Thread: Measure your razor angle !!!!!

OK guys in many of these threads that have been popping up lately the question of razor angle has been discussed, the only way to find an average and to find the extremes is for us as the largest group of Straight Razor Enthusiasts on the Planet to start measuring our razors...

If you have either Calipers or a micrometer you can help out...

We need two measurements off each razor

The spine width across the back of the spine this should really be done in 3 spots and averaged...

And the size of the razor blade as in 5/8 6/8 7/8 but it actually needs to be measured...
This should be measured from the edge to the honing mark on the spine not to the back of the spine, if the hone mark is a flat, measure to the far side, the larger of the measurements

Start posting measurements in this thread... then we can start tabulating edge angles for some more definitive information...

Obviously the more info we get the better this average will be, if you use tape on every razor please let us know, also the general condition of the razor, as in vintage worn, vintage, NOS, new, etc:

Thanks in advance...


PS: just the raw data is fine guys, Gugi has a program that will crunch the numbers.....

Well, since I just happened to have my calipers and a razor or two lying here, here's a couple:

Vintage Friodur, very little hone wear: 17mm blade width, spine is 5mm thick straight across.

J.R. Torrey "Our 136", minor hone wear: width: 16mm, thickness 4.9mm

The angle across the back of the spine should also be taken at the honing flats on the spine. Either the top or bottom of the flat will work, but it needs to be the same spot that you use when measuring the blade width.

Both the spine thickness and blade width need to be taken at several spots along the blade, then averaged, since neither are particularly constant along the blade.

IME if you measure from the blade edge to the back of the spine you will generally get calculated angles that are 2-3 degrees too low.

Excellent thread idea, Glen. I'll go pick up a pair of mini calipers tomorrow and get some data in here.

Great idea Glen ! Does our number cruncher, Gugi, have a preference for inches as opposed to millimeters ? I'm bad enough at math without having to start converting from one to the other.

Here are the only two straight razors I currently own:

Stainless Dubl Duck 5/8 - Condition = Vintage but Very Good
Average of three measurements from edge to furthest hone mark = .610" or 15.494mm
Average of three measurements taken across the spine = .163" or 4.14mm

Maher & Grosh 5/8 - Condition = Vintage but Very Good
Average of three measurements from edge to furthest hone mark = .6083" or 15.45mm
Average of three measurements taken across the spine = .188" or 4.775mm

I hope that helps guys.

I just asked Gugi and he says just so long as each razor is either mm or inches it don't matter to him so either will do guys..... Thanks for the numbers that are already coming in...

This is a list of the razors in my rotation (except the Hart because it's not vintage), plus some razors I had already measured when this topic came up in this thread back in 2007 and went back and remeasured, plus a few other NOS or mint razors I had laying around.

razor thickness width angle
Sta-sharp 0.178 0.658 15.55
Heljestrand #32 mint 0.223 0.723 17.74
Crowley Friodur 0.262 0.786 19.19
W&B Celebrated Razor for Barber's Use 0.312 0.974 18.43
TI Worked Back 0.199 0.717 15.95
DDWE mint 0.180 0.659 15.7
Robeson Shuredge 0.231 0.728 18.26
Puma 1938 0.172 0.632 15.64
Puma 39 mint 0.172 0.643 15.37
TI Spartacus NOS 0.212 0.757 16.1
Clauss Barber's Special 0.182 0.656 15.95
Friodur mint 0.243 0.752 18.6

average 16.87
median 16.03

Thickness Width Angle
Dovo Special Tortoise new 0.201 0.750 15.4
Thiers Carbonsong new 0.193 0.719 15.4
Le Grelot 1/4 Grind NOS 0.210 0.750 16.1
Marke Solingen Vintage 0.179 0.750 13.7
Genco Master Cutler Vintage 0.183 0.719 14.6
Geneva Cutlery Corp Pyramid Vintage 0.194 0.734 15.2
Geneva Cutlery Corp C.J.Razor Vintage 0.195 0.625 17.9
Geneva Cutlery Corp Pyramid SS Vintage 0.183 0.719 14.6
Geneva Cutlery Corp One-Fifty Vintage 0.186 0.703 15.2
Genco Henry's X Vintage 0.181 0.641 16.2
Genco DE ROMA Vintage 0.157 0.625 14.4
J.A.Henckels Twin Works Platinum Vintage 0.134 0.519 14.8
Shapleigh HDW CO Vintage 0.160 0.609 15.1
A.Witte Full Concaved Vintage 0.169 0.563 17.3
Clauss Vintage 0.132 0.531 14.3

Average=15.4
Median=15.2
Min=13.7
Max=17.9

It occurs to me looking at my list that the average is pulled up to the 17 degree mark by the Friodurs, W&B, and Robeson Shuredge. Of these the two Friodurs and the W&B are both distinguished by their relatively soft steel which would explain why they need the larger honing angle.

The Robeson Shuredge has both a wider angle and really hard steel, and takes a mean edge and holds it extremely well.

Three of the razors on that list (Sta-Sharp, Helje #32, and TI Worked Back) are long-term razors. The TI lasted just over 3 months before it needed rehoning, the Helje is around 140 shaves and nearly as sharp as the day it was honed, the Sta-Sharp is around 130 or so and is beginning to fail, I doubt it'll go another month. The Helje is 17.74 degrees, the Sta-Sharp is 15.5 and the TI is 15.9. FWIW.