Matching Seven-Day Sets (M7DS)

[rbscebu]

Where are you ordering these directly for so cheap, through Alibaba? The knock offs is why its good to include a link to the product so everyone can see the exact item

As I said, I ordered directly from Ningbo Gold Dollar Razor & Scissors Manufacture Co., Ltd. through a friend of mine in China. I contacted her and she arranged everything directly with NGD and paid. I then reimbursed her in bitcoin. All QED.

No links required as there are many who sell the same originals on AliExpress and others there who sell the knock-offs. The knock-offs look exactly the same but without the etching on the face. Very easy to notice the difference. Besides, some may be willing to accept an inferior (but still acceptable) steel for the lower price.

I think if someone in China tried to market knock-off SR's with the Gold Dollar etching, Ningbo Gold Dollar would very quickly have their boys around to "correct" the matter. The Chinese can be like that.

 

[rbscebu]

If your really need a link, here is ONE to the genuine GD W59. It is not the only one. There are others that have different selling prices, shipping costs and delivery times.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...earchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

Another link. Here is ONE to the knock-off GD W59. It is not the only one. There are others that have different selling prices, shipping costs and delivery times.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...earchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

Next time I suggest that you do your own searching. I have other things to do with my time.

 

[Wilkshire13]

Appreciate it @rbscebu

At the same time, I didn't ask you for a link to these, I was simply using them as an example of the many knock offs and why it's good to include one if you have found a reputable seller. I have done plenty of searching myself and there are literally heaps of different sellers and listings. No need for the hostility.

 

[rbscebu]

Over the years, I have yet to experience an online vendor in East or South East Asia who has not been reputable. Maybe I have just been lucky.

I think the hardest part for the vendor is finding reputable buyers. I have had vendors refund my purchase payment due to non-delivery only the have the order delivered much later - particularly during this current pandemic. I have then contacted the vendor to reimburse them the refund. This has varied from a couple to many hundreds of dollars.

 

[Wilkshire13]

Over the years, I have yet to experience an online vendor in East or South East Asia who has not been reputable. Maybe I have just been lucky.

I think the hardest part for the vendor is finding reputable buyers. I have had vendors refund my purchase payment due to non-delivery only the have the order delivered much later - particularly during this current pandemic. I have then contacted the vendor to reimburse them the refund. This has varied from a couple to many hundreds of dollars.

Good vendors will refund if the item never arrives, but I too have reversed refund for items that eventually rock up. Gotta be honest in life.

 

[rbscebu]

This morning I finished working my way through my English M7DS. All SR's in this set now shaved about equally well, except for "Monday" that was a tad off. For this set's weekly maintenance, I gave "Monday" 60 laps each on 0.25um (100k grit) and 0.1um (200k) balsa strops. All blades then each got 50 laps on a 0.1um hanging balsa strop. They were then oiled and put way.

7 blades x 50 laps each on 0.1um hanging balsa takes me about 15 minutes. Baring physical damage, that is the only maintenance that these blades will now ever need.

Starting tomorrow, I am going to take some of my other SR's for a drive.

My next M7DS to come through the pipeline should be the Titan 1918 VG10-HZ T.H.63 SR's. Still waiting on my cabinetmaker to finish the case, hopefully this week.

 

[Pbgoose]

This morning I finished working my way through my English M7DS. All SR's in this set now shaved about equally well, except for "Monday" that was a tad off. For this set's weekly maintenance, I gave "Monday" 60 laps each on 0.25um (100k grit) and 0.1um (200k) balsa strops. All blades then each got 50 laps on a 0.1um hanging balsa strop. They were then oiled and put way.

7 blades x 50 laps each on 0.1um hanging balsa takes me about 15 minutes. Baring physical damage, that is the only maintenance that these blades will now ever need.

Starting tomorrow, I am going to take some of my other SR's for a drive.

My next M7DS to come through the pipeline should be the Titan 1918 VG10-HZ T.H.63 SR's. Still waiting on my cabinetmaker to finish the case, hopefully this week.

Post a photo of the case when completed.

 

[rbscebu]

Wednesday I received the case for my third M7DS. This case was custom made for me using a fine-grain rosewood.

​

And here is the case with its SR's.

​

The cost for this case was a little under AUD 75. To finish this set off, I will need to fit some leather into the case at the wedge-end supports, have the spines engraved (AUD 73), and refine the seven edges.

For those who are interested, the SR's are made by Titan. Titan was established as a Japanese company in Incheon in 1918 (when Korea was part of Japan) to make straight razors and fishing knives. In about 1940, Titan moved to Yi Lan (south-east of Taipei) on the island of Formosa, then also part of Japan where they continue making SR's to this day. From Yi Lan, their SR's are sent to Tai Wai, Hong Kong for marketing and distribution. Their main markets are East and Southeast Asia, particularly China, Japan and to a lesser extent South Korea. They also have a strong presence in eastern Europe. Titan also supply blades to a couple of the better known manufacturers in western Europe.

The scales of the Titan SR's in this set are of aluminium alloy with an outer overlay on both sides of Madagascan Mahogany timber. The wedge is of aluminium alloy and end caps of brass. The blade steel is of a special VG10 made and alloyed in Japan specially for SR's for Titan. Blanks are then sent to Yi Lan for final grinding and manufacturing of the SR's before being shipped to Tai Wai. Each of these blade is tested to ensure that it has a hardness of at least 63 RHC. Titan VG10-HZ blades that did not meet the minimum 63 RHC requirement are also available but are not marked with T.H.63.

