Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Blade size

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Adamstown Maryland
    Posts
    26
    Thanked: 9

    Default Blade size

    Good evening and happy new year.

    A thought just occurred to me and I wanted to know what kinds of shaves the different sized blades give you. I understand that a wedge is for really tough beards, or so I think I read and that 5/8" is a good starter size to get used to the shaving process.

    I encountered a 4/8" blade today. Up till now I never even heard of one.

    Does anyone know what the sizes of the blades have to do with the type of shave you get? Or is it all just relative and size means nothing and it is just a comfort thing?

    Thank you for reading. Stay Warm.
    Paul

  2. #2
    Senior Member MaritimeFanatic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Maine
    Posts
    199
    Thanked: 50

    Default

    Hi Pauly,

    Razor sizes really are 100% personal preference. Some prefer smaller widths, some prefer larger - it's what is comfortable in your hands. Any razor regardless of width (or grind for that matter) will give your a good shave so long as your have the right technique and a sharp razor.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to MaritimeFanatic For This Useful Post:

    PaulyGoodshave (01-02-2011)

  4. #3
    Senior Member LAsoxfan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Los Angeles, CA
    Posts
    468
    Thanked: 117

    Default

    Doesn't much matter. Just remember to maintain a proper angle (30 degrees for WTG, 15 degrees for XTG) and to stretch the skin tight.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to LAsoxfan For This Useful Post:

    PaulyGoodshave (01-02-2011)

  6. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    New Orleans, La
    Posts
    176
    Thanked: 22

    Default

    +1 to MaritimeFanatic's reply. I've used everything from 4/8 to 7/8 and personally, I prefer the 5/8 best. I feel like the 4/8 is just a little bit too small to allow me to judge & feel the blade angle as well as a 5/8. The 6/8 & 7/8, for me, seem to be a little more difficult to hone. I'm sure there are plenty of others who like 4/8, 6/8, 7/8 and even larger but, I've had the best all around success with 5/8.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to kcarlisle For This Useful Post:

    PaulyGoodshave (01-02-2011)

  8. #5
    Senior Member dirtychrome's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    652
    Thanked: 408

    Default

    Another reason RAD is hard to resist.

    Indeed personal preference is it.

    Larger having more surface area, can collect more soap, needing less trips to rinse. Wider area may be easier to strop also. Everyday, morning shave , I like the wider blade.

    Mornings/evenings when a maybe little more alert, patient and procedural, I enjoy my thinner ones. Much lighter, and for me, I feel a little more civilized with the smaller width.
    Last edited by dirtychrome; 01-02-2011 at 03:53 AM. Reason: typo

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to dirtychrome For This Useful Post:

    PaulyGoodshave (01-02-2011)

  10. #6
    'tis but a scratch! roughkype's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Durango, Colorado
    Posts
    2,080
    Thanked: 443
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default

    Hi Pauly,

    5/8 is the commonest size, and full hollow the commonest grind. Why that is, only the market knows. Twenty decades of consumers can't be too far wrong.

    Wedges or partial wedges (also called half-hollow, quarter-hollow, etc.) are a little more forgiving to beginning shavers--a little less likely to nick.

    A full wedge is much more work to hone than a partial wedge, because you have to hone away a lot more metal to achieve the same edge.

    A full hollow gives you a nice auditory feedback of whiskers being severed; a wedge is relatively silent.

    I used a 6/8 for the first time this morning (the rest of mine are 5/8), and enjoyed watching that much more lather pile up on it. However, because I'm used to the smaller blade, I lost track of the point and it gave me a good bite under the ear.

    Check out the Wiki on razors for more on widths, grinds, etc.

    Happy choosing and good shaving!
    "These aren't the droids you're looking for." "These aren't the droids we're looking for." "He can go about his business." "You can go about your business."

  11. The Following User Says Thank You to roughkype For This Useful Post:

    PaulyGoodshave (01-02-2011)

  12. #7
    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    32,736
    Thanked: 5016
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default

    Don't fall for the old barbers tale you need to match your beard to the razor. Just buy what you like and if you have good technique and a proper sharp razor you'll do fine. For someone starting out we usually recommend something middle of the road as far as size and grind goes. Once you have some experience you will gravitate towards certain sizes and grinds simply because you prefer them.
    No matter how many men you kill you can't kill your successor-Emperor Nero

  13. The Following User Says Thank You to thebigspendur For This Useful Post:

    PaulyGoodshave (01-03-2011)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •