Introducing our "Shorty" Straight Razor. We haven't settled on an official name for this beauty yet, but for now we're calling it the "Shorty." Fueled by widespread interest in the straight shaving community, we are proud to introduce our "Shorty" straight razor. Our round-pointed "Shorty" has a 2-inch blade and a longer shank than our other razors, which maintains the feel of a traditional razor while being more nimble; it excels especially at side-passes under the jawline, and in concave areas of the face which are hard to reach with longer blades. The design was also influenced largely by discussions with female shavers wanting a blade that was easier to maneuver around the shin bone, ankle, knees, underarms and everywhere in between.
The Addition of the Artisan Line. The Artisan line was developed in response to increased demand for larger blades, unique scale materials, and more interesting shapes. These include 7/8 and 8/8 blades cut from ¼” stock, unique scale materials like bone, horn, and beautifully dyed and stabilized woods. The Artisan razors are still being prototyped and will be launching in the near future.
Our Kamisori. Included in the new Artisan line is a Kamisori-style razor. Kamisori are a traditional Japanese razor that has seen increased popularity abroad over the past few decades. These beautiful blades are only produced by old manufacturers in Japan and by a few custom makers here in the U.S. We are proud to introduce our own interpretation of the traditional Kamisori, featuring a modern Western hollow grind and handles wrapped in Waxed Irish Linen thread. This is also being prototyped for future release.
New Strop Design. Our strop now features D-Rings at the trailing ends as well as the anchor point. This gives the end user universal mounting options and easier access to the interior surface of the strop. We also pre-condition our strops by hand with neatsfoot oil, and glass-burnish the edges and stropping surface for added smoothness and structure. All pending orders will include these updates.
Other Products. We now have an industrial sewing machine and are prototyping new products to accompany our razors and strops! Our merino wool sheaths have been a pretty big hit with some customers, so we are finalizing a new design and will be offering those for individual purchase soon.
Honing Services. We have informally offered honing services for a long time. Formally, we will now hone any razor in good condition for $20 per blade, plus shipping. To inquire about honing services, email us at info@portlandrazorco.com. Please, don't just send us your razors; some cannot or should not be honed and we would rather have that conversation before you have paid for shipping!
We Would Like to Welcome Hunter Lea to Portland Razor Co.! Hunter joined the team in 2014 as our first Apprentice Bladesmith and is now producing razors for customers. You will see a lot more of him in the coming months.