Thread: How many people like the skinny blades.(4/8 or less)

I have been shaving with a straight for several years now. I started with a 5/8 genco. The strop was a no name from my grandfather's basement. I had no clue how to hone or get a comfortable shave. The electric shaver killed my face and the disposables in the military were painful. About two years ago I found this site, and besides costing me a lot of money, teaching me how to maintain razors, how to use the properly honed razors, I've found my most comfortable shaves seem to be skinny razors. I've tried just about every size and grind, I always seem to get some weepers from the large blades. Plus it feels like I have better control of a lighter blade. What is your favorite"skinny"? Mine is a clauberg tonsilar gem.

I have several 4/8 and they are generally my favorite size for shaving. A Spike and a Daniel Herder currently in rotation. Also a 3/8 Shumate Tungsteel and a 3/8 Edmund Roffler that I use now and then for trimming around my goatee and some places on my neck. I agree, I feel I have good control with the 4/8s. But I also have larger, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16 and 6/8 in rotation and I enjoy the constant contrast in handling between the different sizes. I'll tell you tho, weepers don't come from larger sizes. I don't care the about the size, its my momentary lack of concentration that causes the nicks and weepers. And they don't have to be sharp points either.

I have a 5/8 Ralph Aust and a 3/8 (I think) Pabst & Kohler. Although still new to this sport, I am currently favoring the P&K. It seems to be easier to control than the RA, and not quite as bloodthirsty.
Of course that could be due to my questionable honing skills, too.

I have a couple 4/8ish blades of different grinds that aren't in my rotation per se but get used to get a couple hairs right at the base of each side of my nose. I usually bring one in to compliment a larger blade that I am not as comfortable with that close to my nose. Other than that, I have a small kinfolks wedge that I used frequently before my RAD really kicked in....its now in the drawer unused for months

Chris

I have a few 4/8 in my rotation (all ducks). When I first pick them up I think, " ahh do I really want to use this", but you know what ? I never get a bad shave out of them.

I have a NOS Soderen fauxback in a 4/8. Have to admit, I have been thinking about selling it, but this thread makes me wonder if I shouldn't give the smaller razors a chance.

I've got a little Swedish 4/8 in ivory I shaved with yesterday. Every time I'm about to take it out of my rotation I shave with it & guess what...its still there. I just hate stropping the little buggers as I have to be very careful not to roll the edge. You would think I'm a newb!

I have a few 4/8 razors and they are not my favourite sized razors. That is not because they don't shave as well as any others but I find them difficult to strop relative to a slightly larger sized razor. I also find having to clean the blade off more often when shaving compared to larger sized razors a bit annoying. Wish I liked them more as even NOS 4/8 razors are relative bargains compared to the larger sizes.

Bob

I only have on 4/8 Cox and Son "easy shaver" and I like it alot compared to my others. If I feel like my prep wasn't as good as it should have been then I will use the 4/8 or if my other blades aren't up to snuff then I will use the 4/8 as it propably has the most consistent results for me. It doesn't give me problems for stropping anymore but thats because when I first got it, it was all I used for a while and so I got used to flipping.

Gotta say I like them with a 4/8 Kraut & Dohnal "Damascus" in spotted horn great for trimming around beards etc, a BIEDERMEIER 42 4/8 H.EICKER & SOHNE yellow celluloid and a 4/8 KRON-PUNKT black celluloid with inlay in the workshop for some TLC
And my mystery Acier Fondu is very close to a 4/8 now after who knows how many grinds in 200 years nearly