Thread: WHAT IS YOUR SMOOTHEST SHAVER?

There's a fair number of Friodurs on this list. Vely intelesting.

I noticed that also. This is my first one and believe me it won't be the last. I'm very impressed with them. Not only the workmanship but the blend of steel as well. As I said they are very easy to hone and get a wonderful smooth edge.

4/8s 1/4 hollow Friedr. Baurmann & Sohne

My Wade & Butcher Celebrated Fine India Steel Razor is my smoothest.

The friodur is my second best. Much more time to get it sharp though.

What I do is sharpen all my razors except for the Wacker wedge (which I have dulled and sharpened repeatedly so it's not a fluke) and test them against each other. The friodur is consistentyl the best shaver and even when I have it blazingly sharp and smooth, and I think it just can't get any better, I'll pull out the wedge on the same shave, and it's just a different level. I like it even better than my more expensive 1/4 hollow.

I'd have to go with any of my Sheffield steel razors (W&B or Wostenholm) when given a final touchup on cromium oxide.

What surprises me is the absence of lots of Heljestrands in this thread. I'm not particularly partial to this anglo-saxon preoccupation with superlatives, but I'd say all the Heljes with which I've shaven (around a dozen in number; about half a dozen different models) perform rather above par as far as smoothness is concerned.

Originally Posted by Visibility

The friodur is my second best. Much more time to get it sharp though.

What I do is sharpen all my razors except for the Wacker wedge (which I have dulled and sharpened repeatedly so it's not a fluke) and test them against each other. The friodur is consistentyl the best shaver and even when I have it blazingly sharp and smooth, and I think it just can't get any better, I'll pull out the wedge on the same shave, and it's just a different level. I like it even better than my more expensive 1/4 hollow.

I have a Friodur that would come very close to the top of my smoothness guage, too. It's a fantastic razor, and very smooth. It's currently in Max's hands getting a facelift...

Originally Posted by Visibility

The friodur is my second best. Much more time to get it sharp though.

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The old old friodurs (like the 11/16s 70 1/2 models) are incredibly easy to hone, and smooth as all get out. Those tend to be 11/16s or so in size, not monsters.

I think it's the newly ground from old blank monster 7/8 and 8/8 friodurs that some say are hard to hone. Which makes me wonder if they are really the same old friodur metal. I guess I'll just have to buy one of the monsters some day to see for myself. : )

It's got to be the Fila PBD. I'm thinning the herd to find more shavers like this one.