Thread: brands that hold an edge

High angle will kill it quick as will insufficient or improper stropping. WHen I first started I needed crox every week. Now I have gone over a month on the same blade and the edge is like new. I don't shave straight on, theres always a slight slice or angle to it. As far as brands go, my modern thiers issard feels like the hardest as it needs a little more to set the bevel and polish. But that's highly variable as they are all in different condition when you get them. Ive never had a brand that crapped out quickly where the blade was honed properly. Ive had blades crap out on my own honing deficiencies although Thank God not lately LOL.

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

I think as one gets better at shaving one can start to break some of the rules

It's a zen thing Carl. Limitation by freedom.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

It's a zen thing Carl. Limitation by freedom.

I like that...

Some of the Japanese razors have superlative edges that hold well due to the high hardness (and treatment I presume) of the steel used. At least I know from personal experience that's the case with some high end kamisori (64-67 HRC) and they don't chip nor do they seem brittle to me but I'm no metallurgist, can only say that these go a loooonnnnggg way with just stropping. Of course a kamisori is a totally different way of shaving; you can also find conventionally shaped razors (mostly NOS) that have been made in Japan but I've no personal experience with those.

My TI Damascus is the all time king of edge holding (for me anyway). Of course it's also the all time king in time spent getting it shave ready.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

My TI Damascus is the all time king of edge holding (for me anyway). Of course it's also the all time king in time spent getting it shave ready.

Yes, both properties tend to come in one package . Fortunately I've only once had to ship my japanese miracles off for a touchup (I hone my other straights myself but those I ship off to a specialist, don't want to risk it myself). I rotate my razors so it's hard to tell with what frequency the japanese ones need a touchup but if I'd have to hazard a guess think you can shave with them on a daily basis for a year easy and get by with a simple unpasted stropping (linen/leather) before each shave.

In a word, Strop properly, strop often! Some edges are finished by the strop. I have some I consider to have a "strop edge" as that is what made them finally shave good.
Strop often, strop properly. That is the key to edge development and longivety, IMO

I shave face to two to three times a week, head once. For the past 10 months, I've been abroad and using a Dovo Maestro almost exclusively, only occasionally shaving with my backup razor, a TI Evide Sonnant.

In this entire time, I've done both razors 2-3 times on a CRoxed linen strop, maybe 10 passes at a time, and have leather stropped religiously before and after, sometimes even a few passes during the shave. At this point, the TI still shaves, but not so smooth anymore, and could use a bit of a pass on a 4k/8k. The Dovo still gives me a BB smooth shave every time. I've never gone this long on a blade without honing, and am interested to see how long I can get by without taking out the stone (kinda like Kramer driving on empty