I look back and see that it has been 4 years since we started The Restored Razor as a hobby business restoring vintage razors to their previous glory. All too often an interesting straight razor design would make its way to our workshop. People would ooo and aaah when they see the razor. However, it was a vintage straight razor. In some cases it was circa 1790! Where are you going to find another circa 1790 stub tail! 210 year old straight razors are hard to come by.

Well ... this sparked a thought, that sparked an idea. We could make our own! While at the time it seemed like a tall order, we researched what makes for a high quality razor. Often it comes back to the steel. Design may cater to personal interests but the steel is what allows the razor to take a keen edge and keep it long enough to shave.

While some may think a hard steel would make a great razor, it does not. You have to balance the razors ability to take a keen edge with putting a keen edge back when it begins to dull and pull. Some steel are abrasion resistant while other just won't allow you to make a really keen edge necessary to shave with. Sure you can slice through a hard salami like nobody's business, but shave with it? No.

It turns out that the vintage razors made from high carbon steel, hardened just to the point of perfection, not only take a keen edge, but allow mere humans to keen up a dull razor. Plus they shaved well. Balance all the way around.

Once we had the steel figured out we knew that the Brandonisio and Bro. brand was not far away. For our first straight razor we decided that we needed to address some design issues that we have received feedback on. Not just a big blade, but room for big hands too. Our 'Uno' is a classic 7/8's half hollow straight razor with barber's notch. It is slightly larger than the standard straight razor, allowing a sure grip for people with large hands. It is not too large, but provides a little extra room. Plus the barber's notch let's you get in to those hard to reach areas.

You can see here in the image the Brandonisio and Bro. Uno straight razor (top) is a touch larger than the classic sized PEP straight razor (below).

We have our first production run of blades in stock and will be offering assembled straight razors in bone scales with ebony wedge and ebony scales with bone wedge. For this first run of straight razors we are going to offer them for small discount to encourage sales and hopefully get feedback on the design before we make hundreds of these razors. MSRP will be $280.00USD. However, this first run we are retailing the Uno straight razor for just $175.00USD for a big blade classic. Limited to the first 50 orders.

We plan to have the first 50 razors available by August 1st, 2014. However, we do have a small quantity of Brandonisio and Bro. Uno's in bone with Paduk wedge and ebony with yellow heart wood wedge.

If you are interested in a pre-production run razor feel free to use the contact us form to request a custom Uno razor or follow this link to our cart. Additionally, we are very interested in your feedback and design suggestions for our next vintage styled razor. Would you like a smiling blade or something unique like a frame back?

We want to hear from you! Email or call.

Sincerely,
Mike
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Mike Brandonisio
The Restored Razor
tel (630)378-7408
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www.TheRestoredRazor.com
Vintage Straight Razor Sales

The Restored Razor is dedicated to providing high quality straight razors for all levels of experience. We specialize in creating new stock from vintage inventory through a detailed restoration process. Our passion for straight razor shaving shines through every completed restoration.

We try to stock straight razors from common to collectable. You may find a classic Or you may find something interesting. With the nature of restoring vintage straight razors, our stock is always changing. If you don't see something you like today it may be here tomorrow.

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Pink Razzle Dazzle ... The Untold Story.

The story goes: It was a dark and misty morning when this razor came to us, an orphan with no name and broken scales wrapped in newspaper. The steel was gray with strong temper, flat sheen and the words "Extra Hollow Ground" etched on the blade. I picked it up, bringing it in out of the weather. While unwrapping it, I wondered who could have made such an interesting razor and not put their name on it. It was then I decided she should be cleaned up and dressed in new clothes. After polishing, it was time to dress her up. It had to be something bright and interesting. From under the mess on my workbench, a spark of pink could be seen. I pulled from the mess a sheet of pink razzle dazzle. Yes, this was it!  It all came together in a flash - the fluid texture of the scales,  paired with a black wedge and silver tone liners with silver pins holding her together. She was now complete in all her glory.

That's the story. It may have been embellished here and there but that is about how it went. She is ready for a new home.

The shave brush has been in the gentleman's arsenal of shaving equipment for many years. It's appearance in a bathroom echos the presence of a learned man. We carry shaving brushes of all types from simple natural fiber brushes to Silvertip badger hair

Silvertip Badger Hair Finest Badger Hair Best Badger Hair Pure Badger Hair

Black Badger Hair Mixed Badger Hair Boar Hair Natural Fiber

Badger Hair Brushes

Take a look in the Shop and Shave for a complete list of available brushes.

This is a 6/8 C. Triedr ERN 421 Full Hallow Grind straight razor with bottom finger jimps. This straight razor has a square point and elongated finger rest. The blade is a full restoration cleaned and polished to a bright finish. Its scales are hand shaped cocobolo wood with a CA finish that has been hand polished to a fine glossy. The wedge is made from white giraffe bone. To complete the assembly, hand peaned brass pins with handmade domed washers secure the scales and blade into a finely crafted restoration.

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This is a 13/16 James Barlow & Sons ECHO Near Wedge straight razor with smooth finger grip. This straight razor has a classic barbers notch with spine that measures 1/4 of an inch! The blade is a full restoration cleaned and polished to a bright finish. Its scales are hand shaped abalone paua shell that were hand polished to a glossy finish. The wedge is made up of ghost Jade G10. To complete the assembly, hand peaned brass pins with handmade domed washers secure the scales and blade into a finely crafted restoration.

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