A couple things. The end result will be about honing so this may need to be moved but Im gonna talk about the razors edge for a bit so this thread may be better suited for the razor section.

Facts:

I cant tell a good edge. Ive been shaving for several months. My worst shave with my worse razor was better than my best shave with a mach3. While the worst shave.

I can tell a difference between when my stropping is good and bad and if i dont strop at all.

When I do the average test for sharpness I really cant tell a difference between a shape razor and a not so sharp razor. the only way i can tell is the pluck the razor with my thumb. The sharp razor feels and sounds different.

Ive bought many a not shave ready razor and shaved with them with little issues. Not a BBS shave but still a decent one.

The only major cuts have been due to one razor ive got or when i tried a totally off the wall technique.

I sent some razors off to be honed by a member here. I couldn't really tell a difference(the blades might have been ok or only needed a touch up)

Observations:
I sent a razor, in which ive been shaving with since September, to Ken over at rup razor. He honed it. When i got it back it looked the same but plucked different on my thumb. It didnt seem to shave too much better than when i shipped it to him. I know it needed to be honed as he told me the blade was damaged. It didnt look like it to me but I know it had issues because it scratched the hell out of my strop like it had a couple burrs on teh edge. Once i got it back it stropped great and wasnt leaving marks on my strop any more.

I think my face it tough. Ive got another razor that has a small nick on the edge and i can shave with it without damage to my face.


conclusion:

I have know idea what im really doing. I know that some razors are better than others because i can get the smoothest shave from some razors than others. When i pluck them i can tell they are sharper than the average shavers I have that just give me an ok shave.

so why have i typed all this?

I want all my razors to shave like the one or two i have that give me the best shave. I dont really have the money to sent 10 or 12 razors out to be honed just so i can get them back and only achieve what I think is a little bit better shave.

What do i plan to do about it?

Get some hones and make the edge as close as i can to the same feel as teh razors i have that i know shave well.

I guess my question is - does it matter how well my razors are honed compared to other people that hone razors as long as i dont tear the razor up and get a good shave?

I ordered a

220/1000
4000/8000
12000

so i should be good to go with out having to mess with pasted strops. I played arounf with the 4000/8000 today with a razor that was almost shave ready and saw some good results. Im pretty excited about being able to hone them myself.