Todays Mission???

Angry Badger

Angry Badger

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Todays Mission if you choose to accept it???........Is.......What is the main reason for the different sizes of razors and what are the pros and cons over each other?
I understand that the narrower 5/8 and less are easier to manipulate and can aid in reducing shaving time? And again i understand the larger blades hold more lather? other than personal choice are these the only reason for different sizes of the blade? Oh and why such a variation in size differing in 1/16 increments?
Well I'm waiting!?! ;)
 
If you look at the earlier designs - stub tail and before, they tended towards a curved blade that tapered from around the 5/8” mark but were pretty consistent in terms of blade length. Making the blade wider does not make the shave faster or slower - and I really don’t see that holding more lather would be a deciding factor. Certainly, the small blades of 4/8” were probably made for trimming rathe4 than full shaves but as to why there was a trend towards blades of 1” and more I can only assume was down to less edge maintenance and a longer life when used by barbers who would need to hone more often.

From personal experience I don’t notice a great deal of difference in the end result between 5/8” and 7/8” which is the range of my collection. A heavier near wedge may be seen as more appropriate for shaving a heavy beard with multiple days growth - but the reality is that a 5/8” is capable of doing the same.
 
so basically we are saying shape and size is down to a personal choice? Just seems hard to understand why so many variations in size, if size and weight was critical you would think for such a fine balance you would have needed to try before you buy or it would be a long and expensive process finding the blade you were happy with? i can go with that in those days there were no set standards for sizes, but the makers of blades seem to work in either 8ths. or 16ths. but not both from what i have seen. Whether this was to differentiate from one manufacturer to another and give buyers an alternative choice and therefore widening the market for the makers of blades?
Sorry for this but just find it intriguing, i suppose you had to be there to really know and that's the fascinating bit for me, we can only assume and make an educated guess hoping to convince ourselves that we got it right!?! Not that it keeps me awake at night, i have other daft thinking's far stranger than this for that purpose! :rolleyes::ROFLMAO:
 
The standard measurement is eighths of an inch and you sometimes see this stamped on a razor - I’ve never seen a razor stamped in sixteenths. The other point is that there is a difference of opinion as to whether the measurement is from spine to edge or where the spine contacts the hone To edge. Razor geometry is based on a blade width between 3.5 and 4 times the spine width - resulting in a bevel of around 17 or 18 degrees which is considered optimum for straight razors. This means that it’s the distance from where the spine sits on the hone that’s important - and any further height of the spine makes no difference.

The weight of a razor is dictated not just by size of spine and width but by the degree of hollow grinding. A fully hollow ground 8/8” will be lighter than a near wedge 7/8” - the important factor is can you tell the difference in the shave? The fact that the advent of hollow grinding more or less put paid to wedge type razors tells its own story I think.
 
@UKRob very informative and well appreciated, thank you sir!.... I would have asked the wife as she knows everything!?! But I didn't want to bother her while she's cleaning the house! :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
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