newly aquired fleabay purchase :)

hi all....

i've had a fascination with sharp things since i was a kid & finally took the plunge & purchased a straight razor from ebay. The condition of the razor (and box it came in) are unbelievable considering how old it is.

Tell me what ya think

Oh, and i just purchase a chinese 12k hone & a king 1k/6k. I also want to mention that i've been using mother's mag polish on my knife edges for years with great success. After reading here about balsa wood, i applied the mothers to the balsa (after sanding) and OMG, what a difference. Does anyone else here use mother's in honing straights?

nice... hmmmm... i may have to give mothers or flitz a shot on balsa.......

That's a good looking razor.

Nice straight - nice coffin too.

thanks guys.....any ideas abot the maker, or the quality?

Any info on the tang?

on the tang, it says "AMERICAN RAZOR CO. NEW YORK N.Y."........i've google'd it & can't find anything out.

Not much info that I can find but I did find this. I would say it's of good quality and would make for a great shaver.

"American Razor Co. was in business 1910-1930 and located in New York."

I gave the flitz a shot this morning before work... Very Nice... It won't replace crox or diamonds for me but if i am traveling and need a pasted touch up i wouldn't hesitate for a second to use it....

Something for the guys hunting crox to think of....

Very sharp comfy serviceable edge..

isn't flitz less abrading than mothers? i may have to try this out as I am teetering on picking u some cbn. what about using any polishing compounds from caswell? have plenty.. is it a poor choice for something like this?

i am about at the conclusion *(gasp) that if a polishing compound will create a mirror finish on metal it will refine a edge to "shaveability"....

*(asbestos suit on... flame away..... BUT be prepared to back up any claims that polishing compounds such as maas/flitz/brasso/mothers will not work..... )

paco664 said:

I gave the flitz a shot this morning before work... Very Nice... It won't replace crox or diamonds for me but if i am traveling and need a pasted touch up i wouldn't hesitate for a second to use it....

Something for the guys hunting crox to think of....

Very sharp comfy serviceable edge..

Click to expand...

Cool!!!.....i'm glad to hear that. I'm not sure how flitz & mothers compare in grit, but I'm pretty sure it's close. i did buy some formax "micro fine honing compound" at a local woodworking store......not impressed

I guess i'm gonna have to break down & buy some sub-micron sprays/pastes to achieve uber sharp lol.....i've gotten this razor to pass a HHT but, still isn't comfortable to shave with.

asn130 said:

Cool!!!.....i'm glad to hear that. I'm not sure how flitz & mothers compare in grit, but I'm pretty sure it's close. i did buy some formax "micro fine honing compound" at a local woodworking store......not impressed

I guess i'm gonna have to break down & buy some sub-micron sprays/pastes to achieve uber sharp lol.....i've gotten this razor to pass a HHT but, still isn't comfortable to shave with.

Click to expand...

if it passes HHT and is not comfy to shave with you need to spend more time on the leather strop..... be gentle and slow with it... give it 70 back and forth laps with perfect form and light pressure.... i am willing to bet you see a drastic improvement...

paco664 said:

if it passes HHT and is not comfy to shave with you need to spend more time on the leather strop..... be gentle and slow with it... give it 70 back and forth laps with perfect form and light pressure.... i am willing to bet you see a drastic improvement...

Click to expand...

hmmmm........i will give it a try. thanks

paco664 said:

i am about at the conclusion *(gasp) that if a polishing compound will create a mirror finish on metal it will refine a edge to "shaveability"....

*(asbestos suit on... flame away..... BUT be prepared to back up any claims that polishing compounds such as maas/flitz/brasso/mothers will not work..... )

Click to expand...

while i understand that in concept. i was told to stay away from certain compounds and rouges from HF for this. was wondering if Caswells was a better prospect.

paco664 said:

if it passes HHT and is not comfy to shave with you need to spend more time on the leather strop..... be gentle and slow with it... give it 70 back and forth laps with perfect form and light pressure.... i am willing to bet you see a drastic improvement...

Click to expand...

well, i followed your advice & stropped the razor for about 10min on leather & boy what a difference. it went from sharp to very sharp. Shaved with it last night & no pulling or digging at all. i was even able to shave against the grain on my neck, up to my jawline without feeling like i was going to remove more than hair lol.

And i'm pleased to say, no razor burn or nicks.

My only question is, if leather doesn't have any abrasive qualities, then how does it "mellow" an edge like that?

asn130 said:

well, i followed your advice & stropped the razor for about 10min on leather & boy what a difference. it went from sharp to very sharp. Shaved with it last night & no pulling or digging at all. i was even able to shave against the grain on my neck, up to my jawline without feeling like i was going to remove more than hair lol.

And i'm pleased to say, no razor burn or nicks.

My only question is, if leather doesn't have any abrasive qualities, then how does it "mellow" an edge like that?

Click to expand...

magic.... ....


actually leather does have a slight abrasive quality *(just like me...lol...) i don't know how it works but there are MUCH smarter guys then me here who hopefully pop in and explain it........

and congrats on the bloodfree painfree shave....

global_dev said:

while i understand that in concept. i was told to stay away from certain compounds and rouges from HF for this. was wondering if Caswells was a better prospect.

Click to expand...

well... all i know is if it will polish metal out to a mirror... then it will refine a edge..... because when all the BS is scraped off the top, honing is just bringing 2 bevels together and then polishing them to make the serrated edge finer and finer.... i am gonna give a strop pasted with braso a shot.... just to see what happens.....

i am sitting here now playing with some lapping film i got today... .3um and .5um along with another of even finer but unknown grit..... i used it to hone a kamisori i sold last night.... seraphim is right... this lapping film is the bomb diggity.....