"Standard Razor"

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by JRod22, Feb 2, 2014.

  1. jeraldgordon

    jeraldgordon TSD's Mascot

    I have been using mine for 5-6 days now. Experimenting with blades. Started with an Astra SP, which did not work well for me at all. Next I tried my favorite Polsilver SI - quite good, and I could live with it. Today I tried a Feather, and I have found the blade for this razor - excellent, close, comfortable shave!

    I'm liking it a lot! The light weight takes some getting used to, but I'm getting the "feel" for the razor now, and it really is a gentle but efficient performer. Certainly worth a try for anyone who is interested - I can't imagine anyone being disappointed! Happy shaving,
     
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  2. maltedmilk

    maltedmilk Well-Known Member

    Article Team
    You mean the Bespoke Post box, right? I got mine last week. I posted about the Standard Razor above. Used it today. It is excellent! I looked over and briefly considered reducing my pile of razors. Yes, I think it is THAT good.

    The NY Shaving Co cream that came in the box is SUPERB. The only cream I had used was C.O. Bigelow (my skin didn't like it). This made me wonder about the world of creams... but I think I have plenty on my list with just the soaps. I'm fine with being a soap guy. I thought about posting a review of that cream, though. I really like it!

    Alum is alum... isn't it? I just put the alum in the drawer until my current alum runs out. ... it could be awhile!

    I didn't use the towel yet. smiley_dunno2.gif

    The package was entirely worth it for the razor. The shave cream was a very pleasant bonus. Two thumbs up!
     
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  3. 178-bplatoon

    178-bplatoon Well-Known Member

    I've been reading all these posts with great interest...Which lead me to read through the "Standard Razor" website...To me the razor looks like an EJ or Muhle clone, so I would imagine the shave would be similar to either of those razor heads, which is to say a good shave.. It certainly is getting many cudo's from users...

    So let me add my comments for whatever they are worth(mind you I've never shaved with this razor).

    First I find the site offered more hype than actual usable info.. There was no mention of handle weight, diameter, length or handle/head interchangability with other razors(is it a 2 or 3 piece razor?). Indeed I had to come here to TSD to see pics of the various pieces and how the handle and head go together, so assuming the thread size is 10/32 for the handle side of the set screw it looks like you can change handles, but you will still need a full 10/32 set screw.
    As the thread configuration is so non-standard and as it's well known that many shavers interchange heads and handles, I think that info should be made available to potential customers.
    The only possible advantage to the head connecting side of the screw is that it may fit a Gem Damaskeen SE shave head. Again there is not enough info on the site.

    After reading on the site, it came to me that on one hand the "Standard Razor" site knocks "cart razors" for use of expensive proprietary blades, while at the same time the "Standard Razor itself is "VERY" proprietary in design. I also dislike the fact that no mention is made of where this razor is manufactured(was it made in India, China, Pakistan??).

    While the price is not ghastly it is a bit high, (a $45-$55 price tag) would certainly be more reasonable and it would be nice to be offered the choice of buying either the handle, head and/or set screw alone to keep customer costs down.

    So in conclusion while the "Standard Razor" may well be a very good razor, I'd kind of doubt it will "out shave" either my Weber or EJ89 and the price tag makes trying it out a bit prohibitive for me. That said if you have the money to spend and want to try the razor out I'd say go for it based on the reviews I've read..:)
     
  4. maltedmilk

    maltedmilk Well-Known Member

    Article Team
    @178-bplatoon - Eddie, while not wrong, I think you may be missing something that has to be experienced. I tried explaining this before, but may not have done a good job. Shoot! it may not be possible to explain... hence the "must be experienced," right?

    I've got 25ish razors (+12 tomorrow!) and enjoy them because they all shave a little bit differently. We spend a lot of or time here discussing these relatively small differences between more similar razors (e.g. DE to DE, and SE to SE). We spend a little time discussing largely different razors (e.g. DE to SE, DE to Str8). I think the Standard Razor is more a second type of difference. It's size is beefy, but the whole thing is light as a feather (the bird kind, not the razor). In use, I think the Standard Razor may be its own thing. If you took off the fat, light handle and slapped on a Utopia handle (I have one of those but not a Weber or iKon), I think you would blow the overall effect.

    NOTE: If I remember, I will check the fat end of that double threaded screw. I think it is 10-32.

