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Gebrüder Lutzenkirchen "Seehund" 5/8
Right. We had the Wade & Butcher meat chopper madness. We had Dubl Ducks (also known as "that OEM stuff we sent to the US and had ground by apprentices") dizziness. We had the 6/8 1/4 hollow Grelot grandeur. These days, it is Filarmonica frenzy. Same horrible scales as Dubl Ducks. Same insane prices as W&B razors, only worse. Same ready availability as TI Le Grelots.
Tell you what. If you get any of the above, you are most likely paying too much, gentlemen. Let me present to you the Filarmonica killer. A baby seal ("Seehund" in German).
Craftsmanship: The razor is a 5/8ths full hollow grind with a thick ridge, much like the new bottom line Dovos. The razor is NOS, and has a very nice satin finish. The scales are translucent red, and only took a few swipes of my top secret, highly toxic, east German polishing compound (the man who gave it to me in an unmarked box cautioned me to use it outside only, wear safety glasses and latex gloves, but it out performs MAAS by leaps and bounds) to polish them to a shine.
Balance: Perfect. The razor is lightweight compared to my favourite razors (such as the Dorko "300" or the Wacker "Old Sheffield"), which gives it a great manoeuvrability. Still the blade is wide enough to accommodate a decent amount of lather - nothing I hate more than having to rinse the razor after every other stroke.
Collectability: There are thousands of W&Bs out there. At least a few hundred NOS Filarmonicas. There are lots and lots of Dubl Ducks (c'mon guys, those were bottom line convenience articles back in their days - they're only rare because people threw them away when the scales died after a few months). There are even four Chronics, including the wonder razor owned by the God of Leg Shaving.
But... there is only one Seehund on this planet, apparently. How is that for collectability?
Price: I got this Gebrüder Lutzenkirchen razor off a well known auction site for the equivalent of 27 cheeseburgers. I think it money well spent.
Overall: This razor has the potential to out shave all my other razors, including a Bergischer Löwe, and a Rasurpur Le Grelot. I gave it a few rounds on my 4 and 8k Nortons, then finished it on my Coticule. That was all it took. I keep wanting to sell it, but each time I give it "that one last shave", it reminds me of the fact that vintage Solingen razors are the best, no matter the size. Recommended? Not really, because you cannot have mine. Har. Har.
[BREAK=Read on - there is more to know about this razor...]
Okay, I admit it. I am getting sufficiently bored by this Filarmonica nonsense. Since I have learnt to prefer big blades, I would find shaving with one more interesting than shaving with the Seehund. But, and that is the reason I am posting this review, the Seehund delivers a shave as close and comfortable as a Filarmonica. Or a Dorko. Or a Dubl Duck. Or a Dovo. Or... As Glen keeps saying: "Too many variables." One razor works for one person, and for the next, it does not. I like this razor because it is unique, and I got it for a very decent price. Actually, it is the only good razor I ever got off eBay. So... beginners beware: do not buy from eBay, and do not believe the hype. A USD 500 razor will not shave any better than an EUR 27 one. Potentially. Because there are too many variables.
Regards,
Robin
PS I really do not like 5/8 razors. This one will be on its way to OK via Sin City for a scale overhaul tomorrow. I wanted it to go into good hands, but did not want to sell it, because for me it is priceless. So I am giving it away. Enjoy, Gary.
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Thank you, sir.
Originally Posted by BeBerlin
