One thing that I’ve noted, having both wide and narrow razors, is that if that both a wide and narrow razor are full hollow, the narrow razor is stiffer because there’s less width of thin material. Some Filarmonica 14s will have a width of very thin steel that’s likely wider than an entire 4/8 razor. Same with some German razors and the Grelot 14. That makes a difference - you may like it or not like it.
The first image shows a ~9/16 Klas Tornblöm next to a Filarmonica 14 Novodur. The width of thin steel in the Filarmonica is a lot larger than the KT, and the KT is actually getting an optical ‘boost’ by being closer to the camera lens. The second image maybe better shows the difference, the thin portion of the Novodur almost equals the width of the KT. The KT is stiff even though it’s fairly thinly ground, the Novodur is anything but stiff.
On heavier grinds, maybe the difference is not as apparent. Personally I don’t like large razors with a heavy grind, they’re just too heavy though many people like that heft. My Filarmonica 14s and CVH No 140 are quite light for razors this size, especially the No 140 because it has a shorter blade. As far as maneuverability goes, I’d rather have a shorter 6/8 than 3” 4/8, I find that the shorter blades better in this respect.
Some men like large women, others like small ones. There’s no accounting for taste as we say, or c’est la vie as the French say. You won’t have any luck understanding why people like something different than you do. Hans, why don’t you try a wide razor or two and see what you think? Before Billy buys them all, yuk, yuk.
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