Ralf Aust razor full hollow grind

Spanish head, horn handle. The curved head allows the blade to be guided safely along the nostrils and ear. It is therefore also suitable for beginners.

Ralf Aust razors are available in different widths and with different heads. Wide blades (e.g. 6/8") are somewhat heavier and easier to guide, making them the first choice for beginners. The narrower the blade, the more maneuverable and direct it is, but also the more demanding it is to handle, especially if it has a straight head. The shape of the head also has an influence on the use and result: the protruding, rounded tip of the Spanish head reaches the areas on the wing of the nose and ear better, while the straight, American tip is particularly good for shaving beard contours and precise edges. The narrower 5/8" blade with an American head is therefore more suitable for advanced users. Ralf Aust straight razors are already very sharp on delivery and should only be sharpened after the first use and then with very little pressure. Ideally, the burr should be given 48 hours to set up before the blade is removed. If the blade is not used for a longer period of time, please oil it, for example with Ballistol.

There are things that set standards. And without this being the motivation or even the aim of the manufacturer, but simply because they understand their craft and stand behind what they do. (Admittedly, a little perfectionism is usually also involved.) The straight razors from Ralf Aust's manufactory are among these things, they set standards in terms of feel and appearance, but above all their blade sharpness is impressive - not a matter of course for straight razors, because the manufactory sometimes receives straight razors from other manufacturers that still need to be properly sharpened. The fully hollow ground blades of Ralf Aust straight razors are made of non-stainless carbon steel. This steel has a carbon content of around 1% and can therefore be hardened and tempered (tempered) particularly well. The blade can be sharpened and - in combination with the hollow grind - enables a very close shave. The serrated finger rests on the tang and tang ensure that the razor sits securely in the hand. The easy-care, tactile handles provide a good counterweight to the blade so that the razor lies balanced in the hand.

Straight razors from Ralf Aust are for perfectionists. For those who are serious about razor shaving and want to enjoy it. In contrast to conventional and often cheaper straight razors, these razors from the Solingen-based manufacturer are really, really sharp as soon as they are delivered. This can be recognized by the so-called "hair test". This involves cutting off a hair held between the thumb and index finger. The further it can be cut from the holding point, the sharper the blade. With these knives, the distance is 2-3 cm, with conventional knives it is a maximum of 0.5 cm. Four things ensure the special sharpness of the knives: - The blade blank. It is made of carbon steel, and although it is not rustproof due to the high carbon content, it can be tempered (hardened and tempered) to a higher degree and is easier to sharpen later on. The hardness of the blanks is between 59 and 63 HRC (Rockwell). Carbon steel is also more elastic than stainless steel, which is particularly advantageous for facial shaving, where a flexible blade ensures an even closer shave. - The full hollow grind. Before the blade is processed, the blade blank has already been processed in 13 work steps, the hollow grinding. In the hollow grinding machine, the blank receives the special grind between two round grinding stones, the radius of which is responsible for the special geometry of the blade, the hollowing. All Ralf Aust straight razors are fully hollow ground, making them particularly sharp and flexible. - Flattening and honing. During the polishing process, the blade and tang are honed with a special paste that is mixed by the user. Both the recipe for this and the skill involved in flattening - the blade must not become too hot, otherwise the properties of the paste will change, as it contains bone meal - form the basis for good sharpening. After reeding, the assembly of the handle scales and blade, the edge is honed in several passes on whetstones with increasing grit (up to 12,000), i.e. sharpened. Finally, it is honed to perfect sharpness - again in several stages - by honing it on the leather. - And a large portion of perfectionism. Ralf Aust carries out all the work steps himself. His craftsmanship and penchant for perfectionism have grown in equal measure over his 30 years of professional experience. You can see this in every straight razor as soon as you pick it up - and at the latest when it comes to shaving.

Horn is a natural product which always differs in colouring and graining. So products made of this material are never identical and thus unique in colour and marking. The product should be treated regularly, with our horn balm for example.