I’m not sure that the tight pivot is much of an advantage. You hold it entirely by the blade, in use. The cover just adds some balance. Having it move makes it easier to manipulate.
Thanks. I really have no clue about straight razors beyond having watched the movie version of Sweeny Todd and the Bugs Bunny Version of the Barber of Seville.
I've had no problem with stoneworx stones falling out. I don't carry them as much but they do get knocked around or dropped. Now Rough Ryder Shields 🛡, I had those things practically jump off the covers on some of them. I like the stoneworx series, it's different & colorful. My grandmother shaved with a straight razor. I still have the set. I remember when I was a teenager & finally started growing a little bit of facial hair. One day I tried the straight razor. I found out painfully you hold the thing more like a 90 degrees to your face. I went about 30 degrees & found out, that's a quick way to slice your face open. Didn't leave a scar, but left an impression of I'll stick to safety razors. 😆
Shaving Razor handle design is intentional, it provides easy movement to adjust the blade and handle angle for shaving. This requires drawing the sharp edge parallel to the skin so to not cut the skin shaved. The smallest finger on the hand holding the razor controls the angle of the edge. If the blade is tight in the handle, it will not move smoothly and is more likely to nick the skin. Barber students practice on balloons lathered with shaving soap or shaving cream. If the balloon is nicked, it pops and you fail the test. There are two carotid arteries, one on the right and one on the left. In a person’s neck, each carotid artery branches into two divisions: The internal carotid artery supplies blood to the brain. The external carotid artery supplies blood to the face and neck. If you cut either shaving because they are close to the surface of the skin you can bleed to death in a short time. Proper shaving razors have a perfectly straight edge, without any curve in the edge. 😂
I have a feeling a barber would probably grab and old nicked up rusty Wilkinson and hone it before going for straight razors made my companies better known for making low priced knives from China and Pakistan. I know I would not trust this near my neck. I know there are people who have used this RR razors but I will not be one of them.
I shave with a straight daily, and have for more than 12 years. There’s nothing wrong with a upward-curved straight razor; it’s called a “smile,” and some folks (including me) prefer them. Downward-curves, or “frowns” are not shaveable .
Hi Tobias: Those are some really nice razors, thanks for showing. The closest I have are the Rough Rider razor trappers, a pattern I really like. I believe I own all the various cover materials. Normally I don’t care for trappers but that one hand opener razor blade along with the large clip point is a great edc carry.
That Stoneworx Razor is a beauty. My only RR straight razor is the Cinnamon Bone one. Even my wife likes it so that makes it better for having it around.
My Black Widow is doing good. I have no doubt that stones can fall out. My experience has been that it is not the norm. I've had pinned bone fall off a Steel Warrior. I also had the pinned Delrin covers of two different Bear & Son knives pop free. Don't get me started with both brands and their shields! In every case, it has been an easy fix. But had I not had the parts the fix would have been very aggravating. Another person had issues with pearl cover falling off a Rough Rider and breaking when it hit the ground. So there is no doubt it can happen.
Looks like they have been in business Since 1906, per the web site. I think most “knife” straight razors would be difficult to use for actual shaving but I’ve never tried one. The straight and safety razor community is like the knife community, lots of interesting people and information.
I think Gizmo Car pretty much explained how to use the straight razor and i can only agree. The ones i have inclusive the one i inherited from my dad are very loose on the pivot. I don't know if it has a nice hollow grind or just a flat grind, the carbon steel hollow grinds are the best to use. The stoneworx version is the best looking in your collection sofar and maybe not crying over it, but a white smooth bone one would be also very much to my liking. Should i trust a bearded man about razor's? hmm haha Thank you very much for the review Tobias.
I still shave my neck. But as for Straight Razors, you can trust me when I say, I know zilch about them and have no intention of using one on my face. This is especially true for ones that cost as much a pack of disposable razors from Walmart!
Well, this is my area of expertise, and I can bore for hours on the subject. All I'm going to say though is that I prefer the action looser rather than tighter (within reason); heavy scales make for awkward shaving, and when I was honing for money inexpensive modern stainless razors were invariably an absolute pain in the neck, as it were. None of which is a concern if you're not going to attack your face with it, and it's a nice addition to the Stoneworx collection.
Funny thing. When I was at the Rough Ryder counter at SMKW a few years back, a person was asking about the Easy Money Straight razor and asked how well it shaves! The guy at the counter said quite clearly. "You don't want to shave with this razor! And directed the person to a different counter that had what he called "real straight razors!" I don't know enough about straight razors to form an informed opinion but I do consider this more of a razor like object. I suspect your experience with inexpensive razors would be similar with this one.
@@KnifeChatswithTobias The big problem is usually distorted spines (that's your honing guide!), plus those chromium carbides force you to use stones which don't give a pleasant edge to shave with and you wind up doing a load of extra stropping to calm it down. Old razors are usually much easier to work with and shave sweetly.
Did you see the whittlers in tortoise shell ? I ordered the small one . I really like the pattern . the older one I have is one of my favorite Rough Ryders
@@KnifeChatswithTobias The one I ordered showed up and is wonderful. Has nice spring tension and good fit and finish. Worth while . Not a split back though.
That's a Beautiful piece. Straight Razors have a interesting history. Some ''well to do'' men would have sets of 7 one for each day of the week, then I guess they would have their butler hone them all. lol Thanks Tobias
At the end of winter i go visit my barber and get the hair cut and the beard shaved off. He uses a straight razor and its such a close shave. Highly recommend to every guy to do it at least once in your life. Old school barbers keep thier blades extremely sharp. I wouldnt use one on myself either lol
These days most barbers use a disposable razor if they use a razor at all. Kids these days have no idea what it was like to get a real haircut let alone a shave. Now I'm showing my age for sure.
just curious, i use a rolls razor to shave, its the best ever razor i have ever owned used or held in my hand, i have maybe 6-7 old straight razors and want to get into shaving with them but i just haven't found the intestinal fortitude to do it yet, i was thinking of getting a new one to learn with, are these knives or actual straight razors to be used at the bathroom sink in the morning?
I mentioned this elsewhere: When I was at the Rough Ryder counter at SMKW a few years back, a person was asking about the Easy Money Straight razor and asked how well it shaves! The guy at the counter said quite clearly. "You don't want to shave with this razor! And directed the person to a different counter that had what he called "real straight razors!" I don't know enough about straight razors to form an informed opinion but I do consider this more of a razor like object. In short, I'd buy a razor from a razor company instead of the knife company that is in the business of making pocket knives.
I sharpened a Celestial razor to a straight razor edge, where you actually rest the spine on the stone. RR razors come with a 15-17 degree edge. It takes an edge nicely. The only thing is there is a slight curve or belly that complicates things. Straight razors specifically made for shaving facial hair have no belly/curve. The one I sharpened works great on the Mrs. gams! 🤣👍
I have the buckshot version. It’s very nice to have, but it’s not really great as a razor. The blade is a bit thick and nowhere near sharp enough to shave your face. I use double edged safety razors, but I had to try this out. It wasn’t very successful!
I did try it on my face. My whiskers just laughed at it. I think I'd be stropping this thing for a week to get it sharp enough for my face. Arm Hairs are nothing compared to face whiskers.
It's a $15 pocket knife with a life time warranty. A $20,000 diamond can pop out of a ring. If you are looking for a pocket knife to do anything more than pocket knife size jobs, I think they are a bit excessive in their expectations. Will a Chinese made rough rider hold up better and longer than a USA made Case knife under "normal" use and carry? Maybe not but is that worth 3 to 6 times more when the cheaper knife basically does the same thing? At the end of the day it all boils down to performance. Will the knife cut and do a good job of cutting. I have some US made knives that couldnt cut its way out of a paper bag and I have some Chinese cheap knive that have cut me for just looking at it. I had a Case knife that was a glorified butter knife straight from the box.
