Thread: Not "hollow" not "wedge". Lets do this by the numbers. There ARE numbers you know !!!

I undersstand but it's better than nothing right??

I'll PM Superfly.

A system of nomenclature for various grind types/levels with some numbering used to define it even better isn't exactly what I'd call "nothing."

I'm with Tony and those are really the five grinds or hollows I refer to.

Double = singing
Full = standard
Half = a little heft
Quarter = those blades which read "Hollow Ground" but look and act more like the wedges they are, wedge of convenience
Wedge = slice of pie. ... (strawberry rhubarb W&B please)

X

Originally Posted by xman

Wedge = slice of pie. ... (strawberry rhubarb W&B please)

X

Ahh, Strawberry Rhubarb. When I was in Lancaster last week the Amish bake shops were cranking these pies out like crazy. They make a Strawberry Rhubarb bar, like a soft cookie/cake and had Strawbery Rhubarb jam as well.

Good eats.

Tony

I agree with GW, a reference picture would be great. By the by, my grandfather referred to rhubarb as pie plant and used a straight razor, which really has little to do with the numbering system. Grandma baked the pies and never mixed pie plant with strawberries; the wild strawberries that grew on the farm were much too good to adulterate. That has even less to do with the numbering system, then again the pies and the strawberry sauce were number tens, at least.

Man, do I miss those glorious days of yesteryear, Bruce

I'm sure that the original diagram at the start of this thread is from the 1914 Henckels catalogue as it shows 16 degrees of grind - there were also numerous depths and blade shapes. I agree it's a bit confusing but it has to be remembered that this was the heyday of the straight and makers were selling thousands and thousands a year. Nowadays even Dovo only have 'half-hollow' 'hollow' and 'extra-hollow' (the hilariously named - to english-speakers anyway - 'Klang' blade - conjures up all soirts of mayhem!).

The point is that when dealing with vintage razors there IS this variation of 16 grinds - though to be fair most are between 1-3 (wedge) and 8-10 (full hollow). It's a best-guess with a bit of know-how!

Here's what is being used in the wiki - if we can get a more complete or accurate graphic that would be awesome

This is relevant to the razor database. The term "full-hollow" seems to be used quite wrongly by some manufacturers (if not all of them.) So when I added some entries I went by the diagram, not what the razors were sold as.

Originally Posted by Rajagra

The term "full-hollow" seems to be used quite wrongly by some manufacturers (if not all of them.)

+1. My DD is a true full hollow, yet my new Dovo (advertised as a full hollow) is definitely beefier and requires a bit of change in technique to get the same level of shave.

In grading razors according to Hencker's scale, I find helpful as a final check the use of a modified chart (see below) that underlines the portion of blade which can be considered very thin and straight. Also, "relative grading" can be a good resource: start comparing blades between them and put them in order (increasing hollow) before going to the chart. Hope this can help!