Thread: does 1/4 1/2 full hollow grind make that much of a difference?

im acquiring a new razor for myself. i want to go up to 7/8.

i've seen lynn talk about how he likes 1/2 hollow grinds
and others like extra hollow grinds.

my question is, at 7/8" i would think a full hollow would be the sharpest because of the big blade size, it has more room to come together to a point at the blade. am i wrong in thinking this?

Personally, I don't notice any difference in sharpness between, say, a 5/8 and a 7/8 full hollow or between a full hollow and a 1/4 hollow (given comparable honing). Bear in mind that the geometry of the blade and the bevel itself is determined by the width of the spine as well as the depth of the blade. There can be a difference in the overall feel of a larger full hollow vs a smaller blade, probably due to the greater area available to flex in a bigger blade.

The same applies if you compare 1/4 or 1/2 hollow to a full hollow. The geometry can be the same, but the feel is different. This time due to the greater stiffness and mass of the blades as you progress from full or extra hollow towards a wedge. This is not to say that there aren't vast performance differences between different razors, just that you can't automatically write it off to basic grind or size.

They feel and act differently on your face. At the two extremes are wedges and extra hollow (singing) blades. The wedges are silent for the most part. The extras really do "sing." They also feel like they are flexing, may not be, but they feel that way. In between the two extremes are the 1/2 and 1/4 hollows. As you can surmise, the 1/4 behaves more like a wedge, and the 1/2 behaves more like a hollow.

Hard to describe the different feeling as they are subjective, but if you've shaved with a hollow and a wedge, you can imagine a 1/4 and 1/2 hollow.

Originally Posted by OutlawSkinnyD

my question is, at 7/8" i would think a full hollow would be the sharpest because of the big blade size, it has more room to come together to a point at the blade. am i wrong in thinking this?

Yes you are wrong in thinking that lol. The sharpness has little to do with how much of a hollow is ground into the razor (as long as it is done well). It has EVERYTHING to do with how the razor is honed.

It is a completely personal subject as you'll find no rhyme or reason as to why one guy might like a wedge vs. a full hollow and the next guy will be the opposite. You just need to try some sharp razors in all categories and find what you like most of all.

I don't wish to hijack this thread, but I have a question to add to it.
It seems that most of the more recent razors are full hollow ground. It's almost as if the razor 'evolved' to be that style.

I guess they must be easier to hone and they are lighter, but are there any other advantages not immediately apparent to a novice such as myself?

Yeah Outlaw, I agree with these guys, sharpness is about the hone job (given that the steel is good and the angles are correct). After that, I have had some really good full hollows that I love, but I tend to like my wedges a bit better. For me I feel a bit of "flex" (flex may not be the right word b/c you don't use much pressure, but that is the word that comes to mind) from the hollow grinds and not from the wedges... I like the big heavy steel feel more than the light "flexy" feel of the hollow.

Just my preference

Originally Posted by Del1r1um

Yeah Outlaw, I agree with these guys, sharpness is about the hone job (given that the steel is good and the angles are correct). After that, I have had some really good full hollows that I love, but I tend to like my wedges a bit better. For me I feel a bit of "flex" (flex may not be the right word b/c you don't use much pressure, but that is the word that comes to mind) from the hollow grinds and not from the wedges... I like the big heavy steel feel more than the light "flexy" feel of the hollow.

Just my preference

I dunno, I think the full hollows flex more too. Sometimes I like the "inert, but sharp" feel of a nice wedge grind, and

Sometimes the "lively, responsive" feel of a full hollow is just what the doctor ordered.

Originally Posted by joke1176

I dunno, I think the full hollows flex more too. Sometimes I like the "inert, but sharp" feel of a nice wedge grind, and

Sometimes the "lively, responsive" feel of a full hollow is just what the doctor ordered.

I think those two descriptions are actually quite accurate.

yeah I agree.. good descriptions. I do tend to prefer that inert feel of a wedge, but I do also enjoy a nice hollow from time to time

Originally Posted by jamesbeat

I don't wish to hijack this thread, but I have a question to add to it.
It seems that most of the more recent razors are full hollow ground. It's almost as if the razor 'evolved' to be that style.

I guess they must be easier to hone and they are lighter, but are there any other advantages not immediately apparent to a novice such as myself?

old days: had more metal, less technology to do a good job hollowing out

less old days: metal more precisous, hollowing grinders good