Thread: 6/8 v. 5/8

I've got two 5/8 razors and one 6/8 razor that are shave ready. Yesterday, I shaved with one of my 5/8 razors, and it wasn't the best of shaves. I ended up having to finish things with my trusty '65 Slim Adjustable, particularly around my mouth and chin, where the pulling was unbearable.

Today, however, I stropped up my TI 6/8 in normal fashion, and I had a great shave. I used the same soap as yesterday to keep things even, and the DE stayed on the medicine cabinet shelf.

I probably already know the answer to this question, but does the wider "sighting plane" of the 6/8 make them easier to strop, or are different steels that much, well, different? My guess is the shallower 5/8 is more difficult to strop because there's more wobble factor than a deeper 6/8, but I'm struggling to like my 5/8 razors. I guess my question is, should I send my 5/8s off to be honed again? They've only got maybe 10 shaves each under their belts, and I'm guessing 10 strop sessions are enough to dull an edge given poor strop technique.

I'm not certain what your problem is so I don't know if my answer will help, but I have a four razor Mappin & Webb 4/8s set and when I go to hone these babies I am always lifting the spine and I never have this problem with 5/8s and bigger! I am certain it has to do with the size of the razor and my clumsy hands! I am equally sure that with a little patience and practice I will get better at honing these razors just like you'll get better at stropping your 5/8s!