Thread: Difference between mirror and satin finish??

Hey guys,

I'm a newbie here and just started shaving with a straight. I love it and am looking at purchasing a new razor but i have a few questions.

Just wanted to know what the difference is between a mirror and a fine finish. Does this affect my shave in any way?

Also what exactly does the ''grind'' do? whats the differnece between quarter hollow, half hollow and so on??

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

the finish has no effect on the shave quality, you shave with the edge and it has nothing to do with how the rest of the blade is finished.
The grinds affect how you feel the edge on the face, heavier grinds provide less feed back than hollower grinds. The quality of the shave is the same only it is personal preference what grinds one would like, and IMHO it is related to what kind of feedback do you prefer.

This article in the wiki has some more info about the various grinds and blade shapes:

The straight razor - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Thanks guy!!

There are no true standards for defining one finish over another. What is a mirror to one may be muted to someone else and often times you can put 3 "mirror finish" razors together and you will see the differences between them. So really, common sense is what you use. Either way it's all cosmetic and has no functional difference.