Thread: On the benefits of a square edge / spike - from a newbie

I'm not sure if, at a whole 2 posts, I've sufficiently graduated from the "beginners" forum to be posting here yet so I'll take any "this has been covered n00b" rebukes right on the chin.

Monday this week I received my first straight razor from a ShaveSmith - a T. Noonan Bros & Co full hollow 5/8 spike shipped "shave ready" pictured below (photo credit to ShaveSmith)



I was warned about the spike prior to my purchase, but as my primary purpose for buying into a straight after using a DE was because I keep a short beard / corporate stubble I wanted something to keep clean lines and curves under the jaw and above the cheeks, and I had heard good things about square points for detail work.

3 shaves in and I'm absolutely hooked. There is no chance in hell I would have been able to get the precision out of a DE, much less a cartridge, that this thing is providing. Individual outlying hairs under the nose but not quite part of the moustache - gone. Neck / jawline is no longer an unbalanced curve but a neat elipsis. Sideburn to cheek curves are going great, and I think the electric beard trimmer might get more of a rest than it's used to as well, given the ability to just pop any rogue fast-growing hairs off at the level of the stubble or beard.

I took a picture the morning after my first shave just for an idea of the shape I'm going for. It's looking much less scrappy now that I've got some of my angles a bit better sorted. I've found (interestingly) that any nicks I'm getting (which are minor and few in number thank goodness) seem to be in places I had no issues with using a DE, and those parts I did sometimes find blood with a DE are now the easier parts to shave with the straight (I have a few south-to-north spots and one east-west patch under the jawline which often gave me grief).



In short - very impressed with the blade, the point and will highly recommend to anybody I know looking for some precision around the edges of a maintained beard / stubble.

I am concerned of how much the hobby may cost though. If my relationship with fountain pens and guitars is anything to go by, this may be an expensive journey.

LOL on the expensive journey ....... I resemble that remark. Nothing wrong with beginning with a spike point. Especially for your purpose. I'd suggest you look into a Spanish point for your next purchase, they are even more useful in precision sculpting of beard or goatee. A couple of slices in front of my ear taught me to keep an eye on where the point is at all times, if you do that, you can't go wrong.

After trying my first square point, I liked it so much that every razor since then has had one, AND a square heel.

Since the terms seem to be getting used interchangeably here, some clarification is in order.

A spike point and a square point are not the same thing. Both have the lines of the edge and the perpendicular end of the blade approach each other at a 90 degree angle. A spike point has those two lines meeting at a square ninety degree angle, while a square point has the meeting of those two lines slightly rounded over at the vertex.

A spike point is a ninety degree angle.
A square point is a ninety degree angle that has been rounded over.

Functionally they are almost the same, but a spike can be gently muted to make it a bit less likely to create new scars!

Thanks for the clarification, but now it brings up a question of scale. I try to maintain a spike point on my razors, but under magnification I still see some rounding.

I like the spike point razors and definitely agree on the precision when using them. But, as an old fat man with ear lobes that seem to grow more every year, I find that I slice them in a heart beat every time I use a spike. Other than that, I think they are fine, but then I think all the straight razor shapes are fine. One thing to watch out for though is your angles and the length of the blade when shaving to make sure you don't angle the spike into the face during any given stroke. Definitely need to pay attention.

Nice razor!!

I started out with both round and square points. It was inexperience that sent me to here on the S R Place for guidance and after reading and talking to the more experienced (Old Fat men with ear lobes that grow) I've learned to use all points and sizes. Point is don't give up on any of the points out there. they all have there uses. I use my square points for trimming and the others when I just want a good shave with out using my glasses. enjoy the ride.

Originally Posted by Lynn

I like the spike point razors and definitely agree on the precision when using them. But, as an old fat man with ear lobes that seem to grow more every year, I find that I slice them in a heart beat every time I use a spike. Other than that, I think they are fine, but then I think all the straight razor shapes are fine. One thing to watch out for though is your angles and the length of the blade when shaving to make sure you don't angle the spike into the face during any given stroke. Definitely need to pay attention.

Nice razor!!

To me that sums it up nicely. Get sloppy with the point and you could wind up with a nice Dueling Scar. Unfortunately for me scarred ear lobes don't count.

Bob

Congratulations and job well done. Just remember to respect the spike and you will be OK. So far the only nicks I have gotten so far were a result of not paying attention and getting careless. Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the encouragement and advice gents. I think the risk of nicking an earlobe is somewhat reduced by the fact that I keep a beard with sideburns, so the tip generally doesn't travel that far out.

Interesting to know the difference between a spike and square point as well - I hadn't seen the distinction made before and just assumed them to be the same thing. I'm very keen to pick up a round and maybe a spanish at some point in the not too distant future. I might check out something on the lower end of the price spectrum and see if I can't work up my honing chops while I'm at it!