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Anyone here use a wedge?

I have used the hollow ground blades for awhile, but I just purchased an antique straight razor on ebay with a wedge blade. So I am going to try it out.
 
It will not sing like your Hollow Ground Straights .But if properly honed should remove whiskers silently with little effort .The weight of the blade helps .Enjoy !
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
I don't care for them but they have plenty of fans. Honing a wedge is quite a bit different from honing a hollowground so I would send it out if it is something special and practice on something else. If it is just a beater, then hone, and at the finish, give it a laper of tape and a dozen finish laps and you should be good. To refresh the edge, just go 3 or 4 laps with tape.
 
No, to me there's a good reason as to why wedge razors went out of fashion when the grinding machines came along. Just going from wedge to quarter hollow makes a huge difference to the shaving experience. Then again we're all different.
 
Never liked wedges. At the angle I shave at on my final pass the flat of the blade tends to drag sometimes. I don’t care for the type of feedback they give also. They shave well just not my cuppa. YMMV.


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And be careful the first couple of shaves until you’re used to them. well honed, the weight will allow them to push through any obstruction they face. I have a small mole on my chin that I skinned without feeling a thing my first shave with an 8/8 wedge. Hollows would/will glide right over the top. I have a 5/8 near wedge that’s not nearly so heavy that I have to rehone before I pass judgement on it.

I prefer 1/4 hollows over near/full wedges myself when I want a heavy blade. But they definitely have a fan base.
 
I have a few....i compare them like this....full hollow = sports car....wedge = truck. Both will get you from point A to B.....one is fast and nimble the other is heavy and lumbering but the truck will drive way more effortlessly through the mud.....lol
 
I prefer wider blades with heavier grinds, anything from 1/2 hollow to wedge. I can enjoy a 1/2 hollow as much as a wedge, or vice versa. I find that heavier razors handle well and balance nicely for me.
 
Any sharp edge will cut properly hydrated whisker. I owned J Rodgers near wedge and I enjoyed the shave even thou without any audible feedback. I sold it to got more hollow grinds and likely do so again.
 
Yes I have a full wedge W&B in 4/8. I like all my razors no matter the grind.

I find the full wedge wants a more obtuse angle, but I think that is to be expected.
 
I enjoy a wedge profile from time to time. The heavier feel and the silent shaves are a joy sometimes. Like everyone has said, dont expect to hear hair pops and tings of the blade as you use them. I have 2 W&Bs and enjoy them a lot.
 
My "collection" is about 75/25 near wedges to hollows. No true wedges in the lot so far. I love the feel of the heavier grinds both in my hand and against my face. Both feel "efficient", but provide very different tactile and auditory experiences. Both are quite capable of getting the job done and done well.

I find honing to be easier on my near wedges since minor excessive pressure doesn't seem to deflect the edge as much as on hollow grinds. In other words, I can be a bit sloppier in my honing technique and still get a good edge.

Most of the time I prefer the silent efficiency of my near wedges. But sometimes the sound and feel of a thin blade is quite satisfying.
 
any vintage wedge or "near wedge" names out there i should look for? I have a "spike" razor and I think its a wedge or near wedge....and i love i. compact and efficient, i travel with the spike. I want another brand.
 
Lots of manufacturers made wedges, near wedges, quarter hollows, half hollows, etc. Older versions of hollow razors were much closer to wedges than later hollow versions. Swedish and Japanese razors often have heavier grinds. Here are some that I have/had in my collection. These are just a few examples, and you have to look close because most places offered several different grinds within a brand.
Sheffield
Oak Razor Works
Wade and Butcher Lather Well Shave Well
Frederick Reynolds
George Wostenholm IXL

Sweden
Hellberg
Heljestrand

Solingen
Red Imp Wedge
Dubl Duck/Pearl Duck Satin Wedge

American
Electric Cutlery Co
JR Torrey

France
Thiers Issard Le Gnome
Guyot

Japan
Shotiku
 
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