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Questioning Everything | One Superior Edge | One Superior Shave

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
They’re indeed good once you get the edge to hit the hone, lol. Not in the same grinding class as a Filly 14 or a MK32/33, but no one can complain for the price they’re selling for.
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
Yep, my two were definitely NOS, had a couple of light rust spots near the spine that were just surface rust. Did you get yours from the Tennessee guy?
 
No sir, that seller has some bad reviews. My source is J.R. Rowe from California. He’s done two restorations and the -#49 with custom Kirinite scales.
 

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Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
Sportcolbs in Dunlap, northwest of Chattanooga. He seems like a pleasant fellow, I bought a pair but he only sent one. I sent him a message and the other was on the way the same day. Maybe a little absent minded, but seems honest.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Jim, I got two of the NOS Herder 49s in bone scales and they were not easy to hone. The ones I had were finished spine off the wheel and reminded me of a not-so-great Gold Dollar. It took me 4 hours to hone both, though admittedly I was going slow as they’re new and you can’t put metal back on. The toes and heels were particularly bad. They both smile a little now. In the end though, they shave really well.

If yours are like mine and you got them shaving, you’re doing well.

I've not worked on the 2nd Herder, but the first is sharp now. Quite sharp. It took a ton of work.

Were I starting this thread again I might pick another razor to compare with the Japanese razor. One thing I've gotten a much better handle on during the time this thread has been going, which is not long at all, is the fact that different razors - different brands & different steels - are, well, different. As in some are definitely better than others, but also as in some blades take much more work even though than others even though the edges look the same to begin with. Also, as in some razors really take a very nice edge. None of that was news exactly, to me, but I know it in a deeper way now.

Steve, I'm so glad your Herders are now shipshape. Sounds like they were, like mine, butter knife sharp. What kind of metal are yours? SS?

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
No, mine are 49s, carbon steel. The stainless models that you usually see are ‘Constant’. I have a Constant, and it’s the only razor that I’ve never been able to get to take an edge that I like. Maybe missed the heat treat? I bought it NOS so it wasn’t borked by a refinisher, and it’s overground in the middle on one side so you have to use the corner of the hone on that part, but even so it won’t take a very good edge. Probably an isolated case, I looked and no one was complaining about them.

Yep, some razors just almost hone themselves, Filarmonica, pre-war Heljestrand, most Japanese razors.... and they take fine edges without a lot of work. The Tanifuji made Japanese razors are some of my favorites, Cape Swedish Steel (but not the other Capes), Silver Steel, Favorit, all finely made, don’t cost a fortune and easy to find in good shape.
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
In stainless it’s hard to beat a Henckles Friodur. The only complaint I have is that most of them have tangs that are small top to bottom and I prefer a beefier tang, but that’s just personal preference. I’ve been wanting a Friodur 14 for a while and just keep missing them. Most all the other models of Friodur are easy to find and they’re well made razors.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
@Steve56

I'm Mike.
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This is Jim.
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BOSC strikes again! lol

I get what you're saying all the same but in my mind a 16k edge would be smoother, and therefore sharper than an 8k edge. My mind however, well, no need to go there :yikes: lol. How one might interpret the difference in an 8k vs a 16k edge is another thing though.

I'm glad I didnt stumble into this straight razor/honing rabbit hole lol.
 
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Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Yes and thanks for being it up , Jim. Are the Herders stainless???

I'm not sure. I have the 76 and the 49.

No, mine are 49s, carbon steel. The stainless models that you usually see are ‘Constant’. I have a Constant, and it’s the only razor that I’ve never been able to get to take an edge that I like. Maybe missed the heat treat? I bought it NOS so it wasn’t borked by a refinisher, and it’s overground in the middle on one side so you have to use the corner of the hone on that part, but even so it won’t take a very good edge. Probably an isolated case, I looked and no one was complaining about them.

Yep, some razors just almost hone themselves, Filarmonica, pre-war Heljestrand, most Japanese razors.... and they take fine edges without a lot of work. The Tanifuji made Japanese razors are some of my favorites, Cape Swedish Steel (but not the other Capes), Silver Steel, Favorit, all finely made, don’t cost a fortune and easy to find in good shape.

Other than the "Constant" (which I assume is marked on the tang) how can one be sure whether a blade is SS or not?

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My Herders look like they could be SS, but I'm not saying they are.

I've honed only one of them. It was a bear to hone!

The two Japanese razors I've honed (both in recent days; both Tanifuji) were very hard to hone (removing chips I was). Once that part of the job was over and the bevels were good the rest went pretty quickly.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
Oops, apologies gentlemen of BOSC.

The Constants usually had a scale badge with three spades and the word ‘Constant’. You can search eBay for ‘constant razor’ and you’ll usually get a few hits. I’m tempted to try another one.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Oops, apologies gentlemen of BOSC.

The Constants usually had a scale badge with three spades and the word ‘Constant’. You can search eBay for ‘constant razor’ and you’ll usually get a few hits. I’m tempted to try another one.

Thank you.
 
Perhaps the Herder #49 steel is just that much harder than the American, German, and Sheffield steel that I was used to. I know it kept the edge longer through repeated use and shaved better off the Thuringian that the rest.
 
Not trying to derail the post but I have the medium fine(6.micron or 4k equivalent ) DMT that works wonders on very hard steels without leaving deep scratches. I would after straightening them out use a chosera 1k and then bring the blade up to wherever I was going.
 
Not trying to derail the post but I have the medium fine(6.micron or 4k equivalent ) DMT that works wonders on very hard steels without leaving deep scratches. I would after straightening them out use a chosera 1k and then bring the blade up to wherever I was going.

I'm glad you posted. What is the theory behind starting with a 4k and moving back to 1K?
 
I prefer stone edges. But use the diamonds to do the grunt work. A 4k diamond plate cuts faster than a 1k chosera on a hard piece of steel. On my bench anyway. It's also a heck of a knife finisher.
 
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