Hardekool... if there is only one species of wood that could be chosen to represent the Bushveld experience, this must be it. In recent years the species have become protected, and my stash is from many, many moons ago, when it was still in abundance. We have also planted our own Hardekool for future harvests, that being said, the first ones are doing good and was mainly a test run, we will now plant a few more as we needed to determine that it would grow in our climate which is slightly cooler the its typical Bushveld habitat.
This Whacker has Hardekool scales with the inner horn of Kudu as a wedge, it is pinned with nickel rods and stainless steel washers. The blade is made from 52100 steel and shaves really nice, it is sharp and comfortable and shaves quite close for a quarter hollow. The final edge was finished on a new finisher stone we have 'discovered' and stropped on sealskin. The blade has a nice even bevel and sharpens easily on the stones, it strops quite comfortably and has a near mirror finish, not entirely smooth but showing some shiny waves. The blade centers nicely and fits well in between the sturdy scales.
The blade has a height of 28 mm and the razor weighs 94 grams, it has a quarter hollow grind with a spine thickness of 5.8 mm that delivers a bevel angle of around 12 degrees.
The Bundu Whacker is range of razors that are meant to fill a void in the market, and as with many new product lines, cost to customer was the biggest criteria. Our main aim is to collaborate with Andre from Grobler Cutlery to produce a handmade razor for around 2-3 k. This model is a bit more refined as there are some folks who asked us to start producing razors with that are more than basic, something with a bit of flair if you will. As with all handmade items, time spent making them is the single biggest cost factor, and they are priced accordingly.
This razor has a matching brush that comes from the very same piece of wood, so if you are into pairing up your equipment look for it here, it makes for the perfect companion.
This price is for the razor only.