I love those meat clever razors...

I love the look of those meat clever razors. I see them listed on eBay and wish I could have one, but they sell much higher than I could afford. I hear that they give a good shave. One day, if I'm lucky, I might find one in an antique shop and get it for a very small fraction of what I see them going for.

I haven't had my first SR shave yet. I am waiting on some hones to arrive and may have a plain leather strop (if all goes well). I also bought the mug, soap and brush from Wal-Mart.

I have to do everything cheaply, so I am hoping that my first experience won't be too terribly bad.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas season!

I gotta be honest, if you want to everything cheap. You would be better off buying a nice shave ready razor instead of hones.

look on the classifieds you can get a very nice razor ready to go out of the package for 50$ or less may not be the prettiest but it will work like a champ!
i also would like to try a big cleaver but i dont have the $$ for that besides i have enough razors now any how i need to stop before i have full on RAD to go along with my MAD(motorcycle)

Most of us have that feeling about those big blades.Maybe it's a macho thing,but that's why they go so high.Just keep looking and you'll get one.Tip:there are some good,big,old sheffield blades that go cheaper because guys don't recognize the name,but they're just as good.

Concurred. I got a 15/16's on the bay for $9. Its not that pretty, but still... to me its the shave that counts. I personally do not like them that much for the shaves, but they still have an appeal. I just got an 8/8 tally ho restored and it is my flagship razor now, even though it is not my best shaver (my 5/8s Hess 42 is)

i concur on the shave ready razor you got to know what a shave ready razor feels like before you start running one over the hones. you will be money ahead in the not so long run. those nos Swedish Eskilstunas look just abought ideal. plus get a good strop . that will keep you shaveing for a good long time before you start shopping around for hones. the big choppers... well i love mine 50 bucks and a days worth of honeing netted me a 8/8 b&w and yeah it shaves well but my 3/8 gives me just as good a shave

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Originally Posted by cutalot

i love mine 50 bucks and a days worth of honeing netted me a 8/8 b&w and yeah it shaves well but my 3/8 gives me just as good a shave

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+1

I have to concur- I got a 3/8 and I guess it is getting a *little* too small at that point but at the end of the day it honestly gives the same end result as my 8/8 Tally Ho- a smooth shave. I honestly prefer small, practical blades (4/8-6/8) for daily shaving. Hollows are easy to hone (and therefore easier to put better edges on) and lighter and more maneuverable. Not saying big blades can't get sharp (sharp is sharp after all) but it will be harder to hone yourself. Not saying they can't shave your whole face- just it will be harder as a beginner to get angles around your mouth (try under your nose). But at the end of the day a sharp razor is a sharp razor and will shave you.

khaos,
I'm agreeing with a lot of what you said. I, too, had the need for a "big macho meat cleaver slicer dicer" of a razor, but often find it staying in the cabinet on a daily basis in favor of my little 5/8" Shumate or one of my smaller Sheffield blades. Those big honkers look nice (and can shave very well), but I prefer a more maneuverable blade.

Thicker razors tend to accept longer strokes on the face with less tendancy to lose angle (less effort required). But if you don't mind taking shorter strokes, a thin razor works just as well. But that's just my impression (3/8 to 6/8). I have a big ol wedge in the mail to restore now.

Currently my 4/8's (and one 5/8, one 3/8) are all my best shaves. Mostly because that's what my big name brand razors are (puma, Filharm) and their the ones I had to finish on my best stones as carefully as possible and then immediately shave with out of excitement. I doubt it has anything specifically due to blade depth (Other than 4/8's being cheaper so my being able to AFFORD big names in that size).

I appreciate evereyone's input. I'm not just looking for a clever for shaving, I am also starting a collection. Ever since I was a kid I have been interested in SRs, so I have started a collection. I have a few that can easily be shave ready. I will probably send one out to be done by one of the pros here on SRP.

Good choice! I would definitely recommend one if you are collecting. Shaving with them even FEELS nostalgic, and as elegant and chic as a 4/8's can be (Hess 42) it doesn't have the commanding presence of a majestic 8/8+. I would say (and I am cheap) that if you can get a nice 8/8+ without breaking the bank it is worth it. Day to day- a shave is a shave and to me a medium-small blade is best for this. My most shaved with razor is about 6/8s round point full hollow out of solingen. Why? It's quick and dirty, takes a killer edge, and is a lot easier to use (more visibility, less weight, more flex, no smile, round point, etc). Second most is a 4/8's quarter/half hollow, which although spike, the spike is muted and its so agile its easy enough to mind. But on Saturday and Sunday- the big old Tally Ho comes out, along with the Rogers and the Fontenille and all my "collection" razors. They are definitely worth it, though they (IMO) take more practice/getting used to/effort. YMMV