A Little Baffled Here!

[Cambouis]

I have been a member here for nearly six months, and thanks to this wonderful forum have acquired many of the skills needed to enjoy, on the whole, a pleasurable and satisfying straight razor shaving experience nearly every morning.

In the course of my membership I have learned that certain makes or razor (I mean vintage ones rather than modern manufacture since I cannot afford a new razor) are deemed to be superior to others and carry a sort of special cachet.

In particular, I am thinking of Swedish blades from Eskilstuna and from Sheffield, the firm of Wade & Butcher, Greaves and Cadman's Bengalls, Puma and Henckels from Germany and also Japanese razors etc.

Well now, I have about 60-odd razors (mad I know - guilty as charged and with what I have spent I know I could have bought a few new ones!). I managed to acquire a couple of Eskilstuna blades: a C.J. Heljestrand MK32 and a Neistrom and this week, a Wade & Butcher "Special". These three are to me hopeless. I cannot get a shave from the Swedes despite hours of work, and I have reported the grief with the W&B in the Acquisitions thread. I have four Japanese razors - no good either. I have a box christened "The No-Hopers Box"; in this live the two Swedes, a 4/8 Puma that will not hone and quite a few more "problems"

Now I have no problem with my four Bengalls, my four George Butlers, all sorts of other Sheffields, also some Solignens - ERN Ator, C&S, the Henckels are great, and a number of others including three Perfectus surgical steel razors which are excellent. I have honed all of these with good results, and I have a Gold Dollar I modified and after a considerable amount of work, this one shaves very well too.

Has anyone else around here, I wonder. experienced this sort of thing with famous makes or perhaps has had a grim experience with certain marques of razor?

Yours in the dark (!)

C.

 

[M14Shooter]

All the Brands you are having issues with are known to to be great shavers with a properly honed edge .I think you may an issue with a slightly warped blade or an issue with a properly set bevel .Maybe one of our Hone Masters on this board could check out one of your problematic blades,Not saying you are not a good honer,But sometimes a small issue with a blade can cause major headaches when trying to get a keen edge .

 

[Cambouis]

All the Brands you are having issues with are known to to be great shavers with a properly honed edge .I think you may an issue with a slightly warped blade or an issue with a properly set bevel .Maybe one of our Hone Masters on this board could check out one of your problematic blades,Not saying you are not a good honer,But sometimes a small issue with a blade can cause major headaches when trying to get a keen edge .

Thanks for your reply.

Yes this is my point: they are supposed to be great - but not for me. I am far from being a great honer - anyway I cannot afford the super de-luxe stones that the experts use. Had I had problems with all my other razors I could understand, but I haven't! As for the W&B which is perfectly flat (I always check) I cannot even get a bevel on this one!


Rgds

C.

 

[Legion]

I have been a member here for nearly six months, and thanks to this wonderful forum have acquired many of the skills needed to enjoy, on the whole, a pleasurable and satisfying straight razor shaving experience nearly every morning.

In the course of my membership I have learned that certain makes or razor (I mean vintage ones rather than modern manufacture since I cannot afford a new razor) are deemed to be superior to others and carry a sort of special cachet.

In particular, I am thinking of Swedish blades from Eskilstuna and from Sheffield, the firm of Wade & Butcher, Greaves and Cadman's Bengalls, Puma and Henckels from Germany and also Japanese razors etc.

Well now, I have about 60-odd razors (mad I know - guilty as charged and with what I have spent I know I could have bought a few new ones!). I managed to acquire a couple of Eskilstuna blades: a C.J. Heljestrand MK32 and a Neistrom and this week, a Wade & Butcher "Special". These three are to me hopeless. I cannot get a shave from the Swedes despite hours of work, and I have reported the grief with the W&B in the Acquisitions thread. I have four Japanese razors - no good either. I have a box christened "The No-Hopers Box"; in this live the two Swedes, a 4/8 Puma that will not hone and quite a few more "problems"

Now I have no problem with my four Bengalls, my four George Butlers, all sorts of other Sheffields, also some Solignens - ERN Ator, C&S, the Henckels are great, and a number of others including three Perfectus surgical steel razors which are excellent. I have honed all of these with good results, and I have a Gold Dollar I modified and after a considerable amount of work, this one shaves very well too.

Has anyone else around here, I wonder. experienced this sort of thing with famous makes or perhaps has had a grim experience with certain marques of razor?

Yours in the dark (!)

C.

LOL. I love that you cannot "afford" a new razor, but you have somehow bought 60 old ones.

