My RW's

When I was starting out with wetshaving, famed custom razormaker Robert Williams was nice enough to invite me over to look at a razor. I was looking for a wide razor that would be an excellent shaver. That afternoon, I came home with Robert's own personal razor, a 7/8 full hollow high-carbon steel short (2 1/2") blade in a set of Chandler cocobolo scales, with the admonission "I am sure THIS is a fine shaver."





The razor was intimidatingly sharp. As a newbie, I was more comfortable with a smaller 5/8 roundtip razor, the most commonly recommended starter razor. It was not after several months of daily shaving did I become adroit and confident enough to use Robert's razor, and see what it is capable of. To this day, it is one of my top shavers.

Fast forward to the present. I contacted Robert and thought it was time to try out another RW special, this time in a stiffer grind. Yesterday, I visited Robert and his wife again. He had another beauty waiting for me. An 8/8 quarter grind barber's notch. The razor has a deep jimped thumb notch and a humpback, all set in maroon linen micarta scales. Robert uses excellent high-carbon steel (I am not a fan of stainless), and his razors take AND hold an excellent edge "moreso than any vintage razor," he finds. My limited experience agrees with his statement.