Stiffer Grinds

The BB Le Grelot is just around the corner and I want to try to make an effort to become more familiar with a stiffer grind blade in preparation. I have been out picking up razors at the flea market, antique stores, and ebay. I have found only 2 that are not full hollows. I have a L.West 1/4 hollow and a recently acquired DD satin wedge. I believe the DD is a 4/8 if I am not mistaken and the L.West looks to be the same. Now for some questions.

Is the 4/8 to 6/8 going to provide a wholly different experience in a grind that stiff?

Am I better off with the L. West or the DD?(the first is excellent condition)

Is there any interest in bartering for honing services?

I have about a dozen good looking razors that are not anywhere near sharp. I really don't NEED a dozen, but it seems like one isn't going to be enough for me. My thoughts were, I send a bunch of dull ones you send back a few sharp ones.

The 6/8 BBLG will shave different from the 4/8 models you bought, if only due to the increased weight. Still, I think a 4/8 wedge will shave more like a 6/8 wedge than a 5/8 hollow.

I might be interested in the honing proposition you mentioned. Send me a pm with what you have and what you'd be willing to part with and we'll go from there.

Erick,
I say just wait for the Le Grelot. There isn't really a need to get accustomed to a new grind - it isn't like a DE where some blades work better for others. A heavy grind will work for ALL beard types/styles and ALL levels of skill, where as a hollow, or extra hollow grind doesn't always work best for all beard types - so with that said, and with the Le Grelot being a very hefty 1/4 hollow, there is no need to prepare for it

To echo Joel's post, I've always found heavier grinds both easier to use and more forgiving than full hollows - to the point where most of my str8ts are 1/2 hollow or heavier.

These are the ones I have that are not shavers and I have no real attachment to. I have a couple of crown and swords from the bay on the way as well, but they could be letter openers for all I know. I suppose if the grind doesn't matter much as far as adjusting (for the record my daily shaver is a 4/8 half hollow) I would just want to get 2 good shavers out of the bunch. No real preference. I do, however really like the feeling of the top and bottom jimps on the top one, which looks to be a Wostenholm. The one that says "King of Whiskers" scales are cracked at the pin. Obviously, the bottom one has no sacles.

I could have sworn I had an email offering me this very thing =P

On topic though, if stiff grinds work well for all beard/hair types, is this the type of grinding usually found on lower end straights or higher end ones?

jellywerker said:

On topic though, if stiff grinds work well for all beard/hair types, is this the type of grinding usually found on lower end straights or higher end ones?

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If you me new razors, then, um, neither as a rule, for whatever reason. I think basically every single new razor offered is some degree of full hollow. The only exceptions (other than custom) are the occasional razor based on leftover ancient blanks. And I'm not sure how many options there are for that, if any. I know Wacker was selling some 1/4 hollows at one point. Our special ed Le Gerlot is 1/4 of course, but even then, I think we specially requested that - I think the regular one is full hollow. And again, 1/4 was only a possibility because they are old blanks.

Which, since heavier grinds are so popular around here, really brings up the question of why they have been largely left by the wayside by the manufacturers? Surely it can't be harder to grind a 1/2 hollow than a full? I would think it would be easier, actually....

As far as your question pertains to older razors, where thicker grinds were a little more common, I have no idea.

-Mo

In two months of daily shaves, with a variety of straight razors, I've found that:

• size counts!
• 1/4- and 1/2-hollow grinds work much better than full-hollow grinds

The grind is especially important on razors where the size is less than 6/8ths.

For example: My C-MON "Blackie" 6/8 is heavier and stiffer than my C-MON "Blackie" 11/16; this makes a noticeable difference in the way I have to shave (both method and number-of-passes) and the quality of shave. I honestly cannot tell if the 6/8 and 11/16 are full-hollow or half-hollow razors, but I feel the difference on my face; especially on my chin!

My British and German 6/8 razors are all "heavier" grinds (1/4- and 1/2-hollow), and shaving with them is both easy and pleasurable, with no worry about nicks, cuts, scrapes, or skin irritation.

I look forward to receiving and shaving with my "Le Grelot" 6/8 (even if it is a round-point model); OTOH, my recently-purchased C-MON "HF" will most probably stay a showpiece (and an expensive one, at that).

Smooth shaving!

I suppose this is the kind of thing you figure out by purchasing large amounts of equipment.

heavydutysg135 said:

Then your full hollow ground razors are not sharp enough. A high quality and sharp full hollow will shave every bit as good as a big wedge, it will just feel different to use.

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Not necessarily - while I do agree that a properly sharpened 5/8 full hollow (used properly) will get the job done regarless of the volume or thickness of one's beard, if you have very dense and/or thick bristles, a stiffer and/or heavier razor will get through it more easily and comfortably.

I can get good shaves with a 5/8 full hollow, but I enjoy the shaves I get with stiffer or heavier razors. In some cases, that's a 6/8 or larger full hollow, a SS razor (which is stiffer than carbon) or a heavier grind.

I've had full hollows and heavier grinds up to a full wedge sharpened by honemeisters - I've yet to find a full hollow 5/8 that I'm happy with.

This is very much a personal preference/YMMV thing.

I think what you're saying is that heavier grinds are more forgiving of less-than-perfect sharpness, and I tend to agree with you - in fact, I think the heavier grinds are more forgiving generally, which is why I often suggest them to newbies.

So why in bloody heck are 90% of older razors and 100% of new ones full hollow? I still don't it. Makes it difficult for those of us that would like to try some heavier grinds.

-Mo

moses said:

So why in bloody heck are 90% of older razors and 100% of new ones full hollow? I still don't it. Makes it difficult for those of us that would like to try some heavier grinds.

-Mo

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I wouldn't say 90% are full follow, but there is a disproportion. Some new razors are 1/2 hollow (TI has a couple). And I'd say about 60% of vintage pieces are not full hollow.

Statistics aside, I agree that it can sometimes be difficult/expensive to find heavier razors. Those who have them don't want to give them up. Those that do go up for sale are gobbled up by those who have them and want more.

moses said:

So why in bloody heck are 90% of older razors and 100% of new ones full hollow? I still don't it. Makes it difficult for those of us that would like to try some heavier grinds.

-Mo

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Mo, Pure speculation on my part but I wonder if it is a matter of cost. The greater the grind the less material you need to start out with to make the blank?

I think it's to do with ease of honing.
You have to remember how many millions of razors used to be in circulation. It is more time consuming to hone a full wedge than to hone a full hollow ground. If you were a barber the technological breakthrough of the full hollow ground razor meant a big increase in efficiency.
Laugh if you want to, but in the same way that twin blade is sold as better than DE or the quattro is better than than than whatever it took over from. The full hollow blade was sold as the improvement on the wedge.
Even today, TI is promoting the new stiffer full singing hollow ground as the best yet. Does this mean that the older model was too flexible. Well actually, you can stiffen up the blade by going half hollow, a quarter hollow or full wedge. You can increase flex by increasing the size of blade.

For me, I get my best shaves from the stiffer blades. I really don't like the full hollow ground, whoever makes it. I find that the wider blade 6/8 plus gets heavier and has to be used more carefully. I find anything above 6/8 th's to be difficult to manipulate.
There is an advantage for the barber however, because the bigger blade holds more soap between cleanings and therefore lets the barber get through his customers quicker.