The temper

Tempering a razor makes it acquires the proper degree of hardness required for a good cutting edge. Razors can be purchased with a hard, medium or soft temper.

• The hard tempered razor: i.e Stainless Steel.
  Will hold an edge longer, but is very difficult to sharpen once the edge is down.

• The soft tempered razor: i.e. High Carbon Steel
  Is very easy to sharpen, but the sharp edge does not last long.

The size

The size of the razor depicts the length and the width of the blade. The width of the razor is measured in eighths or sixteenths of an inch, but most generally in eighths, such as 3/8, 4/8, 5/8, 6/8 and 7/8.

 

A wide blade carry more lather. It allows more shaving time and minimises blade rinse cycles. The disadvantage of such a blade resides in its manoeuverability. A narrow blade shaves tight facial spots such as under the nose, but it must be rinsed more often. The most popular blade width size is 5/8.

The nose

 

The nose refers to the point type of the blade.
There are three main types of points:

Square point
This point is called so because the point profile is straight and terminates at perpendicular to the cutting edge of the razor. This type of blade is used for precise shaving in small areas but, at the risk of pinching the skin, it requires some experience in handling.

French point
This point profile looks like a quarter circle. It ends in a similarly sharp point as the square point but lacks the abrupt straight line. The difference between these two is mainly aesthetic.

Round point
This point profile is semicircular and therefore lacks any sharp end points. As such it is a more forgiving blade and thus recommended for relatively new users.

Stropping

Flat razors should be sharpened using strops with wooden handles, where the razor can be "pushed" along the strop.
Hollowed razors should be sharpened using hanging strops.