Custom Straight Razor artisans.

[rs_776]

Reviving this thread to ask a specific question about a specific comment:



I am currently considering a Jacob Ray standard production razor, El Diablo , and I was wondering if there was something specific about the production razors that would make them undesirable? I'm not looking for anything fancy or too unique, in fact when I was designing a razor in my head, I came up with a simple 6/8" half hollow Spanish point. The price for the Diablo is excellent for non-custom US made straights.

I have one of his production razors. It's the "El Diablo" with "Blue Dymond" scales. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with this razor.

However, this was the 2nd razor he sent me. The first one was completely unacceptable for a multitude of reasons. PM me, and I will show you detailed pics.

One of the concerns was a very uneven and asymmetric bevel. He told me that this is common with the production razors and does not affect shave quality. While it would not have affected shave quality, it would clearly need to be corrected when the razor is honed and would require a fair bit of material removal to correct. With all the warnings he gives about sending his razors to qualified honemeisters, it's laughable that he he would call that razor passable.

He did eventually offer to send a replacement, but I was on the hook for the return postage.

So it's mostly a customer service issue, but it appears that he holds a different standard for what he is willing to call passable for his production razors, given a lower profit margin.

I don't know of any such complaints about his custom work.

I will also add that I heard from one other individual on Lynn Abrams' SRP Facebook group who had a nearly identical experience. PM me and I will show you screenshots of the conversation.

I would suggest that if you want one of his production razors, email him ahead of time and tell him you are apprehensive about it because of stories like mine. Maybe then, he will be sure to send you a good one and avoid future headaches.

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

 

[ajduplessis]

RWL34 stainless with Ivory scales and carbon fibre liners, also a woolfblades creation.

 

[6Cuda6]

Dont get me started on customs as i think i have at least one the different known makers.....they are my favorites....lol.

Sadly they are like chips.....you just cant have one.

 

[Richardre]

Hello gents,

I was looking around at custom razor makers.
Even contacted 2 of them. Jerry Stark, who strongly specified he won't do anything outside his box. And zowada who apparently doesn't make customs anymore.
Maybe someone could help me find an artisan who would do little bit of extra smithery.

I want a good quality blade, that's a given. No fancy serations or spine works or w/e. Smiling near wedge with a baber notch and rounded ends. 7/8.
Scale wise is where it hurts. I want a tainted hardwood scale with brass hardware. The usual shape of a Thiers-Issard (simple flat scale with triangular ends). But i would like a brass cap at the ends like you would see on old Solingens. No fancy caps, just a flat cap with 2 prongs or something.

Anyone could give me an idea where to start?
At this point i'd be ready to order scales and blade seperatedly if it came to it.


Thanks for your time,
Benoit.

 

[Richardre]

Has passed some time from your post. Zowada like you said don't do custom and don't use rwl 34 that is the new steel instead is still fixed to the old carbon steel! Tamagahane! . No artisans will do custom! Sorry they do razors simple! With a lot of limitations no matter you pay . Are all pre-,made or very poor. You are searching for something probably don't exist. Let me know if you found it!

 

[Pawel pksa]

Cichy custom razor. He produces very different model mainly. This one is very specific with the black coating that I enjoy the most.
8/8+ oak scales.

 

[Pawel pksa]

this is the picture that I failed to attached to the previous post

 

[Acmemfg]

Ironic…
Not too long ago I had a number of custom razors (Koraat, Brown, Stark..) up for sale; could not hardly give them away. Eventually they sold.
Doubtful I will put any up for sale on BST in the foreseeable future as I no longer accept PayPal.
Surely glad I was fortunate enough to grab onto the artisan razors I currently own.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I'm enjoying all your photos. Thx so much.

 

[oscar11]

Beautiful razors, thanks for showing them.