Thread: My new 4/8: Is it just me?

I'm struggling to get a good shave from my first 4/8 blade (my previous two SRs are both 5/8). It's shave-ready from Larry at Whipped Dog, who has a very strong reputation, so I think it's more likely a learning-curve issue on my part, rather than that Larry goofed one.

Background: I used shave-ready blades from Lynn a number of years back, so I have that benchmark. And I succeed (with occasional setbacks) at maintaining my edges, shaving off the Norton 8k (and, more recently, from the Chinese Guangxi), and even patiently re-bevelling up from the Norton 4k. I can normally manage a DFS on two passes, and when my honing mojo is humming, a BBS on three passes and a touch-up pass.

Shave 01: Received the 4/8 shave-ready, did _not_ strop it, prepped as usual, with a somewhat-thick 2.5-day beard. Felt what seemed like a _lot_ of tugging on the first stroke, sideburn-to-jawline: if it were my own honing job, I would think that I had botched it. I bailed out, finishing with my self-honed Wester Bros 5/8. I cleaned the new shave-ready 4/8, stropped it 20/20 (linen/leather) and set it aside.

Shave 02: Wondering if I just have to get used to the lighter heft and greater flex of a 4/8, I decided to tackle a lighter beard: one day's growth (I usually shave every second day). Stropped with special care 20/60 (linen/leather). Paying attention to grip and angles, I got a fair 2-pass shave (N-S, S-N), even managing the Fool's Pass…but the jawline and lower cheeks were uneven, and my chin was hopeless. Even with 3rd and 4th XTG passes, lots of prominant stubble there, almost as if the chin hadn't been touched. My chin growth is wiry, but I don't flatter myself that I'm sprouting oak trees there.

I know Larry is great about exchanges, but I'm happy to take the time to get to know a new razor before giving up. Can the above be attributed to my being unfamiliar with the 4/8? Pic:

Attachment 153614

Hate to say it but it might be just you. After many years and experience with 5/8 through 15/16 I ventured into 4/8 territory this year. Enjoyed the first one so much I now have five. They give me my quickest straight shaves with almost can't miss BBS every time. I am not after speed but they are so efficient and easy to use. Don't know why more gents aren't into them.

You might try a little time on a finishing stone or some paste on a linen or paddle strop.

In my opinion, the difference between a 4/8 and a ⅝ ain't all that big.
If you get good shaves using a ⅝, while experiencing tugging with the smaller one, I would look at the honing of the razor.
While many can deliver a shave ready edge, none of us have a track record of 100% perfect every time

yep, like they said if you are ok with a 5/8s a 4/8s should not make a difference. Look at the razor readiness state as the culprit.

So I got to the bottom of this. I brought the razor to the latest Chicago meet up. Utopian helped me see what was going on: From heel all the way to toe, the bevel wasn't reaching the edge. Definitely not a blade that should have shipped. Utopian honed it up in about 15 minutes.

Since I now had a shave-ready razor in hand, I used the non-destructive tests I know and took notes, so that I would have that "benchmark" later: arm hair of different color and coarseness; looked at under strong light; looked at under 60x scope.

Shaved with it today with my usual 2+ pass shave (the chin gets a 3rd pass). The 4/8 definitely struggles a bit with my coarsest hair (the chin) compared with a 5/8, but it all came off by the 3rd pass without irritation. The greater "mobility" of the narrower blade is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, the narrow blade offers approaches to the upper lip and even the chin not available with the 5/8+. On the other hand, just as it's a bit harder to keep it flat when stropping, it's a bit harder to maintain the shaving angle. I'm sure that practice will take care of that though, since this was my first time with the 4/8.

Thanks to Utopian and to those who chimed in on this thread.