Garden Variety vs. Ornate and Beautful

The unmarked old black barber razor shaves markedly better than any other razor I have used. I wanted to love the like-new Wester Bros. in bone and inlay but the heavy, rigid, well-kept and well-worn black handled razor shaves as if running on greased rails. Is this just the nature of my beard reacting better to a half-hollow vs a full hollow ground blade? The clunky old barber razor is a like a Ferrari compared to a pickup truck when I match it with a well-honed and stropped full hollow blade.

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Yea, looks have nothing to do with how well a razor shaves, the edge does. Are the edges of both razors equally sharp? If they are they should shave equally well. I have razors ranging from full hollows that sing to near wedges that give equally fine shaves so I don't think the grind has too much to do with it. Could be as simple as some razors just shave better than others or as a beginner with your current level of technique the heavier grind is easier to get a good shave out of. I had better luck at the start with heavier grinds too until my technique improved to take advantage of what the full hollows could do. Heavier grinds just seemed more forgiving at first.

Bob

We all have some variation in our face and beard. Some find the different grinds to be more comfortable and as such shave nicer. I also have a variety of razors and I don't think that in the end one shaves better than the other, there is that pleasure factor and I like to shave with some razors more than others. I have my days where this razor or that one provides exactly what I'm looking for. I'm glad I have variety in the box, as well as what BobH said.

I think your analogy pretty much sums it up actually :)

Some people need a Pickup truck and a Ferrari is pretty much useless to them :p


ie: YMMV especially when starting out in this hobby, I wouldn't get too attached to any razor in the beginning your tastes can change as your skills progress..