I’d toss in a big recommendation for Geneva/Genco for early in your collection. Far and away some of the best shaving and easiest to hone razors per $$$. So easy to hone you’ll think it’s the best razor you own for the first few honing sessions until you realize how much more effort the harder tempered, less hollow ground razors need to get the same caliber edge. Whenever I get a new mystery eBay stone to mess with I always reach for a Genco to test it on first.
I’m a metallurgy nut so whenever someone wants the “best shaving” razor my mind goes to razors from Little Valley, NY or a handful of Japanese razors. They legitimately seem to take and hold a finer edge than anything else floating around out there. They’re at opposite ends of the hardness spectrum though, so the honing experience is a lot easier on the little valley ones. I think everyone should own at least one nice really hard tempered Japanese razor though just to experience the extremes of steel handling.
You’re right thinking there’s a never ending list of good under the radar grinders and makers.
I’m a metallurgy nut so whenever someone wants the “best shaving” razor my mind goes to razors from Little Valley, NY or a handful of Japanese razors. They legitimately seem to take and hold a finer edge than anything else floating around out there. They’re at opposite ends of the hardness spectrum though, so the honing experience is a lot easier on the little valley ones. I think everyone should own at least one nice really hard tempered Japanese razor though just to experience the extremes of steel handling.
You’re right thinking there’s a never ending list of good under the radar grinders and makers.