Celebrating 650 Years of Craftsmanship Known as the ‘City of Blades’, Solingen, Germany is home to the world’s best blade and knife manufactures. Quality blades, as well as other grooming tools, including manicure and pedicure instruments, shaving accessories, and leather cases are designed and crafted here under a myriad of brands all with Solingen in their titles, a tribute to the distinguished city. A Rich History of Craftsmanship This year marks 650 years of Solingen’s signature craftsmanship! With its rich…
Tag: straight razor
Diamonds are Forever
DOVO has once again raised the bar with its most recent creation – the Straight Edge Diamond. Entirely unique, this one-of-a-kind piece is unlike any other razor created. Defined by its opulence, it boasts 225 sparkling diamonds, grade 5 titanium, and RWL-34 stainless powder steel. Only one unit has been produced which took one and a half years to design before reaching the final product. The luxury models comes with a luxury cost, retailing for $42,655.00 euros (about $62,465 CAD)!…
What is Shave Ready?
We receive many inquiries about the condition of straight razors; Can I use my straight razor right from the box? Do I need to sharpen my straight razor before use? Well, it depends on the condition of the straight razor. If the razor is defined as ‘shave-ready’ the razor can be used without additional sharpening and honing. Most straight razors however do not come shave ready. Some stropping, sharpening, and honing will be required prior to use. WHAT IS SHAVE READY? …
Straight Razor Series: Diamond Sharpening Pastes
We’ve already broken down traditional sharpening pastes, but we’ve received a lot of questions about diamond sharpening pastes. We’re breaking down diamond sharpening pastes a little more, so you’ll know when, and how, to use them. Background As the steel-making craft improved, making razors harder than the materials used to sharpen them, traditional paste materials began to meet their match. This contrast of a softer grit against a harder blade is counterproductive; it dulls rather than sharpens a blade. Fortunately,…
Straight Razor Series: Sharpening Pastes
One of the best ways to sharpen and smooth a straight razor is by using a sharpening paste. Simply put, a sharpening paste is a compound that varies in abrasiveness. The micron of sharpening paste measures the size of abrasive grain used. How to Use Sharpening Pastes To restore a straight razor sharpness, a progression of sharpening pastes is used. Starting with a coarse grit paste makes removing residue easy and is a quick way to prepare the blade for…
Straight Razor Series – Comparing Grinds
As our Straight Razor blog series continues this week, we’re explore blade grinds. We’ve broken it down to highlight the main aspects of the grind. What’s the Grind? Simply put, the grind is determined by a blade’s hollowness. Blades that have a thinner edge have a hollower grind and vice versa. Grinding Methods Grinding methods refer to two aspects of the razor. The first describes the curvature of the straight razor’s cross section. The second involves the blade’s final shape…
Straight Razor Series – Comparing Point Types
Straight razors can be complicated tools. You might have been confused by references to a straight razor’s spine, tip, tang, scale or edge. We’re here to explain everything you need to know about straight razors. We’ll have a few blog articles focusing on different aspects of the straight razor. This week’s we’re taking a look at Point Types. Point type refers to the shape of the blade’s tip. There are five standard point types that differ in sharpness and precision….
FAQ’s – Straight Razor Shaving
I want to start using a straight razor, what should I do? We get a lot of questions from our customers who want to learn more about the basics of straight razor shaving, so we’ve put together some FAQ’s on straight razor shaving to help! Happy Shaving. Which straight razor should I use? If you’re new to wet-shaving, starting modestly with a 5/8” or a 6/8” blade, like the Boker King Cutter Straight Razor 5/8”, or something similar is ideal. You want…
Brand Spotlight: Thiers Issard
An iconic brand in the world of wet shaving, Thiers Issard creates straight razors and shaving accessories like no other. Founded in 1884 by Pierre Thiers, Thiers Issard is one of France’s most popular straight razor manufacturers. Their high-quality items are exported to nearly 30 countries worldwide and are synonymous with luxury and quality. Here’s a brief look at some of their stunning pieces. Browse our collection of Thiers Issard shaving and grooming accessories here.
Choosing the Right Leather Strop for Your Straight Razor
Chances are good that you’ve seen a barber using his strop, either in the movies or while you’ve sat in the chair; he deftly sharpens and polishes his straight razor to perfection, ready for use. But these leather accessories aren’t just for barbers and movie stars. If you have a straight razor, you should also be using a strop at home to keep your blades in tiptop shaving shape. With repeated use the blade of any razor gets dull; after honing…
Win a Fendrihan Full Hollow Ground Straight Razor
Welcome to another happy Friday. The weekend’s about to begin, and we want to help one lucky Fendrihan member start their weekend with a bang. That’s why we’re giving away one custom, handmade Fendrihan Thiers Issard French straight razor. With a full hollow ground 5/8″ blade and black scales, it’s the perfect way for a distinguished gentleman to complete his shave. For your chance to win, enter up to six (6) times in the form below. Complete all six options,…