I hate to keep saying this but it is true. The only knives I've had that had a cover pop loose were two Bear & Son USA made knives. The knives should have been pinned and epoxied. Apparently the had just pinned them and had not that done that properly. That was about 12 years ago. I think B&S has learned a thing or two since then. In any case, the covers popped back on have been fine ever since. (yes, I added some epoxy before popping them back on!)
I love shaving with my straight razors. Yes they will cut the hair on your arm, but you were putting pressure on it. You need to take it from razor sharp to shaving sharp before you put it to your face. A water stone is ideal for this. I use a 4000/8000 combo stone to hone mine, before stropping it on canvas with 60,000 grit chromium oxide polish, then a few passes on the leather strop. Will remove the whiskers with no pressure applied. Just glides across the skin. I have razors from the 1700's and 1800's up to current day manufactured.
Ooh, a modern traditional straight razor. Micarta handles, spring assisted opening, and your favorite Super Steel, because modern whiskers are tougher than nails?
Irrationally, it bothers me that the Stoneworx series have a mixture of real stones and shells with simulated (plastic) stones. In the real world, it makes little or no difference, but somehow in my head, real stones are better than fake stones. On the other hand, I’m glad the “tortoise shell” handles are fake. Real “tortoise shell” is made of sea turtle shells (not from actual tortoises), and sea turtles are endangered animals these days. I don’t want to encourage anybody to kill them, or to participate in a market for their body parts. But rocks are not scarce, or endangered.
US knife makers were some of the first companies in the world to stop using genuine tortoise shell for handles. From what I understand the stones are either synthetic or reconstituted. I've not received a clear answer. if they are reconstituted they might be actually turquoise that ground to a fine dust and then mixed with an epoxy. If it is synthetic they might be made using Howlite, a lower grade stone that again is pulverized to a powder and then mixed with a epoxy. Howlite is is common stone used to make synthetic turquoise jewelry. Howlite is also known as white turquoise but is easily dyed to look like turquoise. Problem is the lines are blurred all over the place between synthetic and reconstituted. In many instances there is more epoxy and dye than actual stone and there is no regulating body to determine what is what. Often genuine but lesser quality turquoise is stabilized. This requires injecting epoxy resins into the stone under high pressure and heat to remove all moisture and fill in cracks. If the stone is not treated lower quality turquoise will crack easily. Native Americans usually "back" turquoise. This refers to thin slabs of untreated stones that are glued to a harder backing material. This day and age most turquoise you find is going to be some kind of fake. Sad but true.
My best friend lives a straight razor . But funnily enough he doesn't collect knives just those. I had to buy him a pen blade for his every day use that he said was a game changer just to have about.
They are interesting but I think if i were to seriously start collecting them, I would probably go for ones made by companies known for making razors and that in itself would require some serious research
I’m not sure that the tight pivot is much of an advantage. You hold it entirely by the blade, in use. The cover just adds some balance. Having it move makes it easier to manipulate.
Thanks. I really have no clue about straight razors beyond having watched the movie version of Sweeny Todd and the Bugs Bunny Version of the Barber of Seville.
I've had no problem with stoneworx stones falling out. I don't carry them as much but they do get knocked around or dropped. Now Rough Ryder Shields 🛡, I had those things practically jump off the covers on some of them. I like the stoneworx series, it's different & colorful.
My grandmother shaved with a straight razor. I still have the set. I remember when I was a teenager & finally started growing a little bit of facial hair. One day I tried the straight razor. I found out painfully you hold the thing more like a 90 degrees to your face. I went about 30 degrees & found out, that's a quick way to slice your face open. Didn't leave a scar, but left an impression of I'll stick to safety razors. 😆
Your grandmother used to shave?
Shaving Razor handle design is intentional, it provides easy movement to adjust the blade and handle angle for shaving. This requires drawing the sharp edge parallel to the skin so to not cut the skin shaved. The smallest finger on the hand holding the razor controls the angle of the edge. If the blade is tight in the handle, it will not move smoothly and is more likely to nick the skin.
Barber students practice on balloons lathered with shaving soap or shaving cream. If the balloon is nicked, it pops and you fail the test.
