where you can enjoy elegant and refined food. In my opinion, one of the best ones in Milan. Last but not the least, they are very polite and kind, a quality I always welcome and appreciate in every context, not to mention in restaurants. I guess I should not recall that very bas experience we had in Perugia last December when we went in that "refined restaurant", right?

however also in the elegant restaurant of Perugia did not eat bad, surely there are better restaurants! And what is important is the company!

Red the beginning and the new posts on this thread. Time well spent reading about your experiences!

I might go to italy myself soon, hopefully I'll get the change to pay a visit to this mastro's bottega!

Thanx for the thread!

Originally Posted by JackeHj

Red the beginning and the new posts on this thread. Time well spent reading about your experiences!

I might go to italy myself soon, hopefully I'll get the change to pay a visit to this mastro's bottega!

Thanx for the thread!

Thank you friend, if we were not so many, the thred would be ugly! You hope to come to Italy, I will be able to visit your land full of white snow!

Originally Posted by JackeHj

Red the beginning and the new posts on this thread. Time well spent reading about your experiences!

I might go to italy myself soon, hopefully I'll get the change to pay a visit to this mastro's bottega!

Thanx for the thread!

Thank you! I am very glad you took the time for reading this thread and found it interesting. In case you are coming to Italy, please let me know: it will be my pleasure to get you to Mastro Livi workshop and to help you with the language, in case you need so. I am sure you won't regret both the trip and the experience!

Originally Posted by razorguy

It is now about two years I started this thread in which I wanted to share with you all my personal experience about the making of my Mastro Livi straight razors and, since then, many good things have happened, in particular the people I met at Mastro Livi workshop.

First of all, Mastro Livi himself with whom, in the course of these two years, we got to know each other better, I got to know, not just his extraordinary artistic and craftsmanship quality, but also the remarkable, honest and wise man he is, we have become very good friends, a friendship of which I am certainly honored and proud of. Not to mention, the honor of having met all of Mastro Livi family, lovely and genuine people for sure, always nice, kind and welcoming.

The first good person I had the chance to meet at Mastro Livi workshop has been stefanosup. I met him in August 2013, the day he came to Perugia to order his very first straight razor while I was there to shoot my second video about Mastro Livi art and in which is shown the making of my first RWL-34 straight razor, the third straight razor made by this revered artisan I added to my collection.

Stefanosup and I have become very good friends, we talk a lot about straight razors, soaps and other shaving related subjects, he certainly is a gentleman and someone whom you can certainly trust his word, loyal and genuine, a quite rare quality to see in our times.
Last summer I had the chance to meet another person at Mastro Livi workshop and, besides being a nice person, he is also a chef - something catching my whole interest because of my job - and a quite special one: Chef Eros Picco.

Not only Eros Picco is the head chef at an Italian Michelin starred restaurant in Milan - Innocenti Evasioni - he also have a genuine passion for knives and straight razors. Special knives and razors, I would add, because all of them have been made for him by Mastro Livi and his son Luca. Moreover, he did not simply want Mastro Livi knives in his kitchen, he wanted the Livis to create his own knives according to his own specifications. On this regard, it is something telling you how passionate Chef Eros Picco is about his job and how he does feel about cooking, knowing very well quality in cooking also means using the right tools and techniques.

When I met him - and the same day Stefanosup and his son too were at Mastro Livi workshop - chef Eros Picco was there because he wanted Luca Livi to make new knives for his restaurant and, once again, according to his own specifications and kitchen needs. Moreover, he also ordered two new straight razors, as he loves shaving with Mastro Livi straight razors.

That day Chef Eros Picco brought with him his Mastro Livi RWL-34 straight razor because it needed a touch up as it was - if I am not wrong - three years he was using that razor and never honed or refreshed it on any stone or paste. I remember Mastro Livi inspecting the razor's edge, stropping it on his chromium oxide paste by using his well known loom strop, inspecting the edge again, giving the razor back to his owner and saying "now it is ok". After three years it just needed a pass on chromium oxide: not so bad for an edge, is it?

Last month I had the chance to meet Chef Eros Picco again and, this time, in his Michelin starred restaurant Innocenti Evasioni in Milan. He runs the restaurant with his partner Chef Tommaso Arrigoni, a truly lovely haute-cuisine restaurant I suggest everyone who happen to be in Milan to visit and to enjoy a lusicous, elegant, high quality and fine dinner.

I am writing about this experience because few days ago has been published an interesting report about Chef Eros Picco in which you can see him shaving with a Mastro Livi straight razor as well as a display of his four Mastro Livi straight razors, including some knives made according to his specifications by Livi Coltellerie.

The report is in Japanese language and published on Nikkei Business (in case you need so, google translator may be your friend and it certainly was mine to read it) and you can watch these pictures at page 4.

I wanted to share it with you all as I believe this too contributes to "my Mastro Livi experience", not to mention how special I consider a Chef - not to mention, a starred Chef - who is using Mastro Livi knives in his kitchen and has a passion for straight razors. Mastro Livi straight razors, of course.

Chef Eros Picco of Innocenti Evasioni holding a Mastro Livi knife in balance

With all due respect, I have hit the enter key in between some sentences to make it easier for old eyes to read. When the text is all in one paragraph it is more difficult. Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

With all due respect, I have hit the enter key in between some sentences to make it easier for old eyes to read. When the text is all in one paragraph it is more difficult. Thanks for sharing.

I will remember about that in my next "long posts". Thank you for your suggestion.