Smoothest shaving razor

I'm a newb to straight shaving, but I've acquired a handful of razors now. I have all old razors besides the new Dovo best quality I bought to start out with. Out of the 11 I have honed and shaved with, nothing comes close to my C-Mon (Blackies Handmade, Ellicottville, Ny) I am getting all the old razors I can to see if any will come close to the C-Mon. I was just wondering what is your guys favorite smoothest razors? Do the customs shave superbly to factory? I was looking into trying one of the Mastro Levi's that everybody talks about. What's your best shaver????

There are just so many good ones , if they are honed and stropped well, that i would be reluctant to name one. I really like C.V. Heljestrand but there are too many 'good' razors to list.

I'm with Jimmy on this one.
When I started out honing, my favorite would change as my honing skills improved - it took me a while to grasp that it was my growing honing skills that determined my shave experience. As long as we're talking quality steel and I manage to put a good edge to it, I am happy with all my razors, no matter what origin, age, size or grind. Basically :)

With three days growth plus-8/8 Gilbert masonic wedge (1850's?)
With less than Threedays- 7/8 Original Schulze (19??)

everything else realy is good, just those two stand out.

+1 @ Jimmy I have about 30 razors (probably more) with about 10 in regular rotation. I have not gotten a bad shave from any of them. My Filis have spent a lot of time at the top of the list with my C-mons up there to. The biggest factor I think after overall blade quality is who and how your blades are honed. My smoothest shave to date is A vintage restore and hone by Gssixgun. The Shaves I have gotten as a result of his honing were so drastically different I sent him 3 more to do recently. Before you go and buy more razors (and Im all for that) send out 3 different ones to 3 different Honemiesters and compare the results .
As Lynn says ...Have Fun!

Dovo bismarck

Geneva Henrys X

I think the veterans will bear witness to this, that there exists a small select group of razors out there that for some (unknown?) reason they just are remarkable shavers. Maybe the entire fabrication process was perfect from start to finish and those razors cut across all brands and ages and styles and grinds. If you are fortunate to have some like that you will know it.

No matter how much you restore and hone a razor though it may look brand new and give fantastic shaves you can not hone a razor into this select group it's something innate to them.

They probably make up no more than 20% of all the straights ever produced maybe less. I know I have some.

So the answer to this post for me would be that class of razors.

How do I describe these razors?

If someone was giving you a shave and you were blindfolded and didn't know you were about to get a shave and you got terrible prep, still, the razor would glide down your face so perfectly you would never guess there was a razor touching your face based on the feel and the result would be perfect. yes, it's that good.

That's exactally what I was trying to say bigspendur. Maybe I got lucky honing it or got one of the ones you refer to as perfect, but it is so smooth that is feels like you were shaving with the rounded spine. It's just remarkable even on the rough chin hairs, I have to look and feel for wiskers because it glides so easy around my face.

it is so smooth that is feels like you were shaving with the rounded spine.

This is exactly how I described my shave with the C-mon Glen restored for me . I have never felt anything like it and I have had some remarkable shaves. In fact I thought I had had enough smooth shaves to think that I had experienced the best my blades could offer. I am now on a quest for the smoothest!
@ Bigspendur- care to share at least some of the members of that select group?

I'll have to agree with the majority here that if the razor is properly honed the brand has little to do with it. But on the other hand if a gun was put to my head as someone else was twisting my arm I would have to say Bismark followed by Boker and Joseph Rodgers.

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Originally Posted by Omega1975

it is so smooth that is feels like you were shaving with the rounded spine.

This is exactly how I described my shave with the C-mon Glen restored for me . I have never felt anything like it and I have had some remarkable shaves. In fact I thought I had had enough smooth shaves to think that I had experienced the best my blades could offer. I am now on a quest for the smoothest!
@ Bigspendur- care to share at least some of the members of that select group?

