That's it. Thanks.
What does a polished top cap and base plate (to a stonewashed razor) do to the shave?
- Thread starter 100pctFragranceFree
- Start date
For me, nothing. With a decent lather I don't notice any difference. I'll just agree to differ with those who feel otherwise.
Some might feel the polished razor is smoother than the stonewashed razor since the polished is a smoother finish.
lasta
Blade Biter
Looks better.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thanks but does the polishing possibly throw off the tolerancesl?
lasta
Blade Biter
Yep!
Top cap thickness and blade gap both affect blade exposure.
We are talking a few % of a mm, so sanding/polishing will always make them more aggressive.
First hand experience haha.
But nothing a slight change in shaving angle can't accommodate for.
Sorry, I didn’t know you were polishing a stonewashed razor. I was comparing a factory polished with a factory stonewashed. As stated above there is a slight change in tolerances when you do it yourself. Many have done so & have been quite pleased with the results, appearance & shave.
If you decide to do it yourself I suggest starting with the underside of the base plate. That way you can see the amount of work & evaluate the results without it affecting the shave.
The finish of the razor is strictly for aesthetics. Some people like satin finished, some like polished. When you shave, you are using a lather to provide a film of lubrication between your skin and the razor. Nothing other than the lip of the top cap and the tip of the safety bar or comb should ever touch your face. As long as you are using a quality shave soap that provides excellent slickness, you will never notice a difference.
+1! This^
If you are sanding away a few % of a mm in thickness, then it might affect the aggressiveness. If you are using a 0.5 micron abrasive and removing less than 1 micron of material to achieve a mirror finish, then the effect on aggression will be negligible. One micron is one thousandths of a mm which is far less than one hundredth of a mm.
lasta
Blade Biter
Hi RayClem,
Depends on the starting condition I suppose. For some pretty grungy half plate-loss vintages I usually have to give them a full sanding cycle, metal polish alone just isn't enough. 400, 1000, 3000, 5000, 7000 plus metal polish will take away quite a bit more than 1 micron.
Same if you want to take from machined/blasted finish to near mirror.
I think the idea is a polished cap is supposed to glide easier, but it seems more of a gimmick to be than anything.
- Thread starter
- #14
Stonewash is the finish on the razor. I'm sure guys can answer this better than me, but AFAIK it's a way for preparing the finish on the razor so that it makes scratches less apparent. If you have a highly polished razor, every little scratch will be apparent. With a stonewashed finish, not so much. This razor has a stonewash finish.
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