Did you have the machined finish? Polished brass will give a more natural patina. Wolfman doesn’t offer brushed bronze or copper for exactly this reason. My brushed Hone 15 has the same issue. Bronze can be much slower to patina as well.
Is bronze better than brass or copper
- Thread starter fengcs
- Start date
Did you have the machined finish? Polished brass will give a more natural patina. Wolfman doesn’t offer brushed bronze or copper for exactly this reason. My brushed Hone 15 has the same issue. Bronze can be much slower to patina as well.
When I was deliberating over getting a copper, or brass Charcoal Goods razor (in the days when they had a very lengthy waiting list), I emailed Brian the owner of CG, asking for his advice, as I had heard that copper razors are easily damaged. This was his reply:
"Yes, the copper is very soft. If you drop the razor it could be permanently damaged. It is really a collector's piece and not something you should use daily unless you are careful. The brass is much stronger. Many of the basic safety razors on the market are 'chrome plated brass' and last for many years. I omit the chrome plating and offer them as solid brass so they will last forever. the chrome plating would chip off over time."
"Yes, the copper is very soft. If you drop the razor it could be permanently damaged. It is really a collector's piece and not something you should use daily unless you are careful. The brass is much stronger. Many of the basic safety razors on the market are 'chrome plated brass' and last for many years. I omit the chrome plating and offer them as solid brass so they will last forever. the chrome plating would chip off over time."
had both actually, same thing
They are all three too heavy.
All 3 can look great.
My bare brass
My bare brass
Bronze is actually lighter than steel
In that case I retract my original statement and replace it with this: brass and copper are both too heavy.
In my opinion, even stainless steel (which is a great metal for razors) can veer a bit towards overly heavy with certain razor designs. For example, it's near perfect for the Lupo (which is a svelte design) but it borders on overly heavy for the H&S N074 (which has a bulky head design).
Some people really enjoy heavy razors, so YMMV. Personally, I think stainless steel and titanium are the best metals for razor heads.
Yep, YMMV. I love a heavier razor with the weight toward the head. I don't like handle heavy razors. Good thing we have a lot of options out there.
I switched out several OEM stainless steel handles for Titanium Crown handles from Timeless... they make a huge difference for me. And I picked up a couple stainless steel handles from Stirling... they are quite a bit lighter than some of my other OEM handles.
I don't seem to like the extremely heavy razors.. but then, I love the Athena..... go figure.
I don't seem to like the extremely heavy razors.. but then, I love the Athena..... go figure.
I agree with @kingfisher brass and copper can definitely be too heavy. I pair my copper CG with short handles.
Some razors, like Wolfman can be heavy even in 316L with their oversized handles, likewise. I keep this chart handy for comparisons:
C110 Copper - 110%
C360 Brass - 105%
316L Stainless - 100%
C954 Bronze - 95%
Grade 5 Titanium - 55%
6061 Aluminum - 33%
Equally some titanium razors could be considered too light. The razor I used today was barely 61g with a blade.
My Hone type 15 is super heavy but mild so not a problem. 165g with the shorter handle...
Some razors, like Wolfman can be heavy even in 316L with their oversized handles, likewise. I keep this chart handy for comparisons:
C110 Copper - 110%
C360 Brass - 105%
316L Stainless - 100%
C954 Bronze - 95%
Grade 5 Titanium - 55%
6061 Aluminum - 33%
Equally some titanium razors could be considered too light. The razor I used today was barely 61g with a blade.
My Hone type 15 is super heavy but mild so not a problem. 165g with the shorter handle...
I had a copper Wolfman that I traded. It was just too pretty to use and it was way too mild for me (.61 I believe). I traded it for a .86 stainless Wolfman that was outstanding. I also have a Timeless .73 Bronze OC, and a Charcoal Goods Brass Level 2. Both are excellent, but I prefer the bronze timeless for its looks and the way it shaves.
