Thread: Russel Baldrige Japanese style straight

This is a review of the Japanese style razor that Russel Baldrige made for me. I've used it for 2 weeks now, and I feel confident enough to write up a review about it.







Packaging
Could not have been better. The razor box (more about that later) was wrapped in severl layers of bubble wrap. That whole package was inside a bigger box stuffed with stuffing I bet it could have fallen off a building without causing any damage to the razor.

The razor box
This was a complete surprise when I first saw the pics. I had been wondering about how to store the razor, since it can't be folded. I could put it in my rotation box with the edge upwards, but aside from being impractical, I could end up with fingertips that were sliced to the bone.
This box takes away al those problems in a very elegant way.

The wood is coated so it fels very smooth to the touch, and does not absorb water.
The razor fits the box in a way that prevents the edge from touching the sides at all times. Good solution that does not damage the edge.
The circle in the middle allows you to take out the razor without effort.
And the whole thing can be close by pushing a beautiful hammered pin through the hole in the leather
All in all, this is top of the line in all aspects.

The razor - style
This razor was everything I had asked for. The charred hammered spine and tang look very rustic. The blade is quarter hollow ground, and brilliantly polished. The hamon is standing out nicely, and its shape is pretty. The width of the blade is slightly under 15/16, but because it is relatively short, it is not overly heavy.

As you can see, the edge has a pronounced curve to it. This makes it fit my face very comfortably.
But the most important feature is also the reason I asked Russel to make it: It has the western symmetrical blade shape. I have tried the asymmetrical style, and I didn't like it one bit. This symmetrical shape is much more to my liking.

The razor - shaving
I have shaved with it 4 times so far. The first 2 times I had some mild irritation despite the fact that the blade was obviously sharp by my standards.
I attribute this to the fact that I had some trouble maintaining the correct blade angle initially. Combined with that, the blade is also heavier than anything I've shaved with yet, so I had to adjust the pressure a bit. Or rather, the feedback I got was different than with lighter blades.
The last 2 shaves were already much better, and very close. I still need to refine my technique, but this is an excellent shaver if I've ever used one.

The razor - honing
I haven't honed this razor yet, but it might be worthwhile to add a bit of info.
This razor was honed with tap to protect the hammer work on the spine. I want to keep that pristine so I will always hone with tape.
But more importantly, this blade has a hamon. This implies that the edge is significantly harder than the spine. If I'd always hone it without tape, the spine would wear out faster than the edge.
If you are someone who cannot live with the idea of taping the spine for honing, then maybe a razor with a hamon is not for you.

Conclusion
This is a superb razor. Beautiful, fine balance, wonderful shaver...
It is exactly what I wanted, and I think Russel has a great future in the world of razor smithing.

Awesome!


I still eagerly waiting on mine......

Hey Bruno aren't you the guy that said you don't buy new razors you only buy vintage stuff?

It's a very interesting looking razor I must say.

Nice, Nice!

X

Sweet looking razor!!!
I would love to be the proud owner of one of those!
Drooling uncontrolably... ... ...

Nice piece & neat storage solution

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Hey Bruno aren't you the guy that said you don't buy new razors you only buy vintage stuff?

It's a very interesting looking razor I must say.

That could very well be. I don't know where I've said it, but yes, you won't find me buying a new mass produced razor any time soon. I still think vintage is the way to go.
But in this case I made an exception based on the fact that it was a custom blade, made specifically for me, exactly the way I wanted.

It started off with me PMing Russel to commend him for his new symmetrical Japanese style razors. Russel made me an offer I couldn't refuse, we talked for a bit about specifics, and that was that.

Bruno, you are too kind. It is a joy to know that my hard work is appreciated!

This style does take a little getting used to, since the grip is entirely different from other razors, but in the end they shave with the best of 'em.

Enjoy!

(Oh btw, the "stuffing" material in the package was the plane shavings from the wood used in the razor's box, made with a traditional japanese kanna, just a bit of trivia for ya.)

Is this a stainless blade. it sure looks like it.

Nope. High carbon steel. 1095 if I recall correctly.