Your First Straight Razor
So you're looking to buy your first straight razor but you have no idea which style you should get or even where to buy it. That's understandable, straight razors have been manufactured for hundreds of years and in that time there have been countless variations in size, geometry, weight, etc. Is there even a beginner friendly straight razor style or is it all just a matter of preference?
While there is no 'beginner' straight razor there are certain beginner friendly attributes that some straight razors have that would make them more suitable than others for those just starting their straight razor journey. Differing grinds, end geometries, weight, and blade widths all play a part in how beginner friendly a razor may or may not be.
Arguably, the most beginner friendly straight razor would be a Dutch point, hollow ground, 5/8" blade. While this is not a hard and fast rule, it does make the introduction to straight razor shaving a bit easier.
A Dutch point razor is a razor with a rounded toe, or the end furthest from the pivot point, or the heal. This rounding of the toe end makes it less likely that the end of the cutting edge will nick you, not impossible, just less likely. A barber's notch toe end also tends to have a bit of rounding so those tend to also be less aggressive than a square or spike point. When just starting it's best to stay away from a square point or a spike point, a spike (aka Spanish) point is just trying to draw blood.
Full hollow ground razors tend to be more forgiving than half hollows, quarter hollows, near wedges, and wedges. Since the full hollow ground blade is so much thinner it tends to flex over the different contours on one's face making you less likely to cut yourself. As the blade geometry approaches the wedge style it becomes less flexible and while this makes it somewhat better at cutting heavy stubble, it also makes it somewhat better at cutting things you may not want cut.
Blades tend to come in widths (measured in eighth inch increments) of 4/8, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 8/8, and the hard to find 9/8 and above. The 5/8" width is probably the most popular and certainly the most available of the blade widths, it really is a great all around size. While wide enough to hold a lot of shave cream, needing less rinsing than a narrower blade, it is not so wide as to limit maneuverability. Try shaving your upper lip with a 9/8 blade and you'll see the appeal of a 5/8.
The weight of a blade is really a factor of its grind and width, a 9/8 near wedge will certainly be heavier than a full hollow 5/8, there is just so much more metal in the near wedge it just can't help but be heavier. This added weight can make the blade a bit cumbersome for someone just starting out with a straight razor. A more experienced user may appreciate the added inertia which comes in handy when tackling heavier stubble.
The takeaway here is that while there is technically no beginner straight razor, there are attributes that make a Dutch point, hollow ground, 5/8 blade a great place to start.