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Karve Diem

Will you be ordering a SS Karve?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Later when the price drops

  • I’m so torn...


Results are only viewable after voting.
You might want to have a look at my post "Ultimate Karve Buyers' Guide". This post contains an email from Chris who designed and who makes the Christopher Bradley. In it he provides insight on how to choose a guard.

Based on Chris' advice, I ended up with a B C and a D. I just tried the C and it shaves very much like my Aristocrat Jr. No blade feel, close comfortable, smooth. Perfect with a Feather. I expect that the B and the C will end up my go-to guards.
 
When I ordered a month ago I wish I'd had read this thread first. Still TBD is a Karve with a D and a F plate, 3" handled. At the time I'd some razor funds from a brush sale running through me fingers, and probably based on this should have gone higher .. but I thought paying for 2X knowing one or the other wouldn't work thought I was covered. Seems from these comments I went low .. my Wolfman is .74, Timeless .95, Fatboy set on 9 ..all are ok for daily driving, albeit safely

You might want to have a look at my "Ultimate Karve Buyers' Guide" post. It's basically an email I received from Chris Kirchen the man who designed and makes the Christopher Bradley. In it he explains how his guards compares with Gillette razors.

Based on his advice, I ended up with a B C and a D guard. The C shaves just like my Aristocrat Jr. which loaded with a Feather blade has become one of my go-to razors.
 
Just finished a shave with the D plate. If I was to choose just one plate this would be it. I got a close comfortable shave, with just the right amount of blade feel.
 
Well I would go one step up to the E. It has a tad more blade feel and the right amount of efficiency but still very smooth. It's my favorite of the c,d, and e I have tried.
Happy shaves
Jason
 

garyg

B&B membership has its percs
You might want to have a look at my "Ultimate Karve Buyers' Guide" post. It's basically an email I received from Chris Kirchen the man who designed and makes the Christopher Bradley. In it he explains how his guards compares with Gillette razors.

Based on his advice, I ended up with a B C and a D guard. The C shaves just like my Aristocrat Jr. which loaded with a Feather blade has become one of my go-to razors.

Well, I missed your post first time around, but upon reading it now seems I may be in my ballpark with the D & F plates, D probably will turn out milder than I prefer but then again a couple "mild" razors are often in the lineup here
 
This shot is from an individual on another forum. He calls this "Sunken Treasure". A very nice job indeed....



This looks cool, but blue patina on brass is not very smooth. I almost went that route, but I read up on some jewlery sites that said it feels not very smooth any more so if you were to, say age a bracelet, don't do the underside so it doesn't irritate the wrist. This is going against my face? NO WAY. :) I went with the more traditional antiquing. Its got a smooth surface, actually smoother than the bead blast.

The dragon scale handle could use some more aging to be honest, but I haven't had time and I really like how the custom one turned out once I blackened it.
CB1.jpg
CB2.jpg
CB3.jpg
 
I have a bit more info regarding the stainless steel version of the Karve. It should be available before the end of the year. I had a conversation with a guy who shaves with it the whole time, but I can't put the link here because it's not allowed I believe. Here's a blurred version of the conversation.

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We all know Chris from Karve Shaving is a very busy man, so the less brass Karve razors that are ordered from now on, the bigger the chance he'll be able to stick to his stainless steel release schedule I assume. The guy also said it would be available in 2 versions: brushed (like the current brass one) and polished.
 
I have a bit more info regarding the stainless steel version of the Karve. It should be available before the end of the year. I had a conversation with a guy who shaves with it the whole time, but I can't put the link here because it's not allowed I believe. Here's a blurred version of the conversation.

proxy.php


We all know Chris from Karve Shaving is a very busy man, so the less brass Karve razors that are ordered from now on, the bigger the chance he'll be able to stick to his stainless steel release schedule I assume. The guy also said it would be available in 2 versions: brushed (like the current brass one) and polished.

Good stuff.....
 
I have a lovely bit of Florida coastal marsh for sale... Sorry no faith here. His products are exceptional, his CS is pretty much diametrically opposed to that. He seems nice enough, but at the same time completely oblivious on how to deal with customers, especially upset ones.
 
This looks cool, but blue patina on brass is not very smooth. I almost went that route, but I read up on some jewlery sites that said it feels not very smooth any more so if you were to, say age a bracelet, don't do the underside so it doesn't irritate the wrist. This is going against my face? NO WAY. :) I went with the more traditional antiquing. Its got a smooth surface, actually smoother than the bead blast.

The dragon scale handle could use some more aging to be honest, but I haven't had time and I really like how the custom one turned out once I blackened it. View attachment 919099 View attachment 919100 View attachment 919101

That looks very cool. I like the antique look a lot. I agree the blue looks good but would be rough on the face.
Happy shaves
SMURF
 
His razors and plates are now being sold at a major vendor. I wonder if that is why he had such a big slowdown on fulfilling orders from his website.
 
Ordered another from said vendor Wednesday and delivered tomorrow. My son is enjoying my Karve right now so jumped when I got the email.

Looking forward to the stainless brushed/polished releases before Christmas.

The Blackbird, Charcoal, 17-4, Timeless and Wolfman (and any I’ve owned I forgot to list) are all great razors but Chris’ design supersedes them all for me. Amazing razor.
 
I am looking to get the Karve from said major vendor too, but now the only full razor choices are with the D or E plates. I used to have a 6S and liked the 4/5 plates. Would the D be too much more aggressive?
 
I am looking to get the Karve from said major vendor too, but now the only full razor choices are with the D or E plates. I used to have a 6S and liked the 4/5 plates. Would the D be too much more aggressive?
I wouldn’t think so. I had the D and traded it for the F. I don’t think either of those plates are aggressive. I even find the F plate to be fairly mild. The D plate does not have any blade feel and the F has just enough to know where it is.
 
I am looking to get the Karve from said major vendor too, but now the only full razor choices are with the D or E plates. I used to have a 6S and liked the 4/5 plates. Would the D be too much more aggressive?
Possibly. I liked the 6C with plates 4/5, and find the D plate on my Karve to be more blade feel than I like for daily shaving. But it is fantastic for every other day shaving. I don't enjoy overly aggressive razors, so I don't have the E or F plates. I know my face likes B and C as a daily set up, shaving fairly quickly before work. With the D, I have to slow down and pay more attention! I quake in my boots if I consider the E or F plates!!! lol!
 
I have a lovely bit of Florida coastal marsh for sale... Sorry no faith here. His products are exceptional, his CS is pretty much diametrically opposed to that. He seems nice enough, but at the same time completely oblivious on how to deal with customers, especially upset ones.

Agreed...it is always frustrating when someone creates an exceptional product (a true standout in a sea of other great razors) and then cannot deliver consistently or at the very least keep customers in the loop with a few simple emails to explain delays. The hardest part of a business is creating a product that is truly unique...one that has overwhelming demand; a product that people stand in line to give you their hard-earned money for. The logistics is the easier problem to solve. It doesn't even require quicker order fulfillment initially...just give us some consistent updates and answer customer service emails quickly.

Regardless of what it says on the site, it still seems to be taking 3+ weeks to fill simple orders for the brass razor and its accessories (plates and handles). Anyone that believes he will be able to launch the SS version and immediately have enough inventory to rapidly and efficiently satisfy demand in the next 45-60 days is dreaming.

The Karve has become one of my favorite razors...I was lucky enough to find one on B/S/T, but I am still waiting on another one (with a couple additional plates) that I ordered 3 weeks ago. My order # is in the low 2300s and was supposedly "being processed" as of October 9th...I will keep everyone posted.
 
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