I am pretty sure your problems with the Swedes is the hardness of the steel. I had the same issues when I started. They do require a lot more time on the hones, particularly in the bevel set stage.

 

[Cambouis]

LOL. I love that you cannot "afford" a new razor, but you have somehow bought 60 old ones.

I am pretty sure your problems with the Swedes is the hardness of the steel. I had the same issues when I started. They do require a lot more time on the hones, particularly in the bevel set stage.

Thanks. Yes of course you are quite right, but there are so many different razors and it is fun (also SRAD). I have now decided I will buy only razors that have shapes that I like - especially dreadnoughts.

One day I might have a go at the Swedes, but I doubt it will be soon frankly.

Best rgds

C.

 

[Mango]

+1
I agree in full.
Give yourself a chance to shave with one "enfant à problème" honed by Doc (for example) and benchmark the performance of the razor with a new edge.

I have been enjoying the trip since 2 years now and hone my razors since 18 months but still stumble against honing obstacles like odd geometries (especially with French razors). A dialed-in edge will shave , no matter the brand or the grind. You might feel a slight comfort difference since YMMV but it'll do the job.

Here is a recent experience of mine :
Last week I was reviewing my collection and found a Sundermann 7/8 I acquired NOS more than 18 months ago. It has always been a headache. I honed it for the 3rd time since I acquired it and understood I was to blame not the razor. It delivered a superb shave in 2 pass.

Experience is key, learning curve is what will bring you where you wish to be and I encourage you to continue to hone until you find the edge suiting your skin and beard.

Doc taught me all I know. When I was facing troubles with a blade his reply was " hone ,hone and hone again "
He was right. But I had him honing all my razors (and he still does occasionally because he is great) for almost a year so that I could compare my results with his edges before I could fly .

Just my 2 cts of a Euro

Cheers

 

[seattleshaver]

Is the Wade & Butcher that you are having problems with a wedge?

Are some of the others that you have problems with 4/8's and the ones that you don't have problems with larger than that?

 

[Cambouis]

Thanks very much. I should love to send razors to Doc, having read so much about him here, but I am in England. Shipping and worse customs charges, would make it impractical. I have had razors professionally honed here - e.g. the Alfred Bentley I used the other day. It is excellent (especially since my stropping has come up to scratch!) but others I have done myself compare favourably.

As you say, the best thing to do is soldier on! But it is the W&B that has been the biggest disappointment and which has prompted me to start this thread. The essentially unknown make antique I did earlier this week is fine and shaves! Cannot even get close to a bevel on the W&B.

Rgds

C.

 

[M14Shooter]

I would try to reset the bevel on the the Wade and Butcher on a 1K stone .Then try to a progression up to 8 or 12 K . I have several Wade and Butchers and love finishing them on a Belgium Stone .They have a very buttery and smooth feel off a Belgium Finishing stone .BTW a Jnat Finisher is great also .

 

[Mango]

Send your WB to me if you wish
I'll have a US colleague of mine bringing it to Doc. Just need to be patient ...

 

[Legion]

Gary Haywood is in the UK. He has a good reputation for honing.

Maybe pay someone like that to do one of your problem razors and see.

It is possible that the razor has issues. But if a "pro" can get a good edge on it, then at least you know your problem is between the hone and the floor.

 

[Cambouis]

I would try to reset the bevel on the the Wade and Butcher on a 1K stone .Then try to a progression up to 8 or 12 K . I have several Wade and Butchers and love finishing them on a Belgium Stone .They have a very buttery and smooth feel off a Belgium Finishing stone .BTW a Jnat Finisher is great also .

Thanks

Normally I set bevels on 3k - either a diamond plate or my Naniwa, When more is required then I use a 1.5k diamond. This time none of these approaches worked on the W&B (which admittedly I had had to breadknife as it has a slight frown - though with another razor on which I had to do the smae I had no problems). So on the W&B I went to my 800 grit King stone and passed rather a lot of time - I got nowhwere and gave up. It is wise to know when to walk away isn't it?

I have a vintage coticule and have never got anywhere with it: from my Naniwa 8k I get a mirror finish. Go the the coticule under running water and it looks like the razor has been honed on a brick. I now finish on an Imperia La Rocca. The coticule is now up for sale and there is plenty of interest so that at least won't be a dead loss!!

I never see Jnats for sale in England and they seem to cost at least $500 in the US which I think is outrageous for a bit of rock, but there it is.

Thanks again

C.

