Educate Me on Stabilizers

[duke762]

I couldn't decide where to post this, I think this is the right place. One would most likely do stabilizer work during a restore.

First off, what is the proper term for a razor with out stabilizers? Are they called shoulder less by any chance? I love the looks of them.

Why do so many razors have stabilizers but so many shoulder less designs work fine with out them? Even beefy razors have them so they are not really stabilizing. Easier to grind than shoulder less?

I understand trimming when they ride up on the hone and cause frowns and that's about all I understand. They are not mentioned very often so they must be fairly trouble free. Am I missing anything? Does anyone do anything else with them during a restore? Do they really do anything?

 

[kcb5150]

On a hollow ground blade it will provide some added stiffness where the blade meets the shank. I personally greatly prefer razors without stabilizers but that is more because I use the heel a lot around my nose when I shave as opposed to crashing them into hones. Relaxing stabilizers is pretty simple.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I am no expert. I have read that there are multiple ways to add stiffness to a blade. Stabilizers are one. Apparently, the belly is another. Again, I am no expert.

 

[Gamma]

Shoulder-less has no shoulder.
You can have a shoulder without having a stabilizer.
Stabilizers are also called 'double shoulder' sometimes.
Stabilizers were, presumably, designed to 'stabilize' a flexible hollow grind.
Whether or not it worked, how well it worked, why it was important and to who, is anyone's guess.
It's not like I can buy the exact same razor made at the same time of the same steel by the same smith with and without stabilizers to test for myself.
Alongside any facts present, I suspect there might be marketing ploys involved. Could be design aesthetics too. I never felt a need to 'figure it out'. It's like a Barber's Notch' to me, or a 3rd pin, etc. Everything I've read about those embellishments are opinion and conjecture, not documented facts put forth by the original makers.
So, for me, I just see it as someone thinking/believing it was a good idea; and ok, I'm good with that.
When needed I grind heels back for honing so the stabilizer doesn't interfere, not necessarily just when restoring.

 

[mycarver]

I’m kinda at a loss. They add stiffness to a blade?
How hard are you pressing that blade against your face to need more stiffness?
To me it doesn’t make sense.

 

[Gamma]

Maybe someone wanted the grind to be stiffer for honing/grinding purposes.
Some grinders used a 'belly', again - allegedly, for added stiffness.... some still do, Livi used to do that I believe. Wacker did, so did Dorko, and others. So there might be something to it.

A very thin bevel can distort when gently run over the curve of a fingernail, so maybe adding some beef to the grind has some sort of felt effect.

 

[kcb5150]

Full hollows with bellies definitely don't have as much of that deflection feeling as they increase in height. The stabilizers to me are like volutes on guitar necks... I'd rather the guitar didn't have a volute but if it is there and is nice otherwise I'm not going to throw it away or anything..

 

[Gamma]

I barely notice volutes or stabilizers..if they’re there, they’re there. If they’re not there, ok.