OK, I am going to have to agree that honing is a major factor if the razor is in spec from the people who produced the steel and each and every production step that followed was in spec. Then it is likely down to honing.

OTH the same make and model razor from the same production batch may just never be as good as the others because one or more of the many steps in it's production was a little off spec. Question then is which ones. There is no guarantee that your brand X model A that shaves smooth as silk means mine will also.

All the stars have to align from start to finish to produce a smooth shaver that is par excellence. To me that is the magic behind an extremely smooth shaver.

Bob