There are two carotid arteries, one on the right and one on the left. In a person’s neck, each carotid artery branches into two divisions: The internal carotid artery supplies blood to the brain. The external carotid artery supplies blood to the face and neck.
If you cut either shaving because they are close to the surface of the skin you can bleed to death in a short time.
Proper shaving razors have a perfectly straight edge, without any curve in the edge. 😂
I have a feeling a barber would probably grab and old nicked up rusty Wilkinson and hone it before going for straight razors made my companies better known for making low priced knives from China and Pakistan. I know I would not trust this near my neck. I know there are people who have used this RR razors but I will not be one of them.
I shave with a straight daily, and have for more than 12 years. There’s nothing wrong with a upward-curved straight razor; it’s called a “smile,” and some folks (including me) prefer them. Downward-curves, or “frowns” are not shaveable .
I shaved on a regular basis with a Double Duck straight razor when I was in college. As you could expect, it is a learned skill.
I think the Stoneworks aesthetic is perfect for a razor. Nice piece!
Thanks. It really looks nice and I happy with it. Glad you liked it. Thanks for dropping by!
Hey Tobias I have some cool novelty knives comin in!!!! Wait till you see these puppies your gonna be impressed 😊
I'll be looking for them.
Nice one, buddy! Your straight razor collection is really neat!
Thanks. I'm not sure I would trust it shaving but it definitely looks nice!
Hi Tobias:
Those are some really nice razors, thanks for showing.
The closest I have are the Rough Rider razor trappers, a pattern I really like. I believe I own all the various cover materials. Normally I don’t care for trappers but that one hand opener razor blade along with the large clip point is a great edc carry.
Sweet new addition, thanks for sharing
My Stoneworx knives have never had any fall out either. I only occasionally carry but never any issue. The razor looks great! Thanks Tobias 👍
I like how it looks but I have my doubts about it functioning well for its intended use. Glad you liked it. Thanks for dropping by!
That Stoneworx Razor is a beauty. My only RR straight razor is the Cinnamon Bone one. Even my wife likes it so that makes it better for having it around.
But I suspect I'm more likely to slice my jugular before I would get close shave.
They really did a nice job with the color and arrangement of the stones, thanks for showing it to us.
Yes, very colorful! Glad you liked it. Thanks for dropping by!
I demand a live shave video of you using this blade, Tobias! 😂
Um, No!
Tobias you have yet to pickup the single blade sowbelly it’s a fantastic piece
I have to yet to put up the review. If it is a StoneWorx and if it is available, I have it. I'm really back up on reviews.
Stones fell out of a RR Black Widow medium toothpick, glued them back in.
That razor is the best looking Stoneworx IMHO.
Thanks Tobias
My Black Widow is doing good. I have no doubt that stones can fall out. My experience has been that it is not the norm. I've had pinned bone fall off a Steel Warrior. I also had the pinned Delrin covers of two different Bear & Son knives pop free. Don't get me started with both brands and their shields! In every case, it has been an easy fix. But had I not had the parts the fix would have been very aggravating. Another person had issues with pearl cover falling off a Rough Rider and breaking when it hit the ground. So there is no doubt it can happen.
Stone layout on the Razor is very good looking. Hopefully you'll be able to find 2 more razors for your collection of 5. WSB or BUST !
Would you believe I’m up to four since doing this video.
Those look great! Great series!
Glad you liked it. Thanks for dropping by!
I own and use a Dovo straight razor. The friction to open is moderate, not too stiff but not sloppy
Is Dovo a newer company or was this an antique. I know zilch about straight razors.
Looks like they have been in business Since 1906, per the web site. I think most “knife” straight razors would be difficult to use for actual shaving but I’ve never tried one. The straight and safety razor community is like the knife community, lots of interesting people and information.
I think Gizmo Car pretty much explained how to use the straight razor and i can only agree. The ones i have inclusive the one i inherited from my dad are very loose on the pivot. I don't know if it has a nice hollow grind or just a flat grind, the carbon steel hollow grinds are the best to use. The stoneworx version is the best looking in your collection sofar and maybe not crying over it, but a white smooth bone one would be also very much to my liking. Should i trust a bearded man about razor's? hmm haha Thank you very much for the review Tobias.
