Thread: Unforgiving blade

What does exactly "unforgiving blade" mean? Versus "forgiving blade"
Thanks

Forgiving usually refers to a blade that will let you make some minor technique errors without biting you. A round point half hollow is not as likely to bite as an extra hollow spike point. The extra hollow with a spike tip and a spike heel has no tolerance for not paying absolute attention when shaving. Personally I mute all of my spike points to avoid being bitten.

Well said! I would add that I personally find a hollow grind more forgiving than a wedge because of the small amount of flex.
I mute the spikes of my razors too...after learning a lesson!!

Originally Posted by Ernie1980

Well said! I would add that I personally find a hollow grind more forgiving than a wedge because of the small amount of flex.
I mute the spikes of my razors too...after learning a lesson!!

Perfect example of YMMV! I find the exact opposite. I find a wedge or heavier grind much more forgiving of errant placement or moves. Extra hollow grinds just bite me more than a wedge. The reason? I haven't the foggiest idea. But everyone's movements and techniques are different hence the different grinds for different styles I guess!

I have found that the extra hollow or very thin blades tend to flex , jump, and try to skip there way to the color red. (cut) When the technique is perfect either thick or thin blades shave good but if the technique is off then the thinner blade tends to cut or they do for me. There are hollow grinds that don't flex as easy and i find they do as well as near wedges or wedges . just my experience so far.

When I shave with J.A. Henkel's, it is very smooth ( which I would call forgiving), however Boker is pretty harsh, the same is with Theirs Issard which I just received new from France, and it was honed there, it's sharp as hell, but also harsh (unforgiving). The TI has a French nose which I like, but makes me more alert. I hope the harshness will go away after a few shaves. I've never tried wedge, and I don't know anything about grind, but I'm inclined to think that heavier razors are in general easier to shave with.

My experience has been that it's generally easier to get a really smooth shave with a full hollow grind, but also easier to get cut if your technique is faulty. Conversely, wedges and heavy Sheffield-style hollow grounds are more forgiving of bad technique in terms of cuts, but require near perfect technique to get as close a shave.

As to which I prefer? Both, of course!

This is interesting. I don't notice any difference between a wedge, full hollow, shavette, 7/8, 5/8, 4/8, in terms of forgiveness. They all shave pretty much the same to me. I don't have any spikes so I can't comment on that, however.

Originally Posted by Moonshae

This is interesting. I don't notice any difference between a wedge, full hollow, shavette, 7/8, 5/8, 4/8, in terms of forgiveness. They all shave pretty much the same to me. I don't have any spikes so I can't comment on that, however.

I am basically in the same camp except all my razors in rotation are spike points and I never use my shavette much. When I do use a wedge it's around 8/8 so careful is still on my mind.

But to answer the question of what forgiving is I would say about the same as Rezdog. If it lets you get away with minor mistakes then it's forgiving.

This is what "unforgiving" looks like in my rotation.

Fantastic razor, holds an amazing edge, easy to refresh but if you are distracted for an instant - say you think about something the SWMBO just said instead of tuning out all distraction - as you know you should when using a 8/8 Max Sprecher Spike...

You will be paying (and the coin of the realm is blood) for your drifting attention...

But I don't complain because a good craftsmen never blames his tools...