Posted this elsewhere then I was directed hereby a "friendly"! Anyhow, here it is:
I had just had it with shaving, i knew the whole "three blade bull" was just that, single blade - twin blade - then three blades - five? Bo**ocks!
I decided to go back to basics and get myself a straight razor. There is great choice and i chose a simple "Wapi". A razor made in Poland allegedly for the Polish health service and now slowly being released into the wild. They are not expensive and if you stop there, it will work out FAR cheaper than buying disposables. However, I am a WIS, why not RIS - Razor Idiot Savant? And so the "collecting" began. I have two hand made Japanese, several waterstones, numerous strops and eleven straight razors. My favourite is my Bismarck by Dovo and this razor i find ridiculously easy to use. Some of my others, especially the "French Point" razors require a bit of attention when being used.
However, being a true RIS, it didn't stop there - oh no - I just happen to have a load of hardwood: Lignum Vitae, Cocobolo, Indian Rosewood, Padouk and so on (like you do) in the garage from a previous re-incarnation. Most of my tools have gone so i have bought a motorised fretsaw, a linisher and some jigs and small clamps. Everything else, peening hammers, drill press and all the hand tools you could wish for I have already.
As you can see from the pics I have started to make my ow handles or "Scales" as they are properly called and i am busy buying good vintage razors and resurrecting them and more specifically, making and fitting new Scales. I am using Dovo replacement Silver Steel pins and a variety of wedges i make myself.
Above you can see, from top left clockwise: A plastic handled "Wapi" razor, a pin pack and wedge, a Lignum Vitae handle blank (sadly this one cracked :-( ), My "Bismarck" razor and a "Wapi" with a set of replacement Olivewood Scales.
Here you can see me grinding the pin holding the scales to a "Wapi" razor that new Scales can be fitted.
A new pin in place ready to be trimmed to size and peened over, a cold rivet really.
Always important, making sure the blade is aligned with the centre of the "handle", fouling will cause problems, premature wear and really, it is just poor workmanship to mis align them.
I had just had it with shaving, i knew the whole "three blade bull" was just that, single blade - twin blade - then three blades - five? Bo**ocks!
I decided to go back to basics and get myself a straight razor. There is great choice and i chose a simple "Wapi". A razor made in Poland allegedly for the Polish health service and now slowly being released into the wild. They are not expensive and if you stop there, it will work out FAR cheaper than buying disposables. However, I am a WIS, why not RIS - Razor Idiot Savant? And so the "collecting" began. I have two hand made Japanese, several waterstones, numerous strops and eleven straight razors. My favourite is my Bismarck by Dovo and this razor i find ridiculously easy to use. Some of my others, especially the "French Point" razors require a bit of attention when being used.
However, being a true RIS, it didn't stop there - oh no - I just happen to have a load of hardwood: Lignum Vitae, Cocobolo, Indian Rosewood, Padouk and so on (like you do) in the garage from a previous re-incarnation. Most of my tools have gone so i have bought a motorised fretsaw, a linisher and some jigs and small clamps. Everything else, peening hammers, drill press and all the hand tools you could wish for I have already.
As you can see from the pics I have started to make my ow handles or "Scales" as they are properly called and i am busy buying good vintage razors and resurrecting them and more specifically, making and fitting new Scales. I am using Dovo replacement Silver Steel pins and a variety of wedges i make myself.
Above you can see, from top left clockwise: A plastic handled "Wapi" razor, a pin pack and wedge, a Lignum Vitae handle blank (sadly this one cracked :-( ), My "Bismarck" razor and a "Wapi" with a set of replacement Olivewood Scales.
Here you can see me grinding the pin holding the scales to a "Wapi" razor that new Scales can be fitted.
A new pin in place ready to be trimmed to size and peened over, a cold rivet really.
Always important, making sure the blade is aligned with the centre of the "handle", fouling will cause problems, premature wear and really, it is just poor workmanship to mis align them.
