Beginner question on full hollow blades

So - noob question. I've been shaving with straight razors for about a year now, using a wedge and also a half-hollow. I got past the blood-drawing phase after a few weeks and for the past few months I've gotten very good shaves out of the razors.

I recently saw and bought a very nice Ralf Aust razor - it turns out to be a full hollow grind, and I'm not getting great shaves from it so far. If I apply my normal amount of pressure, I don't get a good shave, and if I bear down a bit more I get a little skipping and what feels like the blade flexing, especially against the grain. I even managed to nick myself for the first time in months. Am I just messing up? I've been trying to grasp the blade a little further toward the edge to keep it from flexing, but that feels wrong. Are full hollows not recommended for tough stubble?

Are you sure the razor has a good edge? If the edge is Ok, I'm going to suggest you change the angle of attack. Keep the blade spine much closer to your face, maybe 2 spine widths up from your face. Take short strokes and repeat the same stroke more than once. I only use full-hollows and they shave like a dream when properly honed. Good luck, finding your way, but you should do fine.

I agree with Dan, although i havent been sha ing with a straight as long as him. I find one to two spine widths from the skin works well as long as your razor is honed properly. The sharpness is going to make all the d8fference. I think a hollow blade shaves easier than a wedge. And if your getting the skipping its ether too much angle, not shave ready or your soap is not slick enough. Wet is one thing but slick is another when it comes to soap.
Good luck and keep trying. And no preasure. If you have to use preasure then its just not sharp enough!

Yup, a full hollow with a shave ready edge should shave any beard. I shave with the spine 1-2 spine widths between face and spine. Going ATG the razor is almost flat on my face, very little gap. So I agree with what Dan said right down to using no pressure.

Bob

Like already asked, Does the razor have a good edge? I had a Ralf Aust and it shaved very well.

Getting the angle right at first is very hard. Start with the blade flat on your face and slowly raise it until you find the sweet spot, usually 1-2 spine width off your face as others have said

I agree with the other comments. I'd have your razor professionally honed to make sure it's not the edge. A Ralf Aust is a very good razor and should give you an excellent shave if honed properly, and if your technique is sound. I don't think it has anything to do with it being a full hollow grind.

If you're using just enough pressure to remove the lather from your face, a sharp full hollow will easily remove your whiskers. The quality of the edge would be my first suspect.

Did you buy the razor new? If so the factory edge might not be up to par. You have been doing this for a while and getting good results so I would suspect the edge.

In my experience (I have now +20 Austs), Aust razors are the exception in so far that they tend to leave his workshop shave-ready.

As this seems to be your first full hollow, I would thus concentrate on the angle.
Generally, the already mentioned 1-2 spine width would be a good starting point.
Much flatter carries the risk that the edge may skip and catch in your skin (which from your description, I suspect is what is happening in your case), much steeper makes for an ineffective cutting angle.
Like many things in straight shaving, it is somewhat difficult to explain the theory behind it and the outcome depends more on trial and error to find the optimum solution.

During a shave fingers have no business on the blade, stick to the standard grip with fingers on the shank and tail (some matter of preference here: thumb below shank, 3 (or 2) fingers on top, 1 (or 2) fingers on top of tail).

Full hollow razors quickly overtook wedges and ½ hollows when they became available and in my opinion you just need some more time to come to grips whith the new style of blade.


Good luck and do persevere.


B.

Rest assured, unless your are reptilian you are not flexing the blade against your skin.

Like has been said, needs sharpening.

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Originally Posted by Wayne1963

If you're using just enough pressure to remove the lather from your face, a sharp full hollow will easily remove your whiskers. The quality of the edge would be my first suspect.

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Exactly!
If a razor is not shaving, the solution NEVER is more pressure. The edge should barely be touching your skin. The pressure should be that light.

In all honesty I think that talking in spine widths is a much easier way to explain to new sr users instead of angles and degrees.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Thisguyruns

In all honesty I think that talking in spine widths is a much easier way to explain to new sr users instead of angles and degrees.

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I fully agree. When I started to learn to shave with a straight razor 30 degrees was recommended somewhere. That never worked for me trying to estimate that. The someone mentioned 2 spine widths and it all came together.

Bob

Send it out to get honed so you can start enjoying it , I think it's hard to beat a full hollow shave . To me it gives better feed back from sound and feel over a more wedge type grind

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hobospices

So - noob question. I've been shaving with straight razors for about a year now, using a wedge and also a half-hollow. I got past the blood-drawing phase after a few weeks and for the past few months I've gotten very good shaves out of the razors.

I recently saw and bought a very nice Ralf Aust razor - it turns out to be a full hollow grind, and I'm not getting great shaves from it so far. If I apply my normal amount of pressure, I don't get a good shave, and if I bear down a bit more I get a little skipping and what feels like the blade flexing, especially against the grain. I even managed to nick myself for the first time in months. Am I just messing up? I've been trying to grasp the blade a little further toward the edge to keep it from flexing, but that feels wrong. Are full hollows not recommended for to stubble?

