The Spyderrazor

[NoFair]

The straights I use the most are hollow old carbon steel 5/8s. Might be interested in a stainless one with micarta/CF scales. 5/8 or 6/8

Not sure how H1 would do

[JD Spydo]

This isn't the first time that this subject of Spyderco making a straight razor has come up. I would love to see what kind of Straight Razor that they would come up with. The one mention of ZDP-189 blade steel I believe would be a great choice IMO.

Boker, the German knife company has been making Straight Razors for years and so has J.A. Henckel which is also another great German knife company. So it isn't out of the realm of possibility.

[sal]

Actually, I like Nicks idea of different steels. Maybe with one handle? or a different handle for each blade? Those are questions.

While I shaved with straight razors for a long time, my experience are only with a variety of European razors. I will need to learn a lot, and my plate is pretty full. So you guys shaving with SR's, chime in?

So when I wanted to learn, I couldn't find anyone to teach me (before internet). I met one guy that did and he said it's all in the stropping. He said you shouldn't have to sharpen your razor more than a coupe of times a year. When it won't shave properly, you strop....often...daily. Never touch the blade with your finger, only hair.

I took a ceramic fine grit stone and gritted it down to an ultra fine with a diamond stone. (this was before we made ultra fines) Worked on the ceramic, but killed the diamond stone. I sharpened until well apexed and then I tried different methods, strops, and each time looked at the edge under a 50X microscope. I learned that it was in fact the stropping that in fact would wisp out a burr that under the scope looked like a briar patch, but it shaved the best. I was using soft steels that would create a good burr. I don't think that steels like ZDP would burr very well. I've since spoken with shavers that say they don't strop, only sharpen their very hard steels with ultra fine stones.

So my experience is personal and limited.

Dr. Mike Blue has been talking with me about razors made with 01 Bainite, which i interesting.

I'm guessing that different steels would work differently on different face hair?

It might make an interesting project, but not in the near future. Need to learn more.

sal

[Sumdumguy]

I'll be waiting, sounds like for a while.
Wonder what I will spend my money on until then? :rolleyes:

[NoFair]

Only experience is with folding European style carbon steel razors like you used Sal so not much input I can add. I'd prefer them in the 5-6/8 sizes and use UF stones when stropping alone doesn't give a good shave. Strop before every use, I have shaved straight from the UF stones, but it gets better after stropping for me at least.

[ZrowsN1s]

I strop everything I use and I test by shaving some arm hair. I know not the same as face shaving, but.... H1 might actually be a good contender, very easy to get sharp with a strop.

Probably less of a contender for not being stainless but M4 takes a nice arm shaving edge. Hap40 as well. Both seem strop maintainable if you don't let them get too dull.

Never got into straight razors (Ive got a beard) but I do shave my head a lot. I'd give a spyderco razor a shot.

[Ric]

Hi,

I own 2 SR, had them sharpened, still not fun to use.
I prefer DE razors.

A SR must be NOT stainless and shaveready out of the box.
I would prefer maxamet. I cut myself with the Para 3 maxamet at sharpening only by touching the edge.
And did not even felt something. Similar to a laser i guess.

At a SR I want to pay for the blade not the handle.
At Boker when you pay more you get a "better" handle, but still the same #*!?*# blade.

The shop where my SR was sharpened said its the best to use a leather strope on Wood with some black cream on it.
Strope before every use.
I read also the SR needs a rest so that the burr will get straight again...

[blueblur]

Since I’ve really gotten into sharpening over the last couple years I’ve been wanting to try a straight razor but still have never picked one up. I would definitely look into getting one if Spyderco made one. I don’t know what types of steel they are typically made from but I’d imagine it should be something similar to 52100 but if it could be made stainless that would be nice. Something that strips easily and takes a good polish. Whatever the crew would come up with I’d feel confident knowing it would be designed for performance and would like to try one out.

[JacksonKnives]

Actually, I like Nicks idea of different steels. Maybe with one handle? or a different handle for each blade? Those are questions.
...
Dr. Mike Blue has been talking with me about razors made with 01 Bainite, which i interesting.

I'm guessing that different steels would work differently on different face hair?

It might make an interesting project, but not in the near future. Need to learn more.

sal

You have our interest!

