Super 109 Adjustable - mixed first impression, any tips on this particular model ?

[Umma2gumma]

I just got my first ever Gillette "vintage" razor (people shouldn't call things "vintage" if these things are younger than me...), a 1971 Super 109 adjustable.

Everything seems to work just fine, the razor is a lot cleaner than I expected, 1/4 turn works fine.

Loaded it with a fresh Astra, set it on 5 out of 9.

My point of reference is Parker Variant set on 3.5 out of 5.

So, here's two major issues I noticed compared to Parker (and most of my other razors):

- Very little blade feel. Not that it doesn't shave (it does). I just don't feel the blade feedback very well.
- Very little audible feedback. I rely on it to figure out if my angle is right, and whether there's more stubble to go over.

Basically, this razor provides very little feedback and feels kind of "muffled". So it was fairly hard to figure the correct angle while shaving.

Also, it seems to be more finicky with regard to the shaving angle than what I am used to.

In the end, with my usual three pass shave and some cleanup (not more than usual) I got BBS on most of my face but missed some stubble under the chin. Most likely because I didn't keep the angle just right and didn't "hear" the blade.

So, is this the famous Gillette "smoothness" i.e. mildness ?

I think part of the reason it felt so "muted" was that I miscalculated the setting. 3.5 out of 5 on Parker is 70% of the adjustment range from the lowest setting, 5 out of 9 is 55%. I should try it on 6.5 (if it accepts half-stops) or 7.

What about shaving angle sensitivity ? Most of my modern razors are fairly insensitive to it, i.e. they allow a fairly wide range of angles to get a good shave. Is Gillette more finicky ?

 

[nemo]

That's called a pleasant shave in my book.
Little or no blade feel but a smooth shave? Nice, there's no need for harshness.
Who cares about the sound? Not me, quiet cutting is fine.

 

[Umma2gumma]

That's called a pleasant shave in my book.
Little or no blade feel but a smooth shave? Nice, there's no need for harshness.
Who cares about the sound? Not me, quiet cutting is fine.

It would be if I wasn't missing spots because I got no feedback.

There's a fine line between "mild yet efficient" and not cutting.

Now I am not saying this is the razor's fault. Probably I am using it wrong. Hence the question.

 

[abies]

Given that the Superadjustables I've had have been some of the most audible razors I've used, I kinda wonder if something is going on with yours. But it seems fine based on your description so that's probably not it.

I definitely think you should try bigger gap settings.

You might also try a different blade brand; I've been surprised how different different blades can be in different razors.

 

[Ratso]

After your shave feel around for the spots you missed. I have a few of usual suspects. That’s how I judge my razor/blade combination. I’ll go over the spots if needed and pass judgement on what I’ve used for the shave.

 

[Umma2gumma]

After your shave feel around for the spots you missed. I have a few of usual suspects. That’s how I judge my razor/blade combination. I’ll go over the spots if needed and pass judgement on what I’ve used for the shave.

Thanks. I do that. However I also rely on the razor to "tell" me where I have some work to do. Feeling for spots when wet and it's 6 am is a tad tedious.

 

[Umma2gumma]

Given that the Superadjustables I've had have been some of the most audible razors I've used, I kinda wonder if something is going on with yours. But it seems fine based on your description so that's probably not it.

I definitely think you should try bigger gap settings.

You might also try a different blade brand; I've been surprised how different different blades can be in different razors.

Interesting.

Is there a way to "reset" the dial on SA ?

Although I compare it with something like Baili BD171 or Maggard V3A, which are very "loud" and relatively aggressive (yet surprisingly forgiving) razors. OTOH my favorite razor is Parker Variant which is not that loud.

I think two biggest reasons may be that it wasn't on aggressive enough setting, and that it may be a little more angle-sensitive than Variant. With other razors I can pretty much "hear" the correct angle.

 

[DesertIguana]

To tell you what setting would work best for you would take Magic 8 Ball, or EST. P:lay with or try different setting until you happy with results you got.

 

[abies]

Interesting.

Is there a way to "reset" the dial on SA ?

I'm not really sure, although I think I read somewhere on this website recently in an archived post about how to do that with the Superadjustable. However, i'd try other things first. It would be nice to know if somehow it was set really overly mild, but I'm not sure how to do that short of precisely measuring the gaps, or finding a gap table with the Superadjustable and a razor you're familiar with.

 

[Umma2gumma]

I'm not really sure, although I think I read somewhere on this website recently in an archived post about how to do that with the Superadjustable. However, i'd try other things first. It would be nice to know if somehow it was set really overly mild, but I'm not sure how to do that short of precisely measuring the gaps, or finding a gap table with the Superadjustable and a razor you're familiar with.

I don't think anything is out of whack. I've examined the razor and the gap changes as I change the settings. It does seem that Variant has a larger gap at similar settings (same head as Mercur Progress).

 

[NorthernSoul]

There is not much to go out of adjustment with those. Unless the guard is bent or something, they are pretty consistent. They were made to be middle-of-the-road, comfortable daily drivers. You might want to try a higher setting. Plus, if you use this razor more, you're bound to get better results with practice.

 

[BanjoCowboyMartaTobes]

I love this razor, so much I sent it to my nephew and have regretted that ever since lol. It’s that great for me.
I’d start with setting 3.5 for two passes and finish with a multi buffing at setting 1.5. A sharper blade was my jam, Personna lab or the blue and white Rapira. Excellent piece there and I used a rather steep angle. Great luck and better(easy) shaves sir.

 

[ivan_101]

You came from a razor with more gap and more exposure. What did you expect @5?
Of course the efficient shaving angle will be much less on the Gillette compared to the Parker. If you want a closer shave go higher on the Gillette. On the Gillette there are no intermediate positions like on the Merkurs. It is either 5 or 6 or 7, etc.

 

[Umma2gumma]

So after using a Tech for three days straight and starting to get more understanding of Gillettes, I used this SA on 7 this morning and got very different results. Smooth and efficient BBS, although I still prefer my Variant (I find the lightweight skinny handle on SA far less comfortable).

So the next step - dial it down again and see if I can get the same quality shave with even more comfort.