Thread: Rating razor quality poll

All my razors except one are vintage and the vast majority have some kind of issue/issues. Add to that I am a novice to honing compared to some. I really can't tell with any certainty from how it feels on the hones how well it will shave.

Even if the razor has a warp/twist or the geometry is off, the edge can be very good in the end so I guess the steel is good making it a quality razor from that POV. Simply, so long as it shaves well it is a good razor.

I do think I have a better idea of how a razor will shave by the feel of it on the leather strop.

In the end it is still the shave that tells me all I need to know.

Bob

I kind of get what you are getting at...I think.

When honing, you can tell a LOT about a blade and once you are done with the finisher you will know if will shave well or not...especially if you look at it once and a while under magnification.

One of Robert Williams razors gave me a booger of a time a couple of days ago, but it's because it was a 1/4-1/2 hollow, a bit of material had to be removed to re-set the double bevel it had, and it was HARD. I knew it was going to shave well before I stropped it.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

I kind of get what you are getting at...I think.

I knew it was going to be hard to explain and separate the shave from the razor build


Here is a for instance to try and help

A certain Custom razor crossed my hones a few months back (no names but not one of the regulars on here)

The build was so far off that it took multiple layers of tape to bring the angle anywhere near 16° the spine had thickness issues besides that along with the face grind itself being uneven in thickness..

Now when I was done futzing with the whole thing it shaved like a champ

So if I went by the shave alone it was a good razor,,, but my adventures on the hones getting it there told me the maker was an amateur that had no clue what a true SR really was

That is about as good an example as I can give

This has just recently crossed my mind. There have been certain brands that every (or close to) time I hone a razor of theirs it is nearly dead on. They seem to hone themselves. Then there are other brands from the same country and time period that just about every razor I hone has a warped spine uneven bevels or some other geometry problem. Hell They have so many issues they make a GD look like a high quality razor.

Yes, for sure there is a difference between getting a good shave and if a razor is perfect as built. You can have one without the other as in the example Glen gave. That is where I misinterpreted the original question. It is easy to tell you have a razor on the hones that is not perfect and in that sense not a quality razor build wise. I thought the question was can you tell how it will shave from the way it feels on the hones. For me that answer is still no not really.

Bob

I see in the original post it is directed at honers. Certainly a honer is not going to like a razor as much that pushes their skill level to overcome any defect in the design or quality of a blade.

If you are an end user or a low volume honer the the thought of using twice as much time to get that blade to shave ready is of less importance.

In that case you might want to qualify "honers" with professional as they do it as part of making a living. The rest of us are just "honers". Yes, in that case us non pros that hone for ourselves are less concerned with how long it takes to get a good edge on a blade for whatever reason.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

In that case you might want to qualify "honers" with professional as they do it as part of making a living. The rest of us are just "honers". Yes, in that case us non pros that hone for ourselves are less concerned with how long it takes to get a good edge on a blade for whatever reason.

Bob

I hesitate to use the word professional because to be a professional that would have to be your main, not part of a way you make a living. Unless you have a very low cost of living I cannot see in this day and age making honing straight razors your sole source of income. This brings up a good point although off topic...

How many people hone straight razors as their main source of income and don't depend on other sources such as,razor and related sales, their day job, spouse's income retirement income, etc.

Time is simply not the issue,,, doesn't really matter whether you are honing your razor or somebody else's it takes what it takes to get it right ..

I was more thinking Quality Build vs Sloppy Build..


A well designed, well ground, and tempered razor is a pleasure to hone and shave, where as an abortion on the hones might shave well, but it is still a sloppy build...

Note: that I am not saying anything about bad honing in the past, as that is not the razor's fault that was the loose nut behind the stone

Originally Posted by 32t

I hesitate to use the word professional because to be a professional that would have to be your main, not part of a way you make a living. Unless you have a very low cost of living I cannot see in this day and age making honing straight razors your sole source of income. This brings up a good point although off topic...

How many people hone straight razors as their main source of income and don't depend on other sources such as,razor and related sales, their day job, spouse's income retirement income, etc.

Simple solution if you have a problem with using the word pro.

Anyone who derives some income/supplements their income from honing razors for others on more than just an occasional basis. It does not have to be a sole source of income. There are many examples on this forum of members who do this and are recommended as people to send razors to for a pro honing. I think most get the idea of what professional means in relation to a person honing razors. It is a matter of money received for services rendered and likely at a far greater volume of work compared to those who hone for themselves.

Bob