Thread: Anyone know the best full hollow razor

Originally Posted by RobinK

Well, yes. Let's measure them, shall we? I'm very much in favour of science over folk lore. But you know that

Robin

Now, that sounds like a good project for a person such as yourself with all the contacts you have in the industry and the plethora of razors available from them to measure. That would also give some scientific basis to make a judgement for the rest of us rather than the musings of the old timers from Solingen. Also, it would be interesting to see if their musing would be substantiated by measuring.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

Now, that sounds like a good project for a person such as yourself with all the contacts you have in the industry and the plethora of razors available from them to measure. That would also give some scientific basis to make a judgement for the rest of us rather than the musings of the old timers from Solingen. Also, it would be interesting to see if their musing would be substantiated by measuring.

Funnily enough, that is what some of us suggested a few (well, eight) years ago. We even had an electrostatic electron microscope ready.

But for some reason, the Filarmonica fanbois and the Dubl Duck shills never sent us their blades.

Makes me wonder why.

As for the "musings of the old timers from Solingen": Whom would you trust, a retired German craftsman, or some American amateur with a vested commercial interest hawking honemiester [sic!] "services"?

Originally Posted by RobinK

Funnily enough, that is what some of us suggested a few (well, eight) years ago. We even had an electrostatic electron microscope ready.

But for some reason, the Filarmonica fanbois and the Dubl Duck shills never sent us their blades.

Makes me wonder why.

As for the "musings of the old timers from Solingen": Whom would you trust, a retired German craftsman, or some American amateur with a vested commercial interest hawking honemiester [sic!] "services"?

You need not wait for Fillis or DDs as there are plenty on your side of the pond. I would trust the results of your electrostatic electron microscope survey if it had been done.

Bob

Seems that a ball end micrometer would suffice. Though the variety of possible grind profiles would probably still make any conclusions highly subjective.

Somehow this went from "Best" to "Most"

Best is in the hands of the honer and shaver

Most hollow can be proved, but if you ain't measuring the NY made, especially Little Valley area razors then you are not looking at some of the thinnest grinds.


The thinnest I have honed by feel, which can't be proved

#1 A Carl Monkhouse that Gugi sent me for a rescale years ago I am pretty sure that was made after he moved to the US
#2 A USA Made Boker TE95II
#3 A Geneva "Next"


The thinnest most exact grind I have ever honed on a custom razor came from Butch Harner that he did years ago especially for me, he also said he would never grind another that thin

Originally Posted by bluesman7

Seems that a ball end micrometer would suffice. Though the variety of possible grind profiles would probably still make any conclusions highly subjective.

Measuring at the thinnest part of the grind on each would be subjective right ??? you would have to do multiple measurements on each blade I would think

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Measuring at the thinnest part of the grind on each would be subjective right ??? you would have to do multiple measurements on each blade I would think

Would you use the mean,medium , or mode of these measurements?

Originally Posted by 32t

Would you use the mean,medium , or mode of these measurements?

I don't know

I do know when I am weighing Brass for Accuracy Loads I use the Mode and separate brass into groups using that system, But for this, I am not sure what would be most accurate.
We have to accept that the Grinding machine has it's own variables too, even with a "Perfect Grind" there would be minute differences along the grind when you get down to the nitty gritty..

Also what if the thinnest spots on each side of the blade match up and create a "Valley" at that spot or the opposite create a "Hump"
when we start measuring at a micron level things get a little more difficult.

As probably has been said, if you wanna know the best full hollow razor => the honejob and edge that has been put on the blade and how you shave with it matters much more than anything else imo, if we start with a quality razor.

For me, it's also much more important what type of grind you prefer and shave with than with what brand, as long as it's good quality. A test shave between a big name vintage Solingen vs unknown vintage quality Solingen blade of the same grind will tell you that it's not at all about the stamp on the blade.

Anyhow, instead of drooling and salivating over brandnames, I go after certain grinds of blades, the shaving difference is much bigger than differences in brands.

It's subjective, but all my full hollows shave the same, all my half hollows and all my wedges and near wedges too, when all honed up the same way.

I personally prefer the later Swedish framebacks. Top notch shavers, special type of grind that I prefer over anything else. I find that they shave as efficient as a heavier grind and plows through anything with the smoother feel of a more hollower grind. I dig, I dig.

To each his own. The grind of the razor, the edge of your (finishing) stone(s) and your shaving technique (for me very light pressure + scything strokes) will do the most imo.

I have one and it's a fine razor alright but so are a thousand and one other vintage razors out there.

I think any claim that any one razor is heads above others requires some detailed evidence.