what is your favorite razor and what makes it your favorite?
So as I'm getting deeper into this new fascination with straight razors and learning about honing, stroping, shaving, and forging, grinding, handling {scaling?} ect...... I'm collecting vintage razors to be able to play with the different grinds, profiles, scale materials, jimping or no, ect.... and I figured id ask what is your favorite razor, or razors, and what is it about them that makes them your favorite?
right now I have 4.
the newest I haven't even shaved with yet, but it is a kropp with a rounded point, extrahollow grind, bit over a 6/8. got the edge about half cleaned up this afternoon, and hope to finish the edge out and shave with it in the morning. but I do like the rounded point, the width as it sort of helps to see the angle, the jimping is very nice and secure, yet not sharp or abrasive.
another is one I made out of 1095, and it is a monster, 9/8's, roughly a quarter hollow, with a mystery wood one piece handle from my scrap wood box, no jimping, sort of a shallow round point and some smile. I like the added weight of the quarter hollow big blade as it steadies my hand a bit, the wider tang, and its the best one ive made so far.
a sheafworks half hollow 6/8's with a bit of smile and a humpback tang, and a one piece cocobolo handle I made for it. I love the looks of this one. the profile is very pleasing to me with the humpback tang and curves. the point is mostly straight, with just a hint of curve right at the point so it isn't square. mostly what I like is that its just downright sexy with curves in all the right places.
and last a razor marked extra hollow ground Sheffield. though it looks more like a half hollow to me. rounded point, jimping just on the underside of the tang. it looks very much like the kropp, only smaller at about a 11/16's. and is wider at the point than at the heel. this one really talks as its taking whiskers.
I cant really speak of edge retention as I haven't shaved long enough to notice. they all were pretty easy to hone, and I have all of them to cutting a single strand of my wifes hair at 1-2" away from the point that I am holding it. and they all seem to shave pretty well, and even with each other.