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Oh and from one newb to another listen to these guys around here everyone is super helpful and extremely nice more than willing to give us new guys advice , this site is great

I recomend YouTube and the many helpful topics here in the beginner section. It is sounds to me like like you're looking at it backwards, applying more than pressure to get a better shave, when it's less pressure that actually gets you a better shave.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by beluga

In my experience (I have now +20 Austs), Aust razors are the exception in so far that they tend to leave his workshop shave-ready.

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Mygod man! More than 20 Aists! That makes me feel really good about my choice or first razor.

I have very few razors compared to many here, but what I have range from full hollow to 1/4 hollow near wedge.

I prefer the thicker heavier grinds, but I still get great shaves from my full hollow. In fact the full hollow probably leaves me smoother, but I just don't like the sound it makes.

Could it be that because you are not used to hearing the sound that is what is putting you off? Maybe that's what is making you think that the blade is flexing.

Like all things practice is the key. If you bought the razor new I'm sure it was shave ready but perhaps it has been dulled by technique or stropping. I would agree with the other posters that you should get it refreshed (or do it yourself if you have the skill) and give it another go. No pressure and go slowly and don't let the sound put you off.

Many people like full hollows or even singing hollows because of the audio feedback, but it really isn't for me.

Good luck and I hope you get this sorted.

Wedge vs. full hollow.

Yes you will feel (more like hear) the difference between the two even honed to
the same degree.

Full hollow blades demand the lightest touch on a hone because they
do flex enough to confound an ideal bevel. That same light touch
will also improve a wedge.

Full hollow blades tend to have a thin bevel and take less strokes on a hone.

Stropping light, slow and smooth like any razor. Speed on a strop will come
with a year or so practice. It is not practice that makes perfect it is perfect practice
that makes perfect.

When shaving stretch the skin evenly and lift the spine half to two spine widths.
Use short shaving strokes, always a good idea. I like to shave about the width of
a postage stamp then back half that then forward one stamp. We each have
differences embrace them.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and feedback! I'm going to try everything in these responses and get this razor working for me as well as the wedge and half-hollow. I'm glad to learn that full hollows are fine for tough beards - this Aust blade is too good looking to stop using :).

I can shave with any grind and get the same results. The reason I know this is because I didn't pay attention to the grind when purchasing the razor. I have been straight shaving for 7 years. If it is properly honed and sharp this is the least of your worries.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hobospices

So - noob question. I've been shaving with straight razors for about a year now, using a wedge and also a half-hollow. I got past the blood-drawing phase after a few weeks and for the past few months I've gotten very good shaves out of the razors.

I recently saw and bought a very nice Ralf Aust razor - it turns out to be a full hollow grind, and I'm not getting great shaves from it so far. If I apply my normal amount of pressure, I don't get a good shave, and if I bear down a bit more I get a little skipping and what feels like the blade flexing, especially against the grain. I even managed to nick myself for the first time in months. Am I just messing up? I've been trying to grasp the blade a little further toward the edge to keep it from flexing, but that feels wrong. Are full hollows not recommended for tough stubble?

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As I see it there are a few things yiu should take into consideration... so checklist.

1) the grind is not the problem....many of the greatest razors made especialy for tough beards...wer hollow ground...EPBD...Puma ... Issard...aoff the top of my head...all of them had holllow blades recomended for tough beards...I cant for the love of God ever see a wedge labled ''for tough beards''.

Also I remembered the first NOS Fila 1st getn DT I got had a grind so thin that you could literarly feel it flex over your skin...the thin grind was never a problem!

2)As my coleagues before me mentioned...the edge could be a problem...although Aus razors leave with a decent blade...Getting it pro honed is a game changer sometimes...a poor face prep or poor technique may have dulled it prematurely.

3)A good face prep hot water...preshave oil and good lather will help get a more comfortable shave and make the razor's work much easier...edge will last longer.

4)Learning to pull on the skinn and use light pressure wil also help...tight pulled skin makes the razor cut hair better so less touchups are required....pressure only makes you exfoliate more skin and get iritation....worst combination is pressure/bad angle and multiple touchups..

5)Give the skin time to regenerate after an iritating shave...3-4days...use some vitaminE cream to help the skin get back in shape faster...
If you had an iritating shave and you go back in 2 days the beard may have grown but the skin is not ready yet...because the rate you exfoliate it exceeds it's rate of regeneration...

6)The technique varies a bit between the wedge and the hollow and from my personal experience I noticed the hollows are a bit more sensitive to the cutting angle issue.
You need to find the angle the blade cuts best..usualy 2spine widths going down and 1 going up is a simple way to start.

7)Stropp between passes...10-20passes...especialy if you have a tough beard this will help.

8) rinse,wipe, dry astrop and oil your razor after the shave...especialy if it is carbon steel...edge can deteriorate due to neglect and shaves become uncomfortable fast.