Okay, first of all I know I'm new here -- flame on brothers, flame on. I'm posting this review in all humility, just to get the word out on this little bargain. The Timor blue steel razor provides just what a new shaver is looking for. It's simple, it doesn't break the bank and best of all, it gives a nice shave.
I'd been using a "pro" blade -- a non-brand from "Solingen" (haha yeah I know) that provided less than acceptable anything. It had issues holding an edge and always seemed just a bit floppy. It also only cost about $50 at a knife shop.
I had been hunting around online for a "good" razor and ran across the Classic Shaving (dot) com website. I saw that they had pretty good deals, but still the though of spending $150+ on an acceptable razor made me hesitate. I knew that I could neither continue using my horrible razor nor could I drop that large a wad of cash on a quality razor. Especially if I didn't know whether wet shaving was going to last for me.
Fortunately, I found a compromise in this Timor blade. At approximately $90, it was perhaps the most affordable razor on Classic Shaving. It also was blued. Like classic -- and some contemporary -- pistols. Bluing is a treatment given to steel to fight corrosion. It was one way that military could add protection to the exterior of their guns without a coat of oil on the. That oil on the outside of a gun could collect dust and lead to all kinds of issues, mechanical and otherwise. I can't imagine carrying my duty gun with a coat of oil on it -- think of the dust, dirt and other grime that would collect!
Most firearms use different composites and coatings nowadays, but bluing is still widely used, especially on guns not designed for combat use.
The bluing attracted me because of the bluing and the aggressive pricing. I have no idea of the blued steel is actually corrosion resistant, but it looks nice.
It's a very basic hollow ground razor at 5/8". The scales are a little stiff on the tang, but that will probably loosen up a bit with use. On a side note, I like a stiffer set of scales rather than a floppy handle. More control and just feels more solid.
The shave with this razor was magnificent -- possibly due to the horrible experiences I'd had so far (no major bleeders, just discomfort and redness). It took just a hot rinse and (later) a light stropping to get it ready to go. Test shave on my forearm showed no issues.
Applying this razor to my face mirrors the experience of many users out there when they get their hands on a good razor for the first time. I swiped it down my cheek and thought to myself, geez, this thing isn't even cutting! I then felt my bare cheek and realized... there's no stubble, no hair, no nothing! The shave went on like that all the way to my chin, which is a personal issue. Gotta work on that.
Improvements:
In my opinion, a set of micarta scales could have really finished this product out nicely. The handle is run of the mill at best. The blade is a carbon steel which will require a little more work than stainless counterparts -- but not much.
Conclusion:
I'm loving this razor so far. More to come on the edge and how it lasts -- when I have a timeframe to judge it by.
Also photos to follow shortly. Off to a wedding this weekend.
I'd been using a "pro" blade -- a non-brand from "Solingen" (haha yeah I know) that provided less than acceptable anything. It had issues holding an edge and always seemed just a bit floppy. It also only cost about $50 at a knife shop.
I had been hunting around online for a "good" razor and ran across the Classic Shaving (dot) com website. I saw that they had pretty good deals, but still the though of spending $150+ on an acceptable razor made me hesitate. I knew that I could neither continue using my horrible razor nor could I drop that large a wad of cash on a quality razor. Especially if I didn't know whether wet shaving was going to last for me.
Fortunately, I found a compromise in this Timor blade. At approximately $90, it was perhaps the most affordable razor on Classic Shaving. It also was blued. Like classic -- and some contemporary -- pistols. Bluing is a treatment given to steel to fight corrosion. It was one way that military could add protection to the exterior of their guns without a coat of oil on the. That oil on the outside of a gun could collect dust and lead to all kinds of issues, mechanical and otherwise. I can't imagine carrying my duty gun with a coat of oil on it -- think of the dust, dirt and other grime that would collect!
Most firearms use different composites and coatings nowadays, but bluing is still widely used, especially on guns not designed for combat use.
The bluing attracted me because of the bluing and the aggressive pricing. I have no idea of the blued steel is actually corrosion resistant, but it looks nice.
It's a very basic hollow ground razor at 5/8". The scales are a little stiff on the tang, but that will probably loosen up a bit with use. On a side note, I like a stiffer set of scales rather than a floppy handle. More control and just feels more solid.
The shave with this razor was magnificent -- possibly due to the horrible experiences I'd had so far (no major bleeders, just discomfort and redness). It took just a hot rinse and (later) a light stropping to get it ready to go. Test shave on my forearm showed no issues.
Applying this razor to my face mirrors the experience of many users out there when they get their hands on a good razor for the first time. I swiped it down my cheek and thought to myself, geez, this thing isn't even cutting! I then felt my bare cheek and realized... there's no stubble, no hair, no nothing! The shave went on like that all the way to my chin, which is a personal issue. Gotta work on that.
Improvements:
In my opinion, a set of micarta scales could have really finished this product out nicely. The handle is run of the mill at best. The blade is a carbon steel which will require a little more work than stainless counterparts -- but not much.
Conclusion:
I'm loving this razor so far. More to come on the edge and how it lasts -- when I have a timeframe to judge it by.
Also photos to follow shortly. Off to a wedding this weekend.