In a previous entry, I commented on how to obtain razors for sensible money. That was almost a year ago. Since then, I have reduced the number of razors I own even further. As of today, I own exactly 24 razors, and will put each of them to the test for a week over the next twelve months. Each one I do not completely like will go. That includes one Friodur (because I have an identical one in black), and one Silberstahl (which I have already more or less given to my brother-in-law). But more will have to go, and I do not intend to re-stock. Unless I should come across a minty Puma 89 with rubber tang in black scales. If you own such a razor, feel free to contact me immediately - you will not regret it.
But I digress. It all started when Bart of Coticule.be fame visited me and gave me this Sanssouci razor. Yes, I know, there are fancier razors out there, typically those restored by one of the growing number of commercial restorers. Some of them are true artists, such as the venerable Max Sprecher (who restored my Otto Deutsch "Hans", one of the few razors I will never sell, because it shaves well and is beautiful), others are not. The bad ones will simply drag eBay junk across buffers, plonk some ugly scales on them, and resell with a 500% profit margin. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as their buyers know they are being ripped off. But more often than not, they are not. It is with growing dismay that I watch the BST (buy, sell, trade) sections of almost all shaving forums watch move in this direction. And it is just not fair towards beginners.
Beginners should be treated with respect, and care. We all started small (except for the lucky few who picked up straight shaving when they were young). Back in 2007, I was lucky enough to be taken under the wings by some elderly gentlemen in the US who showered me with high quality razors for very, very little money. I can claim that so far, I have never paid more than US$100 for a single razor. The ones I own who would have been more expensive I obtained through trading. And funnily enough, none of them are what I would call my best razors. Which brings me to the subject of this post: What is my best razor? Do not hold your breath: There is none. And here is why...
When I started shaving with straight razors, I bought a Wacker ground Heartring. And it was OK. I was struggling, believe you me, but I persevered. I had read everything on Badger and Blade, and I still wish I had not. It was simply not good. Then I chanced upon the Straight Razor Place, and things became a lot better. Granted, someone needed to build their Wiki before the site became truly useful for beginners who like reading better than writing, but what was there was already very good. Most of all the people, quite a few of them have since retired (like I, only for different reasons). But there already was a certain degree of hype, notably about Wade & Butcher razors. Everyone said they were superb, but their prices were still acceptable. So I bought a few. And sold them almost immediately. Wade & Butcher razors and I do not like each other. At least I made almost no loss. Except for this one with wooden custom scales that cost me a fortune (had it rescaled twice, and shipping to the US is insanely expensive).
Yet through clever (and sometimes very lucky) trading, I was able to try almost all well known brands, as well as all types of grinds, sizes, and shapes. Which is why I can now buy and very much know in advance what to expect. The last notable exception to this rule was the Hayashi Diamond that came as part of a trade, too. This one was a massive surprise. The Japanese went as far as Sweden to get a steel that was like their Tamahagane, and that razor simply is a joy. If you would like to get an NOS Japanese razor, head over to Jim Rion's site.
So, long story short, this is my best razor ever. Maybe. And maybe not. What many seem to ignore or forget is how important proper preparation really is. Even a so called killer shaver like the H Diamond will perform suboptimally unless I use high quality shaving paraphernalia. I think one of my next blog entries will be about just that, a comparison of shaves with cheap vs good products.
Comments (3)
Diamonds
That's a very good razor. I've honed several for friends, and I've never been disappointed. I have not, however, purchased one myself. I'm pretty well sticking to my very few Pumas, which really is the best on the market. I'm still looking for a minty Puma 89, though...
Other Japanese Razors
I owned one of the Hayashi Diamonds for a while, but I didn't particularly care for it. Naturally, it's just a matter of personal preference, as the razor took a very sharp and very smooth shaving edge. For me, it was just a question of the hard steel and the heavy grind (mine was a quarter hollow ish razor; I'm not sure what other grinds they are available in or how the various models are named). But Japanese full hollows are a whole other story. I love them. They offer the stiffness of the average quarter hollow, but the lightweight feel of full hollows. As you mention, the Japanese frequently use Swedish steel, and I think I prefer the Japanese full hollows over the Swedish ones when it comes to just the shave. Style wise, I am still quite taken by the Heljestrands with their thumbnotches and not quite square points.
Japanese Razors
I very much appreciate the link, Robin.
Japanese razors have pretty much taken over my shaving. The general quality and attention to detail are very high, and yes--the steel used is almost always quite hard (Swedish or Japanese made, or occasionally Austrian). I have been told that some companies relabeled Solingen blades with Japanese names, but I find this odd as Solingen razors sold very very well in Japan labeled as such, so it shouldn't really help in terms of sales...national pride was more than balanced out by the general admiration for Solingen steel that still remains in Japan.
Like Dylan, I find other brands more appealing than the Hayashi razors, particularly FON or Kikuboshi. But above all, if you can find one with the names Iwasaki or Tanifuji, buy it. You will not be disappointed. (If, by some odd circumstance, contact me and I will take if off your hands.) Sadly, this is widely known among razor fans here in Japan, so they will rarely make it out of the country.