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Well, I have two vintage Dovo 7/8s, a Diamond Steel and a best Quality that qualify and a couple of Livi's and a couple of Puma's and a couple of TI's and a couple modern Dovo's, a stainless with pearl scales and the Bergischer Lowe to name a few.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Well, I have two vintage Dovo 7/8s, a Diamond Steel and a best Quality that qualify and a couple of Livi's and a couple of Puma's and a couple of TI's and a couple modern Dovo's, a stainless with pearl scales and the Bergischer Lowe to name a few.

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Really ? Wow ! I did not expect too se Dovo's up there I have never heard any thing bad about them but for some reason I have also never been drawn to them. Perhaps Ill give one a try. My TI's are superb shavers too.
Thanks for sharing.
-Ben

Wackers (when you can dial them in)

I have a few that fit into that group. A Revisor and TI are two razors that for whatever reason always perform to the highest standards every time. I have so many excellent shavers that are awesome, but just a notch below.

Of the TI's you guys mention, what kind are they? Are they still available or are they vintage razors?
Thanks for all the replies, looks like I'll be on a quest to always be looking for another "smoothie". I guess that when someone gets one they never turn loose of it! I found mine at a flea market for $20 but I swear I would not sell it for $500 !!

Hi this is mine a smooth old bismarck takes fantastic edge gives a wicked shave love it.
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/...0/IMG_0685.jpg

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Originally Posted by SteelNeckTie

Of the TI's you guys mention, what kind are they? Are they still available or are they vintage razors?
Thanks for all the replies, looks like I'll be on a quest to always be looking for another "smoothie". I guess that when someone gets one they never turn loose of it! I found mine at a flea market for $20 but I swear I would not sell it for $500 !!

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I have a LE Grelot and a sheffield singing TI Love em both. They are still available but most places have limited stock as they are hand made & TI cant keep up with there demand. I bought both of mine from Jim @ Vintageblades and I think classicshaving still has a few.

A no name solingen - simple as you can get, plain black scales - and another razor with 'master barber' on it which has the look and feel of a dubl duck. Got both from the bay for £15 for both.

The TI is a new razor. I'm not exactly sure of what it's called, but it is a 7/8 spanish point with a worked back. It is a very long blade. Sparticus TI blades look similar in pictures, but the goldwash is different.

Of all the blades I have, I honestly have to say my El-cheapo Whipped Dog special razor (GoldenRod 4/8) shaves me the best, I always get a smooth close shave out of it. My next favorites are my EXTRA hollow Genco's great shavers.. :)


Oddly, my least favorite are my brand new Dovo/TI razors...I'm even toying with the idea of selling them to make room in the case for more "vintage" blades :)

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Originally Posted by justalex

A no name solingen - simple as you can get, plain black scales - and another razor with 'master barber' on it which has the look and feel of a dubl duck. Got both from the bay for £15 for both.

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Genco made a 'master barber' model.

I don't think one can 'accurately' name brands as being better or smoother you can get exceptional or lousy razors from all makers. Some makers just have a higher consistency & the honing plays a major role too.

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Originally Posted by onimaru55

Genco made a 'master barber' model.

I don't think one can 'accurately' name brands as being better or smoother you can get exceptional or lousy razors from all makers. Some makers just have a higher consistency & the honing plays a major role too.

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Thats why this thread will go on forever:)

Wade and Butcher, without a doubt !

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I think the veterans will bear witness to this, that there exists a small select group of razors out there that for some (unknown?) reason they just are remarkable shavers. Maybe the entire fabrication process was perfect from start to finish and those razors cut across all brands and ages and styles and grinds. If you are fortunate to have some like that you will know it.

No matter how much you restore and hone a razor though it may look brand new and give fantastic shaves you can not hone a razor into this select group it's something innate to them.

They probably make up no more than 20% of all the straights ever produced maybe less. I know I have some.

So the answer to this post for me would be that class of razors.

