Thread: Extra Hollow Full Hollow and tough beards

I was reading through the thread on the Wacker razors http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ackerfans.html And it was noted about larger blades and stiffness especially on tougher beards or whiskers. Last night I was visiting with John Crowley about the Wackers and he asked me if my beard was wiry, because it if it was, then Extra Hollow might not be a good choice. A 1/2 Hollow, 1/4 Hollow or even wedge grind give better shaves with very stiff beards.

So it got me to thinking that a new question could arise. The attributes of a Extra Hollow, thin blades, do not lend themselves to people that have rather coarse beards? Too much flex at the cutting edge?

I've also noticed in my Wade & Butcher " The Celebrated Extra Hollow Ground Razor" that it says on the blade seems more like some of the others that say Full Concave or Full Hollow Ground. I have had an excellent shave with it, and comparable every bit to the Revisor 1/1 Full Hollow razor I have. One, W&B made in Sheffield, England, the Revisor, and quite a few others, made in Solingen, Germany.

I have never had that experience,
IMHO if you know what you are doing and the razor is properly honed there will be no difference.
My beard is pretty thick, I prefer hollows to wedges and they shave me just fine.

As Stefan said, I've never felt that the heavier grinds does better at heavy or coarse beards.
Properly honed, with the right technique, any blade I have tried has gotten me very good results.
I also shave my head, and even against the grain at the back of my head, a full hollow mows thru like it's nobody's business. This topic, I'm sure, will be of the YMMV kind

I've noticed some full hollow grinds feel "stiffer" than other full hollow grinds. I know my T.I. full hollow feels different than some of my Solingen full hollow blades. But would agree that you can get great shaves with anything from wedges to full hollows it's just what feel you prefer.

I've got a beard like that and I can shave with any grind. My least favorite is the extra hollow and my most favorite would be Swedish framebacks (real or faux) and 1/2 hollows.

I think this is a misconception based on the fact that half-hollows, wedges, etc. tend to be heavier. In my experience, a heavier blade will shave a tough beard more easily. Or a light beard, for that matter. Of course, that assumes equal edges; the edge is by far the most important variable.

YMMV...
What a wonderful phrase.

YMMV
Ain't no passing craze

YMMV
It means no answer, for the rest of yer days

It's our problem free, Philosophy, YMMV


Sung to the tune of Lion King's "Hakuna Matata"

Temper and amount of C in the steel will play more role compare to grind of the blade.
shaving will be different.
usually hollow blades will sing.
wedge are silent shaver.
hope this helps.

I was kind of thinking more on the lines of scientific theories rather than YMMV ideas. *S* Example, say one person has a rather stiff larger face whisker and the extra hollow glides along the face and connects. Is it more likely to flex up and skim over the whisker, cutting of course, but leaving the whisker with a longer "pointed" end on it (the whisker) as compared to a 1/2 or Full Hollow that has enough stiffness in the blade edge, to meet the hair and literally "plow right through", leaving behind a more blunt end on the whisker? Kind of like whether you cut firewood with a chain saw and cut square to the wood, or cut at an angle and leaves behind a piece of wood resembling the end of a hypodermic needle. If you have normal to light beard hair thickness would you find more comfort of the blade against your skin then with the Extra Hollow?

This guy couldn't make up his mind on which grind.....

I don't think anything beyond YMMV is possible. If someone tells you that their beard is thick and needs a quarter hollow and someone else tells you their beard is thick and they get the best shaves from full hollows, I think it must be a YMMV situation.