Thread: Rating razor quality poll

Yes Glen, but you only gave us an either/or choice so I was stuck.

A perfect example of honing evaluation of the opposite of a wavy and uneven edge was the first time I ever honed my first Ralph Aust razor and I saw an exquisitely perfect grind while honing it. I very quickly contacted Lynn and asked him "have you tried one of these?" Of course he already had, and of course they ended up on SRD.

If it looks bad, it is, in my book. Bad grinding is a big turn-off to me. The steel may be fine, but I won't get past the bevel-set if one is new and badly-made.

I did and did it on purpose

The obvious "Correct" answer is both, Honing and the Shave that is just a given ...

But what I was wondering is after honing many razors what do you rely on more to say "That is a well made razor" the shave or the honing.

Personally I don't think a new razor should require "Honing Gymnastics and Edge Restoration" to achieve a nice even small bevel
The grind should be correct, the geometry should be correct, the temper and steel should be good, I should not have to add 10 layers of tape, the heel should not be lifting the back 1 inch of the edge off the hone...

All these things I find on the hones, and after I am done the shave is fine but in my eyes the razor is Meh because of all the errors that had to be corrected on the hones..

Personally for me its all about the shave. I find full hollows and shoulderless grinds feels great on the hones and know that when I'm done it will shave well. Wedges are a different feel and find myself going back to the hones until I'm pleased with the shave.

I'm bookmarking this thread until after I've honed some more (only 3 so far).

I've had 15 new and vintage blades honed by 5 people who I know do a good job, and two of the new ones I just don't like the shave from. Lynn actually re-honed one for me and said words to the effect, if you don't like it now, you just don't like this razor. I still am sad to say, I still don't like the way it shaves me (or I shave me with it). But heck, I've now done 500 shaves with 15 different razors and I don't like the way two shave, I guess 2 of 15 is a good ratio. However my heart tells me they all ought to work. Anyway, I'll reawaken this thread somewhere down the road after I've honed 100 (if I live that long).

One of the first razors I bought was a 7/8 TI from an ebay seller in Germany. A well known, well regarded seller based on his feedback, and comments on shaving forums. So I get the razor and it has a double bevel on one side. A new razor. Anyway, I worked my tail off correcting that bevel, and when I was finally done it became a favorite. A darn good razor with darn good steel. Pre-C135 steel.

I still contend, based on my experience, that obscure vintage razors, well known vintage razors by and large have good steel. So if sloppy QC, or poor honing by whoever owned it along the way, make for a bad bevel/spine, it can either be corrected, or it is too far gone. One way or the other, the shave is what I judge the razor by. The honing is an incidental process that I, or someone else does, to facilitate the end purpose. The shave is the thing that makes my bell ring.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

I abhor the necessary practice of honing. I do like the shaves better!

This must be some kind of genetic disorder which sadly you passed on to your son Tarkus.
I'm trying to figure out why...is it the general predictability of honing that bothers you? A natural tinkerer might get bored with the repetition...perhaps you come alive only when you pin mother of pearl or ivory or figure out some complex cobbling together problem? I wonder ...

I think you have it, Bill!

There are many qualities that contribute to a razor being quality or not. The quality of the shave is a result. A poor razor might give a great shave however it usually won't give many shaves before needing work.

One of the first razors I got was a TI Damascus and it was not shave ready and it took months of on and off honing with the hones I had back then to get it shave ready. But the effort required to get it honed properly was not because it was a poor quality razor. In fact it was a very high quality razor. it was more a combination of what I had at the time and my limited honing experience and the hardness of the steel that caused issues. I'm sure if I had to do it now things would be different but it still would not be "easy" to hone.

Most quality razors hone up fairly easy and really it is the shave that matters to me. Some razors are harder feeling than others, some grainier than others, some extra hollow grind, some quarter hollow grind, some heavy, some light, some smiley and some just have their own personality. Do the scales play any part in how this razor feels to hone or shave? Do the thumb notches that make honing and stropping more difficult come into play? At the end of the day, I like the razors that shave the best and those are the ones I have come back to and stayed with over the years. As I think about this, most of the best shavers hone up fairly easy unless damaged or badly worn. That said, the looks of the razor may play into how much I like it personally as well. Razors with a lot of wear or uneven wear are harder to hone usually. Most, if a quality razor will get there. I hone razors almost ever day of my life and have for a long time, and really the question put forth here has never been one that I have thought about beyond what I have already said.......... I kind of put this in my blindfolded tell me what stone I honed this razor on test..........

Sorry but a little lost on the point here.

Have fun.