Thread: Rating razor quality poll

So those of you that hone razors especially those that have honed many different razors...

Opinion ???

Something that I read quite often is people that really only know a razor by how it shaves,,, rate said razor.
Now myself, I feel that is simply one aspect of that razor personally,,, I learn way more about the razor from honing it..
I can tell so much more about the overall quality of the brand when I am pushing it across the stones..

So is this just me or do you also judge the quality of the razor not only by how it shaves, but even more so by how it got to that shave..


Poll above:


I guess it is pretty obvious that if a razor doesn't hone well it won't shave well

I do feel much the same as you, Glen.
Lots can be learned about a razor when honing it.
Not sure I can determine to 100% how it will shave, but more often than not I'm pretty darn close
And I'll always get a feel for the qualities of the steel-

That is on stones I have intimate knowledge about, meaning I've done hundreds of razors on 'em.

Every now and then when using new stones or say at razor meets and stuff I will interpret the steel wrong and end up with a less than ideal edge. Even though it might have felt like a clean home run..

I'm not quite sure how to vote here...If there was a third option like "BOTH HONE AND SHAVE" that is what I would say. I've honed quite few razors in the past few years...though not nearly as many as some... and I agree that you can tell how a razor or more specifically the 'steel' will shave when sharp to a large degree. BUT...it's still the shave that counts.

As an example I just honed a rather nondescript Union City Razor Cutlery Wedge. It honed quickly and easily and felt good on the hones, but the shave was simply outstanding. Great steel! It reminded me a lot of the shave I get with one of my Filarmonicas.

I also find that particular razors shave better when finished with particular hones...a Sheffield finished on a coticule or escher for instance. BUT if I am forced to vote on the two choices above...I'll say the 'SHAVE TEST'!

I was thinking the 3rd choice of Honing and Shaving was a given we would all choose that

I was more after what tells you more about the razor

I share your thoughts Glen. I have found that a nicely ground and warp free razor for example will be easier to hone and therefore easier to maintain. The honing method or choice of stones is less of a determining factor when you are working with a razor that is of high quality.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I was thinking the 3rd choice of Honing and Shaving was a given we would all choose that

I was more after what tells you more about the razor

Well...obviously the hones tell you more about the steel, so in that respect I agree with you Glen. But like Birnando said, sometimes ( not often) a razor feels great on the hones, the steel seems to take a really great edge, and then the shave is less than spectacular. Overall though...I will concur that if you have a good feel for the hones and the razor moving across it, then the hone test will tell you if you've got a great shaver or not as a general rule.

Well my fussy old friend, a few years ago I'd have voted on 'the shave' but after a 'few more' razors I do believe that how hard they are to hone does make a difference in how they shave.

With that said, it could be that there is a sub conscious effect that since the razor (example #1)was a B***h to hone, it must be not giving the best shave/and then when a razor (example #2) just works so well, no warps no micro chips appearing etc that sub consciously we 'think' that it's a better shaver than example #1.

All I know is that my final test is the shave test (I do a full shave as the test) and sub conscious or not, if it shaves well and I'm happy with it. I'm good to go! I've yet to send a razor home that they didn't like the shave.

Knock on Wood!

While I've touched up quite a few razors on a finishing stone - I've only done about 15 razors from bevel set to final polishing, so being that makes me as noobie as possible, the only way I can answer is the shave test itself. Not at a place yet where I'd trust my judgement from the stones alone.

I have to think about this before I vote. I don't hone for other people much. Once in a great while, or if I sell a personal razor occasionally. So having a large rotation, once I get a razor shave ready, I generally don't use it often ..... since I'm using many different razors.

Naturally I'd prefer a razor be easily brought to shave ready, but even if it is not so easy, if once it is there, it maintains a good edge, I'm happy with it. Some of the older wedge grinds, with lots of metal to remove, once they are 'there', they are fine.

So I guess from my perspective, having typed all these thoughts, I'll vote for the shave being the deciding factor. However it feels on the hones, however long it takes to get 'there', how it shaves is my concern.

I can agree with Glen up to about 87% of the time that it is more the honing than the shave as the determiner of a good shave. Before I started my feeble attempts at honing I was shaving with razors honed by five different people. In thinking back about specific razors honed by one of the five I'd have to say that there might be credence to what kind of stone to use for which brand of razor.

And, to not being accused of being facetious, add the ephemeral qualities of time of day, mental attitude, caffeine level, concentration level and energy level.