Which size for strong hair?

Floid_Maniac

Floid_Maniac

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424
Location
Hamburg - Germany
Hi eveybody,
what straight razor size would you prefer for thick and strong beard hair. I own a 4/8 full hollow and it works fine on my cheeks and on my neck but it shaves a bit rough left and right of my chin and the moustache area. Even well prepared for shaving it needs some pressure to cut through. I was told a 6/8 would be better for my hairtype. Is that true? What is your opinion and experience?
 
I've got quite wiry/rough whiskers so wedge & near wedge quarter hollow grinds are my preferred choice for multiple days growth.

I don't really shave with anything less than 6/8 unless i'm shaping but to be honest the grind and size shouldn't really matter all that much as long as the razor is definately shave ready. It all comes down to preference.
 
Andy C said:
I've got quite wiry/rough whiskers so wedge & near wedge quarter hollow grinds are my preferred choice for multiple days growth.

I don't really shave with anything less than 6/8 unless i'm shaping but to be honest the grind and size shouldn't really matter all that much as long as the razor is definately shave ready. It all comes down to preference.
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What would you prefer for your daily shave?
 
Blademonkey said:
I have a 6/8ths that says "pour barbe dure" on the scales, roughly translated means for heavy beard and it's a half hollow, now I don't know if it's due to the steel or the size of blade or even what the grind is but I'm sure @Fergiebilly will be able to tell you more than me.

Over to you Billy, :)
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It's also French steel which is notoriously tough. It was far more than I needed but definitely a strong cutter. I've a near wedge which mows down hair effortlessly and a full hollow which does much of the same. Both are 6/8 and I find it a great size for awkward hairs. :)

5/8 are usually pretty good go-to razors but 4/8 are generally regarded as slightly light for starting off, probably due to the lack of weight resulting from the smaller blade. :)
 
I Have a Cast Iron Beard..Barb Wire..I have Used Every Grind From a 4/8th to 15/16 or Bigger..A Lot of Custom SRs are Near Wedge Due to the Fact they are Easier to Grind..Very Few Custom Makers Produce a Full Hollow Blade..A 4/8th Can Take a Bit of Skill to Use..Personally I Don't Like 4/8th Razors but that's Me Talkin..o_O

Some of the Finest Shavers I Own are Vintage Full Hollow 5/8th..My Preferred Razors in General are from the 20s/30s Era..Vintage Wedges or Near Wedges Can Vary in Temper or Steel Hardness & I Personally Don't Reckon they Shave a Heavy Growth Better than a Good Quality Full Hollow..Personally I Am Not a Fan of Older Sheffield Type Vintage Wedge or Near Wedge Blades..;)

More Modern Vintage Japanese Near Wedge Blades are a Different Animal & a Lot of People Like them Including Me..Most of My Razors are Around 6/8th Full Hollow Grinds or Slightly Bigger..I Prefer Full Hollow Grinds..If You Had Asked Me a Year Ago I Would have Said 1/2 or 3/4 Hollow..My Taste has Changed..:p

So..A Lot of it is Just that..Its Mostly a Personnel Judgement of Taste..There are Plenty of Vintage Japanese Near Wedge or 1/2 Hollow Blades Available..Most Custom Makers Produce Near Wedges but Hey a Lot of Custom Razors are a Lucky Dip & Nothing to Write Home About..;)

As Andy Said Above..It Mostly Comes Down to Personal Preference..:D

Billy
 
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6/8 razor would be a good choice in my opinion, I find 6/8 razors easier to use, hone and strop then 5/8s. Anything bigger than 6/8 vintage and in good condition may be quite expensive and won't be as easy to come across as a 6/8.
Wedge, near wedge and 1/2 Hollow and/or smiling edge razors are usually more tricky to hone.
As the other users mentioned, I would go for a 6/8 full hollow razor.
Also if the razor not honed correctly or the bevel not set good enough, you may experience that it will start tugging as soon as it hits the coarser parts of the beard and you will feel all sorts of discomfort towards the end and at the end of your shave and when you apply the aftershave it will burn bad.
So I suggest that you either get the razor honed by a professional or if you hone your razor then you can test it, what I do is; before applying the lather on my wet face, I shave a small part of my lower cheek where the beard is coarser and if I feel any resistance from the razor it means the edge is not good enough, hanging hair test is good but it can be deceptive.
 
Fergiebilly said:
I Have a Cast Iron Beard..Barb Wire...
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Mur3oSl.jpg
 
I am in the same camp as you lads with a heavy wiry beard, and for me it's all about the heavier grind razors ,the larger the better in my opinion, as the extra weight and no flex in the blade really mows down the whiskers. I own lots of full hollow ,English Japanese German etc but none of them really "cut it".
but ultimately it's down to three things with a tough beard,
Prep : your stubble should feel like silk before you shave, hot towel is your friend, shower, lather up hold a hot towel over lather until stubble is silky( some soaps are better than others at this).
Shave readyness: if the blade isn't shave ready there's no point in any of this.
Steel: as fergiebilly mentioned steel is everything, a lot of vintage razors are soft at the edge, some I have tested at 57-59 Rockwell what this means for the shaver is the very edge will bend and deflect not good for the dreaded heavy beard, this is where the Japanese excelled as they hardened their steel to 62+ Rockwell which makes for a very hard edge, the only downside is it takes slightly longer to hone but well worth it.
As Fergiebilly mentioned there are very few modern custom makers making true full hollow razors myself included, as grinding a blade freehand to true full hollow takes hours and is a very skilled job, one slip on the grinder and that beautiful blade that you have spent hours on is scrap, the only modern maker I know of is Livi, as he has a dual wheel grinder which makes full hollows a breeze.
 
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