Thread: 4/8 - harder to shave with?

Got my first real cut last weekend. I was using a 4/8 for the first time, starting an ear to chin stroke, when I felt some pulling at the start of the stroke a little in front of my right ear. Without thinking, instead of changing the angle, I made a slight slicing movement and felt the blade dig in. This one's gonna scar, but that's really not concerning.

Till then, I had been using mostly 5/8 and 6/8's blades, sometimes a 7/8, which I am still intimidated with. A few nicks here and then, but nothing major. Is the 4/8 less forgiving?

Originally Posted by RayG

[...] instead of changing the angle, I made a slight slicing movement and felt the blade dig in. [...]

The wrong angle and too much pressure is less forgiving. With a smaller razor, I think it's easy to accidentally shave with a high angle.

I have a few 4/8 wedges that mow through facial hair with minimal resistance, but their light weight requires a bit of skin stretching to avoid digging into loose skin.

Everyone's facial profile requires a different razor...for me I am leaning towards 7/8 blades or 4/8 wedges...nothing in between. This is subject to change.

Originally Posted by richardhead

The wrong angle and too much pressure is less forgiving. With a smaller razor, I think it's easy to accidentally shave with a high angle.

I have a few 4/8 wedges that mow through facial hair with minimal resistance, but their light weight requires a bit of skin stretching to avoid digging into loose skin.

Now that you mention it, I think it was a combination of those things. Being small, I was able to start closer to my ear, but inadvertently may have raised the angle of the blade.

True, I bet there is a good chance I would have had the same result with any size razor with too much pressure and the wrong angle. I have been able to get away with it most of the time though - so I wonder if, as you mentioned, the lighter weight was what made it bite into the loose skin. Is that generally true - that the thinner, lighter blades tend to do that more?

It could be that using different sizes (large or small) may take
a little `getting used to'. I haven't ever had any problems with
anything from 4-8/8", but I would still recommend a 5/8 or a
6/8 razor for new shavers just because they are a nice middle
-of-the-road size.

I would imagine that the next few times you shave with the
4/8" you won't have any such problems (assuming the edge is
in good shape).

- Scott

I think the one statement "Everyones facial contours are different" is the most important one so far.... I like smaller razors, they fit my face better in fact I finally sold all my larger razors and a 6/8 is the largest I will shave with... All this means is that I feel more comfortable with a smaller razor, it does NOT imply that a smaller razor would be better for you...
It does imply that smaller razors can be used on certain faces effectively, and that size is personal, and not that any one size is better, safer etc: etc: JMHO here

The 4/8 wedges are some of my favorite razors! Truth be told I have managed to nick myself with all of the different sizes! I can hone pretty well but the shaving stuff still can get me from time to time.

I love 4/8s razors. I get super shaves from them. Once I go smaller to 3/8s and then 2/8s I start to have problems. I think it depends on the size of your hands and how good you are at maneuvering a razor around your face. I have a mercur 2/8s and it shaves fine but not for me. I just have trouble hanging on to the thing its so small. Plus its very difficult to maintain the proper angle on such a small blade.

I have 2 - 4/8 razors and like them alot. The main thing is to have them sharp - sahrp -sharp. That makes up for the loss in weight most people are accustomed to. David and JoshEarl help me alot in getting my Geneva sharp and now it is my main go to razor. Sports car versus musclecar. The big musclecar will out perform in the straight line 9 out of 10 times. Start playing n the curves and the sport car gains its advantage. My .02 worth.
Jerry

P.S. I do agree that angle and stretching are very important with the smaller razor.

One of my sharpest razors is a 4/8 twin it will take your skin off and you wont even know it till you see the sink full off blood