What should I get...5/8 or 6/8?

I'm fairly new to shaving with a straight razor and think I'm ready to order a better razor now that I've gotten accustomed to honign and stropping. When I first decided to shave with a straight, I had my barber order a C-Mon Cadillac 5/8 razor which shaves great, holds a terrific edge and I have no complaints about it. However, I would like to get a higher quality razor to use as my primary and keep the C-Mon as my back up. I've narrowed it down to two DOVO's and would like some experienced advice to help me choose one. One of them is the DOVO Genuine Red Bone 5/8 and the other is the DOVO Red "Bismarck" 6/8. The following are the questions I have: 1. Since I started shaving with a 5/8 razor, what differences can I expect if I were to shave with a 6/8? 2. I can't find anything to tell me if both razors have 3" blades? 3. Does anyone have any experience with either or both razors? Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

If you already have a 5/8, I'd get a 6/8 or 4/8, or even a 7/8.

It's good to try different things.

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Originally Posted by VeeDubb65

If you already have a 5/8, I'd get a 6/8 or 4/8, or even a 7/8.

It's good to try different things.

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+1. Different grinds are good to play with too.

I started with a 5/8 then got a 4/8 and now have a few 5/8, 6/8 and a couple of 4/8s. They all feel a little different, so go ahead and buy the one that most tickles your fancy. I would say to stick with one razor till you're really comfortable using a straight razor though, as I think it helps you become familiar with the whole process.

Most people who move up to 7/8 find that becomes their favorite size.

I have a 6/8 and a couple of 5/8s. Compared to other differences between the razors, the 5 vs 6 makes little difference, to me anyway.

The 6/8 will be easier at everything that you do , ie: Stropping & Honing, and will not be quite as agile as the 5/8 in the tight spots....Will there be a huge difference??? NOPE !!!! I would bet the biggest difference you notice is while stropping as the 6/8 will seem way easier to keep flat on the strop and that will even help when you are stropping the 5/8 too

These are some of the same reasons that I normally always recommend the 6/8 half hollow as a first razor, as it is the true middle ground when it comes to razordom...

+1 to what Glen said. IME when you get into a 7/8 or 8/8 than there is a perceptible difference in the way it feels to manipulate it around the shave area. Even with those after a few shaves it becomes familiar and comfortable. I would get the 6/8 if for nothing else for the variety.

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Originally Posted by John Crowley

Most people who move up to 7/8 find that becomes their favorite size.

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So that explains the fact that there gazillions of 7/8ths on the market, but only a handful of 6/8ths.

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Originally Posted by BeBerlin

So that explains the fact that there gazillions of 7/8ths on the market, but only a handful of 6/8ths.

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Welcome to SRP BeBerlin. Here is a tutorial that will help you find the answer to your question. ";"

I started with 5/8 which is good now my collection has grown and I have razors from 5/8 all the way up to almost 8/8 and I think 6/8 is probably my favorite size (spike point :)) That size is just real easy for me to use in every aspect of the shave stroping to shaving!

I just bought a Bismarck 6/8ths and it's an excellent shaver, beautiful workmanship and just feels right in my hand. I knew I liked 6/8ths to start with...also have a 5/8ths but dont like the way it feels, it's just too light. I like the weight of my Bismarck but that's probably why you have to try different grinds too. I think a 5/8ths wedge or half hollow weights in close to a 6/8ths full hollow and the right razor might feel better. I would buy another Bismarck.

I started with 5/8s and have only bought 5/8s since. I'm thinking I'll try a 6/8 next, since I always seem to think that the razors should be a little heavier.

Oh, and I do always wonder if there will be a difference in the stiffness between 5/8s and 6/8s for the same grind.

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Originally Posted by BeBerlin

So that explains the fact that there gazillions of 7/8ths on the market, but only a handful of 6/8ths.

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On the market where? Dovo recently made their most recent discovery cleaning out their warehouse and Boker just started making 7/8 because there is a market for them. Where? Point them out! Just a wee bit predjudice are we?

BeB,

Could your comment about the flood of 7/8 and a paucity of 6/8 have been a typo? From what I've observed there are boocoo (or is that beaucoupe?) 5/8 on the market and a modicum of 6/8 and a mightly slim choice of 7/8. Our European makers seem to think that most shavers demand the 5/8, which I think is not the case.

So, kcar, were you to choose a 6/8, you'd probably get a fine and eminently ueful shaving tool. A 7/8 will take a bit of getting used to, particularly if you don't have a moustache and have to shave under your nose, but is also a fine shaver.

My vote is for a 6/8 as being the best of the middle of the road. Since we're using the road metaphor here it's only right to add your mileage may vary. :rofl2:

And while here on the pavement, I gotta add a suggetion to look at the DOVO 6/8 Special with faux tortise scales. If I didn't have such a terrible case of RAD, I probably would have stopped buying razors with that one. Other razors may strike your fancy, and that's what should guide you as most will work just fine. But that 6/8 fake turtle really fits my hand well, shaves well, looks good, and thus it ranks right up there in the favorites rotation.

good luck, good shaving

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Originally Posted by Bruce

BeB,

Could your comment about the flood of 7/8 and a paucity of 6/8 have been a typo? From what I've observed there are boocoo (or is that beaucoupe?) 5/8 on the market and a modicum of 6/8 and a mightly slim choice of 7/8. Our European makers seem to think that most shavers demand the 5/8, which I think is not the case.

So, kcar, were you to choose a 6/8, you'd probably get a fine and eminently ueful shaving tool. A 7/8 will take a bit of getting used to, particularly if you don't have a moustache and have to shave under your nose, but is also a fine shaver.

My vote is for a 6/8 as being the best of the middle of the road. Since we're using the road metaphor here it's only right to add your mileage may vary. :rofl2:

And while here on the pavement, I gotta add a suggetion to look at the DOVO 6/8 Special with faux tortise scales. If I didn't have such a terrible case of RAD, I probably would have stopped buying razors with that one. Other razors may strike your fancy, and that's what should guide you as most will work just fine. But that 6/8 fake turtle really fits my hand well, shaves well, looks good, and thus it ranks right up there in the favorites rotation.

good luck, good shaving

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I agree that you would probably be very happy with a 6/8. It is a nice size and I also agree that 5/8 is really too small for most Americans. A few years ago Heribert Wacker asked me what Americans like and I told him, "Big scarry sharp things!" <LOL> Dovo wouldn't even talk to me about a 7/8 which is interesting since they keep cleaning that same warehouse and finding the absolute last of them. Lynn himself got the "absolute last ones in existance" a few years back. <LOL>

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Originally Posted by captainboog

Oh, and I do always wonder if there will be a difference in the stiffness between 5/8s and 6/8s for the same grind.

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If you have a heavy beard and you need a blade that doesn't flex as much you have two options - a thicker grind like a quarter hollow, or a step up in size (blade width).

I don't know why, but I thought that I had read that the narrower the blade the less flex it had for a given grind. I did a lot of reading before buying my first straight and that just kinda stuck with me. Wouldn't be the first time I read something wrong.

If the 6/8 has less flex than the same 5/8, I'll have to give one a try. So far, the stiffer the blade, the more I like the razor. I hate ordering razors before the new ones that I just bought arrive, but looks like I'll be looking for a 6/8 pretty quick.