I still shave my neck. But as for Straight Razors, you can trust me when I say, I know zilch about them and have no intention of using one on my face. This is especially true for ones that cost as much a pack of disposable razors from Walmart!
Well, this is my area of expertise, and I can bore for hours on the subject. All I'm going to say though is that I prefer the action looser rather than tighter (within reason); heavy scales make for awkward shaving, and when I was honing for money inexpensive modern stainless razors were invariably an absolute pain in the neck, as it were. None of which is a concern if you're not going to attack your face with it, and it's a nice addition to the Stoneworx collection.
Funny thing. When I was at the Rough Ryder counter at SMKW a few years back, a person was asking about the Easy Money Straight razor and asked how well it shaves! The guy at the counter said quite clearly. "You don't want to shave with this razor! And directed the person to a different counter that had what he called "real straight razors!" I don't know enough about straight razors to form an informed opinion but I do consider this more of a razor like object. I suspect your experience with inexpensive razors would be similar with this one.
@@KnifeChatswithTobias The big problem is usually distorted spines (that's your honing guide!), plus those chromium carbides force you to use stones which don't give a pleasant edge to shave with and you wind up doing a load of extra stropping to calm it down. Old razors are usually much easier to work with and shave sweetly.
Did you see the whittlers in tortoise shell ? I ordered the small one . I really like the pattern . the older one I have is one of my favorite Rough Ryders
I've seen them but haven't ordered any yet. I might grab the sleeve board one that looks a little like a seahorse.
@@KnifeChatswithTobias The one I ordered showed up and is wonderful. Has nice spring tension and good fit and finish. Worth while . Not a split back though.
That's a Beautiful piece. Straight Razors have a interesting history. Some ''well to do'' men would have sets of 7 one for each day of the week, then I guess they would have their butler hone them all. lol Thanks Tobias
Thanks for that little piece of history. You learn something new everyday! Thanks for dropping by!
At the end of winter i go visit my barber and get the hair cut and the beard shaved off. He uses a straight razor and its such a close shave. Highly recommend to every guy to do it at least once in your life. Old school barbers keep thier blades extremely sharp. I wouldnt use one on myself either lol
These days most barbers use a disposable razor if they use a razor at all. Kids these days have no idea what it was like to get a real haircut let alone a shave. Now I'm showing my age for sure.
Love Rough Ryder knives and your videos.
Glad you liked it. Thanks for dropping by!
I’ve been thinking about getting the stonework RRTrapper , cool video 😎
There's a couple of the in StoneWorx. Glad you enjoyed the video.
just curious, i use a rolls razor to shave, its the best ever razor i have ever owned used or held in my hand, i have maybe 6-7 old straight razors and want to get into shaving with them but i just haven't found the intestinal fortitude to do it yet, i was thinking of getting a new one to learn with, are these knives or actual straight razors to be used at the bathroom sink in the morning?
I mentioned this elsewhere: When I was at the Rough Ryder counter at SMKW a few years back, a person was asking about the Easy Money Straight razor and asked how well it shaves! The guy at the counter said quite clearly. "You don't want to shave with this razor! And directed the person to a different counter that had what he called "real straight razors!" I don't know enough about straight razors to form an informed opinion but I do consider this more of a razor like object. In short, I'd buy a razor from a razor company instead of the knife company that is in the business of making pocket knives.
I sharpened a Celestial razor to a straight razor edge, where you actually rest the spine on the stone. RR razors come with a 15-17 degree edge. It takes an edge nicely. The only thing is there is a slight curve or belly that complicates things. Straight razors specifically made for shaving facial hair have no belly/curve. The one I sharpened works great on the Mrs. gams! 🤣👍
What up with a curve on a straight razor! Nice to hear that the will work. Thanks for dropping by!
I have the buckshot version. It’s very nice to have, but it’s not really great as a razor. The blade is a bit thick and nowhere near sharp enough to shave your face. I use double edged safety razors, but I had to try this out. It wasn’t very successful!
