Wedge

[tcadien]

Been getting really good shaves for a couple months with my Torrey and my Hibbard & Spencer, both of which are full hollow. Switched today to my Frederic Reynolds wedge. Man it was rough. I shaved with it once but just cheeks to check it out with good results, but today I experienced quite a bit of pulling. Changed angles a couple of times with minimal success. I know the razor is sharp, so I am whittling it down to technique. Any pointers on angles for the wedge?

[ace]

I don't have angle issues with the wedges I use. I'd be inclined to question your razor's sharpness. A sharp wedge tends to go right through whatever it encounters.

[regularjoe]

I'd also say it's a sharpness thing. The only way your angle may change would depend on the depth of the blade. Say your full hollows are 5/8, and now you're trying to shave with a 8/8 wedge. Things will be a little different. But moving from a 5/8 full hollow to a 5/8 wedge doesn't change my technique at all. Other than I'm considerably more careful, as the heavier wedge doesn't ever get hung up on a pimple or mole. It just cuts them off. Anyways, if you're certain there is no additional sharpness to be acheived, I'm stumped.

[pinklather]

Heavy Sheffields are my penance for some life of evil I must have lived at some point. They aren't hard to hone, but just alot of work. But to your point, I encounter edge degradation with them more than any other. On half a dozen, it was a metal integrity issue - the edge collapsed and the exposed metal looked porous - like cast metal. I don't know, but am guessing this is some kind of inclusion or flaw in the metal itself. It appeared over time with several. Shaved fine over a period of time, then seemed like it just didn't want to hold an edge. On a couple this sequence happened more than once. I've seen in in the harder Soligens also (including my fav. Wacker), but much less often.
It will be interesting if your next few honings of this blade include incidents of chipping.

[Morty]

I'm with Ace on this one. I get just as good a shave with my W&B wedge as I do with my Double Duck full hollow. Any difference in shaving quality I might notice between them gets remedied with a quick touch up on my finishing stone.

Don't overthink angles; straight razor shaving isn't like painting by numbers. Learn to trust your right brain. When you trust your right brain, it will lead your hands into the correct stretch, angle and stroke for a superior shave.
Namaste,
Morty -_-

[alb1981]

I can only use my wedges on 2days growth or more. Then they are fantastic. When I try to use them on less, they just don't make me happy....i guess that's why I have so many different razors and grinds, so I can match my beard and mood lol after all variety is the spice of life

[tcadien]

Thanks guys maybe I rolled it on the strop by accident. I'll check back in a day or two with sharpness results

[mcgyver74]

I agree with checking the sharpness, I find my W&B wedge easier to shave with then my extra hollow's (IE they require less thinking about pressure/angles)

[gssixgun]

My problem with heavy razors is the pressure, I forget to back it down a notch and then they don't cut well, after you check the edge remember to dial it back some to compensate for the weight

Just a thought

[carlmaloschneider]

My De Pews is pretty wedgy, though not a true wedge. My first razor was a full hollow 5/8, and then I got a biggish W&B; I hated it. So much that I traded it after shaving once. I haven't use any other heavier razors, so my experience is limited.

After rotating several other thinner, lighter razors and getting some experience, when I got the De Pews I found I could appreciate its heaviness and thickness and less flexible blade more than before. One thing I missed when I first used a heavier razor was to NOT try and compensate for the tactile and auditory feedback by using heavier pressure and as others have said to ensure it's sharp.

In hindsight, I don't think the W&B I tried briefly was actually shave ready. Even with my limited experience I'm confident to say I feel one needs possibly greater than six months' of experience before one can use a wedge well; but that's just my thought based on my experience.

I feel that getting good at using smaller razors that allow you to hear and feel what you're doing and then using a wedge was best for me.