Henson recommends the same, so I've been loosening the head to aid in drying with all of my razors since.
Henson recommends the same, so I've been loosening the head to aid in drying with all of my razors since.
I am guilty of never loosening the handle except to change the blade. I place it on my towel on its side like the Henson stand and leave it all day before putting it back in its vertical stand.
Assuming you're referring to the last three-quarters of a turn or so, when you're cinching everything down, then yeah; I know what you're talking about. I've been using a full Masamune setup as my daily driver for well over a year now I still feel that friction with the last twist of the handle. It's not been an issue for me, performance-wise, and I don't see anything to be concerned about on the razor itself, so I haven't given it much thought.Do you guys know what I mean about the grindiness of the handle "bulge" on the baseplate? Without a blade it screws down smoothly, but with the blade "pushing back" I think the slight texturing of the finish makes it feel a bit gritty. I can't see any visible wear as a result, but I assume it will eventually smooth out.
Assuming you're referring to the last three-quarters of a turn or so, when you're cinching everything down, then yeah; I know what you're talking about.
I also use a plastic washer in most/all my razors, which makes the handle-to-baseplate junction glide a bit better. It feels smoother clamping down.
I take apart my razors after each shave and wipe everything with a soft towel after blowing off the residual water as thoroughly as I can. I dry the blade too very carefully. Then I put the blade back in and tighten the razor ready for the next shave. That way I won’t forget to tighten back the razor before shavingQuestion for other owners.
I had an email from Tatara suggesting that inbetween shaves you should loosen off the razor head to aid drying. I don't do this on any of my other razors and have never had a problem, but I notice on the Tatara that if I disassemble the razor several hours after shaving, water is present in the baseplate slots, despite my shaking and blowing through the head to clear out droplets when I finish my shave.
Do you guys loosen the heads between shaves?
I don't really want to put unnecessary wear and tear on the threads or the baseplate, as the little bulge on the top of the handle feels quite "grindy" against the bottom of the baseplate when you cinch the handle down tight. All my other razors wear M5 washers to prevent handle / plate wear and tear, but obviously the design of the Tatara means that they are not appropriate here.
I suppose galling is a possibility, but then so is getting struck by a meteorite while, say, walking to your car. Same with stripping threads and electrolysis; sure it could happen, but even a modicum of care should be enough to prevent problems. If the idea of either is keeping you awake at night, I'd suggest a tiny dab of mineral oil to lubricate things.So here are my questions:
- Should I be concerned about "galling" with the titanium? Can the threads get stripped?
- If this is an issue, would a lubricant help? Which one?
- Will I damage the threads if I mix metals by using the Ti top plate with the SS handle or vice versa?
I might email them and ask. I'd be interested to know what they say.Slight change of subject: After using a stainless steel Masamune in rotation for several years, I bought a Masamune Ti a couple of weeks ago. It's my first titanium razor. The Ti is a terrific shaver. But its threads aren't quite as smooth as the SS threads, and with the Ti the crunch on the last turn with the blade in place is more pronounced. (There's no crunch or other noise with either version if no blade is in pace.)
So here are my questions:
- Should I be concerned about "galling" with the titanium? Can the threads get stripped?
- If this is an issue, would a lubricant help? Which one?
- Will I damage the threads if I mix metals by using the Ti top plate with the SS handle or vice versa?
Thanks in advance.
I use plastic washers too. I think it's a good idea.I don't worry about that. Some of that last "crunch" sound as you clamp down is the blade on the guide pegs.
I also use a plastic washer in most/all my razors, which makes the handle-to-baseplate junction glide a bit better. It feels smoother clamping down. Maybe that's just me though.
You could always buy multiple Tataras, for each day of the week, so you don't wear any single one of them too much.
- If this is an issue, would a lubricant help? Which one?
I’m new to Tatara, I got the stainless Masamune in the fall and love it. I don’t have any experience with the titanium, so it’s only my guess that the slight noise might be due to the imperceptible difference in the metal properties. As far as the “crunch” on the last ¼ turn I think it is most likely due to the blade being compressed and its interaction with the posts etc The top of the handle only rubs against the blade. Its outside diameter (maybe even the inside diameter) is bigger than the blade’s central hole. Anyway I’ve been using the Masamune pretty much daily for almost three months and there are no rubbing marks anywhere. As far as lubricating the threads, surely a little mineral oil won’t hurtI often add a wee bit of mineral oil or vaseline to the threads on my razors when I clean them. I can't say it has made any appreciable difference to the last 1/4 turn "crunch" on the Tatara - as I said, I think that is being created by the bulge at the top of the handle pressing on the baseplate, but I could be wrong.
It certainly won't do any harm to add some though.
I don't want to say anything definitive in regards to your other queries, but titanium is pretty inert. As long as you don't over-tighten I imagine you would be fine.