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The Frankenrazor Thread

It's not quite Friday, yet, but here's my Frankenrazor Friday contribution....

Generic Chinese top cap (looks identical to the Yintal YT-L001 head) with a Maggard V3 multi-colour base plate on a RazoRock Barber Pole handle:

proxy.php


I mentioned in another thread about the Maggard head having blade misalignment issues. No matter how much I fiddled with it, one side always had more blade exposure (~0.4mm). However, after checking dimensions, I swapped the generic Chinese top cap on and the problem is solved; both sides have equal exposure now. It seems that the problem lies with the Maggard V3 cap.

The Maggard MR11 handle didn't engage the Chinese cap's post very well because it's slightly shorter than normal. The RR handle had no issues.

As for the performance... This combination is super aggressive. I like an aggressive razor, but this is over the top. On the other hand, it's extremely efficient. I was pleased with the results, although it wasn't exactly a relaxing shave. I'll only use this combination when I'm wide awake!

Anyway, this was a cheap fix for the misaligned Maggard head. The generic Chinese head only cost $2.49 CDN ($1.89 US) on AliExpress.
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
It's not quite Friday, yet, but here's my Frankenrazor Friday contribution....

Generic Chinese top cap (looks identical to the Yintal YT-L001 head) with a Maggard V3 multi-colour base plate on a RazoRock Barber Pole handle:

proxy.php


I mentioned in another thread about the Maggard head having blade misalignment issues. No matter how much I fiddled with it, one side always had more blade exposure (~0.4mm). However, after checking dimensions, I swapped the generic Chinese top cap on and the problem is solved; both sides have equal exposure now. It seems that the problem lies with the Maggard V3 cap.

The Maggard MR11 handle didn't engage the Chinese cap's post very well because it's slightly shorter than normal. The RR handle had no issues.

As for the performance... This combination is super aggressive. I like an aggressive razor, but this is over the top. On the other hand, it's extremely efficient. I was pleased with the results, although it wasn't exactly a relaxing shave. I'll only use this combination when I'm wide awake!

Anyway, this was a cheap fix for the misaligned Maggard head. The generic Chinese head only cost $2.49 CDN ($1.89 US) on AliExpress.

Nice looking Frankenrazor.

Is the baseplate the V3 or V3A?
 
Put the Charcoal Goods Lithe Cap onto the Weaponry Claymore Open Comb plate & the Claymore Cap on the smooth bar Lithe plate.
No change in shave quality. Did the left side vs right side shave comparison:
Lithe with open comb & Voskhod Blade (3) was still the best of my Zamak shaves - comparable to a great Tech shave. The Claymore cap with Lithe plate & Astra SP (3) blade shaved better than the original Weponry Claymore ever did.
Smooth, close and irritation free for both.
View attachment 1042146
Upper left & lower right: Charcoal Goods Lithe
Upper Right and lower left: Claymore Weaponry - same as Stirling Soaps open comb head or Maggard V2

I have a RazoRock Barberpole handle on order for the Lithe - should look Killer!
OK, Finally got the handle today - it got stuck in routing thru Chicago for about a week.
It's in the line-up to shave tomorrow.
Lithe with Barber Pole.jpg
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
OK, Finally got the handle today - it got stuck in routing thru Chicago for about a week.
It's in the line-up to shave tomorrow.
View attachment 1045081

The Lithe head has been a very pleasant surprise.

For Frankenrazor Friday, I've got the Lithe cap, Pearl OC baseplate and the TiBam Radiator Handle running a Voskhod blade.

Should be a very interesting shave.
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
Frankenrazor Friday Shave 20191220

Prep: Rinse Face
Pre-shave: n/a
Brush: Shavemac 26mm Synthetic Fan
Soap: Tabac
Bowl: n/a (Face lathered today)
Razor: Frankenrazor: WCS Lithe top cap, Pearl OC baseplate, Russian Ti Handle
Blade: Voskhod (4)
Post-shave: Crystal Alum Stick, Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Aftershave Balm: Thayer's Balm w/Aloe
Aftershave: Brut

WTG, ATG, XTG with minor touch-up and buffing.

DFS with two weepers, no nicks or cuts, minor irritation.

9/10

My Frankenrazor Friday shave was a bit disappointing in that I prefer, by a reasonable margin, the stock WCS Lithe cap and baseplate over the Frankenrazor WCS Lithe cap and Pearl OC baseplate.

The Lithe/Pearl is definitely more aggressive territory. The stock Lithe gave me a smoother and closer shave with less irritation.

Still got a DFS out of the Lithe/Pearl. :)

If you like aggressive razors, the Lithe/Pearl is worth a try.

YMMV
 
Frankenrazor Friday Shave 20191220

Prep: Rinse Face
Pre-shave: n/a
Brush: Shavemac 26mm Synthetic Fan
Soap: Tabac
Bowl: n/a (Face lathered today)
Razor: Frankenrazor: WCS Lithe top cap, Pearl OC baseplate, Russian Ti Handle
Blade: Voskhod (4)
Post-shave: Crystal Alum Stick, Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Aftershave Balm: Thayer's Balm w/Aloe
Aftershave: Brut

WTG, ATG, XTG with minor touch-up and buffing.

DFS with two weepers, no nicks or cuts, minor irritation.

9/10

My Frankenrazor Friday shave was a bit disappointing in that I prefer, by a reasonable margin, the stock WCS Lithe cap and baseplate over the Frankenrazor WCS Lithe cap and Pearl OC baseplate.

