That legendary Sheffield smoothness...

[GreekGuy]

I think the smoothness comes more from the honing than from the razor.

+1 Some razors have better steel than others, but the best steel doesn't perform any better unless properly honed. I'd say more often than not the honing is a limiting factor on many blades' performance

 

[Kentos]

I like edges that will slide through hair without feeling like they're going to cut me as soon as I put them to my face. I like it when I get something that feels like a butter knife running across my skin. I've been able to get pretty close to that feeling recently with the blades mentioned above, but I guess I was just curious what the hubbub was about those sheffield choppers.

If it's more a matter of grind/heft and honing than the softer steel, then I guess I don't have as much of an urge to look at sheffield razors specifically. Perhaps I just need to try out some less expensive heavy grind options in order to satisfy my curiosity.

A heavier grind will go through whiskers a little easier than a hollow ground, IMO, just be because of the heft...the bigger the tree the bigger the axe...

BUT, proper technique with a hollow will go through just as easily too...think a Samurai sword cutting effortlessly through limbs..

So assuming you hone to exactly what type of edge you want, and the razor is capable of taking an edge, any razor can be nice and smooth.