I must just ask a short question-
What is the defference between all the blade depths? What is good, for what kind of face/beard etc?
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I must just ask a short question-
What is the defference between all the blade depths? What is good, for what kind of face/beard etc?
Sizes are measured in 8ths of inch or 16ths of inch.
8/8
7/8
6/8
5/8
4/8
3/8 -- this one is for shaving mustache and neck after haircut
As far as which shaves better, that's a complex question.
Type of steel, grind matter , but in general it looks like heavier grinds are more forgiving for thick beards.
In simple (and maybe wrong :) ) words I find that blades about 4/8" wide (or less) need a "solid" hand: more control and excellent technique; blades about 7/8" wide (or more) need a surplus of attention as a substitute of maneuvrability. Grind and point, according to my personal experience, are even more "effective" than size to influence precision and feelings during my shave.
I'm new at this, but it seems to largely be a matter of personal preference. I have tried 4/8 and find that too small, and 7/8 and I find that to be too large. even 6/8 is a little big for me.
So I am a 5/8 or 11/16 kind of guy. Best advice is to pick up several cheap (but quality) razors and see what works best for you.
So, is 5/8 or 6/8 recommended for first real s-razor? I dont like the shavette at all, it just gets stuck in my beard and hard to controll.
and, after how long time do i need to hone the s-razor? and how many stones, do I need?
I have been using a 6/8 since I started and when I used a 5/8 it just felt wrong. The shave was good but it was so light in my hand. I guess I need to give it some time but I always reach for the 6/8.
Just my two cents...
:hmmm:
It might be good thing to try both sizes and see which one you like better.Quote:
Originally Posted by iphone
You can find some good razors for good prices in the classifieds section.
as far as razor honing and maintenance here is the source of info:
Beginners guide
Maintaining straight razors
For the time being at least, you may want to avoid honing razors yourself. I would pick up, at the least, a strop, a 5/8 straight, a 6/8, and possibly a larger razor if they appeal to you. If you decide to stick with straight razor shaving and want to learn to hone your own blades, you will likely want to pick up a cheap (vintage) ebay blade and a Norton 4k/8k and possibly a hone in the 10k-12k range. But since you are just starting off I recommend either purchasing shave ready razors or having a member here hone them.
Once the razor is shave ready, you can use a strop to maintain a good shave edge for a good while on a quality razor.Quote:
Originally Posted by iphone
If you plan on picking up ebay razors, and cleaning them up and honing them, I would say get the Norton Starter Kit over there at Amazon. Best price you'll find, but I would recommend picking up a DMT D8C and set the Norton lapping stone to the side, as it will need to be lapped occasionally as well.
If you don't plan on restoring ebay razors, you could probably get away with a 4k/8k Norton. You might also want a polishing stone like a C12k (they also sell a bigger one (8"x2-3/4".)
Either way, you will want a strop, and can look in the Wiki about making one, or buy one. (I made mine :p)
aproximate, hw ofte to they need to get honed?
the only differ on a 5/8 and a 6/8 is the weight?
The honing question is really going to vary from person to person. Better stropping and shaving technique are going to prolong the life of the razor. I was told by a veteran here that on average you will need to do something other than stropping roughly every 6 shaves. What this means is your preferance....a pasted strop...or a barbers hone are 2 good choices.Quote:
Originally Posted by iphone
As far as 5/8 and 6/8 goes....the difference is not going to just be the weight universally. It depends on what the blade is made of....obviously the size is going to be different. But depending on the grind of the blade...the weight could vary from one brand to the other.
That is a very important point. I have a 4/8 wedge that far outweighs my 5/8 full hollow.Quote:
Originally Posted by shorynot
Drew
I agree about needing a steadier hand with the 4/8. I prefer shaving with a larger razor. That being said, the 4/8 sure does make the tough spots under my chin and on my neck much easier! I suspect when my experimentations with different blades slows down, I will shave with two razors; a "main" razor, and a 4/8 for touchup.
I tried something very much like that for a while, but decided to just go for the middle ground and stick with my 5/8 because its a good middle ground for me. Keeping two razors out and ready while shaving just made me more nervous about knocking one off the sink, not to mention the extra hassle of stropping two razors before and after every shave.Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryAndro
Drew
Some solid advice that is usually given by one of the mods, can't remember which one, is failing all else, go for a 6/8s half hollow- that way you can move smaller- 4/8 or 5/8- or larger- 7/8 or 8/8 depending on your preference, and you can move to more hollow or more wedge depending on your preference. Honestly, it doesn't seem like a big difference at first, but after you get a few shave under your belt they might be inches different lol. To me a 5/8 seems a lot smaller than a 6/8, and a 4/8 EVEN smaller, conversely, the 7/8+ range feels HUGE. Not a big deal when shaving- you learn- but a seemingly minor total range of 1/2" actually is VERY different.
I think the advice given is good- small is trickier to get technique (easier to rotate blade and not get good angle) and large is trickier to maneuver (and see around when you're a newb) so go right for the middle....
Incidentally, all of these questions are adressed in the FAQ. I'm with Glen on width:
Regards,Quote:
Frequently Asked Questions - Straight Razor Place Wiki
What makes a good starter razor?
Size = 6/8
A wider blade is easier to keep flat on the strop, which is very important for a beginner. 6/8 is also dead center on the size chart, so you can decide which direction to go on your second razor. Finally, it has some heft for those less than confident first strokes, and is still easy to handle.
Grind = Half hollow
Again dead center on the chart, so you can decide which direction to go after your first razor. A half hollow grind offers enough heft for beginner shaving, yet also has some flexibility for comfort.
Round point
A round point is a little safer, anyway, not a lot but every little bit helps at first.
Robin
Thanks for all the answers!
Going to get my self a dovo tortoise 5/8. And a Dovo strop: the 19” x 2.25” from this site: Dovo razor strops what do you guys think, seems to be a cheap and good strop?
I have some issues getting beard from certain spots of my face and dont wont go to large.
I just remembered a conversation I had on another forum about this last month. What we discussed is:
There is a basic "rule" for blade width. On average, bigger guys prefer bigger blades. I'm only 5'7", so a 5/8 seems just right to me. Someone 6'4", like my brother for example, would prefer a larger blade, as something so small would seem like a toy to them.
There are exceptions of course, but as a general guideline, smaller people have smaller features and thus need a smaller razor to get to them. Just my thoughts on the manner.
I also advise against investing in a nice strop right away. Go for something cheap, basically just a strip of leather with a cord on the end. You will very likely nick it, at least in the beginning, and the last thing you want to do is put dozens of little cuts in a nice new strop.
Drew
As a general rule, we do not discuss vendor prices in this forum. That said, Dovo strops are made in Germany. Their quality is impeccable (some people have reported cupping with the big Russian, but that seems to be a problem with wide strops sometimes), and they charge a premium price for that quality. Alternatives can be found in the reviews area, which we have set up for comparison purposes. Enjoy.Quote:
Originally Posted by iphone