I would assume, based on your experience, that you now inspect a new edge before putting it to your face. Lesson learned. Thanks for sharing.
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Blades Grim?
- Thread starter Rekt
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I would assume, based on your experience, that you now inspect a new edge before putting it to your face. Lesson learned. Thanks for sharing.
Hmmmm, I too purchased my 6/8 Hart shortly after Xmas (01/14).....and it did not shave well, although I am brand new, it just hurt like it was biting my face....I did roll it on the edge once on the strop by mistake, so I sent it out for honing by a pro....well it just came back from gssixgun at Gem Star Customs up in Sand Point in my home state here in Idaho....
Per gssixgun, he found the edge had microchips on the edge, he used 2 layers of tape and a combo of stones to reset the bevel and give it a nice smile as well as ensuring it was shave ready. It looks much much better, it is sharper, but compared to a Böker Edelweiss I picked up from Straight Razor Designs (honed in house before shipping), it just does not feel right on my face. Also, every time I have tried to use it - it spots up real easy on the spine and near the spine along the blade....the Böker has not had even one spot or stain show up like that at all.
I am going to give the Hart about a dozen more shaves and gssixgun recommended this blade get 25 laps on canvas followed by 50 laps on the leather before shaving to keep the edge keen.
So here it is - the escape hatch if the Hart never shaves well,,,,I paid for the Hart via Paypal Alas, Paypal now offers 180 days buyer protection....so if this blade does not go well for so-called "shave ready" quality.....might be time to make a claim for:
- "You received an item that was significantly different than described."
Hey I am a registered seller on Paypal/Ebay....and this is jokingly referred to as the Paypal 180 day rental trial agreement...i.e. don't pocket your sales proceeds until 180 days has passed! Well I am still well within 180 days.....as a buyer I have used the aforementioned resolution to get a refund on some repair parts for our microwave last year...
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I hate to see that you got a bad Hart as well. It kind of confirms my suspicion that the reason Classic Shaving slashed the prices on this batch of Harts is that there were quality issues with them. I wonder if they were razors that were shipped previously and returned by customers who did not like them. Of course, it may be that they were Harts that failed final inspection at the plant, but they figured they could recoup some of their losses by selling them at "fire sale" prices. But selling razors with chips in the edge is not an acceptable practice.
Gssixgun has far more honing experience than I do, but it sounds like we came to similar conclusions. The only way I could keep the blade from chipping was to hone it with two layers of tape, just as he did. Even at that, I still don't like the edge on mine as I cannot get the blade as sharp as I like with two layers of tape, but at least it does not slice my face any more.
I have not given up on the razor as every experiment I try in honing this razor adds to my knowledge. If every razor were easy to hone, anybody could do it.
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This speaks volumes....
There are so many quaility shaver makers out there like BBRW, Wacker, Jerry Stark, Boker, Koraat so its a real shame that poor razors are still being turned out from a company that once produced quaility razors.
My first foray into straights was on straightrazors.com a long time ago, before I stumbled into the B&B. Nice looking starter kits, ordered one. A "custom" blade, supposedly shave ready, a cheap strop, and a bottle of Grimm Smolder oil. The razor was a Gold Dollar and as sharp as a butter knife, so I emailed and complained. A replacement set was sent, keep the first please. The second blade was just as bad. Kind of liked the oil, took a while to use both bottles though.
The one positive thing I can say about the grim guys.. they are great at marketing themselves as straight razor guys like you and me.
IMHO they couldn't care less, its just a way to get you to buy what they are selling
But like I said they market themselves great.. production vids...tons of presence on sale sites..It really makes you think they are a "up and up" company... until you find out otherwise
IMHO they couldn't care less, its just a way to get you to buy what they are selling
But like I said they market themselves great.. production vids...tons of presence on sale sites..It really makes you think they are a "up and up" company... until you find out otherwise
I can say that the discounted Hart that I bought after Christmas is a good shaver. Not the best edge from Hart, but nothing to cry about.
@Super Mario, the Hart and the Boker are two very different blades. One is full hollow and the other is a quarter hollow. The Hart is much bigger as well. That very well could be why they feel so different for you.
@Super Mario, the Hart and the Boker are two very different blades. One is full hollow and the other is a quarter hollow. The Hart is much bigger as well. That very well could be why they feel so different for you.
Somewhere I saw a report, it might have even been a video, of the owner of Grim blades bragging about the facilities in which Grim Blades are made. Like many West Coast Internet startups, they had exercise equipment, game tables, etc. designed to make things "fun" for the employees. For me, that was a good reason to avoid Grim Blades. Producing a razor sharp edge is serious business, not fun and games. Real craftsmen get their satisfaction from producing a quality product in which they have enormous pride. Jerry Stark, Brian Brown, Ralf Aust, Heribert Wacker, Mastro Livi and several other produce razors because they love doing it.
I stumbled across some older threads recently regarding the How to Grow a Moustache / Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements drama from several years ago. It's the first thing I thought about when I strarted to read this thread. I wasn't wet shaving when that played out and maybe people can change, but I'll stay clear of the guy/company. Will probably do the same with Blades Grim based on the comments here.
After several hours of work on hones, pastes, and strops, I finally found the combination that enabled my "on sale" Hart to give a reasonable shave. I don't think it will every be one of my best shavers. While it will shave WTG on my chin reasonably well, I doubt I will ever risk shaving ATG for fear of splitting my lower lip. With my best shaving razors, I can easily shave ATG on my chin.
As said earlier, with the bumper crop of quality razor makers putting out wonderful razors for $200-$250 or even less, it makes little sense to gamble on one which seems to have such an "iffy" track record.
For those intereseted in the Blades Brim Story, sounds sincere enough and i would be inclined to buy from them based on these vids, I have honed several Hart razors for folks and they honed up well enough and haved ok but would not trade one for say one of my Filarmonica, Revisor or similar, maybe it's the grind but just prefer full hollow.
Like I said.. they are great at marketing themselves.
Sadly this gives all custom makers a bad name as it cast a doudt in everyones mind who is looking to buy a custom. I have some spectacular customs from some second to none craftsmen....research before purchase is key i guess. .
Due diligence can begin here on this site. That is a good thing. If someone reads the posts mentioning who is making what and how well (or not so well) they are doing it, problems and disappointment can be minimal.
Also, should someone decide to travel further down the straight razor rabbit hole and begin to look into acquiring some of the more "exotic" products out there...like Mastro Livi, Robert Williams, Joe Edson, Charlie Lewis, Tim Zowada...yeah those guys, here is a great venue to vet things.
The quality makers will always surface at the top; the others will not
Also, should someone decide to travel further down the straight razor rabbit hole and begin to look into acquiring some of the more "exotic" products out there...like Mastro Livi, Robert Williams, Joe Edson, Charlie Lewis, Tim Zowada...yeah those guys, here is a great venue to vet things.
The quality makers will always surface at the top; the others will not
Very well said !!
Agreed!
and their poor customer service, with the "the customer must have damaged it, it was perfect when it left" trope, followed by no further contact has been the playbook for them for years, as documented here.
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