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As one of those Veteran Shavers I think TBS nailed that dead on, it isn't about brand or model although there are some that tend to have a better chance of hiiting a "Whoa" razor

That is what I call the top 10%, the ones that you do the first shaving stroke and you say Whoa !!!

I own a few of them not as many as I would like, the names and brands don't mean a thing though, as just because my one razor shaves like that doesn't mean yours will on your face :)

When you find one it is not always a good thing as it can cause RAD and HAD bad as you try and chase the same perfection on other razors. It can cause Honing OCD too because you start thinking it is your honing and you try and replicate that same feeling on other razors...

Face the fact that that there are just some Whoa razors out there, and if you get one, sit back, relax, and enjoy

That's my story and I am sticking to it

g

Gssixgun, I think you nailed it. The 2nd razor I ever bought was the "WHOAH" razor. I've now acquired 16 razors and 6 homes trying to duplicate what that one feels like. At this rate, by the time I get 1 year under my belt I'll have 160 razors. Lol I think I might already have RAD. Thanks for the help guys.

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Originally Posted by onimaru55

Genco made a 'master barber' model.

I don't think one can 'accurately' name brands as being better or smoother you can get exceptional or lousy razors from all makers. Some makers just have a higher consistency & the honing plays a major role too.

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I call them dave and Joe :)

All golfers have a favorite club, whether it is the 7 iron or the 3 wood. Since each club is a different length, there is a point where the length of the club and the angle of the face just fit with the body. When this perfect geometry is achieved, a golfer can get the great consistent results with this club. What makes Tiger woods different is he is able to adjust his body to match each club.

Depending on your honing setup, your strokes, technique, and facial hair; you will find a razor that just seems to give your great consistent results. If every razor could be honed using the same procedure, it wouldn't be an art. Hone masters can change their honing style to match a razor.

That being said many razors are simply made better.

Wade & Butcher is my go to Str8. I've got Ern's, Swedes, American made, but there's just something about the Wade & Butcher. Shaving with it is like spreading butter.

I found an old Torrey a while ago which didn't need much work, and it gave me that "Whoa" feeling. The velvet squegee feeling on your face. I found myself looking for Torrey's, but it really does come down to the honing, provided the steel is good.
The old Puma's, Ducks, Genco, ( I have one of those "master barber's" Oz spoke of) are all good.

The Fily's out of the box were fantastic shavers. That's a rare thing. I have a few no name razors I bought over the years for less than 10.00, Great shavers.

Filly, Puma, CV Heljestrand, Toyo, Geneva, and Wacker are all outstanding.

My old example of the differences in razors concerns the group TI buy we had several years ago here. I bought two both sequentially numbered, the exact same razors and one was a super shaver right out of the box and the other needed a lot of work.

I have only tried four razors (one T-I and three Dovo), so take this with a grain of salt:

Call me weird, but I think the Dovo "Best Quality" is my best by a decent margin. When properly stropped, it is really smooth, and it is the only one of my four that can handle my "problem spot" under my jaw without irritation.

Swedes are still my favs. Quite affordable on ebay as well.

One of my favorite razors in my rotation is an Emde Bross Eagle razor from Germany. And it is also one of my cheapest razors! I got it from ebay. How ever I'm not experience enough to know if it shaves so well because of the quality of the razor or the quality of the way it was honed. I suspect a combination of the two.

My best razor is from Pakistan. I can used to learn stropping, honing cutting butter... Now seriously I have many razors I but one of favorite is DD Special :-) I don`t have best yet as I don`t know what next razor I will purchase...

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Originally Posted by Omega1975

Really ? Wow ! I did not expect too se Dovo's up there I have never heard any thing bad about them but for some reason I have also never been drawn to them.

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Well, not all Dovos are the same. Of the current production the Bergischer Lowe to me is head and shoulders above the rest. And the vintage no.55 aka diamond steel are lovely razors, though I wish they were 1/8" smaller.

And I do have a few of the Glen's whoa razors too :) speaking of which I've gotta dig out the good ole Frankie and take him for a spin.