Atelier Durdan Numéro 7 – Walnut Handle – 1.3 mm Gap (France)
In my quest for the perfect razor I decided that I would order an Atelier Durdan Number 7 razor in stainless steel and fit a matching Atelier Durdan titanium handle. I knew the stainless steel head on the Numéro 7 was super light and a titanium handle should balance the combination out nicely. At the time I went to order, Atelier Durdan advised that they had gone into partnership with a local wood turner and would be offering a metal framed wooden handle. My plans for a titanium handle went out the window at that time and I ordered this Numéro 7 with a walnut handle; all premium polished and with a 1.3mm gap plate. This would have been one of the very first wooden handles Atelier Durdan ever sold.
As I assembled my new pride and joy, I could not wipe the smile from my face; even with stainless steel fittings, the walnut handle was lighter than the titanium handle would have been. And the grip offered by the natural walnut was nothing short of outstanding. I suspect that the walnut has been given some form of protective coating, but it looks and feels totally natural. After a couple of assembling/ disassembling the razor, I started to notice that the walnut sleeve was moving on its shaft; not fully rotating but enough to make the razor unusable. My email to Atelier Durdan received an immediate response, he would make a video to show me how to strip the handle and if that failed offered a replacement handle. Despite my best efforts to strip the handle, I could not get enough purchase on the stainless steel fittings as the thread locker done its job. All I managed to do was mark the end fitting and put an indent in the walnut sleeve; a replacement handle was on its way, and I asked that no thread locked be applied. It was probably climatic difference between France and here that caused the wood to shrink.
Now fitted with its replacement handle it’s time to proceed. The walnut sleeve on the replacement handle has not moved from the time I received it, so I’ve never had cause to strip it. As for the head/ handle balance of the razor, it was as good as you’re ever likely to experience. There were to be no surprises with the quality of the shave, it was fantastic, but I knew that it would be. Karve CB level #D efficiency with a controlled amount of positive blade and I was in heaven. It’s not every day that a razor that delivers such a well-balanced shave presents itself, so you must enjoy it while you can. When the walnut on the handle was wet, the grain could be felt and this added to the grip level. I have been a titanium handled razor tragic for ages but now that I’ve sampled wooden handles, I could quite easily change allegiance and become a devotee of the wooden handle. After every shave I came away fully contented; I could have gladly just continued down the Atelier Durdan Numéro 7 and its walnut handle path forever.
Blades Used – Sputnik and Gillette 7 O’Clock Yellow
Material – 316L Stainless steel and walnut handle
Weight – 52.2g
Blade Tab – Covered
Head Width – 43.00mm
Handle Length – 90.54mm
Handle Diameter – 15.06mm
Availability – Atelier Durdan
Final Word – An exceptional razor
