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Plating my Karve

About a year or so ago I sent a brass razor to Chris Evatt to be plated in bright nickel as the smell of unfinished brass was too much for my olfactory system. Chris, btw, is a wonderful guy. A true gentleman! He‘s done 3, maybe 4 razor replating jobs for me over the years; all top quality work. He’s also rescued me from my own bone-headed stupidity - don’t ask... I agree with the gentleman who indicated that it’s not wise to plate a valuable/collectible piece. It makes sense that you might not get back your total investment. Chris also pointed out that due to the razor’s finishing process, the nickel plate would have more of a matte appearance. Despite Chris’ precautionary advisement, and the apparent logic in the argument against plating, I was undeterred. I think the razor looks pretty sweet this way, plus I no longer get that wet brass smell up my nose, ruining an otherwise perfectly enjoyable shave! Here’s the razor, originally a brass Asylum Evolution XL, now done up in fancy shmancy nickel. A one-of-a-kind kind-of-a-thang..

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chazt said:
About a year or so ago I sent a brass razor to Chris Evatt to be plated in bright nickel as the smell of unfinished brass was too much for my olfactory system. Chris, btw, is a wonderful guy. A true gentleman! He‘s done 3, maybe 4 razor replating jobs for me over the years; all top quality work. He’s also rescued me from my own bone-headed stupidity - don’t ask... I agree with the gentleman who indicated that it’s not wise to plate a valuable/collectible piece. It makes sense that you might not get back your total investment. Chris also pointed out that due to the razor’s finishing process, the nickel plate would have more of a matte appearance. Despite Chris’ precautionary advisement, and the apparent logic in the argument against plating, I was undeterred. I think the razor looks pretty sweet this way, plus I no longer get that wet brass smell up my nose, ruining an otherwise perfectly enjoyable shave! Here’s the razor, originally a brass Asylum Evolution XL, now done up in fancy shmancy nickel. A one-of-a-kind kind-of-a-thang..

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What a beautiful razor! Actually, I've decided not to plate it. Well, getting laid off kind of decided it for me. I've used it once, and am pleased with the performance. I'll use it every once in a while, as meticulously cleaning and drying each part in order to maximize the desirability of the patina is kind of a pain. I usually rinse my razors and towel-dry them still assembled, and do a thorough cleaning once a month.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
fhalden said:
What a beautiful razor! Actually, I've decided not to plate it. Well, getting laid off kind of decided it for me. I've used it once, and am pleased with the performance. I'll use it every once in a while, as meticulously cleaning and drying each part in order to maximize the desirability of the patina is kind of a pain. I usually rinse my razors and towel-dry them still assembled, and do a thorough cleaning once a month.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
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Thank you, it’s a good looking tool, for sure! Chris does quality work.

i got into the habit a few years ago, of completely taking apart my razors after every shave and drying and buffing thoroughly with an eye glasses cleaning cloth. It adds another two or three minutes to my shave ritual 😎

I know a number of people who’ve lost their job recently. Good luck in the job market.
 
chazt said:
Thank you, it’s a good looking tool, for sure! Chris does quality work.

i got into the habit a few years ago, of completely taking apart my razors after every shave and drying and buffing thoroughly with an eye glasses cleaning cloth. It adds another two or three minutes to my shave ritual [emoji41]

I know a number of people who’ve lost their job recently. Good luck in the job market.
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Thanks very much! Your kind words mean a lot, and I really appreciate them!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
fhalden said:
What a beautiful razor! Actually, I've decided not to plate it. Well, getting laid off kind of decided it for me. I've used it once, and am pleased with the performance. I'll use it every once in a while, as meticulously cleaning and drying each part in order to maximize the desirability of the patina is kind of a pain. I usually rinse my razors and towel-dry them still assembled, and do a thorough cleaning once a month.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I do clean and dry my razors daily after the shave. They also airdry for 1-2 hours before being reassembled again with the blade. The Karve developed very evenly a good looking patina. But still I did try the cleaning with a bit of toothpaste and a handbrush. I am very satisfied with the result and now the razor looks new and fresh. I guess I might repeat that from time to time.
As for the brass smell, I only notice that in the 1st pass when shaving the upper lip. After that the scent of the soap seems to overpower that.
 
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