Thread: coarse heavy beard & hollow

I have a coarse heavy beard, I have tried more then 45 razors in my collection from 3/8 to 8/8 and from full, extra and quarter hollow. The only razors that give me a close, clean and smooth shave are the 7/8 and 8/8 quarter hollow. They are not flexible, singing or vibrating blades. If you have a light thin hair beard you can use and shave with all the razors available in the market. The singing or flexible blades in a coarse heavy beard will cut the hair and the skin spaced between the hair. Bleeding is the result. Quarter hollow only cut the hair and not the skin, since it does not flex it stays in the course you set. Other members will have their opinion, but this has been my experience with my razors and my beard. Thanks Juan.

You've found out what many have observed. Heavy beards favour a stiffer grind. Hope it wasn't too painful a process!

my beard isn't that coarse but i find the heavier blades work better for me also

I AGREE, It seems the hefty-er the razor, the better, but that's me. I also prefer stainless. It has less flex and more wight. I just got a DOVO stainless micarta the other week. My favorite razor yet.....

One of the reasons I like framebacks is my REALLY coarse chin & moustashe hair.

I must be a lucky guy. I haven't found a grind I can't get a good shave out of if it is honed and stropped to shave ready. Back in my DE days I noticed that there was a disparity between DE blades favored by various shavers. Then I got to thinking, I had never shaved anyone's facial hair but my own. I had assumed I had a tough beard but with nothing to compare to maybe I was fortunately mistaken. Own way or the other it is nice to be able to shave with any grind I choose.

I'm with you Jimmy, I am lucky like you I can do this job with anything and get a BBS results, as long as it is either a safety or a straight. I can shave with any darn grind that suits my fancy, as long as its not a Gillette (my skin is quite clear on that mater - NO GILLETTE EVER).

I do have a very very coarse and heavy beard. I do find a heavier grind works better for me like 1/4 or 1/2 hollow, however I do not like wedges at all esp framebacks. I find that either extreme doesn't work so well for me. I have 3 full hollows I shave with their German steel too, so their extra stiff steel.

Jimmy has a great point, I think any razor is shaveable for a bbs if it's honed and stropped right. However, the cavait to it is that a 1/4 or 1/2 hollow will shave great even if the edge is not perfect for a man with a coarse beard, but the slightest problem with a fullhollow on a heavy beard will equal an uncomfortable shave.

Here is my example, I have 3 full hollows 2 of which have been my best shavers, but I keep them in tip top condition,however recently I have been restoring quite a few antiques and havent had time to upkeep my other shavers as I was in the past. Needless to say I went to shave with one today on a full day's growth which for me is like 100 grit sandpaper and my full hollows felt like it was tearing my face off.

I went straight to my Joseph Rodgers and it shaved it like a dream a full bbs.

cheers
D

How can you tell if you have a really coarse beard compared to the average shaver? what is the sign? without having shaved different people, can you really tell?

Back on topic, I too prefer the stiff grinds over the extra full hollow razors when it comes to shaving across and against the grain. the bigger they are, the stiffer I prefer them to be. But I find hollows to be a very close and clean one-pass cutter so since I often only shave one pass, I keep a few full hollows around

My every day go to razor is the 6/8, Le Grelot 1/4 grind. Works so well for me that I have purchased two of them. I have found no other that can give me the shaves that I like with the least amount of effort. It has a heavy spine and not much of a shoulder. Just does such a fine job.

Take Care,
Richard