Thread: Are All Sheffields the Same?

I find for my face the angles are drastically different. I almost have to lay the wedge flat against my face where with the hollows I use between a 30 to 45 degree angle depending on the razor and area I am shaving. If I use the same angle on a wedge it doesn't cut for crud and pulls a lot.

Every ones face is different though and I have seen some posts here as well as other wet shaving boards that some people just can't use a wedge no matter how long they try or how sharp the razor is.

I fall in the "I am not all that partial to Sheffield steel category"
Nothing wrong with them at all, I agree with Stu and I use a Coticule to finish them... But out of nearly 100 personal razors, I have a Grand Total of 2 Sheffield blades, my first was a hollow grind Bengal, and the second is a W&B Special, also hollow grind, both are great shavers, but not even in my top 50 as to personal favorites...

There is nothing wrong with narrowing you selection of blades down to what really works for you, and concentrating on owning those... Just make sure you at least try some of the other stuff out....Heck if you try a few and they don't work for you, then sell them in the Classifieds and buy a different kind...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I fall in the "I am not all that partial to Sheffield steel category"

Tsk tsk.

PErsonally I think they are the high point in razor history. Joseph Rodgers is my favorite brand though I really like most Sheffields. Apart from their edge, they generally have much more interesting spine and tang design. The German designs are usually more... efficient.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Tsk tsk.

PErsonally I think they are the high point in razor history. Joseph Rodgers is my favorite brand though I really like most Sheffields. Apart from their edge, they generally have much more interesting spine and tang design. The German designs are usually more... efficient.

And this actually is the best part of our hobby, we have a CHOICE !!!!!

Thanks, Glen ... I think that's why I'm looking to make one more Sheffield purchase to see if I will like them. So far, I've focused on the W&Bs, but maybe my last shot at Sheffield will be any of the more "Celebrated" Sheffields (maybe a Rodgers or Wostenholm or Elliott), in a more hollow grind. I'll also try to adapt my technique to the near wedge, and check results. I really like the historic appeal of the Sheffields, and the shapes are classic, and the etching will stay much longer than the various "washes", so I am intriged ... but IF the shave doesn't work for me, I'll stop at the ones I have.

Thanks much!

Originally Posted by Troggie

I find for my face the angles are drastically different. I almost have to lay the wedge flat against my face where with the hollows I use between a 30 to 45 degree angle depending on the razor and area I am shaving. If I use the same angle on a wedge it doesn't cut for crud and pulls a lot.

Every ones face is different though and I have seen some posts here as well as other wet shaving boards that some people just can't use a wedge no matter how long they try or how sharp the razor is.

Awesome ... thanks, much. I'll try that tomorrow, and see what happens. I'll feel really silly if that does the trick, as I have suggested that the razor shaves like crap and, holy cow, maybe I'll find that the problem is in the hand of the user ... can't imagine when that's happened before!

You know, this is a hobby that is loaded to the hilt with variables that affect how any one particular shave performs - both in quality and comfort.

Prep, stropping, lather building, shaving and post treatment all contribute to the overall experience. I have found that I have razors that like uber lather, and razors that like just a good soap.

Try it all and don't fall for price hype. It's DD's yesterday, W&B's today and who knows tomorrow.

My best shaver in terms of closeness and comfort is a Bengall sheffield.

I find quite a difference between them. Of course there are bad ones, but there are also very good ones. Even the (to my mind) under-rated Kropp razors give an excellent shave, and Bengalls are mostly excellent, depending on the vintage. Some (later Pipe razors, for example) are well able to take a high grit finish, but I do agree that most will not. Not that this seems a problem - most of them respond to a pasted strop very well (most of the vintage strops I have seen have had some sort of high-grit compound incorporated in them) and there are a lot of home-grown instructions for strop dressings from the late 1800s that incorporate substances around or in excess of 30k.

I think the Shefield chapter was a 'Golden Age' of razors - different metals, designs, formulas - a veritable treasure trove.

Regards,
Neil

I have a Rogers 1/2 hollow and i can get a killer edge on it. And i would get a Greaves for a last try at Sheffields, they out shave any WB i own.JMHO