This is a thread to discuss THIS REVIEW 
Discussion Thread For 6/8 Puma Gold Review.....
- Thread starter joel
- Start date
Indeed that is a beautiful razor, Joel. Simple styling, but incredibly elegant. I can't wait for you to tire of it and give it to me. 
I've devoured all of your reviews, Joel. In a lot of them, you state that it'd be hard to find a better shaver than this razor or that razor. But I'd be really jazzed to see you rank all of them as far as which are the best shavers, price notwithstanding (Wonderedge, Craftsman, Dovo, TI, Wacker
, Japanese straight, Filarmonica, etc.). I know it'd be purely subjective, but is there any chance of you doing that?
I've devoured all of your reviews, Joel. In a lot of them, you state that it'd be hard to find a better shaver than this razor or that razor. But I'd be really jazzed to see you rank all of them as far as which are the best shavers, price notwithstanding (Wonderedge, Craftsman, Dovo, TI, Wacker
, Japanese straight, Filarmonica, etc.). I know it'd be purely subjective, but is there any chance of you doing that?- Thread starter
- #3
Indeed that is a beautiful razor, Joel. Simple styling, but incredibly elegant. I can't wait for you to tire of it and give it to me.
I've devoured all of your reviews, Joel. In a lot of them, you state that it'd be hard to find a better shaver than this razor or that razor. But I'd be really jazzed to see you rank all of them as far as which are the best shavers, price notwithstanding (Wonderedge, Craftsman, Dovo, TI, Wacker
My Personal favorite (in terms of shaving goodness, in order)....
1.) Chronik (hands down)
2.) Tie between my very, very old Japanese Tamahagane Steel Straight Razor and another very rare Japanese Straight razor made by a very famous swordsmith Ikkansai Kasama Shigetsugu.
3.) Puma Gold, Tosuke (ZDP 189 steel), Coller a Nogent (REAL wootz damascus)
4.) TI LE Hammer Forged, TI LE Horn Tang, RW's, Maestro's, Standard Tosuke Steel Japanese Straights, Dubl Duck Wonderedge, Sta-Sharp, Craftsman
5.) TI LE Frameback AKA Square Back, Dovo #41 Stainless Blades, Dovo Specials, Genco/Geneva, Waterville, high end TI's
6.) Henckels Friodurs, Henckels, Wackers, and so on and so forth.
7.) Thiers Issard Damascus, run of the mill TI's/Dovo's, misc off brands, etc
That's excellent. Thanks a lot, Joel. 
Hi Joel,
A long time ago, in this thread http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3798&highlight=mappin+webb you referred to Mappin and Webb as the best shavers available, how do they fit into this new list? The reason I ask is because i picked up a mint one at a local antiques shop a while ago and I still haven't gotten around to honing it up.
Also, are there any different versions of the Puma Gold that you are aware of? I have a 5/8 Puma Gold that was rebranded for Penhaligons, it has the traditional Puma rubber grip that your model seems to lack.
A long time ago, in this thread http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3798&highlight=mappin+webb you referred to Mappin and Webb as the best shavers available, how do they fit into this new list? The reason I ask is because i picked up a mint one at a local antiques shop a while ago and I still haven't gotten around to honing it up.
Also, are there any different versions of the Puma Gold that you are aware of? I have a 5/8 Puma Gold that was rebranded for Penhaligons, it has the traditional Puma rubber grip that your model seems to lack.
- Thread starter
- #6
There are dozens of high end brands (AKA Mappin) I did not add into the list. Literally..... there are 100+ brands of really good razors out there and the list them all, and rank them all is really quite a bear. There is so much to factor in, what was used to hone the razor, pastes, finishing hones, quality/condition, grind, model and so on and so forth. Mappin's are some of the best shavers out there.... but so are dozens of other brands. It's really hard to rank an entire brand of razors, so for a manufacturer such as mappin & webb, it would totally depend on what type/model it was - which would determine where it would fit in/on the list..... if at all.
As far as the puma golds, I am not that sure. I have had multiple Puma Golds, some with different blade patterns/gold washes, etc - however the best of 'em has been the 6/8 model in the blade style shown. The others were good.... but the one in that review is amazing.
With straight razors.... it is a pretty subjective topic.
Hope this helps
Joel, why such a low rating for the TI Damascus? I remember you saying they weren't great in a SOTD post, but I thought you were being facetious. Is it that its just not worth the price of admission, or is there more to it? Also, why if you don't like them did you post recently on SRP's buy/sell/trade forum asking if anyone would sell their TI Damascus to you (or, are you a masochist)?
