Could it be a wedge is the best way to learn?

Looking back over my first 100+ shaves it seems to me a wedge is the ideal tool to learn to become a better shaver. Unlike a hollow ground the wedge provides little or no audible feedback. The feedback is purely tactile. Use too much pressure with a wedge trying to hear the shave, and you will feel the burn! I have developed a much better sense of touch, especially in problem spots using a wedge. The maintenance of a wedge is shall we say, challenging. I'm still getting my Wacker wedge in top honed condition. It is a challenge, but I've learned a lot about honing with a wedge!

Conversely, for me, shaving with a full hollow now is really easy (almost as easy as a DE) and the maintenance is very simple. If I did it over again, I would do my first 25 shaves with a full hollow, then switch to a wedge and stay there until I'd mastered it.

Well said :) I completely agree.

I recently acquired a couple of wedges to restore. Once I get them done, I'm looking forward to learning a wedge.

I have two wedge's (wade & butcher battleship and a Red imp wedge), when shave ready they are a dream! but they are stubborn to hone! I am probably going to send them out to be done professionally once I can afford it lol

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Originally Posted by medicevans

I recently acquired a couple of wedges to restore. Once I get them done, I'm looking forward to learning a wedge.

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Now that I'm getting used to wedges, I think there's no better feeling than shaving with a great wedge. I look the smooth, heavy feel of a well honed wedge.

I just got a 160 year old Wade and Butcher full wedge. I'm going to send it out to be restored and honed, but I'm really looking forward to shaving with it. This thing is HEAVY!

I think it depends on you. I found that a heavy grind was more forgiving of poor technique that would make a full hollow jump, skip, and bite. Not that one is better than the other for a starter, though; it depends on your personality. If you want something that will force you to shave properly, go full hollow; if you'd rather get good shaves sooner but not be forced to the point where you'll get great shaves, then a heavy grind will do it. At least, that's how it was in my hands.

And if you really want a challenge, pick up a "long grind" - the faux framebacks that have blades as thin as full hollows. Man those things flex like no other.

I think a 1/2 hollow 5/8 is an ideal 1st razor. Not too big for under the nose, hollow in chin, hollows on neck - and not too flexy for beginner technique. After your technique improves, I think a full hollow or extra hollow shaves nicer. The extra sound leads to a lighter pressure automatically in my experience. I think some extra hollows are too flexy for extra coarse or extra thick or extra swirly beards though - at least until you have a whole lot of experience. Shaving with a more flexy extra hollow definitely improved my angles and direction I approached certain patches of stubble on my face. The technique that yielded very close shaves and no irritation with a full hollow yielded irritation and extra close shaves with the extra hollow. A couple of weeks later, my technique had improved, and then the extra hollow was irritation free too (and the shave was a little bit closer). Unfortunately, any small mistake in angle or approach path leads to flexing which causes irritation. So I decided full hollow was best for my thick shafted and swirly beard :)

I find that it's easier to get a BAD, nick free shave from a wedge than from a full hollow, which is why beginners like them. The don't get nicked, but they don't get a BBS shave either. To get a BBS shave from a wedge takes precision beyond a full hollow IMHO. The feedback is so subtle from a wedge that when I go back to a full hollow the feedback is like sensory overload! I can now get a BBS shave from my Wacker wedge with full mental concentration. I can get a BBS shave from any of my 1/2 to full hollows without even trying!

Gentlemen: In the beginning all my razors were the various degrees of a hollow grind. As time went on, though, I discovered a preference for the heavier grinds, not because they were easier to shave with, but because they seemed to suit my heavy beard and exceptionally sensitive skin better. Not only that, but I also like razors with the heavier blades for the way they hug my Hollywood face. With some exception, the razors I have bought for the past year or so have been in the heavier grinds.

I sort of agree, sort of disagree with you there carazor! I feel I can get a near effortless bbs shave with my W&B, but transition between that and my extra full hollow TI....ya thats not fun! End up using too much pressure or being just plain lackadaisical on technique! its like going from driving a Hummer h2 to a ferrari! same principal different techniques...

I don't know if I'd say one is better than the other, but when I first started shaving I had both a hollow and a wedge. The hollow, for me, was harder to use (didn't know why then and don't remember why now). I'd get nicked every which way. Thinking back, I think it's because I didn't have a light enough touch. With the wedge this wasn't so much a problem, I suppose, because I needed the slight bit of extra force to move the heavier blade. On the hollow, however, it was just way too much so perhaps the razor ended up skipping all over the place. The downside to this was, and still is, that the heavier wedge will cut skin bumps more easily than a hollow, so a rookie would need to know/learn that.

After shaving with the wedge pretty much exclusively for a long time, I went back to the hollow, and it much, much easier to use and get a nice smooth shave. So maybe your hypothesis is correct? Or partially correct? As always, there are many ways to practice and learn a skill that lead to the same end result.

I honestly don't think it makes a difference! :)

The best way to learn is get a decent well honed blade, a good strop plus some decent soap and a brush and stick with that kit for a good few shaves until you're used to them. Only then start adding new and different blades.

Eventually you'll be able to swap things around as you like! :)

From the total beginner...

I probably have 20 shaves under my belt. 19 of them with a full hollow ground W&B. 1 with a wedge W&B (today). It was like night and day. With the full hollow, I cut myself quite a bit, felt alot of pulling because the angle wasn't right or I hit a particularly thick part of my beard. With the wedge it was like wiping shaving cream off my face with a squeegie or something. No pulling... close shave... bliss! Before you ask... yes, both were professionally honed and shave ready (thanks Sham). I am happy that I have the experience of the full hollow ground razor under my belt, and I will go back to it eventually to test things out, but until I perfect my technique, I'm sticking with the wedge and would suggest that any beginner start with one also.

Myles

The great thing about this art form is everyone has their own road! A lot like the secret to success....there is no secret, it's different for everyone!

For me, it seems a wedge may need to have a few more
passes on the strop, but it might just be that wedge.
I do have a wedge, and two razors that are 1/4 grind,

My full hollows seem to strop faster, but who's to say.
Full hollows certainly flex more, and for my chin with
it's heavier beard, I use the blade close to the heal
of a shouldered full hollow, it seems to have less flex there.
Of course with a wedge or a 1/4 grind it doesn't seem
to make a difference,

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Originally Posted by Stubear

I honestly don't think it makes a difference! :)

The best way to learn is get a decent well honed blade, a good strop plus some decent soap and a brush and stick with that kit for a good few shaves until you're used to them. Only then start adding new and different blades.

Eventually you'll be able to swap things around as you like! :)

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Totally agree. If only because I got a full hollow 5/8 Burrell with a spike point as my first straight razor. Seemingly what one shouldn't get. Then I got a 7/8 W&B that was much less hollow and much heavier. I couldn't feel a thing. I LIKE the feel I get from the Burrell. It's like shaving with a razor blade. I then got a 4/8 W&B (swapped the 7/8 as I didn't like it after shaving only 1/2 my face) and found it again so different. That 1/8 of an inch less makes for less feedback, but still a nice shave. It appears for me, a full hollow 5/8 is probably my ideal (at this early stage). I've now bought a frameback (11/16) so it'll be interesting to see how that feels.

Isn't it so very interesting how 'all roads lead to Rome' so to speak.
I started with a GD without honing (ie straight out of the box) and the learning curve has been very steep since then.
I have not tried a wedge or a faux frameback yet and am itching to try them both.
The attention to technique that I need to have when using my full hollows is just amazing and yet the heavier grinds that I have are much more forgiving.
I don't think that I have anything heavier than a 1/2 hollow ATM and I have to agree with Stubear that I should have gotten my technique sorted out before trying other blades, however, every shave seems to get better and I am still learning.
Just my $0.02

It all depends on the user. I started with a hair shaper, then a more focused disposable straight, then a wedge, then a full hollow, then ....etc. Learning how to use what you have goes a long way to a bbs shave. I did spend a lot time getting the technique down with the hair shaper and that was the spring board to any other straight razor I bought.

Looking back, it was fun and adventurous. Enjoy the learning curve!

Pabster