The Titan 1918 VG10-HZ T.H.63 can be purchased on AliExpress for about AUD 40 to 50 each and elsewhere on line for a bit to a lot more.

​

 

[Pbgoose]

Wednesday I received the case for my third M7DS. This case was custom made for me using a fine-grain rosewood.

​

And here is the case with its SR's.

​

The cost for this case was a little under AUD 75. To finish this set off, I will need to fit some leather into the case at the wedge-end supports, have the spines engraved (AUD 73), and refine the seven edges.

For those who are interested, the SR's are made by Titan. Titan was established as a Japanese company in Incheon in 1918 (when Korea was part of Japan) to make straight razors and fishing knives. In about 1940, Titan moved to Yi Lan (south-east of Taipei) on the island of Formosa, then also part of Japan where they continue making SR's to this day. From Yi Lan, their SR's are sent to Tai Wai, Hong Kong for marketing and distribution. Their main markets are East and Southeast Asia, particularly China, Japan and to a lesser extent South Korea. They also have a strong presence in eastern Europe. Titan also supply blades to a couple of the better known manufacturers in western Europe.

The scales of the Titan SR's in this set are of aluminium alloy with an outer overlay on both sides of Madagascan Mahogany timber. The wedge is of aluminium alloy and end caps of brass. The blade steel is of a special VG10 made and alloyed in Japan specially for SR's for Titan. Blanks are then sent to Yi Lan for final grinding and manufacturing of the SR's before being shipped to Tai Wai. Each of these blade is tested to ensure that it has a hardness of at least 63 RHC. Titan VG10-HZ blades that did not meet the minimum 63 RHC requirement are also available but are not marked with T.H.63.

The Titan 1918 VG10-HZ T.H.63 can be purchased on AliExpress for about AUD 40 to 50 each and elsewhere on line for a bit to a lot more.

​

That was a worthwhile project. Very nice. I'm thinking I'll have to add a Titan to the collection. I've actually got one on hand which belongs to my nephew that I'm honing for him.

 

[rbscebu]

That was a worthwhile project. Very nice. I'm thinking I'll have to add a Titan to the collection. I've actually got one on hand which belongs to my nephew that I'm honing for him.

What are the markings on the blade face?

Particularly if it has the steel type; ACRM-2, VG10-HZ, or ACRO. Also the tested hardness (if any); T,H,60, T.H.63, T.H.64, or T.H.70.

 

[rbscebu]

Here are the seven SR's of this, my Japanese M7DS, Titan VG10-HZ T.H.63.

 

[Pbgoose]

What are the markings on the blade face?

Particularly if it has the steel type; ACRM-2, VG10-HZ, or ACRO. Also the tested hardness (if any); T,H,60, T.H.63, T.H.64, or T.H.70.

Checked, and it's not a Titan, so now it's on the list.

 

[Substance]

I couldn’t buy the steel to make my straights for the prices you are showing, let alone make a full razor

 

[rbscebu]

I couldn’t buy the steel to make my straights for the prices you are showing, let alone make a full razor

Sorry that I can't help you there. I suspect that Titan order their blade steel in batches for many hundreds SR's at a time. They are also Japanese buying Japanese steel. The Japanese tend to look after each other in business.

The main products that Titan are now making are hairdresser scissors. They are also made out of the same steel used in two types of their SR's. They are probably ordering a lot more steel per batch than you would.

 

[rbscebu]

I delivered this Japanese M7DS to my engraver yesterday. Today he contacted me to let me know how things were going. He spent today practicing his Japanese engraving on some ¼" stainless steel rod. My engraver is Filipino/Chinese. He has no problems engraving in the Latin alphabet or Chinese. This is the first time that he has engraved in Japanese.

After a bit of practice he now feels ready to do the Japanese engraving on my M7DS. Due to his other commitments, he will not have them ready until Saturday. Unfortunately Saturday and Sunday are quarantine days for me so I told him that I will pick them up Monday.

 

[rhodes96]

Sounds good. Be sure to post some pictures.

 

[rbscebu]

The set has now been engraved in Japanese with the days of the week.

​

For those whose Japanese is a little rusty, Monday is at the top and Sunday at the bottom.

Next is to fit some calf-hide leather at the wedge-end supports and then to put the finishing touches to the blade edges.

 

[rbscebu]

I am still waiting on my leather supplier to get some suitable calf-hide leather in for me. Today I will finish refining the edges in my Japanese M7DS.

Next week I will be taking my Japanese M7DS for a drive to determine which edges still need a bit of love.

 

[rbscebu]

My last four Gold Dollar W59's have been delayed. I thought that they were going to be shipped via UPS, but GD decided to use FedEx. FedEx thought that they were a "dangerous" item so slowly returned them to Gold Dollar.

Gold Dollar have educated FedEx and they are now on their way to me again.

I am saving some time with this W59 set. Three of the blades that I already have have been honed to shave ready and their timber case is being made with the case for my VG10-HZ set. Once they last four W59's arrive, all I'll need to do is hone them up and get all seven of them engraved (in Chinese).

 

[Pbgoose]

I am still waiting on my leather supplier to get some suitable calf-hide leather in for me. Today I will finish refining the edges in my Japanese M7DS.

Next week I will be taking my Japanese M7DS for a drive to determine which edges still need a bit of love.

How did the Japanese set go?