I’m sensitive to smells and that of brass and copper I find particularly unpleasant. I hate handling copper coins and have a strong urge to wash my hands afterwards. It’s one of my quirks.
First run out for Karve
- Thread starter Tyke121
- Start date
RussellR5555
Forum GOD!
If you want to clean a Karve and keep the Matt look 1/3rd Flower 1/3rd Salt and 1/3rd Vinegar made into a paste coated the razor leave for a couple of mins and rinse off with water.
Boru62
Shaving Boar
We all have our idiosyncrasies.I’m sensitive to smells and that of brass and copper I find particularly unpleasant. I hate handling copper coins and have a strong urge to wash my hands afterwards. It’s one of my quirks.
As well as brass I also like the smell of copper.
Born to be a pauper
mbarno
Forum GOD!
It sounds like the next step is to deep fry it [emoji23]
I always take mine apart, rinse and dry after each use, and whilst it has tarnished a little, it’s not much. I have great ventilation in my new build house, but I know in my old house, it would have tarnished badly from bathroom humidity.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
les24preludes
Forum GOD!
My OC E plate arrived today, many thanks to a fellow forum member. Just the baseplate, solid at 21g, so I fitted a Yintal Bronze top cap which fitted nicely and brought the head weight up to 38g. I then put on a Jurgen Hempel titanium handle and inserted a new GSB blade. Total razor weight 87g. I'll also try it later with my other titanium handle and a Wolfman Guerrilla handle. Soap was WK King of Oud. Exciting stuff!
My current two favourite razors are the R41 and timeless Bronze OC .78, both fitted with titanium handles to keep the total weight under 100g. I've been using GSB recently and getting very satisfying smooth shaves. So they are the competition. Result from first shave today:
R41. This for me is the ultimate authority in a razor. Most blade feel, most audio feedback. Does its job supper efficiently and without irritation. First pass deals with most of the stubble.
Karve OC E plate. This comes close second to the R41 in efficiency - very similar with little to choose. First pass was very effective and similar to the R41. Slightly less audio feedback and blade feel, but both were quite noticeable.
Timeless Bronze OC .78. This was very like the Karve, again just a slight step down in efficiency from the R41. Smoother and less blade feel and less audio feedback than either the Karve or the R41, though this was a very satisfying high swish sound. This head has 12 teeth, while the other two have 10 teeth.
All three were very efficient, and had their own identities. The R41 is authoritative and very direct. The Timeless is likeable in a strange way I can't put my finger on - the audio feedback is nice and of course it's the heaviest head and very pretty. The shave, though, isn't any better than the R41 or Karve, same kind of general level. The Karve didn't seduce me quite so much on the first shave - it's quite neutral in feel, no obvious personality. Everything is there - it cuts, has blade feel and audio feedback and doesn't cause any irritation. The shave was very good. I'd like it to have a bit more personality, so will be trying other handles and maybe other top caps. The Yintal Bronze top cap is a good match cosmetically, same brass colour. It's also solid brass.
So overall the Karve E plate is in the same ballpark as the R41 and Timeless, and kind of in between them. More direct than the Timeless, less blade feel than the R41. All three give you a very good shave indeed. I'll post some more feedback when I've used it a little more.
My current two favourite razors are the R41 and timeless Bronze OC .78, both fitted with titanium handles to keep the total weight under 100g. I've been using GSB recently and getting very satisfying smooth shaves. So they are the competition. Result from first shave today:
R41. This for me is the ultimate authority in a razor. Most blade feel, most audio feedback. Does its job supper efficiently and without irritation. First pass deals with most of the stubble.
Karve OC E plate. This comes close second to the R41 in efficiency - very similar with little to choose. First pass was very effective and similar to the R41. Slightly less audio feedback and blade feel, but both were quite noticeable.
Timeless Bronze OC .78. This was very like the Karve, again just a slight step down in efficiency from the R41. Smoother and less blade feel and less audio feedback than either the Karve or the R41, though this was a very satisfying high swish sound. This head has 12 teeth, while the other two have 10 teeth.
All three were very efficient, and had their own identities. The R41 is authoritative and very direct. The Timeless is likeable in a strange way I can't put my finger on - the audio feedback is nice and of course it's the heaviest head and very pretty. The shave, though, isn't any better than the R41 or Karve, same kind of general level. The Karve didn't seduce me quite so much on the first shave - it's quite neutral in feel, no obvious personality. Everything is there - it cuts, has blade feel and audio feedback and doesn't cause any irritation. The shave was very good. I'd like it to have a bit more personality, so will be trying other handles and maybe other top caps. The Yintal Bronze top cap is a good match cosmetically, same brass colour. It's also solid brass.
So overall the Karve E plate is in the same ballpark as the R41 and Timeless, and kind of in between them. More direct than the Timeless, less blade feel than the R41. All three give you a very good shave indeed. I'll post some more feedback when I've used it a little more.
jmudrick
Forum GOD!
As I posted elsewhere...
You're basing judgements on use with the Yintal cap? You understand that fractions of a mm difference in cap width or angle change exposure right? Unless cap dimensions AND shape are EXACTLY the same you're using a different razor and any comparisons are IMHO very misleading if based upon this cap. The RR SLOC and Fine Marvel caps also "fit nicely" with many of these, they also completely change the razor geometry and performance.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Last edited:
les24preludes
Forum GOD!
As I replied on B&B, I do agree with you that top caps make a difference but I disagree about the degree of difference. I would not say "fractions of a mm" "completely change" the performance - I've played around with a lot of top caps and I'd put the difference in the range of zero through subtle to noticeable. I'm not being misleading here because I clearly say I'm using a different top cap. I'm pretty precise when I write up things and I try to observe a realistic scale of perceptible differences. I do a lot of A-B testing of audio equipment and it's essential to be able to grade perceptible differences, keeping in mind always that "no perceptible difference" is quite common in blind testing, more so than many might think.
jmudrick
Forum GOD!
Users blindfolded the difference between a New Deluxe and Long Comb, or between a pre-war and post war Tech might not be significant to all on every shave. they are still different razors. Some might notice in a stroke. Ditto with your cap swaps. Your Yintal R41 is not an R41. Fractions of a millimeter in exposure do indeed significantly change performance. We'll obviously have to agree to disagree.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Last edited:
a few months ago with an open comb B plate.
Retroman_1979
Active Member
I love my karve and am getting the ss. I may have some used in the near future if anyone is interested. 
. Karve is in my city
. Karve is in my city