Thread: Another Newbie

HI Josh,

If you've ever seen those one-edged razor blades that have a spine on one edge you'll have an idea what I mean.

Do you mean like a safety razor with only one sharp edge?

So it appears to have advantages with a blade like this then, especially if it provides a nice smooth shave and is easy to sharpen.

John

John,

Yeah, picture a safety razor blade with one edge that's glued to a flat bar (like a popsicle stick or something) on the non-sharpened edge.

They do seem to have some advantages, but it seems like they're either something you love or hate. I haven't tried one, so I'm not sure what the differences are in terms of the shave.

Josh

I've only seen the pictures of the TI frameback on classic's site, and it didn't look like a frameback to me, but the picture isn't that great. The framebacks on Crowley's site show the grind much more clearly.


He's also got some nice examples of spanish point razors.

Hi,

Thanks for that, I have been over and had a look at his site, and he has some truly beautiful razors there. The only problem for me is which would be a good type to start with as he has so many to choose from. Would the 1/4 hollow or full hollow make any difference to me the newbie, or with or without the frameback?

John

The one thing I have not seen you mention is how dense or tough your beard is. The 1/4 hollow grind is a stiff grind that handles a dense or tough beard easier than a full hollow grind of the same blade width. The advantage of a smaller blade is that it is easier to manuver. The large blades of 7/8 or 8/8 are impressive to look at and shave well but they are a bit clumsy in certain areas of the face. The safe bet is a 1/4 hollow in either a 5/8 or 6/8 size.

Make sure it is honed and shave tested!

Randy Hello,

In answer to your question in regards to density or toughness of my beard, I guess I have never really considered what it really is. I reckon that it would be just average for density, meaning that it's not real super thick like some are. As for toughness I'm currently using Feather DEs and by the fourth shave it was starting to drag big time, I don't know if that is average for a feather, and that they lose their edge pretty quickly or not. But I seem to be a fast grower, if I shave before work in the morning, I'm ready for another shave by the time I get home. Once again that maybe attributed to the closeness or lack of from my shaving ability.

John

If you have an average beard type then you can use any razor.
Historically the most popular is a 5/8 with a full hollow grind.
But that may be due to effective marketing more than anything else.

If you're burning through feather DE blades in 3 days then you've probably got a pretty tough beard.

Originally Posted by mparker762

If you're burning through feather DE blades in 3 days then you've probably got a pretty tough beard.

I don't know. I haven't used Feathers, but over at B&B some guys say they don't last as long because once they start to go, they go fast.

Josh

Originally Posted by joshearl

I don't know. I haven't used Feathers, but over at B&B some guys say they don't last as long because once they start to go, they go fast.

Hmm, when I commented that feathers don't last as long as other brands, several Well Known Members jumped all over me claiming that they last 1.5-2x longer than lesser blades and that I was making it up. Maybe some of the feather hype is finally calming down?

Nowadays I generally keep my opinions about feathers (DE and AC) to myself over at B&B and SMF, the feather fans swarm anybody that doesn't swoon over them, somehow everybody that has a bad experience with them is either (a) insufficiently skilled and hence unworthy of such a superior blade or (b) suspiciously aberrant, since everybody else loves them.