Thread: Extra Hollow Ground

What does this term mean?

Thanks,

Trey

See this article: The straight razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki

The smith can subtract a varying amount of steel to produce a hollow blade. The chart show various levels of hollow blades, from "extra hollow" to "true wedge". An hollow blade produce a crystalline sound while cutting an hair. The main objective of hollow ground blades is to make honing much easier. On a true wedge blade, the honer has to remove steel on the whole flank. By contrast, on a hollow ground, only the very edge of the blade and the flank of the spine are to be thinned, which requires much less effort. The spine must be applied on the stone (or the leather), it ensures that a constant honing angle is applied. During the lifetime of the razor, the blade is somewhat narrowed by successive honing cycles, but the spine is also thinned, thus the honing angle remains the same.

Regards,
Robin

Robin,

Thanks so much. That is a perfect explanation. Now I see why the hollow grounds are more expensive.

Thanks,

Cutter