What constitutes a bad razor?
I've done a lot of reading since I'm new to straight razors, and finally able to get a clean shave with comfort. I got two high end razors and a few starters from shooter (a great fella I met on the forum). I've been using his as a bench mark for how my newly honed razors should work.
I started with a super small (from spine to edge) and super hollow john prince razor. I really fell nicely into 5/8 razors so I thought this should be awesome. It's super light weight and had a bevel. I jumped on the 1k and evened out the bevel. Made sure toe mid and end cut fine. Went onto the 4k/8k and did a pyramid. Went onto the canvas, did 60 laps and 100 on leather. This was saturday. Today I rushed home like a school kid and ran to the bathroom to shave. Wtg was ok but something felt off. Xtg was a little less comfortable and still had this weird feeling and finally gave up and went with one of the wostys I got from shooter. It was like friggin night and day. It felt so sturdy and comfortable.
I went back to the John prince and tried a bit of atg. That was a nightmare. It felt like the blade was giving way it just felt flimsy and week, and a little like it was pulling. It was just horrible all the way around.
I tried a biedermeier wedge that I also honed Saturday and trimmed the beard on my checks and shaved my mustache. Got a great bbs shave with it. So now I'm confused as heck and frustrated.
My neck was where I tried the John prince, and it is a very sensitive part of my shave. so I'm not sure if I could of got an equally good shave on my cheeks with the john prince and if the wedge is not sharp and would have failed on my neck.
I know neither are as sharp as the wosty I got from an expert honer. But my questions are:
Is the John prince crap?
Could it be crap steel?
Is there a razor so hollow it feels flimpsy during a shave?
If I followed the pyramid why would I not be as sharp and smooth as a pro honed razor?
Can someone give me passes on a 4k/8k that will get me sharp?
Is there such a thing as a crap shaving razor? I've heard beauty razors are.
I've read the term "popping hair" everywhere but haven't seen it in action. I know I'm supposed to make hairs pop out of the 1k. But I'm not sure what that is. I've ot the razors on the 1k to have hair at the base of the shaft with not preside but skin contact at a 30 degree angle. That I thought was enough so I feel if any issues it is at the 4k/8k level. But now I. Confused because the hair doesn't pop on a 1k it just shaves off cleanly.
Thank you in advance. Specially if you remember to answer all my questions.