NOS Worldmaster

RayG · 05-24-2008, 01:57 PM

13/16 Otto Buxch Worldmaster in Kayser Ellison Swedish steel

I had been scratching my head since I missed the last one Martin had listed on his site. Luckily someone pointed me to the Shaving Shop, where John Crowley has 5 (well, now down one) listed as being on stock. I called John, and a couple of days later, my razor arrived. Do yourself a favor next time you need something from Shaving Shop, and speak to John in person.

Scales: No frills white plastic. Pins are nice and tight. Scales are even and the blade is centered. It does the job.

Blade: Nice hefty 13/16. Full hollow.

Honing: No worries about warped blades that seem to plague some new razors. Came with a sharp even bevel that pops arm hair. I gave it 50 light passes on a yellow coticule spritzed with water. Much better. 30 passes on CrO, and it is right where I want it.

Shave: The swedish steel took a really good edge, and it is quite a sharp, smooth shaver. The size is just right for me; it is easy to handle, like a 5/8 or 6/8. Balance is very good. I like the thumb notch.

Presentation: Mine came with a nice rosewood case. Same one the RW razors come with. Very nice. The razor I got from Robert did not come with one, so that is now sitting in the case.

Conclusion: Very nice alternative to the current offerings from Dovo and TI, NOS from a respected manufacturer. And if you are torn between a 6/8 and 7/8, the 13/16 option is not available from either modern maker. The price is fair, especially with John's fast shipping included. But there aren't many left...

Seraphim · 07-28-2008, 07:02 PM

OK, so I just placed an order for one of these...

I couldn't help myself.

That thumbnotch.....

jimped top and bottom....

slight humpback to the tang....

fine Kayser Ellison silver steel (actually that's Sheffield/English steel, not Swedish, right?)....

I had foresworn full hollows, but dammitall, that is one nice looking razor.

I'll see how it shaves...

nun2sharp · 07-28-2008, 07:08 PM

I wished that I could afford to be that weak!

Seraphim · 07-28-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

I wished that I could afford to be that weak!

Well, I had been dangerously been eyeing one of these:

They run ~$300USD.

So the WorldMaster is a comparative bargain (OK,OK I know that's just the RAD talking...

)

nun2sharp · 07-28-2008, 07:42 PM

Stop it! Youre hurting meeee!

Seraphim · 08-01-2008, 11:11 PM

Just got the worldmaster today. Beautiful razor, just like the pic from John's site.

Scheduled test drive is for Saturday evening with 2+ days growth. See how it handles that...

I'm looking forward to it!

Ockham · 08-01-2008, 11:20 PM

Very nice. Those World Master seem to be excellent shavers. I don't own one (and have to kept my RAD under control)...
My sight get caught by another beauty lately - but the prize (230 Euro) is far too high for me now... I let you admire her:

Seraphim · 08-01-2008, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ockham

Very nice. Those World Master seem to be excellent shavers. I don't own one (and have to kept my RAD under control)...
My sight get caught by another beauty lately - but the prize (230 Euro) is far too high for me now... I let you admire her:

Our tastes run the same. Check out my "almost" purchase in post #4 above. Very similar spine work...

I decided that instead of dropping $300+ USD on a single razor, to splurge in the NOS Worldmaster and also adopt a couple of Ebay strays...

Seraphim · 08-03-2008, 02:23 PM

NOS Worldmaster is a very nice shaver!

The jimped thumbnotch and spine give an excellent purchase on the razor, and the Kayser Ellison steel hones and shaves without giving any surprises.

Simple clean lines on the razor. A classic. Mine will be recieving a re-scale, and a permanent home in the stable.

Seraphim · 08-04-2008, 03:22 PM

Shave #2 this morning. Touched up the edge just a bit on the Crome Ox (1st shave was straight off of the 1um lapping film hone), and then 60 laps on the linen & 30 on the latigo.

Nice shave.

The thumbnotch I feel is such a great addition to any razor. The fact that this thumbnotch itself is also jimped really stands out. This is a fairly broad blade at 6/8+, but with the contoured tang and light grind it dances across your face, no problem, nicely balanced razor.

Not much else to say, other than I'm glad I bought one! So, now time for some pics: