Thread: Carbon steel vs. Inoxidable OR 1/2 Hollow vs Full hollow

Okay, today I obtained my second straight razor. A 7/8 full hollow colibri in carbon steel, slightly banged up, but well restored (it's missing the gold inlay, and there is a little pitting high up on the blade). My other razor is a 5/8 Dovo Inox, brand spanking new.

Now, if I compare the two shaves, the Colibri is much less aggressive than the Dovo, gives more feedback (because of the full hollow I presume) and is generally a smoother shave. When I say smoother, I do not mean that it shaves closer (actually, it wasn't as close, but I am struggling a bit with the proper angle), but the feel is much better and much less irritation.

Now, I have just started this journey, so I am chalking a bit of it up to inexperience. Despite that, my question is whether I am on to something here. Or maybe it is the stropping? I notice that the 7/8 strops much easier.

Also, my skin is loving the less aggressive shave.

Congrats on using a few razors to compare.

The bad side is...this is how RAD starts. Everyone learns what they like and don't like. I'm not trying to bailout and give you an answer.

Shaving with a straight, what I enjoy most is a smooth shave. Not so worried about close. I can get close with a DE or even disposable. This is not necessarily because of the steel, but likely the attention to the honing.

You will learn what you like and don't. Often I put a razor to the side, certain I dont like it. Months later may come back to it, thrilled I refound a new favorite.

This whole process is personal. During one phase of your endeavors your may enjoy the strop draw, instantly love the shave because of that. Other times the shave mood dictates sparkle scales, a wedge, or a 3/8 hollow grind.

Enjoy the ambiguity of it all. Sounds like you have it going the right direction

Given that you are a new shaver and that it sounds like there are a lot of unknowns (how is your shave technique, how is your stropping, were the razors honed by the same person, how confident are you in their edges, etc etc), I think it is probably best to wait to make comparisons/look for causalities in how the razors feel on your face. It takes time to learn how to give yourself a great shave with any size/grind, so it's tough to compare different ones to each other right off the bat. That said, one may be more suited to your present technique/skill, but I wouldn't use that to make a general comparison.

Just my .02.

It sounds crazy, and I thought I was imagining things, but I too had a second razor that was full hollow (7/8) and I too thought, "it feels smoother, while not necessarily being closer?" That razor I bought here in the Classifieds. It is very different from my other razors. I cannot even believe how much personality each razor has. (For instance, I hold Hart Steel in a BMW like class... but that's only so far as I know or as far as my experience takes me which - isn't very far at all!)

But I think I can safely infer based on having shaved with about 4 very different razors, that each have their own very different 'personalities'. So, I can see how RAD is so highly infectious a condition.

My thoughts regarding width and hollowness is that the larger, heavier razors tend to having a smoother shaving action and are less likely to skip and jump around, also less likely to come to a complete halt (where line cuts could occur) because they have a tendency to power through the hair even if the edge isn't at its best. Perhaps this easier smooth action is why "newbies" are recommended to start out with a razor no less than 6/8ths? In addition to being easier to strop.

+1 on going back to old dissatisfactory razors after months of learning. I immediately gravitated to 5/8ths as an ideal width, but when I returned to a menacing 6/8th square tip after finishing it on my highest grit synthetic ceramic hone... wowy zowie what a smooth, close, effortless shave! Now I like 'em all. Even the 4/8ths (but those are the most dangerous!).

Hey Tinuz, what you're describing doesn't just sound like a noob's inexperience. Plenty of traditional wet shavers (one of whom is a honemeister) have harsher shaves off of the stainless razors. It's the complex relationship of skin type, beard type and the nature of the steel. Good for you to be able to distinguish a difference, and I'm all for remaining open-minded about it, but just letting you know this is an issue that's come up before.

I've been shaving almost exclusively with open razors for about 16 months now, to the point where I gave myself a crappy, somewhat bloody shave when I used my DE safety razor a few months ago... which is a mark of shame on me I must admit! (Resolved to use it a few weeks to regain DE skillz.) Maybe there's a way to reduce the harshness of stainless blades... anyone have ideas on that? Holli4pirating?

Razors do feel somewhat different and some can feel smoother than others however that's a matter of degree and if you find a huge difference in one vs another either your technique is causing it or the razor itself is missing some TLC.

Originally Posted by dirtychrome

Congrats on using a few razors to compare.
Shaving with a straight, what I enjoy most is a smooth shave. Not so worried about close. I can get close with a DE or even disposable. This is not necessarily because of the steel, but likely the attention to the honing.

You will learn what you like and don't. Often I put a razor to the side, certain I dont like it. Months later may come back to it, thrilled I refound a new favorite.

This whole process is personal. During one phase of your endeavors your may enjoy the strop draw, instantly love the shave because of that. Other times the shave mood dictates sparkle scales, a wedge, or a 3/8 hollow grind.

Enjoy the ambiguity of it all. Sounds like you have it going the right direction

Strong +1. 'Nicely put, DC.

Tinuz: you're still early on your path. Maybe most important is that you're enjoying your shaves. All the perceptions will develop further. Some will change, some will be cemented and endure long. Keep enjoying.

As everyone has said, every razor is different, in every way: honing, stropping, shaving. For me, I find, s I think you do, that the heavier grinds (my wedges) shave closer, but are more unforgiving in their shaves: easier to nick myself, get a little burn, etc... The full hollows I've got are kinder to my face and easier to use, but don't shave as close per pass as the wedges do. And of course the shaving technique for each is different as well.

As you get more experience, your tastes may change, but that's part of the fun (and why most people seem to acquire and hold on to so many different razors). Part of the hobby, enjoy it!

Hmmm, okay, after a few more tries and some green paste I do maintain that it doesn't shave as close, but much smoother. Besides, I have two passes, I might as well use them, no?

One other cool thing I noticed about the full hollow is that I can actually hear when it cuts highly efficient. The sound is higher pitched, and suddenly it is like wiping my face off, and going from scruff to smooth in one pass.

Today, hardly any irritation, and what little I did have hardly stung with alum and it faded away in an hour or so....quite happy with it for my tenth or so shave.

Nice job! Practice and what you're used to probably play a part in it.

You'll find as you shave more the difference between blades becomes less pronounced.