rbscebu
Member
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2020
A couple of years ago, I purchased a new Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60 SR kit on AliExpress from the Titanrtazor Product Store. This was not my first ACRM-2 T.H.60 purchase but I wanted to see if I could get it shave-ready using just the gear supplied by Titan with the razor. The kit consisted of the razor, a 62mm wide denim strop some cerium oxide stropping paste and a PU leather zippered case (not shown below).
As received with its factory edge, the razor would not even shave arm hairs (no surprise there) so there was no way it was going to touch my face. I applied the cerium oxide paste to the denim strop as advised by Titan. That is, apply a light coating (so that you could just see it) across the middle of the strop for a length of about 50mm. Then, using the spine of the razor, strop about 50 laps to spread (unseen) the paste over the length of the strop. Once all done, I commenced trying to make this razor shave-able. It wasn't easy.
I started with about 1,000 laps and tried again on my arm hair. The razor would cut just a few hairs provided a used a sawing motion. Another 2,000 laps had the razor shaving arm hairs - just. I then reapplied a second dose of paste and performed another 2,000 laps. Now I was getting closer. I shaved with razor. It did cut some of my silken whisker WTG but that was about it.
Back to the stropping and another 2,000 laps. The razor was now shaving comfortably WTG and uncomfortably XTG. Trying to shave ATG was useless. Another 3,000 laps had the razor shaving comfortably in all direction except for the fool's pass. That was most uncomfortable. I now considered this razor shave-able, not great but at least I now know that the OEM supplied gear did work. Overall, it took about 10,000 laps and about 4 hours of stropping.
From then on, I gave this razor about 1,000 laps after each shave and its edge slowly improved. Eventually is was performing the fool's pass with reasonable comfort. The edge was most definitely not up to a diamond pasted balsa stropping standard but more like what I would get off a vintage coticule whetstone - comfortable but not the keenest edge with which to shave.
So, if you are in the market for a relatively cheap (under AUD25 including shipping) and are willing to put the work in, you may wish to consider a Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60 half hollow 7/8 (21mm) Dutch point SR with timber scales.
www.aliexpress.com
As received with its factory edge, the razor would not even shave arm hairs (no surprise there) so there was no way it was going to touch my face. I applied the cerium oxide paste to the denim strop as advised by Titan. That is, apply a light coating (so that you could just see it) across the middle of the strop for a length of about 50mm. Then, using the spine of the razor, strop about 50 laps to spread (unseen) the paste over the length of the strop. Once all done, I commenced trying to make this razor shave-able. It wasn't easy.
I started with about 1,000 laps and tried again on my arm hair. The razor would cut just a few hairs provided a used a sawing motion. Another 2,000 laps had the razor shaving arm hairs - just. I then reapplied a second dose of paste and performed another 2,000 laps. Now I was getting closer. I shaved with razor. It did cut some of my silken whisker WTG but that was about it.
Back to the stropping and another 2,000 laps. The razor was now shaving comfortably WTG and uncomfortably XTG. Trying to shave ATG was useless. Another 3,000 laps had the razor shaving comfortably in all direction except for the fool's pass. That was most uncomfortable. I now considered this razor shave-able, not great but at least I now know that the OEM supplied gear did work. Overall, it took about 10,000 laps and about 4 hours of stropping.
From then on, I gave this razor about 1,000 laps after each shave and its edge slowly improved. Eventually is was performing the fool's pass with reasonable comfort. The edge was most definitely not up to a diamond pasted balsa stropping standard but more like what I would get off a vintage coticule whetstone - comfortable but not the keenest edge with which to shave.
So, if you are in the market for a relatively cheap (under AUD25 including shipping) and are willing to put the work in, you may wish to consider a Titan ACRM-2 T.H.60 half hollow 7/8 (21mm) Dutch point SR with timber scales.
Titan shaving tools wooden handle ,steel blade straight shaving razor for men - AliExpress
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www.aliexpress.com