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If you could choose any razor…

For me it would be a straight razor of:
  • Japanese ACRO stainless steel heat treated to near 70 RHC.
  • Half-hollow grind with slight belly on the face side.
  • 11/16 blade width.
  • Spanish point like the Gold Dollar W59.
  • Thumb notch like the Gold Dollar W59.
  • Blade mass moment of inertia like the Gold Dollar W59.
  • No blade bling.
  • Bevel angle at about a 16°.
  • A properly honed bevel.
  • Ebony scales of traditional profile.
  • No stabilisers.
  • No jimps.
  • Balance point at about the pivot pin when opened 180°.
Of course this would have to be custom made.
It’s good to see a man that knows what he wants. What about the blade length, width and polish?

The edge finish we already know.
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
I already have mine:
  • AC Razor: Blackland Razors Vector (SB and OC plates)
  • DE Razor: Blackland Razors Ti Blackbird
  • Vintage DE Razor: Gillette Tech/NEW Hybrid
  • GEM Razor: Blackland Razors Sabre L2
  • DE Slant: Fatip Mixed Metal Lo Storto Originale
There are other current and vintage razors in my Big Dogs and Runs With The Big Dogs categories (Wolfman WR2 1.25 SB, Blackland Razors Brass Blackbird, Colonial Razors The General, ATT Mixed Metal Windsor Pro CH1 & CR1, Gillette #34 & Pre-War Techs, Personna 'BBS-0', RazoRock Wunderbar, Jones Shake Sharp v1, Swedish Swing, Timeless Ti Slim and more) that are also valid choices as "The One".

Just my opinion. :cool:
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
It’s good to see a man that knows what he wants. What about the blade length, width and polish?

The edge finish we already know.
Blade polish to me is not a main requirement, although I would prefer mirror finish. Blade width was stated {11/16). Edge length 70mm to 75mm.
 
Blade polish to me is not a main requirement, although I would prefer mirror finish. Blade width was stated {11/16). Edge length 70mm to 75mm.
I’m currently considering a custom Koraat. I think that they would be able to fulfill most of your requirements also.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
I’m currently considering a custom Koraat. I think that they would be able to fulfill most of your requirements also.
I was thinking more along the line of a Proserpine Razor Co (PRC) custom. Keep the business local. The only thing is he may not be able to do it in the steel I want. I could always provide that to him.

You already have your custom PRC razor.

I just had a brilliant idea! (Baldrick) I could provide a Titan 1918 ACRO T.H-70 (I have two being shipped to me now) to PRC and perhaps he could modify its profile to similar to that of the Gold Dollar W59. That would be a evil straight razor. Almost perfect for me. The only thing missing would be the W59's mass moment of inertia. Not a great loss.

I might do the modification on GIMP first to see what it will look like.
 
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Most likely a Wolfman because of the craftsmanship or a blackland blackbird TI and SS karve but I just can't justify the price tag the Most expensive razor I have is the ATT windsor pro which was $130
 
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I was thinking more along the line of a Proserpine Razor Co (PRC) custom. Keep the business local. The only thing is he may not be able to do it in the steel I want. I could always provide that to him.

You already have your custom PRC razor.

I just had a brilliant idea! (Baldrick) I could provide a Titan 1918 ACRO T.H-70 (I have two being shipped to me now) to PRC and perhaps he could modify its profile to similar to that of the Gold Dollar W59. That would be a evil straight razor. Almost perfect for me. The only thing missing would be the W59's mass moment of inertia. Not a great loss.

I might do the modification on GIMP first to see what it will look like.
The steel will be the hard part for sure. Other grades of steel may surprise you though. If you are refreshing after every shave on balsa the steel hardness may not be all that critical.

I don’t personally have a Prospertine razor. I find his designs a little boxy for my taste. It is nice to see a local guy having a go though.
 

Legion

Staff member
I've pretty much narrowed down what I like, and have several examples.

Antique straight razor.
6/8"
Half hollow grind
Ivory scales


There are other configurations that I enjoy, but that is my favourite.
 
Any shave ready straight razor. I've bought several that were supposed to be shave ready but they all tugged painfully. I sent them out to get honed but they were sightly better. Still very dull and painful. I bought a bunch of stones to hone them myself but I can't seem to get any of the 6 straights I've bought to shave worth a damn. I started wetshaving with AC SS, so maybe I just have unrealistic expectations about how sharp traditional straights get. Hundreds and hundreds wasted
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
I was under the impression I could choose any razor. I chose the Wolfman WR1.

It's been my daily driver for the past 6 years. But there are lots of razors out there now, and I have not/will not try them all, so I can't promise this is the best choice (but it seems to be).
 
I am using these now after having read so many good things about them. I can concur that in using the same blade four times in four different razors, I have had great shaves with all of them. The last one was a Blue Tip which I hadn't used before and was a bit too mild for my taste but the blade is going strong. I ended up finding someone selling 20 of them on eBay for way less than retail so I went that route. Bottom line, I'm a new shaver so my opinion doesn't carry much weight, but it is easily the best blade I've used thus far.


Your spot on, I can't believe how sharp they are, and how great they work, I can buy 10 of them for $10.99 so yeah they are a little pricey in that aspect, but $10 for over two months of shaving at 5 times a week, is a great buy in my book.
 
Maybe a custom Koraat 14…. 🤔

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A half blade SE razor similar to the Broman, but one that actually tensions/bends the half-blade for rigidity. It should have an upper comb to reduce friction in place of a lube strip (like a Gillette Guard), & be made from marine bronze. It doesn't have to be a pivoting head.
 
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Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
Well! Based on my latest obsession :letterk1: I have to say it's one manufacturer but altogether four separate razors.

The funny part is that the manufacturer doesn't even know they ever made these!

I can't even say for sure what model, but it would have to be the Merkur "Super Slant" as we call it. As I've dug into the history of The Razor That Merkur Forgot They Made I've discovered that one of them apparently was known as the "Merkur 18" -- sources seem to think this was an OC that Merkur called the "long screw" and what we would call a "two piece" razor. Like the current 34 and 37, in other words, as far as the handle is concerned.

But they apparently made four distinct razors: two- and three-piece razors in both SB and OC. No idea whether the model numbers went up or down from 18! If that's at all correct...

While it would be nice to have the originals, they're from a time when Merkur may have been using a less-stable alloy (based on some parallel metallurgical science I've been reading). Because of that, I'd like the razors in red bronze. It's a nice metal, a tad harder than brass, looks good polished.

Having used the SB two-piece, I can say with all honesty that it gave me the best shave I've ever had in my life. Truly an antidote to all the Merkur 37 replicas that flood the market. I'd really like to see more diversity in slants, but I should be thankful (and I am) that we have slants at all. There are some really great modern slants on the market -- as many have noted ATT has one of (now two of) the more innovative designs, there are better quality versions of the Merkur 37 (including some from Merkur...), RazoRock's Wunderbar, and PAA has IMO nailed the Fasan Double Slant with the Monsters.

There are others, I'm sure -- but those are my personal top picks based on using a bucketload of slants over the last few years. And that doesn't even touch the vintage market, where some truly amazing razors are lurking in drawers all over the world.

Y'all knew I was gonna get off on that tangent, didn't ya?

O.H.
 
I have several DE safety razors, but keep coming back to my Merkur Futur - the adjustability seems to work a tad more to my requirements than the vintage Gillettes.

What I would like is one in fully stainless or maybe titanium - completely take away the oppurtunity for anything to wear off or flake off.

Might need a hollow handle so I can adjust the weight.
 
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