Thread: Razor for heavy beard

If you had to recommend a razor for a heavy facial hair, and fast growth, what style would it be?

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

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.

what's the type of hair though? coarse? i have thick hair, and lots of it, but have real sensitive skin and the hair itself isn't particularly thick and coarse. I'm not experienced enough i'd make a recommendation, just predicting others questions.

Red

Sharp is sharp and that's your biggest boon. Other than that, some weight to the blade will help give it momentum through the strokes. A half hollow grind or thicker will help achieve this. Full and double hollows also have some flex to them which could be a little less than optimal for tough jobs. Just my suggestions.

X

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.

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.

My experience is limited to about 20 different razors. The 4/8ths I had are gone or going. Maybe it was a problem with my technique or, rather, the lack thereof. But they never worked well for me.

I have been experimenting with larger blades and stiffer grinds. My favourite razor is still my 6/8ths 1/4 hollow Le Grelot, but I have a 5/8ths 1/2 hollow Wostenholm and a 6/8ths wedge that work equally well. So, to repeat what has been said by more knowlegable members before: Large blade, stiff grind, and stay away from hollow ground blades until you have learnt how to use a straight at all. There are some of those to be found in the Classifieds section of this site. If you want a new one, one of the new Dovos might fit your bill: Rasiermesser DOVO 5/8" The Different Scent: - inexpensive, but very good. YMMV.

so something like this would be ideal?
Chechen Wostenholm 7/8 meat chopper - Straight Razor Place Classifieds