Your favorite razor edge?

[R7photo]

Hello

It’s amazing to have a amazing edge on a straight razor, and yes we all have our preferences.
I’m new and learning that certain steels on razors and stones and other methods make difference including honing skills, as may have same equipment but like honing masters on this forum, skill and amazing stones etc, cuticles etc plus skill = bliss

So far only experience ,jnats, Ozuku and Shobu asagi and diamond paste etc

Also recently experienced rare polishing film 0.3 edge that was amazing

My best edge I experience so far was on Heljestrand MK 31, finished on a Vermont green slate, by a master honer, amazing

What’s your fav edge to date and or razor combo

Am I just chasing edges but your info may save me time and monies

Happy shaves

Not sure if similar thread but if their is please link
I know theirs a Highlander thread but let’s talk edges


[emoji3]

 

[R7photo]

No response, you guys must be shaving lol

 

[sexy beast]

I like to hone my razors on a premium imperial la rocca stone. Then finish with a nylon canvas and cordovan shell strop. On stainless blades I use a Nani 12k and finish the same. My Edges are primo.

 

[R7photo]

Nice appreciate response, heard great things about those stones

 

[alex1921]

A lot of it will come down to who is doing the honing but yeah chasing edges and trying different stones is part of the hobby in my opinion.

 

[Luecke2326]

My favorites are the Escher Barbers Delight and Ancient Ocean Jasper. The Escher is just super smooth and keen, but they are not cheap to say the least. The Jasper produces an edge similar to a black Arkansas, but much faster and a bit more smooth. It can also be slurried with a Diamond plate to increase the grit rating and then dilute and finish on water. The jasper can be had for quite a bit less than a labeled Escher, though you can find unlabeled Thuringian honed for a bit less. Good luck sir!

 

[R7photo]

My favorites are the Escher Barbers Delight and Ancient Ocean Jasper. The Escher is just super smooth and keen, but they are not cheap to say the least. The Jasper produces an edge similar to a black Arkansas, but much faster and a bit more smooth. It can also be slurried with a Diamond plate to increase the grit rating and then dilute and finish on water. The jasper can be had for quite a bit less than a labeled Escher, though you can find unlabeled Thuringian honed for a bit less. Good luck sir!

Wow, interesting

 

[R7photo]

Wow, interesting

Was going to ask you about different razors steels on those, but assume a particular razor may take longer?

 

[Slash McCoy]

Diamond on backed and lapped balsa, rubbed in and wiped clean before use.It's the best edge that I have ever experienced.

 

[Tomo]

Favorite? That’s a tough one...

I started with diamond pasted balsa and after a while started experimenting with naturals. First a Jnat, then a giant slab of Novaculite, a Coticule and finally a Thüringian. With some practice I was able to get great edges from all of these finishers. I love having them, they look cool, feel authentic and add a lot of variety to the den.

The Jnat is supremely comfortable. This edge is sharp and ridiculously easy on the skin. With the right stone in the right hands, I’m sure that there is no finer shaving edge on the planet. The Ark is super keen, effortlessly slicing through your beard while simultaneous refusing to nick you. Amazing. With a little oil to finish the Coticule gives a great shave, it’s a wonderfully versatile and beautiful natural combo of a stone. The Thuringian is absolute joy to hone on and feels like silk under the blade. It’s easy to get great edges that are always on point. All of that is true but as much as they try none of the naturals can match the diamond pasted balsa edge for pure unadulterated sharpness.

For a while I didn’t think that there was any practical advantage to the extra sharpness. The naturals worked fine and were so much more comfortable. You to be very careful with the diamond edge to avoid nicks, irritation and over exfoliation. What’s the point? Why bother with the extra sharpness?

That was until I recently started shaving ATG. Suddenly the extra sharpness was a big plus to keep the blade moving and stop it from catching. I’ve kind of come full circle now. I like the diamond edge. It doesn’t mess around and it doesn’t take prisoners but it does do exactly what you tell it to do without a moments hesitation. You can’t tame a diamond edge but you can control it. I’m sure that I will come back to naturals but at the moment I really rate the smoothness of the super sharp blade during the final pass as I continue to get to grips with ATG shaving.

The diamond edge is a bit like sleeping with the fat girl at school. It’s fun, it’s easy, it’s cheap and it feels great. There’s nothing wrong with it and it’s a lot less hassle than dating the prom queen most of the time. Still you’re not going to impress anyone by bragging about it. You feel a bit uncomfortable doing it and you’d really rather that your friends didn’t find out about it. Sometimes you’ve just gotta do what you’ve gotta do. It’s just shaving.

