Thread: "Forgiving" blades

I am afraid I am a little confused about this. I have read a razor being described as forgiving because it was less stiff, and some others because they were less flexible. What exactly makes a razor more forgiving?

I think you need to look for the razor wearing a mitre and rosary beads.

Originally Posted by Bruce

I think you need to look for the razor wearing a miter and rosary beads.

Anyway, In my rotation I have blades that I have to be wery, wery careful when I use them. They tend nick any anomalies. My TI's for instance will nick. I have a Solingen Bismarck that is one that I get a consistently great shave and it is extremely rare for me to catch a nick. I'm not too sure blade grind would make that much difference as opposed to design and geometry. I think it will depend on your facial structure and technique. It will probably mean some experimentation to find those that are good for you. I will say this, I nick myself a lot less with razors that are freshly honed. The sharper the better for me.

My understanding of when the term "forgiving" is used, it is when comparing feather blades to traditional straight blades. A feather blade is very sharp, specifically the professional ones and they are unforgiving or zits and moles and scars etc. A feather blade doesn't need to be stropped of course and some say it can give as many as 10 shaves before the sharpness is equivalent to a normal straight. Traditional straights on the other hand, will more often go over zits, moles and scars etc rather than through them.

To me a 'forgiving' blade is one where I can shave a bit more aggressively and not get any razor burn or nicks.

I have a sta-sharp, Genco and Bengall that meet the above criteria.

I am, of course, a total newbie, but I thought this meant full hollow razors because they flex a bit, as the OP mentioned. Seems like he has also seem stiffer razors mentioned as more forgiving and like him, I am confused by that!

Dan

It's just personal preference really. For me, the thicker blades are more forgiving. I would speculate that it is because on the thinner full hollow blades, the edge can flex and create irritation/cuts more than a thicker blade which simply keeps its shape and pushes the skin out of its way (usually) instead of slicing on through or abrading the skin off.


Don't know, just an idea. I do know that some blades are inexplicably more comfortable shavers to me than others, even with comparable sharpness.


John P.

Originally Posted by JohnP

Don't know, just an idea. I do know that some blades are inexplicably more comfortable shavers to me than others, even with comparable sharpness.


John P.

Which blades might that be?

I think that there are flexible blades and non flexible or stiff blades.

Flexible blades shape themselves to the skin better and for me at least give the optimum shave. I think they are easier to shave with because they mould to the face and therefore give a close shave. They tend not to give razor burn and in that respect they are more forgiving.

I have found that as a general rule ordinary carbon steel blades from fully ground up to half hollow ground (medium ground)are flexible.
Wedges, silver steel, high carbon steel, stainless steel.....infact, just about any steel were the blade has been hardened or tampered with to hold a sharper edge for longer appears to me to fall into the stiff category.

Also as a general rule I have found that the English Steel is more flexible than the German Steel which in turn is more flexible than the Swedish steel.

Just to finish my observations, I think all razors can be honed and stropped to shaving sharp and that as a general rule, the stiffer blade will hold its edge longer. Finally, a blade has to be razor sharp to be forgiving.

Well that's what I think for what its worth.

Originally Posted by OldFashioned

Which blades might that be?

It's just a generalization, but for instance, my Dovo Specials would shave circles around my Dovo "Best Quality" razors, even when sharpened and stropped similarly. Both would shave well, but the Special felt smoother. I have noticed this with other razors also. I think some respond differently to different techniques also. I seldom use a pasted strop, for instance, but some razors seem to scream for it (TI's for instance) while others it *to me* doesn't improve at all and is best skipped.

John P.