I find this particular model of Puma to be the most attractive. I hardly see these anymore.
Quick question about your pictures, are you using the on-camera flash or did you get an external flash?
Quick question about your pictures, are you using the on-camera flash or did you get an external flash?
- Thread starter
- #9
George,
To be curt.... they're medeocre.... at best. I have owned 3 TI Damascus razors, one 5/8 "crinkle" horn handled damascus, one 8/8 black horn damascus (with barbers notch - see below) and a 5/8 TI Damascus black horn - which I currently own.... the other 2 I got rid of.
After hearing Laager gushing great gobs of love over his - I stupidly wanted to (and did) acquire yet another one (which I currently own) to test out and try to get to work for me. It's sharp beyond sharp.... arguably one of my sharpest razors (after a literally 20+ hours of honing the damn thing to get past the horrendously uneven bevel) but it just doesn't shave all that well. The blade LOVES to microchip out, and the biggest problem (in my eyes) is the extreme hardness of the steel, and total/complete lack of flex, which does not contour to your face in the SLIGHTEST, so unless you have very flat facial features, they just aren't going to give you all that close/even of a shave. ALL of my hollow ground "singing" dovo's outshave my TI Damascus, and are just plumb more fun to use. In fact, David Loft of Thiers Issard had told me several years ago when the Damascus TI's first hit the market - that the TI LE Hammer Forged razors were much, much better shavers, and he felt the Damascus was more of a collectors item, more so than the "best shaver."
Bottom line..... not only are the TI Damascus' just "so-so" to look at.... they're medeocre shavers. 1-2 fellas seem to like 'em.... everyone else seems to think they are medeocre (at best) and gets rid of 'em.
roughrider,
Neither, it's a light box setup, with halogen lights.
I'll get a few SB-800's eventually though.
To be curt.... they're medeocre.... at best. I have owned 3 TI Damascus razors, one 5/8 "crinkle" horn handled damascus, one 8/8 black horn damascus (with barbers notch - see below) and a 5/8 TI Damascus black horn - which I currently own.... the other 2 I got rid of.
After hearing Laager gushing great gobs of love over his - I stupidly wanted to (and did) acquire yet another one (which I currently own) to test out and try to get to work for me. It's sharp beyond sharp.... arguably one of my sharpest razors (after a literally 20+ hours of honing the damn thing to get past the horrendously uneven bevel) but it just doesn't shave all that well. The blade LOVES to microchip out, and the biggest problem (in my eyes) is the extreme hardness of the steel, and total/complete lack of flex, which does not contour to your face in the SLIGHTEST, so unless you have very flat facial features, they just aren't going to give you all that close/even of a shave. ALL of my hollow ground "singing" dovo's outshave my TI Damascus, and are just plumb more fun to use. In fact, David Loft of Thiers Issard had told me several years ago when the Damascus TI's first hit the market - that the TI LE Hammer Forged razors were much, much better shavers, and he felt the Damascus was more of a collectors item, more so than the "best shaver."
Bottom line..... not only are the TI Damascus' just "so-so" to look at.... they're medeocre shavers. 1-2 fellas seem to like 'em.... everyone else seems to think they are medeocre (at best) and gets rid of 'em.
roughrider,
Neither, it's a light box setup, with halogen lights.
I'll get a few SB-800's eventually though.
Thanks for the explanation Joel.
As a side note it occurred to me just now while reading my post that I may have come off accusatory in my question, which was not my intention at all, I was just curious. I hope you didn't take it the wrong way.
As a side note it occurred to me just now while reading my post that I may have come off accusatory in my question, which was not my intention at all, I was just curious. I hope you didn't take it the wrong way.
I pretty much second what Joel says about the TI Damascus. I have a 5/8s in horn and I also had to spend ridiculous amounts of time to get it to shave at all and also agree on the micro chipping. I do find that the more I use the razor unlike other razors where after 15 or shaves they need to be honed the damascus seems to be getting better the more I use it. I've had it for 2 years now and have probably shaved with it 50 times and it hasn't needed to be honed yet. At this point the shaves are good but I get better with other razors costing a fraction of the price.
As far as the Puma goes I have 3 and I think they are about the best razors out there IMHO.
As far as the Puma goes I have 3 and I think they are about the best razors out there IMHO.
Tha t is one Beauty of a Puma Joel , perhaps the nicest I've seen.
, perhaps the nicest I've seen.Similar threads