    If you would like to try the Standard Razor, PM me your addy. I wouldn't normally loan out something unless I had a backup, but you've been giving me good advice since I first joined The Den! I think I can round up enough trust to send it, if you want to take a shot. ;)
     
    Slow Joe likes this.
  5. 178-bplatoon

    178-bplatoon Well-Known Member

    maltedmilk I seriously want to thank you for the offer to try your "Standard Razor" that's a very generous offer..
    But I'll have to decline for a couple of reasons. First it's too expensive a razor to chance it getting lost or stolen while it was either being sent to me or being sent back to you, if something happened to it I'd have to replace it. Second I actually have a very light fat razor handle, I forget where I got it from, I thought it was just another BullDog. But it turned out to have a hollow handle and be very light. I've mated it to several heads including my Weber and I found I didn't like the lighter overall weight. That's why I wish "Standard Razor" would offer just the head and a set screw set up I could buy for less money.
    Check the smaller screw end also if it's a 7/32 I think it will fit the Gem Damaskeen SE. Which if it works would give you the ability to use the Damaskeen SE head(many people praise the Gem 1912 Damaskeen head) with any DE handle (I wonder if Standard would sell me just a screw?). If the big end of the Standard screw is 10/32 you can go to the hardware and get a 10/32 set screw and then your Standard handle will work with just about any other razor head(DE or SE) out there....
    Thank you again for your generous offer...:)
     
  6. sduncan91

    sduncan91 New Member

    @178-bplatoon Why do you consider the Standard razor to be "VERY proprietary"? It can be used with any standard DE blade, any soap or cream, any brush and any post or pre-shave products. It's not proprietary at all.

    The only aspect that could be considered proprietary is the fact that the handle is not interchangeable. But neither are the handles on most Merkurs, Parkers or vintage Gillettes (due to 2 or 1 piece design). It would certainly be nice to be able to swap out handles, but I don't think it's enough designate the Standard razor as "VERY proprietary".

    You make some very good points about the information available on the website though. It's frustrating when companies refuse to publish basic information like handle length, weight and country of manufacture.
     
  7. 178-bplatoon

    178-bplatoon Well-Known Member

    I guess I found it a little annoying that the company seems to bash or make an example of cart razor blades being proprietary(all Gillette stuff was made proprietary in the beginning especially blades), but yet deliberately makes it's own razor proprietary (as in the head/handle connection). No other razor that I know of uses that type of screw to connect the head and handle.. I don't even know where you could find such a screw in the event you somehow lost it? It's certainly not a benefit in anyway that I can see and offers the user no advantage over the more common and interchangable method (common 10/32 set screw) of connection.

    What you say of course in correct in reguards to the difference between 2 and 3 piece razor designs, but I consider them as different from each other as 3 piece, injector and TTO. They are all birds, but are all different types (i.e. eagles, robins ducks).. The "Standard" is a 3 piece and with few exceptions virtually all "3 piece" handles are interchangeable. That added to all the other consumer valuable info being missing as you also noted, I just found it a little aggravating..:)
     
  8. BigMark

    BigMark Tests razors by shaving Wookies

    In your defense sir I agree it is frustrating. The whole issue with the handle is annoying for me, especially since the threaded piece can come unscrewed from the handle. I would however not call it Proprietary but this is definitely a design oversight.
     
  9. 178-bplatoon

    178-bplatoon Well-Known Member

    I find it hard to believe it was a mistake as they had to go out of their way to find this type of screw. IMO it was an attempt to give the razor some type of proprietary flair. There it just to much info out there on current razor design for this to be an accident. I honestly believe it was done to help justify the price, by making the razor seem more unique than other razors.. It's a shame IMO as the price and lack of customizing ability will keep me away from purchasing what seems to be a nice razor head and handle..
     
  10. maltedmilk

    maltedmilk Well-Known Member

    Article Team
    EJ handle attached to SR head easily. The special screw does not extend that far into the EJ handle, but seems to hold fairly well.

    The Gillette New head did not attach that well to the SR handle. The threads were not deep enough in the handle, so the New post bottomed out before adequately tightening the cap. Other heads would fit the SR handle as long as the threaded post is not too long.

    razor swap.jpg
     
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  11. maltedmilk

    maltedmilk Well-Known Member

    Article Team
    I've been discussing the DE2SE idea with my machinist. I was trying to get him to understand "the vision." His light bulb came on today and he began talking about how to take cost out of the machining. Some of his comments reminded me of The Standard Razor. I could be wrong, but now think I know why they used that weird little double-threaded screw!

    I hate to assume that everyone knows what a press fit is, and I hate pointing out the obvious. However, erring on the conservative side... a press fit is when you jam a fat post into a skinny hole so hard that it stays in there forever. I won't say how many razors are made with the threaded center posts press fit into the top cap, but you can see these "dots" showing through the plating on vintage razors. Today, when I showed a picture of The Standard to my guy, I learned that their approach eliminates press fits, which saves money. I don't think it was a design oversight, but very intentional! :signs002:

    Anyway... he liked it and thinks that is the way to approach a Kickstarter for the DE2SE hybrid razor**.

    **First discussed >here<. I'll start a new thread when we put some flesh on the skeleton. I may FINALLY have some starting numbers next week.:scared011:
     
  12. Chuck F

    Chuck F Cheesy! Big Curd style

    Just got my black Standard today, just in time for my shave this afternoon. My first impression: wow! Really a great shave. Felt really mild but took care of two days growth with no problem at all. Minor touch ups left me with a smooth, comfortable DFS.
     
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