I did try it on my face. My whiskers just laughed at it. I think I'd be stropping this thing for a week to get it sharp enough for my face. Arm Hairs are nothing compared to face whiskers.
It's a $15 pocket knife with a life time warranty. A $20,000 diamond can pop out of a ring. If you are looking for a pocket knife to do anything more than pocket knife size jobs, I think they are a bit excessive in their expectations. Will a Chinese made rough rider hold up better and longer than a USA made Case knife under "normal" use and carry? Maybe not but is that worth 3 to 6 times more when the cheaper knife basically does the same thing? At the end of the day it all boils down to performance. Will the knife cut and do a good job of cutting. I have some US made knives that couldnt cut its way out of a paper bag and I have some Chinese cheap knive that have cut me for just looking at it. I had a Case knife that was a glorified butter knife straight from the box.
I hate to keep saying this but it is true. The only knives I've had that had a cover pop loose were two Bear & Son USA made knives. The knives should have been pinned and epoxied. Apparently the had just pinned them and had not that done that properly. That was about 12 years ago. I think B&S has learned a thing or two since then. In any case, the covers popped back on have been fine ever since. (yes, I added some epoxy before popping them back on!)
Have you gotten your glow in the dark toothpick yet? They're out now.
Got two already. Working on the video and slide show.
Have you used the Toothpick for cricket hunting?
LOL. Nope. As they say in England "That wouldn't be Cricket!"
I love shaving with my straight razors. Yes they will cut the hair on your arm, but you were putting pressure on it. You need to take it from razor sharp to shaving sharp before you put it to your face. A water stone is ideal for this. I use a 4000/8000 combo stone to hone mine, before stropping it on canvas with 60,000 grit chromium oxide polish, then a few passes on the leather strop. Will remove the whiskers with no pressure applied. Just glides across the skin.
I have razors from the 1700's and 1800's up to current day manufactured.
I want to see a “Moose” pattern knife with brown horn scales, named the Chocolate Moose.
LOL! Jig the bone so it looks like a Hershey Bar! This could be fun!
I know enough about straight razors to not use them on my face. 🤣
Ooh, a modern traditional straight razor. Micarta handles, spring assisted opening, and your favorite Super Steel, because modern whiskers are tougher than nails?
Irrationally, it bothers me that the Stoneworx series have a mixture of real stones and shells with simulated (plastic) stones. In the real world, it makes little or no difference, but somehow in my head, real stones are better than fake stones.
On the other hand, I’m glad the “tortoise shell” handles are fake. Real “tortoise shell” is made of sea turtle shells (not from actual tortoises), and sea turtles are endangered animals these days. I don’t want to encourage anybody to kill them, or to participate in a market for their body parts.
But rocks are not scarce, or endangered.
US knife makers were some of the first companies in the world to stop using genuine tortoise shell for handles. From what I understand the stones are either synthetic or reconstituted. I've not received a clear answer. if they are reconstituted they might be actually turquoise that ground to a fine dust and then mixed with an epoxy. If it is synthetic they might be made using Howlite, a lower grade stone that again is pulverized to a powder and then mixed with a epoxy. Howlite is is common stone used to make synthetic turquoise jewelry. Howlite is also known as white turquoise but is easily dyed to look like turquoise.
Problem is the lines are blurred all over the place between synthetic and reconstituted. In many instances there is more epoxy and dye than actual stone and there is no regulating body to determine what is what.
Often genuine but lesser quality turquoise is stabilized. This requires injecting epoxy resins into the stone under high pressure and heat to remove all moisture and fill in cracks. If the stone is not treated lower quality turquoise will crack easily. Native Americans usually "back" turquoise. This refers to thin slabs of untreated stones that are glued to a harder backing material.
This day and age most turquoise you find is going to be some kind of fake. Sad but true.
My best friend lives a straight razor . But funnily enough he doesn't collect knives just those. I had to buy him a pen blade for his every day use that he said was a game changer just to have about.
They are interesting but I think if i were to seriously start collecting them, I would probably go for ones made by companies known for making razors and that in itself would require some serious research