Thread: First Shave with 4/8 Blade

I too find a 4/8 to be better at getting under curves and corners, but I find the length of the blade to be more of a factor than the width

And I still have a strong preference for my small wedges over my small hollows

I think I read somewhere that a 4/8 can be harder for beginners to strop correctly. Is that strictly true?
Why is it a 4/8 and not a 1/2, 6/8 instead of 3/4 etc?

It's just an old standard to express blade widths in 1/8ths of an inch, while some use 1/16ths of an inch for off-size blades.

Originally Posted by bjorn

I've had a 4/8 wedge and it was fun to shave with, there's something about the maneuverability of the "small" blade and the weight that made it an outstanding shaver, but in a moment of stupidity I sold it

4/8 are harder to hone than the wider blades though! You have to be much more careful since so little is actually resting on the stone.