Thread: Question about SRD razors

Originally Posted by RobinK

In the US [...] Most people here don't love edges off high grit synthetics.

Originally Posted by Denvernoob

Most people don't like edges off of high-grit synths?

The core of the confusion (leading to disagreement) is that Robin's 'here' refers to "(generally speaking) Europe", not 'here on SRP'. I think everyone is aware of how popular synthetics are on SRP. But outside of SRP, as in: on the European forums, they are not. Last time I checked, natural hones and indeed pastes (this seems to mainly be a French thing) are more popular than synthetics here. In Europe.

Robin is very opinionated, but at no point in this thread did he actually assert to natural hones being superior to synthetic hones. He merely added perspective by stating that in Europe (generally speaking) they are preferred over synthetic hones. Which is more fact than opinion.

This seems to be a cultural thing, as there is a long (long) history of using (local) natural hones (Thüringer hones, other slate hones, coticules, Charnley forests, Cretan hones...the list goes on and on), much more so than in the US (even though there are of course Washita hones and Arkansas hones).

Originally Posted by Denvernoob

I am pretty sure, myself excluded for the sake of your arguments, that there is a pretty good reason the Naniwa 12k is perhaps the single most recommended high-grit synthetic for touch-ups and edge refinement across just about every razor forum....not that there are dozens of videos with very well regarded honers the world over featuring it...but what do they know.

The Naniwa 12000 is often recommended on SRP because a lot of people find it easy to work with; it is advised as a sure choice. Plain and simple. Not because it is necessarily superior to most all other hones in the shaving edge it produces. Personally, I do not find an edge off a Naniwa 12000 very comfortable when compared to an edge honed on, say, a coticule or Thüringer hone and I do not consider it to be a bargain by any means. I would even argue that most coticules are easier in use and equally predictable in the edge they produce (at least) when purely used for upkeep (i.e. water only). But my individual preference and opinion is neither here nor there; it is not relevant to the discussion. The point of the discussion was popularity at large. Again, outside of SRP, the high synthetic grit hone following is much, much smaller; at least when going by the European forums.

Note that "popular" does not necessarily equate to "superior". A lot of people can be wrong as well.

Also note that a lot of users are (believe it or not) not very active or vocal on fora.

Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen,

Arguments destroy conversations, gentlemen.

Dear Obie, I would like to rephrase that, If you will allow me:

"Fights destroy good arguments."