Thread: Grind? What's the difference, and whats 11/16.....

I'm having some trouble figuring out if the grind matter's. I have kinda stiff wiskers. should I be concerned with the grind, or anything. I appreciate the awnsers to my previous post as to helping me find a good first blade, but am still not sure as to the grind and this number system like. 1/16 or6/8 and what not. is this the same thing I know a lot of this has to do with preference, but it can all be a bit daunting. I would go to a shop and look around, but have not been able to find one around here. I was thinking of buying this. Wapienica
Any one have any thoughts, or could anyone give me any good links. I'm looking for something new, unless used would be better. I know I will need a good strop too. I'm just trying to get everything for under 2 or 3 hundred if possible. I appreciate any help. everyones been very helpful so far Thanx.

Grind has to do with how much steel is ground of the blade (it's concave shape). A wedge looks pretty straight from the spine down to the edge, whereas a hollow grind has much of the steel ground out. The blade tends to be more flexible with a hollow grind, but it's also lighter because there's not as much steel. The measurement is the distance is from the spine to the edge (generally in increments of 1/8 inch, but can also be finer to increments of 1/16 of an inch).

Thanx are any grinds or or wieght or lengths , widths etc. better than others for tougher beards, or is all of that just prefernce as well.

stiffer grinds are usually better than more hollow grinds for thick growth, however, I have found that part of it depends on the steel (ymmv) so it comes down to the actual blade in question

In this thread there is a fancy table of different grinds:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/gener...ll-grinds.html

As for which are better, it is a matter of preference and the blade in question. I have found that a stiffer grind gives me a more comfortable shave if I am taking off quite a bit of growth. But I think that I can get a closer shave with a blade that is more concave.

Just what I have noticed so far.

Zac

For a heavy stiff beard, I would recommend a 6/8 inch blade in a 1/4 hollow grind. More experienced folks can shave with any blade that they have in their hands but many beginners find this a good combination. YMMV and all of that... ... ...

$200-$300 should be more than enough, although 'everything' is relative.
Good razors seem to range from about 40 to something like a bit over 100, strops are 30-100, same for brushes, soap is rather cheap and hones are a whole other story, that you shouldn't worry about right now.

Some things are pretty well established (Dovo Special is better razor than the regular entry level dovo) but a lot of things are indeed personal preference. I have many fully hollowed razors that are a lot better than many stuffer grind razors and vice versa. And by better I mean not I like them better - they get sharper and smoother.

The Wapi would be a very good starting point. Lots of guys here have them and like them. For the money they are a very good value.
Just make sure that it is honed and shave tested.

Welcome to the SRP!

Look at the razor head-on. A wedge has no curve from spine to edge, while a hollow will have much curvature.



Here's a Wapi. Notice the slight tapering from the top to the bottom (the spine to the edge). Comparing this to the chart here that HarrisonFan linked earlier this wapi appears to be about a II 1/2. It closely resembles a wedge - I'd call it a half hollow or a quarter hollow ground razor.


The 5/8, 3/8, etc measurement (in fractions of an inch) is the measurement A taken from the following diagram. It's basically the measurement from spine to edge, as someone else already mentioned. Some measure from the very tip of the spine, and some do not.

As you use different razors you will probably come to prefer one size or grind over the other however if you are skilled with a razor and your blade is properly honed no matter what kind of beard you have you can get equally good shaves with a 4/8s hollow grind as with an 8/8s wedge.