Thread: Looking for a wedge

Hey all,

I've been shaving with a 5/8 full hollow dovo for a few months now and while I really do enjoy shaving with it, I guess the bug bit me and I'm curious about other styles of blades. Specifically, I'd like to experiment with a wedge or near wedge blade in the 6/8 or 7/8 size.

The problem though, is short of the ebay route I'm having a very hard time finding any place that sells wedges. Almost everything is full or half hollow it seems.

Any advice or some place I should look that I have missed?

Originally Posted by grubbah

Hey all,

I've been shaving with a 5/8 full hollow dovo for a few months now and while I really do enjoy shaving with it, I guess the bug bit me and I'm curious about other styles of blades. Specifically, I'd like to experiment with a wedge or near wedge blade in the 6/8 or 7/8 size.

The problem though, is short of the ebay route I'm having a very hard time finding any place that sells wedges. Almost everything is full or half hollow it seems.

Any advice or some place I should look that I have missed?

There's a nice-looking 6/8" wedge still up in the classifieds:
John Holler 6/8 Heavy Chopper, Horn Scales - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

Most of the razors made now are hollow ground, certainly by the big makers anyway. If you want a new wedge you'll probably have to go the custom route.

Keep an eye on the classifieds here, thats probably your best bet, and I have seen a few wedges crop up there. Other than that, it may have to be the eBay route.

Good luck for your search, and I hope you are successful!

EDIT: JUst spotted this one as well..!

http://straightrazorpalace.com/class...uct/5255/cat/3

1/4 hollows get close to the wedge feel. SRP members are more likely to have true wedges on the SRP classifieds and if you put out a want ad on it, someone may get in touch with you who has one too many wedges in their collection or has access to a wedge they want to restore.

Wedges in good shape also tend to cost more since there are less of them.

Good Luck,

Pabster

Wedges have two typical characteristics - one is that they are stiff and the other is that they tend to be heavy blades. Honestly, I think anything half hollow or fuller is totally stiff, so shave wise there is no difference. Also, framebacks and faux framebacks, or at least those I've shaved with, are also very stiff blades. For the weight, that is related to both the grind and the size - a small wedge may be lighter than a large full hollow.

Some like wedges for the stiff, forgiving shave; others like the weight of the blade; others like both. You'll need to figure out what you are looking for and find a blade that fits.

Current mass production razors tend to be full hollow, but there is also the Dovo best which is half to quarter hollow. Limited production razors, can be found in quarter hollow, such as Hart's and Wackers - if I'm not mistaken. Or you can go custom and get anything you want.

I think the typicl razor that comes to mind when you hear "wedge" is a big old Sheffield razor. The typically softer Sheffield steel combined with the stiffness of a wedge makes these blades extremely smooth and forgiving shavers. I find that German, Swedish, and American wedges are a bit more aggressive because of the harder steel.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

...You'll need to figure out what you are looking for and find a blade that fits...

Thats part of the problem, I'm still in the experimenting stage to find out what sort of blade I prefer. The full hollow dovo I have does a very good job for me, and I cant say I find anything about it unpleasurable. However, there is a whole wide world of razors out there....so many razors so little time.

I find the overall shape and lines of most old wedges aesthetically pleasing. Thats what is drawing me towards that right now, and soon I'll find out if that really is what I enjoy actually shaving with. It might turn out that I prefer something in the middle of the road.

That'd be an excuse to buy yet another razor!

True wedges are really rare animals. Most of what we usually call a wedge really has some hollow to it even if its really tiny. If you want the real deal you need to get one of those monsters from the mid 1800s or so. They do come up from time to time on Eboy it's just you have to make sure the seller knows what you want and checks for you.