Thread: 5/8 or 6/8 for Newbie?

Originally Posted by halwilson

Then again maybe you do. When you know how to put a keen edge on a razor, as I know you do, the size of the blade becomes less of an issue!

Hal

As time passes by, this is becoming more and more true. A larger razor, and a heavier grind will alow you to get by with less than perfect honing skills. Nowdays my favorite razor is the Simmons 5/8 extra hollow gound...

Nenad

Originally Posted by phopwood

This addition thing is getting to me, i keep saying in posts that I prefer a smaller blade then I keep looking at the 8/8 meat choppers, please help me.

Help you with what? Choosing a new 8/8?

That's about the only *help* you'll get from this lot of enablers

-- Gary F.

I started with a 5/8 blade that did not come shave ready (although it claimed to be shave ready) back in 1994 while i was in the Navy, back then i was a on again off again straight shaver. Mostly because A. i did not have a site like this to refer to. B. i was misled by the hair plucking rather than hair shaving of the razor. After fidling around with a hone (which was 2k grit) and getting a better shave. (How can i have thought that was a better shave back then?) i stuck with it. about 1.5 years ago i bought the norton 4k/8k stone and boy did i start liking the shaves. Now i am having to hunt for the credit card because the wife hides them on me so i don't buy any more razors. Ok, long story short, started with 5/8, which i like, but am graduating to bigger blades for the heft.

Jmy. Ellis

I started a month ago and bought a 7/8. I immediately got a 5/8 to learn.

I think the 5/8 is much better to start out with because you will be trying to figure out how to shave each part of your face. The smaller 5/8 will allow you to try a wider variety of techniques, approaches and angles to get at each part of your face. I'll go back and try the 7/8 again only after I'm comfortable and confident in how to shave each part of my face.

P.S. if 10 razors in six months is hooked, I'm in big trouble. I'm up to 25 razors in only one month, and I don't have a TI, Dovo, W&B or a Dubl Duck yet.

Tom

ive got almost 30 in the couple months ive been collecting. mostly 5/8ths, not all perfect. some need scale work, some are dull, but better yet, they were all reasonably cheap. i like the 5/8 size, its comfy in my hand. actually my fav is my lil robeson shur-edge, its 5/8ths, and closed its smaller than a dubl duck dwarf. just easy to hold n maneuver.

-micah

Just a small point, but many German razors (made according to metric sizing) that are classified here as 6/8s actually measure closer to 13/16s.

If you check out the Dovo razors offered at www.classicshaving.com you'll see that almost all the razors are listed as 5/8s (11/16s). As I recall, it is only their new Bismarck that is 6/8s (13/16s). On the otherhand, their TI offerings have quite a few larger blades listed as 6/8s and 7/8s.

That being said, awhile ago I set up a good friend with some shaving gear and started him out with some good quality 5/8 razors. I recently sent him a larger blade (that I originally got from John Crowley) for him to try. He's only just started shaving with a straight recently and told me, with his large hands, that he found the bigger blade easier to use.

Hal