Thread: Pros and cons of a full hollow ground straight razor

looking at a dovo 5/8 that's a full hollow ground.

Sounds like a winner to me. I like full hollow. The more the better. Or should i say less as in less steal. Some will say the grind dont mater. Sounds like a nice razor for beginning the SR fun.

It really is something every individual has to try to know whether they like one grind or another. Same with the blade width. The 5/8 FH is probably the most common size produced by the factories for decades. Say that to say they are popular for good reason. A full hollow has more flex than a 1/4 hollow, but is generally easier to hone, and a 5/8 won't have much flex at all. Getting into 7/8 and above IME you can feel the flex on your cheek. I think it is a good choice though.

Originally Posted by bigman

looking at a dovo 5/8 that's a full hollow ground.

First razor for you?

When I was getting my first, a lot of folks advise you to NOT do a full hollow for your first SR as they feel it's harder to master. I ignored that advice and did OK. I subsequently bought a nice 1/4 hollow and like it just as much as the full hollow. It shaves "quieter" than the full hollow and seems to be a bit smoother, but that may have nothing to do with the grind (or it may).

I love full hollows, the only grind I use. My first razor was a full hollow (Hamburg Ring) The only thing that I would say is to consider a 6/8 if it is your first razor. When I started I found larger razors a lot easier to strop and use. The wider blade is easier to hold angles with and is more stable lying flat on the strop. No matter what you decide, happy shaving.

Welcome to the forum.

There is a reason that there are so many vintage 5/8 and a slightly lesser extent 6/8 straight razors on the used market. They are less costly than the bigger sizes and do the job nicely. I do not recall seeing a barber using a large sized blade back when they were giving straight razor shaves. Personally I lean more to a 6/8 size.

IIRC the barbers back then were using full hollows and they shaved every imaginable beard type with them. Long story short, medium sized full hollows will definitely do the job if you do your part.

The factory edges on modern production razors can be hit or miss. For that reason I would suggest buying your razor from a reputable retailer who hones them to shave ready in shop prior to sending them out to customers.

Although I lean towards full hollows, I do shave with everything from them on up to near wedge grinds. They all will do the job with a shave ready edge.

Bob

Everything that Bob said. That should be a good starter blade for you until you find your skin and beard type and whether or not a different size or grind will be better suited for the job. I personally prefer 6/8" full hollow (give or take an eighth) and even have some extra hollows in my rotation. there's no wrong answer in my opinion but the blade you have in mind would likely be a good start

I don't know the validity or the source, but I once read that the advent of the full hollow grind was considered a major advancement in straight razor development. I certainly feel that way.

As to pro's and con's. The only con that I can think of is that full hollows are more sensitive to pressure when honing. Once that is understood it's not really a con. The extra mass of heavier grinds does seem to help beginning shavers and people with unsteady hands. Also some people do not like the auditory feedback of full hollows. I see (hear?) the feedback as a plus.

My only razor is a quarter hollow Portland Razor Company Sprite, and I am very pleased. My research led me to the fact that the quarter hollow was more forgiving than the full hollow, and forgiving is a word that resonates with me. I have had no issues with this razor, or the face which it attends to. It is the shorter (2") model, 6/8, and it does what it is supposed to do, and the length makes it easier, at least for me, to navigate. Just my $.02.

Bite the bullet and buy one of each to find out what YOU like best. Once you start down this slippery slope, you're going to end up buying one (or more) of each anyway LOL.