Thread: Extra Hollow Full Hollow and tough beards

Not to belabor the point but .... in the 1980s I used to collect straight razors. I went to many, many barber shops and asked the then old barbers if they had any old razors they wanted to sell. I went to shops all over north jersey. Newark, Patterson, Belleville, Kearny .... on and on. Those old guys favored full hollow dubl ducks, FWE Specials and Leaders, and other full hollow razors. I don't surmise this, I asked and they told me. They had been professionals for 40 or 50 years back when they frequently gave every Tom, Dick and Harry shaves. They probably didn't analyze the relationship between edge, grind and whisker much more than using what worked best for them day after day, year after year.

Originally Posted by Gibbs

He was a seasoned shaver, some 10 years IIRC, so it was not some newbie just getting a bad cut on a razor. He had been at this a very long time. He felt, objectively, that because the way the razor flexed, it gave way to "his" cut on his beard.

Some thoughts:

"Even monkeys can fall from trees" ~ 10 years doesn't guarantee you cut free shaving

Maybe the razor was too sharp. Yes, I'm joking

Say I have a tough beard & shave with 2 extra hollow razors. One shaves well, the other poorly. If I only had experienced one of those razors would my opinion be biased ?

Lastly, I refer you to this post of Jimmy's. These instructions bear reading well.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...-use-care.html

Thanks for the link, Oz!! I see that Jimmy had even back then found out about wiry beard and thinnes of blades.. Jimmy's post #4 "I also found the blade selection suggestions interesting. For a heavy coarse beard a too thin blade should not be used unless someone is somewhat of an expert in handling the razor. Also that holding it at a right angle to the skin and scraping will only irritate the skin, spoil the edge and cause the best razor to fail. "

I have always dipped the razor in hot water before putting it to my face. Even before reading this post. It adds fresh water to the soap on the face and hot as well. It helps to lubricate and glide the razor across the face. Drying out soap doesn't cut as nicely as freshened up soap lather. I even dip the brush in the hot water when shaving, lightly, and give the drier areas that I'm about to shave a freshening of water. I assumed that every one knew to do this? I've done it for 30 years wet shaving with a DE or single edge razor.

Originally Posted by Gibbs

Thanks for the link, Oz!!

No problemo.

I even dip the brush in the hot water when shaving, lightly, and give the drier areas that I'm about to shave a freshening of water. I assumed that every one knew to do this? I've done it for 30 years wet shaving with a DE or single edge razor.

"Never assume"

Gibbs,

I sometimes think my whiskers are made from hardened high-carbon steel

I have had no problems shaving with my Dovo Prima Klang and my Genco Fluid Steel; and conversly my whiskers have had no ill effects on the razors edges.

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Thanks for that, Russ! I'll sleep better tonight.... well, as soon as my heartburn goes away. Ate too late, now up for a bit.. LOL.
It was nice to hear from someone with a DOVO Prima Klang. I've often wondered about those razors for smoothness of shave. I have a Wade & Butcher that says "The Celebrated Extra Hollow Ground" on the blade, and it shaves wonderful, but I can't say that it is a truly singing blade. The closest I've come to having something in the class of the Prima Klang was the A. Fiest & Co. Monterna, but it had a crack in it and I reduced it to 9/16 blade to eliminate the curling hair size crack on the blade edge. I probably lost the relationship of the extra hollow in the removing of about 0.087" of the blade's edge.

I'm glad that your whiskers succumb to the Prima Klang! I think they are one of the better made razors made by DOVO.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I remember the first time I read on the forum about a member feeling a full hollow flexing on his face when he shaved with it. Next time I shaved with one I noticed it too. Not with all but with some. There is no doubt in my mind that we all don't have the same density or thickness of whiskers. Being a pro tattooer for a couple of decades I know we don't have the same skin.

That said, if you aren't a barber shaving many different people how do you know if your beard is tough or not ? Compared to what ? I used to think mine was but reading descriptions of other members and their shaves has me convinced mine couldn't be. I can get bbs in two passes every time and one pass sometimes. I've never shaved anyone else's whiskers so cannot compare.

Now as far as grind, most pro barbers I've known, and that is one hell of a lot of them, used full hollow ground razors most of the time. They encountered every whisker type there is day after day. This would lead me to believe that a well honed quality full hollow will shave any beard type as well as any other grind ..... YMMV

When I used a multi-blade, they would last about 4-5 shaves and start to really pull. I have friends that used a multi-blade for months at a time without pulling.

I prefer 1/4 hollow due to the weight of the blade.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Not to belabor the point but .... in the 1980s I used to collect straight razors. I went to many, many barber shops and asked the then old barbers if they had any old razors they wanted to sell. I went to shops all over north jersey. Newark, Patterson, Belleville, Kearny .... on and on. Those old guys favored full hollow dubl ducks, FWE Specials and Leaders, and other full hollow razors. I don't surmise this, I asked and they told me. They had been professionals for 40 or 50 years back when they frequently gave every Tom, Dick and Harry shaves. They probably didn't analyze the relationship between edge, grind and whisker much more than using what worked best for them day after day, year after year.

Now i know why I cannot find an antique razor in northern NJ.

I agree to some extend with everyone. The hollow-grounds is a product of better technology rather then a better shaver.

It's the same argument and I still say the same answer to it. If you needed a particular grind to cut a particular beard type the barbers back in the day would have had an arsenal of straights of all sizes and grinds to best tackle a particular beard type. However as Jimmy said, they didn't. They favored Full Hollows and mostly 5/8s and 6/8s and they managed to cut all beard types and give outstanding shaves too. So how was this possible?

If you think you need a certain grind and get better results you are the factor. You need to ask yourself what you are doing different. Are you using size and weight as a "crutch" in place of some skill? Maybe you are holding the razor so as to "flex" the edge too much. I don't know but all I do know is I don't have no peachfuzz and I can get the same quality shave no matter the size or grind.

I've got a tough beard and sensitive skin and I get a great shave out of all my blades, from wedge to full hollow. As long as they're well honed then they'll shave you well IMO.

This is definitely a YMMV thing and really down to each individuals taste and what they like.