Can anyone explain the allure of a Copper or Bronze razor?

[Fiddler]

Do they shave better?

Is subsequent patina and staining the main draw?

I want my razors to be clean looking and I don't care much for copper or bronze
and how they react to oxidation. However, I see guys getting very excited over
a copper or bronze razor.

Help me understand what's going on here.

 

[lasta]

It's not hard to keep them bright. light polish once or twice a year and good as new.

Maybe it's just me, but I like the clean lighter shade of freshly polished brass to gold.

This is assuming they are shiny to begin with. I see no point to matte brass razors.

 

[Halfbeard]

Do they shave better?

Is subsequent patina and staining the main draw?

I want my razors to be clean looking and I don't care much for copper or bronze
and how they react to oxidation. However, I see guys getting very excited over
a copper or bronze razor.

Help me understand what's going on here.

Why to ask if you don't care about them? I don't get it - to be excited about things one does not care.

Do they better ? I have DSC S9 and V92. S9 is SS and V92 is brass. They shave the same - that is excetionally. But V92 is more beautiful for my eyes.
I have also Goodfellas Bayonetta. Also an exceptional shaver. If they had SS version I believe I would still buy brass.

Patina maybe some. Stains - no. After every shave I clean and dry my razors (all!) - there can be no water stains.

 

[wetshaver233]

My understanding is that razors made out of bronze and copper are seen as exotic, especially when a razor company is using stainless steel as their base metal for razors and offer bronze, copper and sometimes brass as ''more premium'' options. The funny thing is that some offer brass as their most affordable option like the Aylsworth Kopperkant as well as Karve and Lambda Athena and Ares with their marine bronze.

Some say that copper holds heat longer and they enjoy that. Personaly, I would never pay premium for bronze, copper or brass and I would only buy them if they are either polished or have any type of plating on them as well as being the least expensive option. I find stainless steel and especially titanium superior and more praticle, but whatever floats your boat.

 

[fast shaver]

I do have an old Baili Razor that is chromium coated brass. I mostly like it for the weight it adds for mowing down thick stubble.

 

[abies]

Because they're cool, different.

I was very interested in both, especially copper, until I discovered I like much lighter razors. If someone made a lightweight copper razor with negative exposure specs I'd be tempted (then again if someone made any negative exposure razor I'd pay attention, as long as it wasn't zinc alloy).

I suppose copper — and by extension, brass — has known antibacterial properties to some extent, so that might be one reason. A copper or brass razor in theory is likely to be more sterile. But the effect as a shaving tool, given all the soap and so forth, has to be pretty minimal so that reason is probably sort of questionable.

 

[Hairy Callahan]

My only copper razor is the PAA Ascension and it's like shaving with a heated razor. Now I want all of my favorite razors in plated copper.

 

[cpcohen1945]

Copper and bronze (especially bronze) have a long history in marine applications -- even in salt water, they last a long time as fastenings and fittings. Buried bronze swords can last for millennia, and unlike copper (which is weak), bronze is a good metal for mechanisms.

Antikythera mechanism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Whereas stainless steel is a Johnny-come-lately. We know it's as good (or better), but it doesn't have the same historical patina.

Maybe for my next razor . . .

. Charles

 

[roaduck]

My only copper razor is the PAA Ascension and it's like shaving with a heated razor. Now I want all of my favorite razors in plated copper.

Good idea Hairy Callahan (love the nick btw) - copper looks gorgeous to me and it gets lovely and warm - great for the Winter or shaving outside plus it reacts to temperature immediately because it is such a good conductor unlike stainless or titanium which I own and are cool in hot Countries - that`s why good French chefs especially use a gas stove with copper pans on it - I know because I`ve lived there !

 

[roaduck]

Copper and bronze (especially bronze) have a long history in marine applications -- even in salt water, they last a long time as fastenings and fittings. Buried bronze swords can last for millennia, and unlike copper (which is weak), bronze is a good metal for mechanisms.

Antikythera mechanism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Whereas stainless steel is a Johnny-come-lately. We know it's as good (or better), but it doesn't have the same historical patina.

Maybe for my next razor . . .

. Charles

They were making swords in Sheffield 4000 years ago - not that far from me - in The Bronze Age - naturally - plus they made razors then - nothing else about !
I`ll try and fish you some pictures out of the old sharpies !

 

[roaduck]

One of these is copper coated I think Hairy Callahan and the beech wood one is warm - much better than the brass, stainless and titanium ones I have in chilly Manchester, NE England.

 

[roaduck]

Thank You so so much Hairy Callahan - my lady spotted this forum page open and got me one with all the bits for my 59th next week - she`s clever and read up - I don`t think my face is worth it - but she does - Yippee !

I`m brain damaged because of strokes, comas, diphtheria, landmines and drunk mansions, Rolls-Royces and swimming pools but not to worry - We all have our cross to bear.

I use to spend $6000 on vodka in two weeks and I wasn`t even having a party !

 

[NorthernSoul]

It's hard to beat plated brass IMHO. Still, I think people enjoy having something different. Stainless steel is a Johnny-come-lately.

I have a couple of brass GEM Micromatics from the 1930s. I like the looks. If you rinse and wipe them down before putting them away they don't tarnish much.

 

[brucered]

More likes in SOTD photos.

 

[noslen]

brass and copper just look cool when they patina the right way, just looks classy I think

 

[Old Hippie]

Proper bronze is 88 per cent copper and 12 per cent tin. One reason I won't buy bronze razors is that many of the makers are using aluminum bronze which although it's qualitatively "better" than traditional bronze in several ways is just not the metal I want. Price is a factor; plus I've got about enough razors.

O.H.

 

[velocityboy]

Stainless steel razors are awesome. Perfectly functional tools but they're kind of like a bright white room lit by naked 8000K cold white LEDs. Brass/Copper razors take you to a cozy log cabin lit only by the fireplace and a small 2000K warm white lamp.

 

[idjekyll]

I have to agree there's something intangibly attractive about brass. I use the brass Yates and a TiBird primarily and there's just something nice about holding and shaving with the Yates.

 

[Iridian]

I don't get the allure of copper, it looks pinkish, brass/bronze looks kinda golden, that's something I can somewhat understand. But then, I am not into patina either and like the shininess of steel and its ease of maintenance.

I have learnt by now that not everyone shares my exquisite taste.

I don't like aluminum haptically, if I want a lightweight razor, it must be titanium. No idea why...

 

[Fiddler]

So...brass/copper is Anti bacterial. Holds heat better. Exotic.
(thought only copper had anti bacterial properties)

So far no one has said they shave better.

Interesting responses so far...

Someone in comments tried to insinuate some kind of ulterior motive for posting
this question...Im just trying to understand the attraction.

The most convincing reply for me is: to have something different.