Thread: Perfection, Is it in the blade or the hands that hold it?

I will ask you now to make me question my own opinions.
I believe that a razor, like any instrument of beauty, willonly show its full potential in the hands of a master. What makes me thinkthis? Well Dolly Parton of course!
“what are you on about you fool?!” I hear you cry!
Dolly Parton Is a wonder of the music world. Not too badlooking some might say. But did you knowshe once lost a look-a-like contest to a man in drag?
“what does this have to do with anything?”
Well if the Queen of country loses to a man in drag justbecause she is in a pub and not on a stadium stage then is it possible that a$3 razor can be a better shave than a $500 blade because it is in the hands ofa master.
Now, some might say “A $500 custom Damascus razor will shaveso much better that a $3 Chinese import.”
BUT I ask you this, if I gave a $3 Chinese blade to ahone-master and then to a master of the strop and then put it into the hands ofa Turkish barber, would this not shave so much better than a $500 Damascusblade in the hands of a blind epileptic one armed midget?
( “why a midget” don’t ask me, I have no idea.)
Now, having studied engineering and being a knife collector Iknow that there are many a difference in metals and tempering Etc. but this canonly take the excuse of “It’s a cheap import” so far.
What think you? Ifyou take an hour or two to hone and strop a cheap blade will it give you asgood a blade, shave and experience assomething more expensive or must one geta custom blade to truly enjoy a shave to its fullest?

I really don't know how to answer your post.
You took me from China, to Damascus, via Turkey.
You brought along a drag queen & a vertically challenged individual.

Maybe you can ask the question a little simpler for me, please.

I guess it all depends.

Bob

..... An idiot could kill themselves with a butter knife.... Don't know if that answers your question...
If you aren't proficient at shaving with a straight razor , and you break the cardinal rules, it's safe to say that no matter what you will not get good results.

Give me a stratavarious violin, I can make some noise!

Some people appreciate beauty of design and execution. These are part of what makes some custom razors attractive to some people. That a person can probably get as good a shave out of a vintage unknown Solingen or Sheffield razor, as they can out of a Mastro Livi custom mammoth ivory scaled Damascus is possible. The aesthetic of the Livi surpasses the plain old vanilla razor IME. YMMV.

Yes, i agree with all of the above

You can drive to the corner store in a VW or a Lamborghini. If you come back with a gallon of milk, two lottery tickets and a box of tampons for the little lady, you accomplished what you set out to do. The mode of travel is less meaningful to a practical man and much more important to someone to whom appearance is paramount. But it's moot point if you are rear ended by a semi on the way home. I hope this brings some clarity to the question you posed.

Regards - Walt

THIS is an 8/8 Engels Perfection. I rest my case!

facetious comment removed...OP's intentions were good.

A skillful master can use an inferior tool to accomplish his task. When you mention experience it involves much more than the "task".