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Rate your modern straights manufactuers

diverdoug

diverdoug

I thought it would be interesting how other members felt about the quality of the modern sraight razors they own, stratified by manufacturer. Here is my list
1. Ralf Aust
2. Wacker
3. Nate's Straights
4. Portland Razor
5. Thiers Issard
6. Dovo
7. Boker

None of my ratings are based on entry level straights.
Lets hear your opinions!
:popc::popc::popc:
 
Bad_B

Bad_B

Did this the other day on another thread. lol
1. Ralf Aust (7/8 Spanish point & Horn, 6/8 Round point & Horn)
2. Boker x2 Silver Steel
3. Revisor x2 (5/8 Spanish point, 6/8 Round point)
4. Wacker x2 (Chevalier & Jungmeister)
5. Hart x2 (Custom Rounded Shortie long tail, Custom Square point thinned paddle tang)


Reasons: 1. Aust fit and finish far above the others . 2. Bokers excellent blades and beefy plastic scales, good value. 3. Revisors, good blades, good registration on the colors & gold wash, cheap thin plastic scales. 4. Wackers poor polish on the horn scales, Jungmeister's blade doesn't center, poor registration on the gold wash. 5. Harts, poorly finished wood scales, makers mark inconsistent etching, Logo crooked on the rounded shorties blade.


They are all roughly the same price point were purchased new.
 
6Cuda6

6Cuda6

Mine...
1- Joe Edson
2- Joe Edson
3- Joe Edson
4- Joe Edson

The only modern customs i own at the moment are 4 of his....excellent craftmanship, hold incredible edges and all very different but also very similar in the hand.
 
kelbro

kelbro

Alfred Spatchcock
Portland Razor Co.
Hart Steel

About equal but Portland gets the edge for value.

I like tool steel. Fancy and polished are nice but not for me.
 
Lmarkow

Lmarkow

I have trouble answering these types of questions. I cannot separate my razors' attributes from their makers' skills. For example, I love thumb notches. But only my Zowada Carbon has one. But I also love hollow grinds. So which is better, the hollower BRW or the notched Zowada?

Pass me a coin, please.
 
6Cuda6

6Cuda6

doc47 said:
I wouldn't touch a newly manufactured razor with a 10-foot pole. It's a matter of emotional content. I've looked a several RAs and couldn't pull the trigger. It's not the price, it's what I can do with $275 and an antique razor. Bringing one of those back to life gives me joy and satisfaction I can't imagine getting the same feelings from a new razor. So I've stayed away.
Click to expand...

Very interesting perspective Dan. I look at it both ways....modern for the craftmanship of today and vintage for the skills of yesterday gone by...i support both and love to mix it up. Thats not to say i dont have some very exquisite vintage razors because i do....i just like variety i quess depending on my mood ...lol.
 
Acmemfg

Acmemfg

Modern razors can be sub-categorized in such s fashion which muddles things up a bit for me.

Production razors-
Ralf Aust
Boker
T-I
Dovo

Semi-custom-
Robert Williams
Hart Steel

Custom-
Tim Zowada
Brian Brown
Jerry Stark

Keep in mind the differences in overall quality among the custom and semi-custom razors is as thin as the hairs they cut. The production models??

Ralf Aust is by far top of the heap. Boker is a respectable second.

One solid point...they all are excellent razors, otherwise I would not own them.
 
KW Driver

KW Driver

Tim Zowada
BRW/Nate Zowada
Dovo Palsidander
Hart

Brown and Nate tie for quality of construction, despite differences in design. which isn't very much below Tim's. Dovo has better scales than Hart. Hart should be ashamed of the scales they put out, at their price point.
 
jimmy538

jimmy538

doc47 said:
I wouldn't touch a newly manufactured razor with a 10-foot pole. It's a matter of emotional content. I've looked a several RAs and couldn't pull the trigger. It's not the price, it's what I can do with $275 and an antique razor. Bringing one of those back to life gives me joy and satisfaction I can't imagine getting the same feelings from a new razor. So I've stayed away.
Click to expand...

I enjoy restoring vintage razors, but I love a good custom. With a custom you can pick every detail of the razor being produced. You have to think of the children lol. I would love to have a razor that was custom built for my grandfather. I'm just planning ahead for my grandkids and I should have enough that no one feels left out 😂
 
McVeyMac

McVeyMac

1. Brian Brown/BRW
2. Nate Zowada
3. Tim Zowada
4. Portland Razor Company

Of note, each of the examples that I own are from their production lines, and they are not custom. From a performance standpoint the rating is as stated. From a design standpoint, I would rate them Nate, Tim then Brian. To be fair, I paid less for Brian ' s razors than for Nate's. Tim's was the most costly.
 
Acmemfg

Acmemfg

$image.jpg

...Any of these would be an excellent choice to add to one's collection:

LEFT-Top to bottom
-Brian Brown 13/16
-Brian Brown 7/8
-Tim Zowada 6/8

RIGHT-All Jerry Stark 7/8

Indeed it seems the American razor makers are giving the established European marques a run for it. Although makers like Aust, Boker, Dovo, Thiers-Issard, and many others are putting out a fine product, extremely high quality, well made custom/semi-custom razors can be purchased from myriad American craftsmen for very reasonable prices.
 
R

Rellik137

Acmemfg said:
View attachment 684626

...Any of these would be an excellent choice to add to one's collection:

LEFT-Top to bottom
-Brian Brown 13/16
-Brian Brown 7/8
-Tim Zowada 6/8

RIGHT-All Jerry Stark 7/8

Indeed it seems the American razor makers are giving the established European marques a run for it. Although makers like Aust, Boker, Dovo, Thiers-Issard, and many others are putting out a fine product, extremely high quality, well made custom/semi-custom razors can be purchased from myriad American craftsmen for very reasonable prices.
Click to expand...

The scales on those jerry stark razors are a real eye catcher, I skipped the text and went straight for the picture
 
fastback

fastback

Max Sprecher
Robert Williams
Koraat Knives

There are many others that are good, but these are all are exceptional in my book.
 
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