I was comparing my five favorite DE's side by side over the past weeks. All feel of roughly similar aggression to me, but to most people, the ones with more blade flex feel far milder--I think I am just very sensitive to blade flex. Previously, I thought I disliked blade flex due to the sensitivity, but I am staring to appreciate it if well controlled.
Going from most flex to most rigid among my five favorites (interestingly enough, I think this is also from least exposure to most while having about the same level of blade feel on my face . . . . . but with the blade feeling very different):
RS-10Aggressive -> Weber DLC -> Rocnel Elite Aggressive -> Diamondback -> iKon Standard
I liken the results to a car's suspension: The RS-10 is a little on the loose side, but I think has little enough exposure that it doesn't chatter or feel harsh--I think I feel the float or hum of the blade more than the roughness of my stubble. It is kind of like a car with weak shocks that floats, and has a super super smooth ride if big bumps are avoided. Very little blade exposure if any, keeps me from hitting "big bumps" or making it to where the float irritates. The iKon Standard (and I would guess other high-end rigidly clamped blade razors would be similar) feels very stiff and the texture of my stubble is "felt" during my shave rather than the float or hum of the razor--it is so stiff there is no float or hum to the razor and no chance of the car bottoming out or bucking even if a big dip in the road is hit. Stiff is safe.
The Diamondback is the "critically damped" suspension in the analogy. It is the super smooth Lexus and I think this is what people are feeling with the "phantom blade". The blade is there and exposed, but it isn't so stiff you feel the stubble through the blade. It isn't so loose it oscillates. It and the Rocnel are becoming my preferred location in this spectrum. . . . .but keep in mind, we are talking about my five favorite DE's. What I also like about these two is that they provide efficiency with blade exposure instead of Gap, and I don't feel like I have a chance of getting nicked. I guess give me exposure if the suspension is tuned.
I think that what gives this feel to everyone is different though. My oldest son with fine hair really prefers the RS-10A and Weber. My youngest son with coarser hair than me and Acne won't even pick up anything that isn't perfectly safe and rigid. I am starting to find out what I like though, and Diamondback is right there.
I am liking the DB and looking forward to the Javelin. I am hoping the Javelin should have the same amount of blade flex or amount of Damping in a razor (the same type of suspension) even it is different from what I understand.
I think on my face, the Diamondback is critically damped, with the razors to the left up above being more underdamped, and the rigid razors being more overdamped in the diagram below. . . . . but that is on my face and in reference to my favorite razors (none of them are bad). I am preferring the characteristics of the DB or Rocnel the most though. The Rocnel feels more like the One-half of critical damping.
One of the things I do in my job is tune automation loops on control systems. I may be reading my work unfairly into the razors (seeing what I expect to see even if it isn't there), but as I went through these five razors side by side over the past weeks, they felt like control loops with different tuning. Ranges from the critical damped loop to what I would guess is one-quarter critical damping is what I shoot for depending on situation.
Going from most flex to most rigid among my five favorites (interestingly enough, I think this is also from least exposure to most while having about the same level of blade feel on my face . . . . . but with the blade feeling very different):
RS-10Aggressive -> Weber DLC -> Rocnel Elite Aggressive -> Diamondback -> iKon Standard
I liken the results to a car's suspension: The RS-10 is a little on the loose side, but I think has little enough exposure that it doesn't chatter or feel harsh--I think I feel the float or hum of the blade more than the roughness of my stubble. It is kind of like a car with weak shocks that floats, and has a super super smooth ride if big bumps are avoided. Very little blade exposure if any, keeps me from hitting "big bumps" or making it to where the float irritates. The iKon Standard (and I would guess other high-end rigidly clamped blade razors would be similar) feels very stiff and the texture of my stubble is "felt" during my shave rather than the float or hum of the razor--it is so stiff there is no float or hum to the razor and no chance of the car bottoming out or bucking even if a big dip in the road is hit. Stiff is safe.
The Diamondback is the "critically damped" suspension in the analogy. It is the super smooth Lexus and I think this is what people are feeling with the "phantom blade". The blade is there and exposed, but it isn't so stiff you feel the stubble through the blade. It isn't so loose it oscillates. It and the Rocnel are becoming my preferred location in this spectrum. . . . .but keep in mind, we are talking about my five favorite DE's. What I also like about these two is that they provide efficiency with blade exposure instead of Gap, and I don't feel like I have a chance of getting nicked. I guess give me exposure if the suspension is tuned.
I think that what gives this feel to everyone is different though. My oldest son with fine hair really prefers the RS-10A and Weber. My youngest son with coarser hair than me and Acne won't even pick up anything that isn't perfectly safe and rigid. I am starting to find out what I like though, and Diamondback is right there.
I am liking the DB and looking forward to the Javelin. I am hoping the Javelin should have the same amount of blade flex or amount of Damping in a razor (the same type of suspension) even it is different from what I understand.
I think on my face, the Diamondback is critically damped, with the razors to the left up above being more underdamped, and the rigid razors being more overdamped in the diagram below. . . . . but that is on my face and in reference to my favorite razors (none of them are bad). I am preferring the characteristics of the DB or Rocnel the most though. The Rocnel feels more like the One-half of critical damping.
One of the things I do in my job is tune automation loops on control systems. I may be reading my work unfairly into the razors (seeing what I expect to see even if it isn't there), but as I went through these five razors side by side over the past weeks, they felt like control loops with different tuning. Ranges from the critical damped loop to what I would guess is one-quarter critical damping is what I shoot for depending on situation.
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