First shave with a frameback and impressions/questions

In the 6 months that I have shaving with straight razors, I have had a chance to try a wide variety of blades: from 3/8 to 15/16 and full hollow, 1/2 hollow, 1/4 hollow, wedges, etc.

One area that I had not been exposed to was framebacks. I recently got a good deal on a rusty CV Heljestrand 6/8 Sandvik Bessemer Stål frameback. There was a little pitting/devils spit on the frame, but the blade had no pitting or chips. The scales had a few scratches, but were no cracked or warped. The frameback cleaned up pretty well, and it honed up to sharp edge that was treetopping arm hair. I did notice that it took extra strokes on the 1000 Norton to set the bevel, but from there, all was well.

So this evening, it was time to get a first shave with the frameback. I lathered up with Mama Bear Pearberry with a Semogue 2000 boar brush. Upon starting my WTG pass, I immediately noticed how light the frameback felt compared to your typical 6/8 razor. But at the same time, the fixed blade had the firmness of shaving with a much heavier wedge. The WTG pass was great; it was easy to plow through whiskers with a light touch. The frameback went through the tougher areas such as the tip of the chin, the moustache area, and the neck rather well. There were no nicks.

The ATG pass was different, however. I am used to using nothing more than the weight of the blade/scales to move the razor in an upward motion. Still, there is a little initial movement that I usually need to do to get the blade in motion and go upwards (since you are not using gravity, as in the case of WTG). Here, since the razor was so light, it moved faster than I was used to and skated over some areas. It worked pretty well for all areas excepted the mustache area where I found it slid moved a little faster than excepted and cut off the tops of some little bumps, causing minor nicks.

So in short, the frameback gave a stellar first WTG shave, and presented a few challenges with ATG. I think the second shave would go better ATG as I would anticipate the razor taking less force/inertia to move. Overall, I am intrigued.

For you veterans out there, how do you rate framebacks relative to your other razors? Do some of you have framebacks in your regular rotation, or do you use the frameback more as an occasional curiosity? Also, are there are any specific framebacks that are highly rated or coveted? I am interested in hearing your thoughts.

This is one of the things that fuels my RAD - getting to know how different styles and sizes of blades handle and feel. I should preface this by saying that I'm a big fan of big old Sheffield razors primarily, so you'll usually find me using a fairly heavy wedge-y blade.

But every once in a while for a change I will bring out one of my two framebacks: a 6/8 Thiers Issard 69 and a tiny little 9/16 Joh. Engstrom. The Engstrom in particular is incredibly light and so gives an experience that is very different from my usual routine. So I probably fall into your latter "occasional curiosity" category. I use them a little more often than, say, my Rolls Razor, but they aren't what I'd say is in regular rotation.

As for which ones are coveted, I honestly don't know. I'm kind of curious to see what others have to say about that. :)

Cangooner,

Curiosity to try different blades/sizes/blades has certainly fueled my RAD as well. I always find the first shave with a razor I've never tried before exciting. At the end of the day, a properly honed and stropped razor should give a good, close shave. However, there is always that little something that is slightly different with each razor that makes straight razor shaving so interesting.

I'm glad to hear that you like your 9/16 Joh. Engstrom frameback. I have a smaller frameback that is in the queue to be restored/honeed -- a 9/16 to 5/8 C.W. Dahlgren.

Are those things loud? Like a full hollow or more?

curious in TN

Since I got it, I have pretty much exclusively used my frameback, though in fairness I only have 3, I have had the frameback for about 4 months I suppose and can count on 2 hands the number of shaves that I have not used it for, and I can count on one hand the number of days I have missed a shave.

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

Since I got it, I have pretty much exclusively used my frameback, though in fairness I only have 3, I have had the frameback for about 4 months I suppose and can count on 2 hands the number of shaves that I have not used it for, and I can count on one hand the number of days I have missed a shave.

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What is it that you like about framebacks so much? I used your razor twice, and it's indeed a fine piece of steel. It was the first and only time I've used one. I thought it was a good razor and shaved very well, but with a very different feel.

I just shaved this morning with my Joh. Engstrom 6/8 Frameback, #14 in my 22 day rotation. I usually describe a shave in singing voices terms. To me a frameback shave is like being whispered to, almost inaudible. You have to listen to it very carefully to hear what it is doing. In contrast,a full hollow is singing in a high soprano. It took me several shaves with the frameback before I could fully appreciate the kind of shave I was getting. I almost traded it away but an extra shave with it convinced me that it is a good member of a very diverse rotation.

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Originally Posted by Frankenstein

What is it that you like about framebacks so much? I used your razor twice, and it's indeed a fine piece of steel. It was the first and only time I've used one. I thought it was a good razor and shaved very well, but with a very different feel.

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I don't know exactly, maybe I just didn't like the other 2 razors I have, I can certainly say that for one of them. And I can't speak of framebacks in the plural as the one I have is the only one I have used. It is certainly the widest razor I have, but not by much, and also the thinnest so it could be either, none, or both of those factors, or because it is a light but stiff blade.
I do find that the smile in the blade makes shaving my neck a lot easier, so perhaps that is why. The negative of that is that cutting my sideburns straight is made harder by that smile.
Hmm certainly made me think there Frankie.

edhewiitt,

You speak very highly of that frameback you use. What's the blade?

