Blind edge test! Ugly razors, fine finishes.

[SliceOfLife]

Razors are home.

The 66 looks perfectly fine. That edge held up fine... I'd say the razor gave the shave the razor can give... it just couldn't stack up against the competition.

The 1996 shows a bit of a beat up quality to the edge... but not excessive. Definitely not a fresh of the hone edge, but again... I think it was representative of what that edge on that razor is.

All images same reso (400x optical. ~1000-2000x total on a desktop depending on monitor size)
First Image is the winner (Trumpet).

Second is the 1996.

Third is the 66.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Thinking I may throw 0.1 diamond and Jnat finishes on good vintage razors and maybe a couple others to give them a shot without the gold dollar variable for a final final round if Tanuki (Or Global) feels up to it.

 

[Tanuki]

I will remain mystified by the Gold Dollar experience I underwent. I'm glad to know I didn't damage the edges somehow, even with the robust stropping I gave the 66 for its last chance. Given that 0.1 diamond on balsa has become my standard finish, I should have greeted the 66 like a long lost brother.

I have a new-to-me black ark waiting for some attention, in addition to my mystery jnat, so I may be working on my own natural finishing skills before summer.

Life here has settled to the point (I see my tax guy Wed, family health is improving) that I can test more edges, but I think Global should get the honors if he wants them.

 

[SliceOfLife]

That's 66 had been passed around a lot, getting touched up on the balsa every time it made its way back to me... I'm actually surprised the edge doesn't look worse.

The 1996 looks like maybe your heavy stropping did put a little wear on it, or it could just be that that's what it looks like after a handful of shaves. Before I bought these dozen or so gold dollars to do some testing with I was firmly in the camp that a Gold Dollar could give a shave just as good as another razor... After playing around with them a lot, grinding some in, using some stock, and honing a bunch... I think they're much more of a question mark. They're not useless the way a Pakistan made straight razor is, but at this point I'd be very hard-pressed to say they are as good quality or even comparable in the shave as a good quality vintage.

There is certainly a place for them... And I would say they're on par with some vintages... But once I start sorting out and tossing the vintages that don't give me Superior shaves and GDs are going up against the cream of the crop in my collection I think they struggle.

But if we put these edges onto a vintage razor and repeat, maybe I'll be surprised. I prefer the other 4 edges to them, maybe testers will too.

 

[global_dev]

Are you seeing some major trends on the razors you find arent making the cut?

I have mostly 66s and one w59 that i modded until it was unrecognizable. I actually have an unmodded “pws” titan out of scales sitting around. All seem to be able to take a good edge (for at leasa little while) but they arent as hollow ground or light as most of the vintages you sent around iirc.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Thin grind square toe seemed to generally be less liked, so most of those of gotten the axe. The only one with a fully square toe remaining is the Wester Bro's Manganese. A couple with a lot of pitting got the axe; the pitting wasn't punching through, but they seemed generally less favored... so either it was placebo effect or maybe the steel character even that wasn't chipping/breaking was changed... either way; the "ugliest" razors that started this "ugly" razor challenge got sifted out.
What seems to remain are mostly two camps, the Very full hollows (some makers called them extra hollow) seem to be about 50/50 (ManGanEse and Wester Bros Manganese both fall in this camp)... some do well and others don't.

The typical full hollows seem to mostly fall away (And imho both the 66 and 1996 fall in this camp)...

And the slightly fattish full hollows (not fat enough to call them 3/4 hollows, but fat for full hollows) seem to mostly do very well (Trumpet and 53 fall in this camp, as well as the Karnak which I've stopped sending out because I like it so well I've been using it myself a lot lately)