Safety razors, that are NOT made of zamak/pot metal/die-cast zinc...?

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by everraser, Aug 25, 2017.

  1. DaltonGang

    DaltonGang Ol' Itchy Whiskers

    If you're a millennial, then buy one before your parents were born.
     
    Omaney, barbersurgeon, Jim99 and 4 others like this.
  2. Eeyore

    Eeyore Well-Known Member

    It is hot and miss with Fatips, it seems. My Fatip OC is a personal favourite.
     
    Taipan likes this.
  3. BigMark83

    BigMark83 [...........] this space intentionally left blank

    It's definitely hit or miss, and I've missed every time.
     
  4. Taipan

    Taipan Well-Known Member

    Got my Fatip Grande OC six weeks ago on vacation in Italy just twenty miles from the factory. Been my daily driver ever since. A great razor imo.
     
    Eeyore likes this.
  5. NoobShaver

    NoobShaver BGDAAA

    another cost efficient non-zamak option is Lord's L122. It's a clone of Gillette's Tech. I believe it is stamped aluminum, and at last check (10 minutes ago) it was $10 on amazon.
     
  6. DesertTime

    DesertTime Well-Known Member

    That's been my travel razor for many years. It gives surprisingly good shaves.
     
  7. BigMark83

    BigMark83 [...........] this space intentionally left blank

    How about both.
     
  8. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Real Techs are so good, plentiful, and cheap, I can't imagine wanting a clone to save a couple bucks. I paid less than $15 for all of mine.

    Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
     
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  9. Michael_W

    Michael_W Well-Known Member

    A number of razor companies are now making their products from brass—the handles anyway—so I'll list the ones I know off the top of my head.

    Weishi 9306E
    Weishi 9306CL
    Merkur 34c HD (handle is brass)
    Parker 99R (handle is brass)
    Parker Variant? (brass handle)
     
    Enrico likes this.
  10. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    I wouldn't mind trying a Merkur 34C sometime, maybe in a trade or something. :)
     
  11. Michael_W

    Michael_W Well-Known Member

    :p
     
    Enrico likes this.
  12. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    I feel that way about my 58 Fat Boy.
     
    Terry Williams likes this.
  13. jwr3265

    jwr3265 Well-Known Member

    What razors ARE made of these inferior metals?


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  14. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Edwin Jagger, Merkur, Muhle, Pearl, most razors from PAA and Italian Barber/Razorock come immediately to mind.

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  15. jwr3265

    jwr3265 Well-Known Member

    Interesting...I’ve had zero issues with my EJ, Merkur, or IB.

    I don’t understand why there’s so much beef about zamack, etc.


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  16. jmudrick

    jmudrick Type A Man

    Most people don't have problems, that's why Zamak works so well.

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  17. barbersurgeon

    barbersurgeon Well-Known Member

    Love my Parker butterfly and fatip... neither is a mild razor, but results are outstanding imho.
     
  18. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    The 'beef', if you read up on it, is that ZAMAC (Zinc, Aluminum, MAgnesium, Copper) is an alloy with 1) a bad history, and 2) an inability to be repaired.

    Early 'pot metal' was primarily zinc, and whatever shop sweepings were around to be tossed into a pot, and be re-melted for casting use. Even when the zinc alloys were specifically made for casting, lead was often included. When lead is exposed to oxygen (in the zinc alloy), it can start to 'pest', or corrode. Once that happens, you're pretty much SOL. You see, zinc isn't just plated. It's plated at least twice. Sometimes three times. When the surface of brass is exposed, even if there's a small amount of lead pest, it doesn't lead to compromising the structural integrity of the rest of the metal. That, and brass tends to corrode to a hard patina that stops corroding after a certain point. (Copper and aluminum both do this) There are some threads on a few car forums on people trying to repair/replate zinc parts.

    _Gillette's_ zinc razors tended to be pretty decent. They had the size and clout to demand and get good alloys. More recent zinc based razors have more refined alloys as well (no lead). I have a couple of Austrian/German razors that obviously did not have good quality control for the alloy. The pest actually buckled up the plating from underneath.

    The last reason is simple. Zinc just isn't very strong. It's used where strength isn't necessary. If you drop a brass razor, it may dent, and might possibly break. The same drop for a zamac razor has a good chance of shattering it, and a crappy zinc razor is almost certain to go crunch. (thinking about a drop to a cement or tile floor, not a drop in the sink) I know my old SuperSpeed has taken more flying lessons than I like to admit.
     
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  19. Terry Williams

    Terry Williams Well-Known Member

    One of the things that I've noticed on older 3-piece Gillettes with Zamak caps is that the threaded stem can loosen over time because of over tightening. I have few that are like that.
     
  20. Macktheknife

    Macktheknife Active Member

    Schone. Made by Fatip. Nicer handle, fewer teeth. Nickel over brass. About $25.
     
    everraser likes this.

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