Hey Guys,

I think I know the answer to this but I'm kinda in a state of second guessing myself on it.

I have three razors in my collection that I find VERY reliable. I have a Robeson SureEdge, Henkels 50, and a Simmons Keen Kutter that I can get two or three shaves from without stropping in between. These three take and hold an edge wonderfully.

I have other razors that I get one side of my face and their edge is shot. I look at them under the scope and I can see that my whiskers have tore up the edge. I realize that these razors are just junk that won't hold an edge. I can accept that.

The ones that are bothering me are the ones in between. They just almost finish the job before the edge starts to degrade. One in particular is a ERN sword and Crown. I thought these were supposed to have a reputation for being good razors. YET... I hone and strop it exactly the same as the three listed above and it just doesn't work on this razor. I have a few others that are in the same boat, a Solingen made Osborne hardware and a German made Jas T. Scott.

It my understanding that these German made razors should be fairly good razors, I am treating them exactly the same as my "GOOD ONES" yet I don't get he same results. I just can't seem, to get them to take and hold an edge very well.

I try not to take a "voodoo black magic water/moon in the right phase" type of approach to such things so I'm sure it has to be one of two things. Either, these razors need a different approach than the others due to different alloy or what ever...or I got my hands on a few Solingen and Wald lemons.

You old timers got any wisdom or insight on this?

Ray