Thread: First razor size

What size of razor blade do you suggest for a newbie to learn on, including honing and shaving?
5/8 seems to be the most common, what would change if I were to go down to 4/8 or up to 8/8?

hello zesty and welome to srp all the information you will ever need is on this great site now to your question as a newbie to str8 shaving i would recommend a 5/8 or 6/8 full hollow ground the main thing you will notice is the weight of the blade as the size goes up so does the weight and a full hollow grind is easier to shave with and to hone. my first blade was a 6/8 full hollow round point and is a great shaver i would not recommend a full wedge to begin with i dont know how they shave but heard they are heck to hone just starting out i would not worry about buying a hone for a while to make sure you like str8 shaving i would look in the srp classifieds for a srarter kit with a "shave ready" razor that will give you everything you need to get started razor,strop,brush and mug i would look for a 5 or 6/8 full hollow ground to get started with and you can always get another razor to suit your personel preferance keep us posted and

Well, if you changed to 4/8 it'd be half an inch, and 8/8 is a whole inch- that's about it If you're curious, get some posterboard and cut out a few pieces. Almost all razors are 3 inches long, so just vary the thicknesses and "play" shave.

There isn't going to necessarily be a "better" size to start out with, but 5/8 is a happy medium since many razors come in that size, and it tends to fit in most places (ie, under your nose). After you play with some posterboard a little bit, get what you want. If you're determined, it won't matter the size. Good luck!

thats a good idea quick orange never thought of that

Welcome to SRP. I think 5/8 or 6/8 would be a good starter size. To be honest I lean a little bit more to the 5/8 for it's easy maneuverability. Whatever you do choose get it pre honed to shave ready. Here is a post that will help you get started.

I have a 6/8 (my first) and a 5/8..It's all about personal preferation..but I think the 5/8 is easier to shave with for example under the nose and I like the size more because of that. But they are both good starters.