Thread: Some razors better shavers?

Here's a question aimed mostly at those of you on SRP who have been around a lot of razors for a lot of years. Just occured to me on this Sunday AM as I was thinking about a few posts that mentioned that this brand of razor or that brand was a "good shaver." So...are some razors just "better shavers" than others. I mean by this that, regardless of the honing and stropping expertise that's gone into a razor, it just shaves better? True? Or maybe not? Can enough honing and stropping fix any razor (unless if falls below some threshold of quality such as the Pakistani razors seems to)?

If true, would this apply to most razors of a certain brand or just a few individual razors -- an accident of birth, if you will? I got started thinking about this because of the pricing range of razors, and wondering if this is because of collector value (in the case of vintage razors) or workmanship or something else? Then moved on to pondering whether price relates in any way to shaving ability. More $ = better shaver? I kind of doubt it past a certain point but I don't really know enough to be definitive about it. Or, might it be the case that once a razor has a certain modicum of quality steel, heat treating, edge geometry and whatever other factors, that with expert honing and stropping, it can be turned into a great shaver? If this is the case, does anyone care to hazard a guess about where the price point may lie for a razor that can become a great shaver? $100 USD? Less? $200? More?

Just something to ponder as you shave today. Newbies want to know.

Yes some are known "Good" brands.. But that doesn't mean every single razor from that brand will be great, it just means there are certain brands that have a higher likelihood of you finding a "better" razor...


There are also other razors that we tend to call "WOW !!!" razors, these are few and far between, and the more razors you experience the fewer you tend to find that really stand out from the rest.. When you find one keep it
I have never found a pattern to these razors...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Yes some are known "Good" brands.. But that doesn't mean every single razor from that brand will be great, it just means there are certain brands that have a higher likelihood of you finding a "better" razor...


There are also other razors that we tend to call "WOW !!!" razors, these are few and far between, and the more razors you experience the fewer you tend to find that really stand out from the rest.. When you find one keep it
I have never found a pattern to these razors...

Care to share the GOOD and the WOW brands?

Originally Posted by pesa

Care to share the GOOD and the WOW brands?

I could tell you but then I would have to.............

PM for the secret list

Originally Posted by jaswarb

I could tell you but then I would have to.............

PM for the secret list

PM sent!!

Originally Posted by pesa

Care to share the GOOD and the WOW brands?

There is no WOW brands, as Glen said there can be WOW razors from any brand it is just a matter of luck finding one.
No need to create hype about brands, there is plenty going around already.

No Hype,The vintage spanish razors are the best shavers the world has ever known.
nothing finer exsists,and thats the trufe

What pixelfixed is true. The prufe is in the pricing. They're outrageously expensive so they must be outrageously good!

Here are such lists as exist at SRP:

Good Straight Razor Brands
Brands of Straight Razors to Avoid

Fads come and go, hype flourishes and fades, and pricing follows accordingly.

If you've found an interesting blade at an antique store, write down a few notes about it then search SRP for any mentions of the brand. That's probably the quickest way to research it.

Happy hunting, shopping, and shaving.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

No Hype,The vintage spanish razors are the best shavers the world has ever known.
nothing finer exsists,and thats the trufe

Today I have had an epiphany I just shaved with a new/old W&B.
I can say that The old Sheffields are without question the finest razors ever created bar none,The best the world has ever known,nothing finer exsists,No hype

the very first straight i got which was with a bunch of DE razors, a rusty, sad looking, neglected ACRON, cleaned it up a bit, but it will never win a prize for good looks. Probably owes me $4. Used it to practice honing, and it gives a real good shave. Since then i have watched Filarmonica, Wade and Butcher, Dubl Duck, and other razors go for huge money on e-bay, especially anything an inch plus. But hey, if you got the money, why not? Do they shave any better? One would hope so. It would be nice to own a bunch of razors like that. If you look in the Custom Builts and Restorations forum, there are examples of members work that are totally inspiring.I suspect alot of them are lower end e-bay purchases, combined with large amounts of elbow grease. If you look past the hype, there are plenty of good razors to be had without breaking the bank.