Hey guys,
anyone with experience shaving with a 4/8 razor? How would you say it differs from a 5/8 razor?
JF
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Hey guys,
anyone with experience shaving with a 4/8 razor? How would you say it differs from a 5/8 razor?
JF
I've got a couple of them and I do like them, I just prefer the bigger blades.
To shave with they feel the same, just smaller I guess...! :) You can manoeuvre them around your face a little easier and the feel lighter in the hand but thats about it really.
Give one a try and see what you think!
Some would say that they are harder to strop, as they do not have the same surface area to maintain flat as, say, a 7/8. But as you've been in this game for a while now this may not be as much of an issue for you as it would be for a newb.
I actually find stropping with a 5/8 razor a lot easier than stropping a 7/8 razor. I love the look of a large razor, but I find the smaller one more practical.
I enjoy a 4/8 razor. They are very easy to maneuver, and they perform really well. I've heard the "harder to strop" comment a lot, and although I have not experienced the same thing, enough people say it that it must be true for some.
I highly recommend a 4/8s razors
Interesting...Quote:
Originally Posted by Dups
I suppose there is a point when razor size does become cumbersome. I have 3 razors that are around 7/8; any larger than that, for me, is pushing that "impractical" envelope. IME I can strop large razors just fine, but I do notice that I can't whip them back and forth on the strop as quickly & easily as I can with a smaller razor
I have to take much more care with any razor under 5/8, when stropping.
+1 I feel like a goof every time I strop the one 4/8 I use in my rotation, but the shave is wonderful. It is so easy to matriculate across my face - I'd recommend getting one if you can.
When I first started str8s I almost wrote them off as being inferior in some way, but I am glad I did not get rid of any of them. One of my favorits is a Bengal with under a 4/8 blade. Awesome for under the nose and trim work. I don't know how experienced you are as a shaver, but my opinion of them did a 180 degree shift from earlier on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dups
FME it is like driving a sports car compared to a sedan. You have to be a little more carefull with your shave angle so as not to get nicked, but for sure they are fun to shave with.
Honing for them requires a little more finese as they are a bit more concentration not to torque them keeping the pressure even. I find just taking my time makes all the difference.
i have a filarmonica 4/8 and it gives me the best shave. my other razors are all 5/8 and include a dovo, boker and swiss cutlery, so i don't know if it's a difference in the quality of steel or size.
admittedly, the 4/8 looks a lot wimpier than the others, but looks only go so far...
4/8 is a good size for me - I have a few concave areas to get into. The ideal all round size in my case is still 5/8 though, and stropping is indeed easier. Just recently a 3/8 Gebr. Lang "Fermarud" has entered the rotation, and it's right on the limit of what I can handle; it demands some concentration to keep the angle right. That said, it is a good shaver and you can work very accurately with it especially under the nose, but I wouldn't recommend anything narrower than a half inch razor for the average user.
My two razors are a 4/8 and a 6/8. I agree, the wider the blade is, it seems, the easier it is to strop. That said, the 4/8, properly stropped and honed, shaves excellently. The smaller blade means that it is more manuverable. You can shave in places (under nose for example) a lot easier with a 4/8 than a larger razor.
i find that every thing is slow about them, but weight isnt that why i like everything about sr shaving it slowes me down so i can enjoy the simple things in life.
I have a 4/8 that's a good shaver, but the most difficult shaver I have is an 8/8 barber's razor that's all but impossible to maneuver on the upper lip.
I too think too many shy away from 4/8 razors. An old timey barbers manual I read recommended 4/8 for beginning straight razor shavers.
I don't find them more difficult to strop as long as they have a good tang surface. Tangs that taper towards the bottom are always a PITA to strop no matter what the size of the blade IME. A 4/8 is real good for trimming around a mustache, goatee, or beard. It is a matter for personal preference for sure but, IME, they shave well overall and are more easily maneuverable than a 7/8 or larger for sure.
I have 2 4/8's and I sort of wish I hadn't bought them. I have big hands, and the tang and handle are just too small. Other sizes feel more comfortable in my hands. I have a Bonsa and a Dovo and I think will try to sell them.
I have one 4/8 and I use it in my regular rotation.
However, I find larger blades (6/8) easier to shave as their weight helps me to avoid exaggerated pressure to the skin.