Thread: Which edge do you prefer and why?

You guys have been inspiring and heard some nice suggestions and predictions from this post. I think this preliminary experiment requires a more in depth analysis.

The only two things I regret in this run are:

1. Not knowing how 2 out of the 3 blades were honed (I know one of them since I honed it myself.). If I knew, I would choose 3 blades (exactly the same blades - see below) and hone them differently and then assess based on shave.
2. All 3 blades were not the same. One was extra hollow, one was full hollow and the other a 1/4 hollow-ish. If all 3 were the same blade (same grind, steel, etc...), the bevel/edge differences would have been a bit more telling (I think). In this case, the were almost the same, probably due to the "compensating" variables mentioned.

I think I will continue this experiment as follows:

1. pick myself 3 relatively inexpensive blades (exactly the same - suggestions welcome)
2. Hone them on different media (synthetic, natural, etc)
3. Assess the shave quality
4. Post a poll and ask the same questions. Hopefully, we'll have less variables to deal with.

Sham: I will try to get a better photo of the actual real edge rather than the bevel...it's been a challenge but will continue until I get something. I may even solicit the help of an electron microscopist colleague where I work (who is keen on seeing the blade edges himself) and get you guys a real serious image to munch on

Meanwhile, let's see what other honemeisters have to say and more suggestions for the next series of experiments.

Thanks a million guys. Every one of you. This has been very helpful for me

yes, the problem is with these kinds of pictures, if the angle and or lighting is off a tad the blade looks entirely different. You need something to hold the blade fixed with the same light in the exact same position. It's not easy at all.

To me #1 looks stopped,straight scratches and a muted transition on the back of the bevel. #2 looks like a fine finishing stone with X parttern strokes. A sharp transition, and sharp edge. #3 looks like a hone of lesser grit, not as fine, but still sharp transition. I think #2 is sharpest.

#1 looks like a coticule
#2 looks like a jnat, shapton 30k, or possibly escher
#3 looks like an escher or 12k-16k synthetic or spyderco

If I were to choose an edge to shave with I'd go with #2.

But wdik???

Originally Posted by Rubicon

#1 looks like a coticule
#2 looks like a jnat, shapton 30k, or possibly escher
#3 looks like an escher or 12k-16k synthetic or spyderco

If I were to choose an edge to shave with I'd go with #2.

But wdik???

Interesting guesses Rubicon . One of them, i.e., #2 is right on the money (as some of the others have guessed too) . This razor was honed on an Asagi JNat.

i would suggest.
all pictures try to have in same position and same amount of light.
it is so hard a little movement changes everything.
Second.
please make no more then 100x magnification. it is just too much and useless i think
Third. good luck.

Originally Posted by BladeRunner001

Interesting guesses Rubicon . One of them, i.e., #2 is right on the money (as some of the others have guessed too) . This razor was honed on an Asagi JNat.

So how much longer are you going to leave us hanging, or are you waiting for someone to guess all 3 correctly???

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

i would suggest.
all pictures try to have in same position and same amount of light.
it is so hard a little movement changes everything.
Second.
please make no more then 100x magnification. it is just too much and useless i think
Third. good luck.

I will try. This scope has only 2 magnification settings (high and low). Anything in between has been a tough call as as focus goes. Also, I will try to make a small lightbox (or something similar) where lighting is same (more or less). As for placement of razor, I will definitely try my best. I will also fiddle around and try to get a true edge for you Sham (it's been tough though)

Originally Posted by Rubicon

So how much longer are you going to leave us hanging, or are you waiting for someone to guess all 3 correctly???

Unfortunately, I only know #2. The other 2 were blades that I got (shave-ready) were from eBay. What I would love to do (and I wish I had done that before I shaved with them) is have a picture of some of the edges produced from the honemeisters here (like Sham, Stephan, Max, Lynn or Glenn to name a few). This will be a good comparison between any garden variety edge (like mine) against some of the giants and greats in this field.

On a side note, my friend Rene (aka, nicknbleeding) has agreed to send me 3 carbon-blades (of the same make, grind, and size) and I will repeat this experiment with different hones and report back.

Any particular regimen or stones you guys would like to suggest? I have the following:

1. Naniwas (1, 4, 8, 12K)
2. Soon to have "Ha-no Kuromaku" J-version Shaptons (1, 2, 5, ,12K)
3. Coticule
4. Escher (Y/G - from Jimmy)
5. JNat (Asagi, Asagi/Kiita, Kiita)

My regimen on #2 has been as follows:

1. Naniwa 1k (setting bevel)
2. Coticule (Dilucot method)
3. JNat (with Nagura progression)

I am open to suggestions as to what stones to use for the 3 blades I will receive from Rene. Maybe, after I am done, I can entice Lynn/Max/Glenn/others to take a couple and hone it their way and send it back so I can take picts and post? But, this is entirely their call and I will respect it if they decline.

Has the JRR (Japanese Real Rock) become the touchstone, as it were, for achieving real razor sharp or is it just the next step taken by those in search of the grail?

Any suggestions? But of course. How you get to the finisher's is the hard part, but would be interesting to see a comparison of the Asagi, Escher, and Shapton 30K. I finially have all three, but haven't near learned near what they have to teach me. I get good shaving edges, but they have much more in them I know.

The high magnifications fascinate me as I have a small handheld magnifying glass (thanks to Sicboater) that I use to look at edges that says it goes to 100x, but realistically I bet it's somewhere in the 60-75x range.

Thank you for the photo's and the time you have put into this research.