 

[Cambouis]

Gary Haywood is in the UK. He has a good reputation for honing.

Maybe pay someone like that to do one of your problem razors and see.

It is possible that the razor has issues. But if a "pro" can get a good edge on it, then at least you know your problem is between the hone and the floor.

Thanks I have dealt with Gary and he has been most helpful. I have also used other people; one of my best razors was done by one of them, but I have one or two I have done myself (notably a couple of Henckels) that compare very well.

Certainly the W&B has a fair bit of honing wear and as I said I had to breadknife it. I used two layers of tape to be on the safe side and the non-edge is already too wide (I had the same problem with the written-off Niestrom).

Best wishes and thanks for your reply

C.

 

[Cambouis]

Is the Wade & Butcher that you are having problems with a wedge?

Are some of the others that you have problems with 4/8's and the ones that you don't have problems with larger than that?

Thanks.

No it is not a wedge, it is hollow ground though not extremely so. And yes I get better results usually with hollow ground blades. The largest blades I have are 13/16; most are 5/8 and 6/8. I know what you mean about 4/8s &c., having read about this problem. I did a Yorkshire Steel Co 4/8 and it is pretty good! Not the Puma though which as I said lives in the "dead" box!

Rgds
C.

 

[Cambouis]

Send your WB to me if you wish
I'll have a US colleague of mine bringing it to Doc. Just need to be patient ...

That's very kind of you to offer to do this. However with the shipping and the fact that I shall be stiffed as usual by the British Customs - and the cut that the Post Office takes for handling (robbers) - it would probably be cheaper to buy another razor. This incidentally is why I have never purchased a razor from the USA.

Best wishes and thanks again.

C.

 

[Legion]

Ok....

So a bunch of possible solutions have been offered, and none of them seem to be a good fit.

Last resort, sell off the razors you dont like and make do with the 50+ that work?

 

[Cambouis]

Ok....

So a bunch of possible solutions have been offered, and none of them seem to be a good fit.

Last resort, sell off the razors you dont like and make do with the 50+ that work?

Indeed and I hope I have made clear how grateful I am to those who have taken the trouble to reply.

I have been planning to sell some razors anyway - in fact I have already sold three and more will be going up soon. I just have to decide which ones I really want to keep! I was hoping that I could sell razors that I could guarantee were shave-ready like the three I sold. This of course will not be the case with the "problem" ones.

best wishes

C.

 

[life2short1971]

I have been a member here for nearly six months, and thanks to this wonderful forum have acquired many of the skills needed to enjoy, on the whole, a pleasurable and satisfying straight razor shaving experience nearly every morning.

In the course of my membership I have learned that certain makes or razor (I mean vintage ones rather than modern manufacture since I cannot afford a new razor) are deemed to be superior to others and carry a sort of special cachet.

In particular, I am thinking of Swedish blades from Eskilstuna and from Sheffield, the firm of Wade & Butcher, Greaves and Cadman's Bengalls, Puma and Henckels from Germany and also Japanese razors etc.

Well now, I have about 60-odd razors (mad I know - guilty as charged and with what I have spent I know I could have bought a few new ones!). I managed to acquire a couple of Eskilstuna blades: a C.J. Heljestrand MK32 and a Neistrom and this week, a Wade & Butcher "Special". These three are to me hopeless. I cannot get a shave from the Swedes despite hours of work, and I have reported the grief with the W&B in the Acquisitions thread. I have four Japanese razors - no good either. I have a box christened "The No-Hopers Box"; in this live the two Swedes, a 4/8 Puma that will not hone and quite a few more "problems"

Now I have no problem with my four Bengalls, my four George Butlers, all sorts of other Sheffields, also some Solignens - ERN Ator, C&S, the Henckels are great, and a number of others including three Perfectus surgical steel razors which are excellent. I have honed all of these with good results, and I have a Gold Dollar I modified and after a considerable amount of work, this one shaves very well too.

Has anyone else around here, I wonder. experienced this sort of thing with famous makes or perhaps has had a grim experience with certain marques of razor?

Yours in the dark (!)

C.

Send me the Swedes I will hone them for you if you would like. I know they can be a pain as the steel is rather hard but they hold an edge very well..Just take care of shipping please.

 

[Antique Hoosier]

I need to send some razors to Lake City but I'm willing to pay for buttery smooth edges.

 

[life2short1971]

I need to send some razors to Lake City but I'm willing to pay for buttery smooth edges.

Send them on my friend! I'll take good care of them for you. Pm me if you need my address