The way I decided on my first razor was my rational thinking. I read somewhere (the wiki possibly) that full hollows were thinner which meant you would "feel" more through the blade. This seemed logical to me. Whether it is or not is a different story. I haven't used a wedge yet so all I know is what I have, a full hollow 6/8. I can feel what the blade is doing which has saved me a lot of pain as a beginner. If a wedge does this as well then more power to all straights. I do plan on owning a wedge just to see the difference though. Like most will say, pick something in the middle (half hollow) and start with that. If not, read up on the differences between the type of blades in the wiki and pick what sounds more suitable for you.