Thoughts on durability of polished finish (Timeless Razors)?

[ACITceva]

Hi Guys,

I'm currently shaving with an Edwin Jagger DE89 and also a Gillette Parat that was handed down to me from my father in law.

I'm really enjoying DE shaving as a hobby but I'm not really a razor "collector" the way some of you are. Lately though I've developed this hankering for one of the Timeless razors. They're expensive but they're beautiful pieces of equipment and I really like the idea of a forever razor that will last a lifetime.

I haven't decided yet but sooner or later I suspect that I'm going to cave. My preference is for the polished finish but I notice the following in the FAQ:

Q: Should I go with Matte Finish or Polished Finish?

ANSWER: The Matte Finish is very nice and hides blemishes, scratches, and dings well. It is also much more durable than the Polish. The Polished Finish is a great looking finish with a bright shine.

So I'm just wondering about your thoughts regarding the polished finish being "less durable" and what that means in real life terms. Should I have concerns about that seeing as I want to keep this razor for a long time? I'd say I'm definitely not hard on razors and I treat them as delicately as possible. Yet a dinged up blemished razor would ruin some of the enjoyment for me.

 

[dfoulk]

If you're putting dings in your razor then unpolished vs polished is not going to stop that. To avoid dings you need to be more careful, not to mention you'd probably be damaging whatever you were bashing it into as well. I take really good care of my razors by taking them apart and drying them after every use. They stay looking brand new this way even though they are used every day. Aside from dropping them or just being extremely careless and smashing them into the faucet, I'm not sure how I could damage them. Scratching them is difficult as well unless you're bumping the razor into other stainless steel razors which would again be you being careless. With the Timeless I suspect a drop might inflict more damage to the floor or sink than it would to the razor.

With your EJ razor the finish is applied to the metal below it. I suspect it's dipped or something like that but then again I really don't know. This is not the case with an all stainless steel razor. The finish is just the metal it's made of that's been polished to a mirror shine.

So as far as a polished all stainless steel razor goes all it is is an unpolished razor that's someone has spend some time sanding to a very smooth finish. I've taken unpolished razors and wet sanded them with a 5000 grit sanding pad to put a really nice shine on them and remove scratches that were there when I bought them. I haven't had a need to do this with my Timeless razor, but if it was looking bad, and it bothered me then I suspect that I could restore it to a mirror shine with some type of higher grit abrasive and a little elbow grease.

You could also enlist the help from someone that does razor restorations or possibly offer to pay the guys at Timeless some cash to polish it for you (not sure if they do this) if you were really bothered by a scratch and didn't want to deal with it yourself.

What I'm getting at is that you should get the finish that's most appealing to you and take care of it. If something happens then know that there is likely a way to fix it.

 

[Hoka Hey]

It's sort of like how a brown car hides dirt better than a white car. I wouldn't worry about the polished finish. It's stainless. Barring abuse, should be fine. You can re-polish your self, or take to a local jeweler. They should be able to fix it up fairly cheap.

 

[ACITceva]

If you're putting dings in your razor then unpolished vs polished is not going to stop that. To avoid dings you need to be more careful, not to mention you'd probably be damaging whatever you were bashing it into as well. I take really good care of my razors by taking them apart and drying them after every use. They stay looking brand new this way even though they are used every day. Aside from dropping them or just being extremely careless and smashing them into the faucet, I'm not sure how I could damage them. Scratching them is difficult as well unless you're bumping the razor into other stainless steel razors which would again be you being careless.

I'm actually really careful with my razors as well and I'm generally not a careless person. No dings or scratches yet but I've only been doing this for about 6 months. I guess my overly wordy question could have been more simply asked:

"With normal, generally careful use is the durability of the polished finish really a serious concern?"

What I'm getting at is that you should get the finish that's most appealing to you and take care of it. If something happens then know that there is likely a way to fix it.

Thank-you! This is the kind of advice I was hoping for!

 

[Esox]

"With normal, generally careful use is the durability of the polished finish really a serious concern?"

Simple answer is no. Not a concern at all.

Stainless steel is generally pretty hard and being polished instead of plated you really have very little to worry about unless you hit it with a hammer. I wouldnt think a drop from shoulder height onto a tile floor would damage anything except the tile.

Stainless also takes a polish very well and retains it very well. Many knife blades are polished stainless and see much more severe usage than any razor would.

If I had a Timeless, polished or satin finish, I'd just wipe it after every use with a clean, soft microfiber cloth after washing it. I do that now and none of my razors are stainless.

 

[TobyC]

Get the one that makes you happy, I like matte finish myself, but a polished surface is actually easier to fix if the need arises.

 

[ACITceva]

Thanks everybody for your replies... You've put my mind at ease and if I decide to make the purchase will likely go with the polished finish.

 

[pbrmhl]

For what it's worth, my Timeless .95 is my only polished razor, among many dozens of vintage and moderns. I have no concern about its durability. Enjoy your razor!

 

[BigJ]

Get the one that makes you happy, I like matte finish myself, but a polished surface is actually easier to fix if the need arises.

+1! Either should be perfectly fine IMO.

 

[User 306]

I agree if you want the polished get it and enjoy it. Take good care of it and the polished finish will last a long time. FYI if you're obsessive about it you could always send it to a restoration shop and have it coated with Rhodium. I did it with my Fatboy and it looks amazing and I don't have to worry about it. I've thought about doing it to one of my two Timeless razors but Matt said they may be offering some options in the future so you may want to wait. Great razor BTW. You won't be sorry.

 

[ACITceva]

Thanks everybody again for your opinions and advice. My willpower caved today and my Timeless (polished finish) is now on the way!

 

[Hoka Hey]

Congrats. From what I've read, you should be well pleased.

 

[BigJ]

Good choice! Enjoy the razor!