Yeah but you blasted past me way early on man.:o
I've got an old Joseph Elliot and a Wacker, both 1/4 hollows, and a TI almost true wedge.
The Wacker came shave-sharp from John Crowley, the TI super-shave-sharp from Chandler. So I have no doubts about the potential of either; the TI in particular gave me the closest shaves I've ever gotten period. These were my first two razors, and I was hesitant to do anything to them so I let them go too long without refreshing their edges. Now I have the balls to hone when I need to, but I'm not really getting anywhere with these.
The Joseph Elliot 1/4 hollow was a a rusty-as-hell ebay junker that I cleaned up pretty well. I can now get a decent shave with it.
None of these is particularly challenging in its geometry; all have a very, very subtle smile (think Mona Lisa) and no warping or anything I can see.
They're all about the same now; they shave fine with the grain, fairly uncomfortably against it. I tend to neglect them in favor of my vintage fillies, which i've found remarkably easy to maintain and in most cases hone. Every other Sunday or so I'll get out my coticule and my Tam O'shanter and try everything I can think of with the Wacker, the TI and the Joseph Elliot, and they just pretty much stay where they are. I don't even get them overhoned; discouraging as that would be it'd at least tell me where I was.
Thanks guys.