Thread: brands that hold an edge

My Friodurs hold an edge quite a good while. Stainless steel seems to help with that. But if your beard is particularly tough, you might try a heavier Sheffield grind blade. They seem to plow through stubble with greater authority than hollow grinds. My Wade and Butcher FBU is like a squeegee when it comes to my shave.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

My Friodurs hold an edge quite a good while. Stainless steel seems to help with that. But if your beard is particularly tough, you might try a heavier Sheffield grind blade. They seem to plow through stubble with greater authority than hollow grinds. My Wade and Butcher FBU is like a squeegee when it comes to my shave.

+1...I've found this to be true as well. But as Glen said above: "...the better one gets at doing their parts of the equation, the better the razor gets at holding an edge for a longer time, ...".

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

But if your beard is particularly tough, you might try a heavier Sheffield grind blade. They seem to plow through stubble with greater authority than hollow grinds. My Wade and Butcher FBU is like a squeegee when it comes to my shave.

This is a belief system held by mostly beginners & for some it can be true but a well honed full hollow will work equally well on tough beards.. The Fili 14 is as hollow as they get & designated "Especial Para Barbas Duras"

Iwasaki san's book on honing has an interesting section on How to use a Western razor.

In the instructions included with a German "Henckels" razor, it says that when shaving, "hold the razor almost flat against the face." Something very similar is printed on the front of English "Haddon" razor boxes.
And in our country, we are taught to hold the razor at a 45 degree angle when shaving. This 45 degree angle, whether it's in relation to the skin or to the hair, is a standing position. In other countries, the razor is used lying flat.
Since long ago, Kamisori have been used lying flat.
If you try using a razor at a standing angle, the edge will very quickly start to show signs of damage, and an edge that should shave 200 faces or more will only shave around ten. So if you think you'd like to preserve your edges as long as possible, keep the blade as flat as you can when you shave.
Of course, if you haven't put a good edge on the razor, when you lay it flat it won't shave at all, and you will have to raise the angle. But shaving with an edge like that is a mistake.

Ginsu is world-renowned.

Originally Posted by JBHoren

Ginsu is world-renowned.

I think they recalled their serrated razor line.

My Swedish framebacks hold a great edge, my Burrell Top Flight does too.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

This is a belief system held by mostly beginners & for some it can be true but a well honed full hollow will work equally well on tough beards.. The Fili 14 is as hollow as they get & designated "Especial Para Barbas Duras"

Iwasaki san's book on honing has an interesting section on How to use a Western razor.

In the instructions included with a German "Henckels" razor, it says that when shaving, "hold the razor almost flat against the face." Something very similar is printed on the front of English "Haddon" razor boxes.
And in our country, we are taught to hold the razor at a 45 degree angle when shaving. This 45 degree angle, whether it's in relation to the skin or to the hair, is a standing position. In other countries, the razor is used lying flat.
Since long ago, Kamisori have been used lying flat.
If you try using a razor at a standing angle, the edge will very quickly start to show signs of damage, and an edge that should shave 200 faces or more will only shave around ten. So if you think you'd like to preserve your edges as long as possible, keep the blade as flat as you can when you shave.
Of course, if you haven't put a good edge on the razor, when you lay it flat it won't shave at all, and you will have to raise the angle. But shaving with an edge like that is a mistake.

I'm visualising what's happening by dragging a razor across the face with a steep angle and what it looks like lying flat. I'm envisaging a 'buffing' of the edge when the angle is steep. However, I must admit esp as certain points on my face I shave with a rather steep angle. Also, I sometimes go over a spot several times when the cream has long gone. I think as one gets better at shaving one can start to break some of the rules

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...