The Wedge gallery and discussion.

[Samon]

Yo, it doesn't look like there's a dedicated wedge ground straight razor thread. I think that needs to change! Please post your wedge ground straight razors and a description of how they all shave and compare to the far more common hollow/extra hollow ground razors in your collection.

I've owned several hollow ground razors and they all mostly shaved very well but I've never actually had a wedge grind which is something I want to change, even if clean ones are rare here. I hear they are less audiable, more stable and less prone to chatter but while still being as sharp as they need to be to give a comfortable band close shave. Are they easy to hone like the more common grounds, does the edge last longer due to the thicker stock, do they actually shave as well as I have heard? Pros and cons??

look forward to reading what you all have to say.

cheers

 

[sexy beast]

Yo, it doesn't look like there's a dedicated wedge ground straight razor thread. I think that needs to change! Please post your wedge ground straight razors and a description of how they all shave and compare to the far more common hollow/extra hollow ground razors in your collection.

I've owned several hollow ground razors and they all mostly shaved very well but I've never actually had a wedge grind which is something I want to change, even if clean ones are rare here. I hear they are less audiable, more stable and less prone to chatter but while still being as sharp as they need to be to give a comfortable band close shave. Are they easy to hone like the more common grounds, does the edge last longer due to the thicker stock, do they actually shave as well as I have heard? Pros and cons??

look forward to reading what you all have to say.

cheers

There is no feed back as far as the blade is concerned. Other than the hairs being cut.And they are generally harder to sharpen and hone. The positives are, if properly sharpened and honed. They are excellent shavers. You have get familiar with the blades geometry and apply that to your shave as well as the Maintenance. To add, the metal generally in these wedge razors are going to be softer due to that they were cauldron forged. They will require to be stroped after every pass while shaving in most cases. I haven’t seen any modern wedges at this time made of modern harden steel. But it doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

They will require to be stroped after every pass while shaving in most cases.

I gotta disagree on that point. Many of my razors are wedges, near wedges, or 1/4 hollow (still pretty wedgy) and I have never needed to strop any of them during a shave. The idea that a single pass of whisker cutting can dull any type of steel to not being serviceable for two additional passes makes no sense to me at all.

As for modern wedges, I believe Koraat makes a "near wedge" and rigarazor makes a very wedgy 1/4 hollow. Both are great razors, IMHO.

That said, I'm partial to the old Sheffield wedges and near wedges... Love them!

 

[ebonysw45]

Love a wedge. Great for mowing the long grass. They don’t provide feedback, kind off like driving a big rig as apposed to a sports car in comparison to a full hollow. Both have their place, maybe a 1/3 of my rotation are wedge or near wedges. As for honing, well they do take longer since they have more metal to remove but the real problem is uneven grinds, re ground razors, warped blades and bumpy spines. That being said I love my wedges.

 

[sexy beast]

Here are two Examples that I own at the moment. One is a Sheffield steel Marsh Brothers Wedge made back when queen Victoria was the monarch of England. Close to 200 years old. Cauldron steel. Really have to prep to use this old razor but it’s functional and I have to strop between passes. The other is a Dovo wedge 42 stainless steel. The steel qualities are vastly different while shaving and stropping is not needed during the whole shave with the 42.

The Dovo 42 is heads above in performance for my course beard. I really would not call the Dovo 42 a true wedge as it calls itself By name. Ironically the Dovo was purchased in England. While Marsh Brothers was born there close to two centuries ago.

 

[Legion]

Show us your Wedge & Near Wedge Razor(s)

The what razor did you use today thread is always great to watch and not surprising 99% of the razors are something other than wedge or near wedge. I would like to see you all showcase your wedge and near wedge razors here to give these lesser grinds some airtime and appreciation. Let me get...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Samon]

Excellent so far

I'm trying to find the information on this cauldron steel as I've not heard of it before. And I'd like to know how to tell which razors are made from it and which are not. I assume the period of manufacture is the indication. I just dug out my straight razors, I kept two after selling most of my gear last summer.one is my user but the other I think it might be a quarter hollow, I'll photograph it later and show it as I'm sure you guys will know.

 

[MarkP]

I gotta disagree on that point. Many of my razors are wedges, near wedges, or 1/4 hollow (still pretty wedgy) and I have never needed to strop any of them during a shave. The idea that a single pass of whisker cutting can dull any type of steel to not being serviceable for two additional passes makes no sense to me at all.

As for modern wedges, I believe Koraat makes a "near wedge" and rigarazor makes a very wedgy 1/4 hollow. Both are great razors, IMHO.

That said, I'm partial to the old Sheffield wedges and near wedges... Love them!

Same here, no need to strop between passes with my 150 to 190 year old Sheffield wedges or near wedges.

 

[bluesman 7]

Early cutlers used large diameter grinding wheels. I suspect that a lot of the reason was that water power was being used to drive the wheels and using a large diameter was an easy way to get a higher surface speed.

 

[Samon]

I picked it up from an outdoor vintage market in the City of Bristol for £10 years ago. I quite shaving my head for 3 years so never cleaned and honed it up like I had planned to do. I was looking for a sway back wedge for a while but gave up after no luck.

Any thoughts on this one? is this considered a quarter wedge? How old is it? Is the steel good?..

 

[RumpleBearskin]

Looks GREAT. Joseph Allen is a well thought of manufacturer. And the Non XLL is a relatively common razor.

It appears to be in very good shape with only a cleaning and honing required (I prefer a patina on the blade rather than a mirror polish).

Go easy on the honing. The steel is relatively soft and it's ready to remove too much spine. Light pressure with a bias to the edge (as opposed to even across the face of the blade).

 

[bluesman 7]

Any thoughts on this one? is this considered a quarter wedge?

I'd call it a half hollow, by my criteria.

 

[Steve56]

Excellent so far

I'm trying to find the information on this cauldron steel as I've not heard of it before. And I'd like to know how to tell which razors are made from it and which are not. I assume the period of manufacture is the indication. I just dug out my straight razors, I kept two after selling most of my gear last summer.one is my user but the other I think it might be a quarter hollow, I'll photograph it later and show it as I'm sure you guys will know.

Start here, this was the first step, and it’s sililar to what the Japanese did/do with tamehagane. This process yields a relatively impure steel that is of varying quality.

Cementation process - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

To refine the steel further by removing impurities, melt the above product in a crucible and skim off the impurities. I know Zowada does this and Iwasaki reportedly does/did.

Crucible steel - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

These links should get you started.