:OTActually, the real reason for those big blades back in the day is that they hold more lather, so the razor needs to be wiped off less frequently-- maybe two or three wipes for the entire shave. That is, if you believe what my 89 yr old barber instructor told me. I think that as the smaller and more hollow ground razors became more readily available, that most barbers realized that a few extra wipes on the towel was worth the added agility of the smaller blade.