 

[rbscebu]

My favourite edges are all off diamond pasted balsa strops as per the Method edge.

 

[R7photo]

Favorite? That’s a tough one...

I started with diamond pasted balsa and after a while started experimenting with naturals. First a Jnat, then a giant slab of Novaculite, a Coticule and finally a Thüringian. With some practice I was able to get great edges from all of these finishers. I love having them, they look cool, feel authentic and add a lot of variety to the den.

The Jnat is supremely comfortable. This edge is sharp and ridiculously easy on the skin. With the right stone in the right hands, I’m sure that there is no finer shaving edge on the planet. The Ark is super keen, effortlessly slicing through your beard while simultaneous refusing to nick you. Amazing. With a little oil to finish the Coticule gives a great shave, it’s a wonderfully versatile and beautiful natural combo of a stone. The Thuringian is absolute joy to hone on and feels like silk under the blade. It’s easy to get great edges that are always on point. All of that is true but as much as they try none of the naturals can match the diamond pasted balsa edge for pure unadulterated sharpness.

For a while I didn’t think that there was any practical advantage to the extra sharpness. The naturals worked fine and were so much more comfortable. You to be very careful with the diamond edge to avoid nicks, irritation and over exfoliation. What’s the point? Why bother with the extra sharpness?

That was until I recently started shaving ATG. Suddenly the extra sharpness was a big plus to keep the blade moving and stop it from catching. I’ve kind of come full circle now. I like the diamond edge. It doesn’t mess around and it doesn’t take prisoners but it does do exactly what you tell it to do without a moments hesitation. You can’t tame a diamond edge but you can control it. I’m sure that I will come back to naturals but at the moment I really rate the smoothness of the super sharp blade during the final pass as I continue to get to grips with ATG shaving.

The diamond edge is a bit like sleeping with the fat girl at school. It’s fun, it’s easy, it’s cheap and it feels great. There’s nothing wrong with it and it’s a lot less hassle than dating the prom queen most of the time. Still you’re not going to impress anyone by bragging about it. You feel a bit uncomfortable doing it and you’d really rather that your friends didn’t find out about it. Sometimes you’ve just gotta do what you’ve gotta do. It’s just shaving.

Thank very interesting, when you discibe using now pasted balsa are you referring to the method as indicated in these forums?

Thx

 

[R7photo]

Thank very interesting, when you discibe using now pasted balsa are you referring to the method as indicated in these forums?

Thx

Opps all ready indicated above[emoji3]

 

[steveclarkus]

Diamond pasted balsa without question.

 

[Ravenonrock]

My only experience is with manufactured stones. The progression of Naniwa 1,3,5,8,12K touched up with CroOx on hanging linen and leather stropped is all I know. I’m getting consistent close comfortable shaves and maintaining a modest stable of razors this way. I’m convinced there are some lads who could take what I’ve got to the next level perhaps, but I’m satisfied with the quality of what I’m able to produce. Curious about other methods? Yes. I have put the breaks on acquiring any new gear until I put in some serious time honing with the tools at my disposal. So I guess all my edges are my favourites....for now.

 

[R7photo]

Good points, and 12 k Nani is well respectfully finisher,

 

[camoloc]

in order:

Jnat edge

Ancient Ocean Jasper edge

Cnat edge

Arkansas Edge

Balsa Diamond edge

guess I should qualify that run all of these after a 12k Shapton Kuromaku.

camo

 

[Luecke2326]

Was going to ask you about different razors steels on those, but assume a particular razor may take longer?

Swedish steel always seems to take a while on Thuringians, but I really take my time so that could be me. The jasper eats steel, it is HARD much like an Arkansas. It all depends on how the jasper is dressed. If it is dressed on a 400 DMT, it is much faster than dressed with a 600 DMT(also it depends on how "Glassed" or loaded with steel it is). The jasper finishes the fastest of any stone I've used.

 

[Basil]

Used to really like a jnat finish from my Ozuku, it was a nice sharp edge.
Lately though I’m going back to my original stone which was a coti, using it for all my razors lately and loving it more I think. Not really as sharp as the jnat but still sharp and much more comfortable.

 

[Kyle89]

The two finishers I have are the Naniwa 12k and an ILR I got for cheap. The backside of my canvas is pasted, and I'll do a few laps if I feel my edge needs it.

I'm sure if I were to experiment and put more money into different finishing stones my current finishers will collect dust, but I have not had the urge to experiment too much as of yet. All I know is that both of my razors came shave ready from reputable vendors but I liked my ILR finished edges more.