The Lithe/Pearl is definitely more aggressive territory. The stock Lithe gave me a smoother and closer shave with less irritation.

Still got a DFS out of the Lithe/Pearl. :)

If you like aggressive razors, the Lithe/Pearl is worth a try.

YMMV
As I mentioned before, I swapped parts between the Lithe & a Maggard V2. While the V2 Franken-Lithe shaves smooth, easy and irritation-free & is in the rotation line-up behind a couple of my Techs, the remaining parts: Lithe bottom plate & V2 cap are pretty impressive, too.

Been looking at the aggregation of razors I have housed in a couple of Flambeau #5007 trays. I've kinda got them separated by best shaves. It struck me today that the majority of my Best-of-the-Best shaves in the one tray are with Techs, Old Types & New Types & clones with thin heads - all razors with heads that are dramatically thinner than the clunky, thick chromed Zamak heads all the newbies & millennials regard as normal & mainstream shaving configuration.

For MY purposes Best is a razor that can do BBS in 3 passes with a little clean-up. Best-of-the-Best is BBS in 2 passes with clean-up or 3 full passes without any need for cleanup. Either one gives a great shave I'm satisfied with. A more aggressive razor or "sharper" blade doesn't automatically qualify for a better shave, in my experience.

The Lithe/Maggard swaps fall more into the Best of the Best category.

Additionally, some observations on handles: the vintage Gillettes all have light weight handles that give them good balance and a propensity to give a shave a much lighter touch. The heavier [so-called clunky] heads do very well with the heavier machined solid stainless handles, but most do surprisingly well with light handles, too. Has anyone else also noticed this?

As with everything from guns to women to cars, YMMV.
 
Here's a favorite Frankenrazor of mine, it's been like this for about five years now. Since the top cap of a Fatip I bought was curled up on two opposite corners I replaced it with a Merkur, which has different threads to the handle, of course. At any rate, it definitely tamed that defective and unruly Fatip.

Merkur cap, Fatip comb, and dainty little EMIR handle from an anticor (corn razor).
full

that looks like a merkur 41 series 1904 handle with a rubber cap placed on the end? who borrowed from whom? any ideas on this? thanks.



camo
 
Franken vs Un-Frankened razors:
Could'a chosen A #160 Good Will or another New Long Comb, both in nearly mint condition for the Christmas Day shave, however, the underdogs and under utilized razors prevailed today.
Brass Cap vs V2+Lithe Plate.jpg

Left Side: I accumulated several razors a'la E-Bay that were cheap and also parts obviously re-assembled by a 12 year-old: Handles and caps didn't match, and someone did a masterful job at stripping a Pre War Tech down to bare red brass. Some buffing to remove cap scratches and it was ready to replate. The others were a New Long Comb and another Pre War Tech (from different sellers) that had handles swapped. I cleaned up another stripped to red brass cap, and reassembled onto the proper Tech Fat handle. Into the tray it went, after a cursory shave, where it performed like a regl'r Tech.
Right Side: I put a Charcoal Goods Lithe cap onto a Maggard V2 open comb plate; the leftovers went to todays' razor.
I've been getting more than my fair share of exemplary shaves lately, and attributed it to my Cremogena soap blend. I also read around about pre-shaves, and made my own blend of the Walmart Generic Noxema plus some kokum butter, avocado oil & an emulsifier. Seems like it enhances my other, lesser-used soaps & I continue to not only get BBS shaves, but also noticeably longer blade life.
Left: the Un-Frankened Fat Handle Tech / BIC (6)
Right: Lithe plate + V2 cap / Voskhod (7)
Soap: ToBS St James
Noxema blend Pre-shave

I'm a big baby when it comes to shaving irritation. Normally I pull & toss blades after 4-5 shaves. With the preshave mix, I've been getting a few more proper shaves with various blades. Neither blade used today shows sign of needing to be tossed.

Merry Christmas!
 
Last edited:

never-stop-learning

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Staff member
Haven't done a Frankenrazor shave in some time. May just have to go rooting around in the pieces, parts, heads and handles bins. ;)
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
20201003
Frankenrazor Time! :punk:
20201003_194421~2.jpg

Primary Razor: Frankenrazor (WCS Lithe cap, Schöne OC plate, rusdrunkbear Handlebar handle)
Blade: Personna Med Prep (5)

Touch-up Razor: Schick Type E
Blade: Schick (7)
Brush: @Rudy Vey Lime Swirl (Shavemac D01 2-Band Badger)
Lather: Fat 'As (Frankensoap)
Aftershave: @OkieStubble Bootlegger's El Dorado

Frankenrazor + Frankensoap = Franken-great shave. :) :punk:
 
This thread deserves to live again...

Here's one born of an irresistible pun, yet somehow it's very smooth and very effective - oh, and the cap studs are quite a close fit through the baseplate, the blade alignment is pretty much locked in perfect straight away, instantly fixing the most annoying thing about its parents (as both my Old type and Fatip are annoying to align - it's doable, just annoying).

I call this one the "Fat Old Coq".

Fatip cap
Old-type baseplate
LeCoq handle.

Most people seem to go the opposite way and use an Old type cap on a Fatip, but as the LeCoq handle fits the Fatip (and is a particularly nice handle to use) it seemed like it'd be fun to try.

20210616_191935.jpg

20210616_191959.jpg
 
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