Thread: What ground is best for Thick Beard?

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

...The fact is if a barber could shave every guy who came into his shop with those razors and give him a BBS, comfortable shave, well that's impossible according to the match your razor to beard crowd.

So, to me if you have difficulty with the shave check your razor and/or your technique.

This is the best argument that I have ever heard for "Any grind will do". I agree with what you are saying about a barber but..... a couple of points need to be made.

1. The barber had more time to get the towel soaks in to soften your beard and do the hot towel soaks between passes thus the grind would not be as important.
2. I shave in 20 minutes start to finish.
3. I don't always agree with barbers because they had a living to make and the "one size fits all attitude" was expedient and necessary. They did not do ATG pass, for the most part.
4. How can each individual tell what kind of shave he just got if he has never shaved himself to perfection? Can't rank a shave is all your shaves were 7's on a 1-10 scale.

I personally can get a very good shave with a full hollow but I don't like working so hard at it. A 1/4 or 1/2 grind gives me a shave equal to a full hollow but more comfortable.


Later,
Richard

Originally Posted by Hawkeye5

I've come to think that the weight of the razor is a factor. A heavy razor, no matter the grind, seems to shave with little effort. If you have a heavy beard a light razor requires more user input. What razors are heavy? Usually the wedge and quarter hollows. This may be one of the reasons I personally tend to use 6/8ths and 13/16ths full hollows.

I agree on the weight issue, but that's not my reasoning.

I have two preferences on grind and size that I don't see mentioned on shaving forums, but are very important to me personally.

1. Grind - While I prefer the shave from a full hollow, there's something soothing and kind of comforting about the heat retention of a wedge razor. A full hollow blade cools off just after rinsing it under hot water, while a 1/4 hollow or a wedge retains much more heat and adds to the "hot knife through butter" feeling. I don't think I've seen others mention it, but I think that some might agree if they think about it.

2. Larger Width - I like to enjoy the "flow" and "Zen" of the straight razor shave. Rinsing the blade, for me, interrupts the feeling and pulls me out of the moment. I have a 10/8 full hollow that I can shave an entire pass only rinsing twice. It's a little unwieldy, so I've settled down to a 7/8 that I only have to rinse ~4 times per pass. I love the handling on a 5/8 full hollow, but the rinsing constantly and the dripping lather kind of kills it for me.

So there you have it. One more opinion on size and width, but this time from a "less rinsing" and a "warmer blade" perspective.

*edit* I thought that this thread was in the razors forum. Sorry for the hijack.

Originally Posted by riooso

This is the best argument that I have ever heard for "Any grind will do". I agree with what you are saying about a barber but..... a couple of points need to be made.

1. The barber had more time to get the towel soaks in to soften your beard and do the hot towel soaks between passes thus the grind would not be as important.
2. I shave in 20 minutes start to finish.
3. I don't always agree with barbers because they had a living to make and the "one size fits all attitude" was expedient and necessary. They did not do ATG pass, for the most part.
4. How can each individual tell what kind of shave he just got if he has never shaved himself to perfection? Can't rank a shave is all your shaves were 7's on a 1-10 scale.

I personally can get a very good shave with a full hollow but I don't like working so hard at it. A 1/4 or 1/2 grind gives me a shave equal to a full hollow but more comfortable.


Later,
Richard

Back in the day barbers were taught how to shave and whats more important they were taught how to read or map the beard of their customer so once they picked up the razor they knew what strokes they needed to use to get the best result. They didn't have to dilly dally and shaving a customer is a real art. True they had more time to spend than many of us in the morning rush but also if need be Barbers could have had a whole variety of razors and grinds to suit the job at hand however they didn't.

I'm old enough to remember going into the barber shop as a kid and while waiting for a haircut watching the barber shave customers. They would dispense lather from the lather king machine and apply it to the customer with their fingers which helped them determine how to best shave them.

When the customer got up from the chair if he wasn't BBS all over the barber got an earfull and if there was so much as a nick the barber would have been layed out on the floor.

Thanks for the reply. You're that old? I mean you been around that long? I am old and grew up in the courntry and still did not see that, wish I could have.

Take Care,
Richard

Originally Posted by riooso

Thanks for the reply. You're that old? I mean you been around that long? I am old and grew up in the courntry and still did not see that, wish I could have.

Take Care,
Richard

They call me Methuselah.

In the 1950s in NYC it was still a common practice.