Thread: The myth of the big razor

I am so damn tempted to just delete this thread outright lol!!!! How dare you insult the 8/8 and 9/8 and 12/8 (if I can ever find one)!!!!!! I think we should have a hangin tonight!

I would have responded sooner, but I have been out shooting with some good ol boys in MO and I had to catch a plane back to PA.

So here is my reasoning in no particular order:

1. they are much more pretty (disagree with me all you want...but Im not listening)
2. The hold WAY more cream and whiskers and I can concentrate on my technique instead of wiping the thing off all the time
3. They look cooler (no cool and pretty are not the same)
4. I dont care what you say...there is way more technique required when shaving with an 8/8 wedge then some 4/8 hollow ground razor...feel free to use my ear as proof
5. If you ever try one of Bill's 7/8 or larger wedges you will find that it has almost a suction effect with the skin due to the sharpness weight AND surface area, this really makes for a cool feeling and awesome shave
6. Hold an 8/8 up to a 4/8 and try not to laugh....
7. There is a load of difference between the even weight and pressure asserted by an 8/8 or large wedge and attempting to "fake" that extra weight by adding what you think is even weight and pressue and probably isnt...especially along the curves of the face.
8. and last but not least...8/8 or larger is the best...and better than all the rest...I bow to you oh great razors of size and strength...please let the razor gods shine upon me and provide me with that often talked about but rarely seen 12/8 wedge

JL is a true gentleman - see how he chose to disregard some downright provoking insinuations

... ops I forgot he is already planning to kill somebody

Originally Posted by JLStorm

I am so damn tempted to just delete this thread outright lol!!!! How dare you insult the 8/8 and 9/8 and 12/8 (if I can ever find one)!!!!!! I think we should have a hangin tonight!

I would have responded sooner, but I have been out shooting with some good ol boys in MO and I had to catch a plane back to PA.

So here is my reasoning in no particular order:

1. they are much more pretty (disagree with me all you want...but Im not listening)
2. The hold WAY more cream and whiskers and I can concentrate on my technique instead of wiping the thing off all the time
3. They look cooler (no cool and pretty are not the same)
4. I dont care what you say...there is way more technique required when shaving with an 8/8 wedge then some 4/8 hollow ground razor...feel free to use my ear as proof
5. If you ever try one of Bill's 7/8 or larger wedges you will find that it has almost a suction effect with the skin due to the sharpness weight AND surface area, this really makes for a cool feeling and awesome shave
6. Hold an 8/8 up to a 4/8 and try not to laugh....
7. There is a load of difference between the even weight and pressure of a big asserted by an 8/8 or large wedge and attempting to "fake" that extra weight by adding what you think is even weight and pressue and probably isnt...especially along the curves of the face.
8. and last but not least...8/8 or larger is the best...and better than all the rest...I bow to you oh great razors of size and strength...please let the razor gods shine upon me and provide me with that often talked about but rarely seen 12/8 wedge

Goliath awakes!

RT

Size does matter. I believe there is an ideal "weight" for a given type of beard, although heavier will always work. The coarser the beard, the tougher it's going to be to get a great shave with a smaller, lightweight blade and it's got everything to do with momentum. You don't want to use an axe to cut weeds but you don't want to use a machete to chop down trees, either. Heavier blades don't get sharper nor do they stay sharper longer. But they ARE easier to control in heavy stubble. Roll a volleyball across the yard and a bowling ball across the yard. Small stuff that will make a voleyball "bounce", "skip", "hop" or pause as it goes along won't have much affect on the bowling ball at all.

Some of the best shavers I've got are 5/8, though. I think big razors ARE overrated for their shaving and it's become something of a style thing that big razors are the most desireable. For a great shave, I think a 5/8 and 6/8 are nearly ideal. Admittedly, I prefer 6/8 but that's just for the extra weight. A good 1/4 hollow ground 5/8 has the same weight and momentum as a bigger razor and those 5/8 wedges and near wedges are among my all time favorites because they are maneuverable as any 5/8 but have the momentum and weight to feel more like a 6/8 in the hand.

I've got a 7-day set of 4/8 Tennis razors that I'm rescaling that are about as fine a shaver as was ever made, by the way. I've got nothing against the small blades. Anyone who's never tried a Bowdin's wedge, which is usually less than 4/8 probably has no idea how good a small blade can shave. And the Bowdin's wedge is CHEAP. Most sell at around 10 bucks. Because they're a wedge and not an extra extra hollow, it's hard to get one that's too rusted to fix right up, too. That makes them excellent beginner's razors, in my opinion. They're hard to screw up, cheap and are very good steel.

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

I'll add a little gas to the fire...............big razor (cigar, car, gun, etc...) , little winkie <g>



Tony

As long as she tells me its big, I can deal with that =P

Originally Posted by Billy

As long as she tells me its big, I can deal with that =P

Actually, I'd like to posit it's even better when you hear it from a disinterested third party, like how she said sth like this to her friend / roommate

Originally Posted by izlat

Actually, I'd like to posit it's even better when you hear it from a disinterested third party, like how she said sth like this to her friend / roommate

I agree...I love it when my wife tells her friends how HUGE my razors are

For those on this thread who've said forget weight, sharpness is all - I have a Wade & Butcher, 5/8 or 9/16, 'medium-size hollow ground', Lynn-sharpened three shaves ago, that I'd happily trade for something heavier.

Probably it's because I'm a newbie and my technique of adjusting pressure is uncertain, but I'm having better luck on my chin thickets with a heavier and duller (honed by me) blade.

Originally Posted by JLStorm

I agree...I love it when my wife tells her friends how HUGE my razors are

Damnit, I was suppose to not buy any more razors for a while after spending a bizzilion dollars on all this stuff, but now I HAVE to go get me a 8/8! =P

Originally Posted by Billy

Damnit, I was suppose to not buy any more razors for a while after spending a bizzilion dollars on all this stuff, but now I HAVE to go get me a 8/8! =P

<Putting another notch on his belt for converting yet another over to the dark side>