Thread: Razor for heavy beard

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

When you are starting out, a larger, heavier blade may be easier, but once you learn to shave with a straight, you should be able to shave with anything.

Choosing a size/grind/style/etc is really based on personal preferences as to what you like, as well as what your shaving style is. I have found that larger blades require less finesse, whereas I have to be much more careful with a full hollow. But, as xman said, sharp is sharp, and any sharp razor will give a great shave.

I agree completely with this statement.

Wedges and quarter hollows are easier in the sense that they're forgiving of bad shaving technique. But they're harder to hone up and to maintain. So it's sort of a conundrum for newbs with thick beards.

I have a very thick beard and my favorite razor is a 5/8 full hollow. But in my first six months I swore up and down that my beard needed either a quarter hollow or 7/8+ full hollow, nothing less.

My recommendation is a 6/8 or at most 7/8 full hollow for now. You'll have more and earlier success honing it, and its flexiness while shaving will steer you towards better technique even as its size and weight give you that umph needed to tackle the chin while you're still perfecting your technique.

Originally Posted by dylandog

I agree completely with this statement.

Wedges and quarter hollows are easier in the sense that they're forgiving of bad shaving technique. But they're harder to hone up and to maintain. So it's sort of a conundrum for newbs with thick beards.

I have a very thick beard and my favorite razor is a 5/8 full hollow. But in my first six months I swore up and down that my beard needed either a quarter hollow or 7/8+ full hollow, nothing less.

My recommendation is a 6/8 or at most 7/8 full hollow for now. You'll have more and earlier success honing it, and its flexiness while shaving will steer you towards better technique even as its size and weight give you that umph needed to tackle the chin while you're still perfecting your technique.

Well, that is good because right now I have a 5/8th full hollow according to a previous poster... I'm still kind of feeling my way around my face, and forget the neck. I have hairs going all sorts of different directions. When I finally get my strop this week, hopefully, I'll get to really experience a good shave. And address the neck.

I think I'll pickup that wedge for sale, if I can ever get this guy to pm me back.

Not stropping the razor you have may be most of the issue you have been experiencing!


Stropping can make a remarkable difference in the keeness of the edge, and therefore ease of tackling whiskers.


If you have a genuine leather belt, that's fairly thick and flat, you can loop that around a towel bar and strop away on there until you get a proper strop (NOTE: avoid the part of the belt distorted by rear belt loop!).

That will actually work quite well. You will have to use the X pattern. I did this while I awaited my first strop,and I was very impressed by what a difference it made, even on a freshly honed (and thus, I thought not needing to be stropped) razor.

Originally Posted by manah

Being based on my experience - razor 6/8+, wedge blade.

This is about the best advice you will get. It is of course subjective but generally a quarter hollow 6/8 or a full hollow 7/8+ would be best.

Originally Posted by Seraphim

Not stropping the razor you have may be most of the issue you have been experiencing!


Stropping can make a remarkable difference in the keeness of the edge, and therefore ease of tackling whiskers.


If you have a genuine leather belt, that's fairly thick and flat, you can loop that around a towel bar and strop away on there until you get a proper strop (NOTE: avoid the part of the belt distorted by rear belt loop!).

That will actually work quite well. You will have to use the X pattern. I did this while I awaited my first strop,and I was very impressed by what a difference it made, even on a freshly honed (and thus, I thought not needing to be stropped) razor.

yeah, I know, still waiting they said they were shipping yesterday. Still haven't shipped yet, I should probably call em, starting to get annoyed.
However, as for the belt, all my leather belts have stitching on them, figured that wouldn't be good for the blade. So I don't shave, which is fine for me, it is a chore to bust out my mach 5 and shave. And a painful experience.

I've got another question, this is what the guy said about the wedge.

The other imperfection is that the face of the blade isn\'t as smoothly contoured as when it comes out of an actual grinder. You can notice this in the way the light comes off the face of the blade in some of the photos. I can\'t actually feel the dips when I run my finger along the face, but it\'s noticeable under the correct angles of light.

I'm assuming he means the bevel where the edge begins isn't quite straight. Is that something that requires grinding to make shave ready?

My goal is to have a couple of blades that all I have to do is strop for a while. Till I decide to completely jump in. Or stick with a disposable.

Originally Posted by stdreb27

I've got another question, this is what the guy said about the wedge.

The other imperfection is that the face of the blade isn\'t as smoothly contoured as when it comes out of an actual grinder. You can notice this in the way the light comes off the face of the blade in some of the photos. I can\'t actually feel the dips when I run my finger along the face, but it\'s noticeable under the correct angles of light.

I'm assuming he means the bevel where the edge begins isn't quite straight. Is that something that requires grinding to make shave ready?

My goal is to have a couple of blades that all I have to do is strop for a while. Till I decide to completely jump in. Or stick with a disposable.

Yep. Honing is a very mild and gentle form of grinding whixh uses a much finer grit. After you finish honing the blade the edge will be fine.

1/4 grind 6/8". There is also the idea that no matter what kinda beard you have you can shave with anything. I have a tough and dense beard, in patches, and I just for kicks shaved with a 1/2" full hollow the other day but it was not for the faint at heart. I really had to work at it, gave me an excellent shave but the thing worked me to death. I find my 1/4 grinds just give me much easier time of it.


Take Care,
R

Originally Posted by riooso

1/4 grind 6/8". There is also the idea that no matter what kinda beard you have you can shave with anything. I have a tough and dense beard, in patches, and I just for kicks shaved with a 1/2" full hollow the other day but it was not for the faint at heart. I really had to work at it, gave me an excellent shave but the thing worked me to death. I find my 1/4 grinds just give me much easier time of it.


Take Care,
R

There is no doubt that a 6/8 quarter- or half-hollow will be easier to use with a tough beard. I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. I just meant if you have a 5/8 full hollow or the like and you really like it but are having a tough time with it on a coarse beard, don't immediately go selling it off assuming it's too puny for you. There is something that happens over the course of straight-shaving for a couple of years: your shaving technique improves imperceptibly – not because of this or that trick or angle you read about, but just through muscle memory and aggregate experience. Once you reach this stage, you really will find that you can shave comfortably with just about any sharp blade.

I sold off some very nice full hollows when I was in my "6-8 wedge or more for this tough beard, nothing less!" stage. I wish I could get some of those back, because I liked how light and elegant and maneuverable and easy-to-maintain they were.

Another thing is that using a light razor on a heavy beard really forces you to improve your technique; and then when you go back to one of your larger wedgier razors and use them with proper technique, you're really in for a treat.

Originally Posted by dylandog

There is no doubt that a 6/8 quarter- or half-hollow will be easier to use with a tough beard. I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. I just meant if you have a 5/8 full hollow or the like and you really like it but are having a tough time with it on a coarse beard, don't immediately go selling it off assuming it's too puny for you. There is something that happens over the course of straight-shaving for a couple of years: your shaving technique improves imperceptibly – not because of this or that trick or angle you read about, but just through muscle memory and aggregate experience. Once you reach this stage, you really will find that you can shave comfortably with just about any sharp blade.

I sold off some very nice full hollows when I was in my "6-8 wedge or more for this tough beard, nothing less!" stage. I wish I could get some of those back, because I liked how light and elegant and maneuverable and easy-to-maintain they were.

Another thing is that using a light razor on a heavy beard really forces you to improve your technique; and then when you go back to one of your larger wedgier razors and use them with proper technique, you're really in for a treat.

That is some GREAT advice!