On your 3 piece razors to stop metal against metal? I heard two things. 1) yes, good idea. 2) bad idea as it doesn't allow the razor to clamp down as well as it should. What are your thoughts and practices?
Do you use the plastic "O" Ring.....
- Thread starter bbobbdd
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Both are true. It all depends on the razor design and the thread. Up to you to observe an decide if there is the phenomenon of not fully clamping.
I use two sizes of nylon/delrin washers.... 10mm and 8mm in diameter.... M5 size washers. Some of my razors have a recess in the base plate where the handle screws in.... So far, the 8mm washers fit in those perfectly. I like that you don't get the metal on metal wear ring on the base plate and personally, I feel like the handle snugs down more securely without over-tightening. YMMV, of course.
Iridian
Cool and slimy
Yes, some polished razor baseplates really need that protection. Some are designed smartly so they don't need it, Lambdas and Blackbird e.g., or have a fitting recess.
Why do some people use these washers? What is the idea behind their use? I've seen people use them with higher end razors.
"Do you use the plastic "O" Ring....."
What you are seeing is flat washers.
O-rings typically have a circular cross section, they are different than flat washers.
My Wolfman Guerrilla Aluminum Razor came with them. I use them. Not sure if I have to, but I do.
I did remodeling work for about 1/3 of my working years.... I always used washers whenever working with metal on metal nuts and bolts and with lag bolts into wood, etc. They always made sense to me, so using a nylon washer with 3 piece razors seems natural to me. Are they absolutely necessary? I'm sure they are not, but I use them with all my 3 piece razors.
A few years ago, when those O rings or nylon washers first appeared out of nowhere and people started using them I thought that it's just yet another silly thing that people do, because they saw someone else doing it and they want to look cool or something.
And then I went deeper and deeper into the high end modern razors and I realized that as silly as it might sound, once you own a razor that costs $300-$500 or more and that razor is polished to perfection, the last thing you want to see on that razor is a scratch or a ding. That doesn't mean that a nylon washer can make your razor impervious, but let's just say that those who know, know.
About the clamping? I can't speak for every razor, but I haven't noticed any issues on my razors.
And then I went deeper and deeper into the high end modern razors and I realized that as silly as it might sound, once you own a razor that costs $300-$500 or more and that razor is polished to perfection, the last thing you want to see on that razor is a scratch or a ding. That doesn't mean that a nylon washer can make your razor impervious, but let's just say that those who know, know.
About the clamping? I can't speak for every razor, but I haven't noticed any issues on my razors.
TIL razor washers are a thing...
I use them on all my razors that allow it. It prevents the swirl of scratches where the handle meets the head. It feels much better to screw down the razor, the plastic washer makes it glide a bit more. There is zero difference in clamping, these are hard nylon washers.
I don't believe they are needed. So what if you get a little swirl mark on the razor. It's under the handle. It's not going hurt anything. Some came with my ATT SB90 razor and I threw them away. It's a new fad, that's all.
Concur Kim.
Believe I got turned on to these from ATT.
It made sense to me in avoiding metal to metal contact to retain a polished finish and have been using them for well over 2y now. My daily r89's also have a recess in the underside of the baseplate.
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Jay21
Collecting wife bonus parts
I tend to over tighten things. The nylon washer helps guard against this.
Now it's a four piece razor.
No, I don't use them. Extra fiddling for what, a teeny tiny mark?
Nope. Unnecessary.
My razors are tools, and as such I expect that they might exhibit wear and tear. Not that I abuse my stuff, I just accept the difference between tools and jewels.
My razors are tools, and as such I expect that they might exhibit wear and tear. Not that I abuse my stuff, I just accept the difference between tools and jewels.