My experience was very similar to yours, except my first razor hone was the production version of that ceramic hone you lapped, and well after the internet community started posting videos. :)

For reference:
Buck has a straight, designed in-house by a guy named Caleb Cooper. (420HC, surprise/no surprise.) Some reviews are good, some reviewers jump on the steel and lack of heritage and insist that it's "not a real razor."
In the other corner: The Wade and Butcher name is (supposedly) being resurrected... with an 8/8 fattie in RWL34. :eek:
Hart Steel is running O1 at RC 62-63, and by all accounts they're top-notch razors.
Then again, many say that the cheap "Gold Dollar" stainless razors coming out of china are decent, hard steel too (harder than vintage razors, anyhow) and that the only real problem with them is that they're not honed well/at all.

Technology has changed a bunch in the last decade, but let's not forget: the hollow-ground pattern has been around for centuries. If Buck can make a decent razor I'm sure Spyderco can pull something off, but we can't expect radical improvements.

When people ask me "should I try a straight razor?" I always say "I still love the idea of it, but I hate the amount of work involved maintaining the edges." (Maybe that means I should hand in my membership now?)

I'd love to see an AEB-L, 52100, O1 and W2 razor "mule team," but I know for sure that the real limitation in my experiments would be my own honing ability. The difference between the razors I like to shave with and the ones that "pull" my hair is something I can't even see with my 10x loupe, and buying finer and finer abrasive isn't the answer either. I haven't bought a modern production piece, so if Spyderco released one I'd jump on it... but honing a razor isn't like putting a "mirror edge" on a PM2 or a kitchen knife.

[vivi]

A Kamisori out of Seki I’d buy.
Even just a handle for artist club blades!

For me Japanese straights and Kamisori are the best razors going and in any time period

Those look slick. More practical than a folding razor. Any suggestions for a model to try out if I'm not sure about the whole straight razor thing?

[Daveho]

A Kamisori out of Seki I’d buy.
Even just a handle for artist club blades!

For me Japanese straights and Kamisori are the best razors going and in any time period

Those look slick. More practical than a folding razor. Any suggestions for a model to try out if I'm not sure about the whole straight razor thing?

Artist club ss fixed is my preference but the blades are the key, there are a few options I prefer the standard blades but there are guarded blades too- cool bit of design actually

[JacksonKnives]

Artist club ss fixed is my preference but the blades are the key, there are a few options I prefer the standard blades but there are guarded blades too- cool bit of design actually

I agree with Dave; it won't stop all the nicks but the guard does make a milder shave (less irritation) and slightly reduces the chance of a serious accident (which is unlikely, but definitely possible). Kind of like training wheels on a racing bike. :cool:
The Feather Artist Club blades are sharp enough that many enthusiasts intentionally dull them on a cork to get a "smoother" shave. I love the sharpness, it totally ruined my appreciation for my own honing abilities. Feather has some competition in Japan, but they're the only company using this size/quality of blade with US distribution.

[sal]

Hi Ric,

It is my understanding that it is the strop that starightens the burr.

Hi Dave,

I guess the guard is kinda like an automatic vs a 6 speed shifter gearbox.

sal

[koenigsegg]

Please no frn

[Daveho]

Hi Ric,

It is my understanding that it is the strop that starightens the burr.

Hi Dave,

I guess the guard is kinda like an automatic vs a 6 speed shifter gearbox.

sal

Haha kinda-
Personally I prefer the standards as I’ve used straights and vintage Kamisori for many years but I started on the standard blade and just went slowly.
I love straights but the honing and maintenance is obviously a bit different and that brings up some issues for the new, casual user.

[VashHash]

I strop my razor right before I shave and after. Then I coat with mineral oil and store it in wax paper. I never had to fully sharpen it. I used a balsa wood strop with red oxide and green compound to sharpen and then stropped it on bare leather. I use an old European straight razor. Before that it was a ZDP-189 CF stretch. I find with diamonds it's pretty easy to get it sharp enough to shave. Of course the geometry is nothing like a full hollow straight razor. I would take it to the dmt tan stone 8000mesh/ 3 micron and then bare leather stop. First on the suede side then on the smooth. I would love a ZDP-189 straight though. I believe my razor is also a 5/8ths and high hollow. I'll get pictures later. It's old and used but it shaves very well.

[BIGSTRETCH]

Spyderco razor would be sweeeet! I'd be interested to see what kind of DE safety razor and handle designs they could come up with too.