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Originally Posted by Cangooner

This is one of the things that fuels my RAD - getting to know how different styles and sizes of blades handle and feel. I should preface this by saying that I'm a big fan of big old Sheffield razors primarily, so you'll usually find me using a fairly heavy wedge-y blade.

But every once in a while for a change I will bring out one of my two framebacks: a 6/8 Thiers Issard 69 and a tiny little 9/16 Joh. Engstrom. The Engstrom in particular is incredibly light and so gives an experience that is very different from my usual routine. So I probably fall into your latter "occasional curiosity" category. I use them a little more often than, say, my Rolls Razor, but they aren't what I'd say is in regular rotation.

As for which ones are coveted, I honestly don't know. I'm kind of curious to see what others have to say about that. :)

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Couldn't agree with you more...coming up to 4 big Wade and Butchers, plus one real nice W&B near wedge, all great.

The other day, needed a quick shave, thought, meh, finally got that TI #69 frameback back from Val that I bought off the Classifieds here, I'll give it a try...WOW...shattered my expectations completely, it was an absolute F1 razor, great shave, handled well, just worked in every way possible, it's now one of my favorite blades, and here I was going to put it back in the Classifieds...no chance...it's a keeper!

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

I don't know exactly, maybe I just didn't like the other 2 razors I have, I can certainly say that for one of them. And I can't speak of framebacks in the plural as the one I have is the only one I have used. It is certainly the widest razor I have, but not by much, and also the thinnest so it could be either, none, or both of those factors, or because it is a light but stiff blade.
I do find that the smile in the blade makes shaving my neck a lot easier, so perhaps that is why. The negative of that is that cutting my sideburns straight is made harder by that smile.
Hmm certainly made me think there Frankie.

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I was reading that and thought.....hmmmm....then you hit it....yes, a smile does make shaving the neck easier....and I have one frameback, and it is an awesome blade, I find the fact that the blade is inserted into the spine, makes the ATG pass much easier.......:gaah:

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Originally Posted by Bordee

edhewiitt,

You speak very highly of that frameback you use. What's the blade?

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I have a J.A. Hellberg that I got from a member here. However I have no reference point to compare it to any other framebacks, and very few other types of razor to compare it too.

I thought I would update this thread with some additional thoughts as I recently acquired and cleaned up an Erik Anton Berg Frameback (5/8s?) in bone. The interesting part about the Berg was that it had a lead wedge. This was the first razor I've ever used with a lead wedge. The lead gave the scales some extra weight, which balanced the razor nicely. I shaved with this bad boy this morning, and I got an even better shave than with my Heljestrand frameback.

Attachment 153005

+1 above

Know what you mean, when I used my TI #69 frameback I picked up from the classifieds here, it was just to give it a try, was in a bit of a rush, splashed some cold water and used Proraso Red, and was blown away at what a superb shave the frameback gave. Here I thought it was more of an occasional blade to use, and after using it, it's definitely in my top 5, outstanding blade!!

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Originally Posted by Bordee

I thought I would update this thread with some additional thoughts as I recently acquired and cleaned up an Erik Anton Berg Frameback (5/8s?) in bone. The interesting part about the Berg was that it had a lead wedge. This was the first razor I've ever used with a lead wedge. The lead gave the scales some extra weight, which balanced the razor nicely. I shaved with this bad boy this morning, and I got an even better shave than with my Heljestrand frameback.

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I have two frameback razors, an A&W Arbenz which has the blade held in place with a screw, and a C.V.Heljestrand which has the blade fixed in place. The pic you've shown is a 'faux frameback', the blade is not a seperate bit of steel to the rest of the razor.

To me, it was the uncommonness and looks that got me hooked on using a frameback - steel quality wasn't important. It just so happens that my favourite is the Heljestrand, which is reputed to have excellent steel. It quickly became my "go to" straight razor.

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Originally Posted by Frankenstein

. I thought it was a good razor and shaved very well, but with a very different feel.

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+1. They feel like a 1/2 hollow to me - which feels odd - but shaves really well. The rigidity of a heavy grind w/ the weight of a full hollow.

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Originally Posted by pinklather

+1. They feel like a 1/2 hollow to me - which feels odd - but shaves really well. The rigidity of a heavy grind w/ the weight of a full hollow.

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Thank you for a different description of a frameback's shave, pink. I've been describing it in terms of voice and with a frameback you have to listen closely to hear it's song, a very quiet song. And yes, like a 1/2 hollow.

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Originally Posted by Deegee

I have two frameback razors, an A&W Arbenz which has the blade held in place with a screw, and a C.V.Heljestrand which has the blade fixed in place. The pic you've shown is a 'faux frameback', the blade is not a seperate bit of steel to the rest of the razor.

To me, it was the uncommonness and looks that got me hooked on using a frameback - steel quality wasn't important. It just so happens that my favourite is the Heljestrand, which is reputed to have excellent steel. It quickly became my "go to" straight razor.

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Thanks for clarifying that its a faux frameback. On further thought, the E.A. Berg has probably a stiffer feel to it than my Heljestrand frameback (non-faux). The Berg did in fact take extra strokes to hone -- as it it were a larger full-wedge.

I agree with you and others that I find the "uncommonness" of the look of the frameback intriguing. With the Berg, I find the combo of faux-frameback, bone, and lead to be quite funky.