Thread: preferred blades for shaving.

I dig the sound of a hollow or semi mowing the whiskers. In the beginning, the auditory feedback of hollow blades told me if my angle was too high.

It don't matter anymore, I use and like them all.

This little phrase from Conan the barbarian comes to mind

What is steel, compared to the hand that wields it.

The tip is the business end. The business end is what makes the darn thing work well or not. Focus on that and you will see that there isn't much difference between a hollow or a wedge. And if they are the same cutting angle I will even say no difference to the end result. Making noise or silent is irrelevant to a good shave. A deaf man could shave with a noisy extra hollow. And it doesn't matter. Lol.

Personal preference plays a part in what tool we use for almost anything we do. So why would it not be the same in shaving?

These were honed by the same Person so the edge is shave ready. Both are Hollow grinds and To date I have never enjoyed the shave from the Dovo but the Special is a pleasure to shave with.




and so far my favorite shaver is heavy grind. Maybe for the same reason I prefer to flip a jig into heavy cover over a dropshotting a fineness worm (fisherman will get it)

All things being equal in terms of edge keenness I find the grind affects how you feel about the shave but not really the quality of the cutting. What makes the most difference in my experience is the shape of the point. For beginners a round point is useful for preventing nicks and cuts. Even after all the years I still gig myself once in awhile with a Spanish or spike point.
What I enjoy most these days is the big FBUs but I'll admit most of that is perception. However, the steel is very good which plays a big part and the notched point with the edge that makes it around the curve at the end certainly helps with tight spots. Still, after the face is dried and the razor hits the stand my dad's little 4/8 square point J.A. Henckels 401 does the same job.

In my early stages in this hobby I did go though a short phase of preferring heavy grinds. They are worth trying and some people will continue to prefer them over full hollows.

Judging based on my collection, my preference lies with vintage extra hollow grinds in 7/8. The larger size gives the heft I enjoy while still having the flex of a full hollow for a closer shave. I personally believe that a finely ground razor attests to the degree of craftsmanship involved in making a razor.

A full hollow is also easier to sharpen and maintain, not requiring tape or other hacks. Something for a beginner to consider. There is a reason why most barbers preferred full hollows as the tool of their trade.

I would also add that not all razor brands are created equally. I am not a fan of modern production dovo razors.

I do find it interesting that all three of the big makers: Germany, Great Britain and the US made their best razors prewar. One could argue (and it would be interesting to see if there is actual data on that) that all three used up much of their really good steel making armaments. I suppose It's also possible that many of the master grinders were either displaced or killed in the war which could have affected the quality also. Either way it is an interesting phenomenon.

I too do have a fondness for the big wide extra hollow ground razors. One of my very best shavers is a Henry Sears and Son Queen 7/8. As Wayne said I too like the ring of that great big hollow ground blade as it sings through the whiskers. I'll agree with Slur too that it makes a lot of difference honing your own razors because then you can fine tune it to your specific likes. I personally prefer the really hard natural stones like Arks, nephrite and other granite hard stones but I can see why someone would really like coticules. I like them too I just prefer a more crisp edge and less butteriness. Plus honing your own gives you the freedom to go back to it immediately if it doesn't perform the way you want. In addition I just like autonomy. There's no substitute for being self-sufficient.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

I do find it interesting that all three of the big makers: Germany, Great Britain and the US made their best razors prewar. One could argue (and it would be interesting to see if there is actual data on that) that all three used up much of their really good steel making armaments. I suppose It's also possible that many of the master grinders were either displaced or killed in the war which could have affected the quality also. Either way it is an interesting phenomenon.

I think people underestimate or just don't know about the fairly immediate impact the Gillette safety razor had on the straight razor. I think from reading it was something like by 1920 around 80% of men had switched over, pretty high conversion rate in the 15 years from its introduction.

The straight is razor more a tool for shaving another person than oneself in terms of it's ergonomics, to this day I absolutely cringe when I see someone shaving across the face with the blade held in a position perpendicular to the ground, just asking to get a cut imo. Every now and again when I shave with a DE (old Gillette New from the 20's/30's) I totally 'get it' and why men would make the shift.

Anyway once you combine that precipitous drop in users with the tragic events of the early 20th century, the deaths of many skilled men along with the rise of the USA as the worlds premier industrial and cultural force it spelled the end of the straight for all intents.

I always get a chuckle from some of the occasional internet bickering (and calls I've had with people who will go hitherto unnamed) about so and so is hurting/killing the straight razor industry. King C Gillette I'm sure is chuckling along too.

The straight razor is dead, long live the straight razor.

Originally Posted by Audels1

Personal preference plays a part in what tool we use for almost anything we do. So why would it not be the same in shaving?

These were honed by the same Person so the edge is shave ready. Both are Hollow grinds and To date I have never enjoyed the shave from the Dovo but the Special is a pleasure to shave with.




and so far my favorite shaver is heavy grind. Maybe for the same reason I prefer to flip a jig into heavy cover over a dropshotting a fineness worm (fisherman will get it)

I get it.

Like DE razors and blades, there are a lot of different preferences in straight razors. With my coarse beard and sensitive skin, I tend to prefer full hollow, extra full hollow and belled hollow razors. I do have a couple of 1/2 hollow and 1/4 hollow razors, but I much prefer the thinner grinds for my beard and face. The problem with a thin edge is that my coarse beard dulls the edge quickly. Thus, I have to touch up the edge frequently. I can shave with a 1/4 hollow razor, but I do not enjoy the experience.

Also, I prefer 6/8 th and 7/8 th width blades. I have difficulty maintaining the proper blade angle with 5/8 th razors. I do not have any 8/8 th or larger blades.