Thread: hollow 4/8 vs half hollow 6/8 or a any combination of these

for a newbie such as mysef, would there be a big difference in the learning curve on any of these, is half hollow an easier shave than full? how much does that 1/4 inch in blade width make a difference in blade control, comfort, closeness for someone new to the game?
thanks!

You will find that everybody's opinions will differ, but they are going to tell you that it all comes down to preference in the long run.
Firstly in terms of closesness of a shave, there should be no difference between a 9/8ths wedge and 3/8's full hollow, if they are honed properly and truly shave ready in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing. Learning however from what ive learned thus far is best done on a 5/8ths or 6/8ths (this is just for a good weight balance between the scales and the blade i believe, and is very manageable for moving around your face.
In terms of the way that the way the blade is ground, the difference between a half hollow, and a full hollow should be considered negligible to someone who has never used a straight before. The only real difference is the weight on the blade. The shave itself will be preformed identically (in terms of strokes and angles). The only thing you need to worry about for grinds is if you were to shave with a full/near wedge, you have to slightly open up the angle with your face when shaving, (in my limited experience this has to do with more surface area of the blade touching your face and makes it fell sticky if the angle is to shallow :P).
So for a learning curve with any combination of what you suggested, would all be very similar, but if your like anything like most of the people on this forum, you'll have one of every combination in a years time

I think a 6/8" is easier to handle than a 4/8", I've never had a shave as great from a narrow blade compared to a slightly wider blade.

All things are rarely "equal", and after eight years of regular straight-razor shaving, I've learned that I get a much better shave from a 5/8"-6/8" blade, with a half/quarter-hollow or near-wedge grind and a round, French (oblique), or muted-spike point. If any one of these aspects stands-out, it's the blade's grind -- in every instance I can recall, anything more than half-hollow has proved to be too flexible, which manifests as a distinct fear of cutting/slicing myself while shaving, and prevents me from concentrating fully on the shave, itself. I get consistently excellent shaves (and enjoyable ones, too) from the "milder" grinds of half/quarter-hollow and near-wedge.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. Of course, YMMV.

Smooth shaving!

There are some who say that a half-hollow is better for a new shaver than a full hollow. I believe their reasoning is that the full hollow is less forgiving on the face when it comes to wrong angle, too much pressure, and blemishes and obtrusions on the skin (facial speed bumps, if you will).

I'm a noob as well, and all my razors are full hollows, so I won't presume to talk about grinds. I have noticed, though, that like with motorcycles and aircraft, "more maneuverable" equals "less stable". A wider blade that is a little less easy to maneuver around the tricky parts of your face, is also a little easier to maintain proper angle with on my face. More importantly (to me) the wider blade is easier to keep flat on the strop and the hone. If I found a great deal on something less that 5/8 I'd definitely scoop it up, but I'd like a little more experience before I tried to strop or hone it. Just my over-cautious opinion...........

Originally Posted by noobs

for a newbie such as mysef, would there be a big difference in the learning curve on any of these, is half hollow an easier shave than full? how much does that 1/4 inch in blade width make a difference in blade control, comfort, closeness for someone new to the game?
thanks!

Lets break this question down a bit:

Is half hollow an easier shave than full? This is literally a preference thing. I will go through stages of enjoying different "hollows", but my typical preference is a stiffer 1/4 hollow or frameback. It's all about preference.

How much does that 1/4" in blade width make a difference in blade control? Blade control is all up to the user, like driving a small pickup and a full size pickup truck. I have various sizes of razors from 4/8-8/8 razors in my rotation and enjoy using them all. You can't help but to have more respect for a big blade...but your razor will remind that all quality razor blades demand respect or your face will suffer their wrath & you will be using your styptic pencil.

How much does that 1/4" in blade width make a difference in comfort? Size of a razor does not effect comfort level what so ever, that's all on your end of pressure and angle as long as it's properly honed and maintained

How much does that 1/4" in blade width make a difference in closeness? Size doesn't matter when it comes to closeness either as long as the razor was properly honed and you have properly maintained it by stropping it. Your shave prep, pressure, and angle mean more.

I'm sure you see a pattern here, a close and comfortable shave can be had with any quality razor. Size of the blade and the hollow of the blade is a preference thing & that's it.

I have only been SR shaving for 3 months but this is my take. Aquire and use as many configurations as you can. Only then can you start to understand what fits you best. Don't forget the other variables such as round vs square/spike, tang length, smile or straight. All of these can effect how comfortable you are with a given razor.