And now, the J-West bug begins to nibble away (insert evil laugh here). As I consider shave quality first when obtaining razors, I've about decided I have minimal interest in collecting anything but J-Wests at this point (ok, maybe some more Fili's and old Spanish 14's ), they're all simply fantastic shavers. I'm predicting you'll soon have a few of these in your arsenal Kevin! BTW: It's nice to see one of my razors in a high quality "Shave of the Day" photo! My own photography skills seldom reflect the beauty of the razor...
You know, if you are serious about SR shaving, I have a sweet little J.R. Torrey round point I can send you to try. Take a walk on the wild side, and see if SR shaving is for you or not.
Just as a "BTW", I've seen that same blade in easily restorable condition with plain scales on d'Bay for less than $100...many other very nice JW's for as low as ~$35. Just keep one eye on the usual sellers. They let a few go cheap to keep us on the string
Thanks Mike I may pick your brain as I would not want to get something too crappy but not crazy costs either.
Not to overly self-promote, but I will be selling off a number of my 'shave-ready' straights soon—all good shavers that wont break the bank.
Okay, it's a lousy picture but... Here's my Krusius Bros. KB Extra. I did my first full pass with it yesterday. Then did another pass with a DE to finish. I've got a lot to learn but it's a start. Very close especially on the cheeks. Almost 20 hours later and I can't believe how little growth I feel. I thought Soap Commander Courage was a good choice for my first time.
Hard for me to say or make that claim. 'Better' is often a subjective term in many ways. Many feel Solingen-made steel razors are 'best'—and others like Sheffield steel. Since this is my first use of a J-West, I can only give my initial impressions using one razor. I'd let someone with more extensive experience with these types (@entropy1049 @Jamie Mahoney @gssixgun ) weigh in with their opinions. It is a well-made razor, by the way, and I do like the shape of the blade.
I do think the vintage Japanese razors have a very high consistant level of quality fit and finish that's extremely hard to beat, in fact it's very difficult to find a poor one and I'm one of those who love a square point and the vast majority of Japanese razors come with slightly muted square points.
I would think a vintage j-w would be very precise in fit and finish due to the pride the Japanese take in the making or manufacturing of many items and they seem to hold their value.
No problem, drop me a PM and we'll figure out what's a good fit for your situation. Happy to say I'm currently running on all eight cylinders. I think the fit and finish is at least on par with the best vintage razors. The quality of the steel on the non-Swedish bladed razors is superior, typically Bleckman, YSS white,Hitachi Super or other quality alloyed steels, and of course the Swedish bladed razors are fantastic as well though the steel is not domestic to Japan. It's the workmanship of the forming of the razor, specifically blade shape and size, grinding, and geometry that seems to make them such superlative shavers. That, and the ability to take a keen and lasting edge. Or I'm imagining it all
Early morning pre-dawn shave today… As I mentioned after yesterday's shave, this is a well-designed and well-constructed razor. Good balance is one important aspect, I've discovered, in the effective use of a straight razor. Not all razors are as well-balanced as this model. I've often found some straight razors are made quite blade-heavy—especially some of the large-bladed wedge grinds. They still shave great, but require additional effort and attention. A well-balanced razor feels easier to use and more efficient in its use—and that is precisely how this razor feels in the hand. Three basic passes (WTG, XTH, ATG) with minor touch-up. A repeat of yesterday's near-BBS results. Slight irritation on the neck on one side as I am probably 'chasing the baby' too much on that side. I'll need to back off a bit.
