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The myth of the longer lasting BBS

Some pressure is always applied. For me, angle dictates that pressure. Shaving very shallow I use more pressure than when shaving steep because, when I shave shallow, I push the cap into my skin. I can come close to meeting the same edge to skin angle with the R41 as I can the Grande, its all in how I hold it and the pressure I apply.

Ok, so i think this is the reason why the shallow angle has always been such a disaster for me : i never applied pressure on the top cap the rare times i tried to use it... 🤔

But i think i'll stick with the regular neutral angle, i've never had bad surprises with it.

Thanks again for this excellent post ! :cool:
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I’ve never given any thought to my shave angles, truth be told. My Claymore Evolution is so intuitive, I just shave.

That might sound like malarkey, but I’ll stick to that story. <eg>
 
I've seen posts here and there that talk about a BBS shave "lasting" longer with one razor over another, one blade over another etc.
Sorry, I'm not buying it.

First let us address the ability of each of us to "feel" the stubble after a shave.
The ability of humans to detect surface roughness with fingertips has been studied ad infinitum. The results are that in general humans are capable of determining relative roughness of a surface with the fingers to a significant degree - with caveats.

The caveats are that the ability to determine whether one thing is smoother than another is significantly affected by two factors:
1. The amount of pressure used during the "feeling" stage.
Even slightly different pressure levels causes the fingers skin contact surface to change. A slight increase in pressure causes more surface contact which increases tactile feedback. This means that a person who presses slightly more on a surface may, in error, think the surface is rougher, when in fact it is not.
2. The quantity and viscosity of lubricants present on the surface being felt.
Lubricants decrease the ability of the fingers to detect changes in surface roughness significantly. Lubricants may include moisture either applied or secreted as sweat, sebum (the skins "natural" oil), applied chemicals such as aftershaves or balms, and surface contaminants which are deposited on the face from the surrounding atmosphere.

In order to determine whether your skin feels rougher or smoother over a 6, 8 ,10 or 12 hour period, one would have to exactly duplicate the conditions that existed when the shave was completed and first felt by the individual, including:
1. The exact pressure used when feeling the face.
We are not machines, so this is not 100% repeatable. Moreover, studies have shown that even with people trained to apply a given pressure when feeling surfaces, that pressure is increased subconsciously the longer the feeling period is extended.
2. The exact same exertion level and physical status, which could produce sweat even in the slightest amount.
From day to day, even from hour to hour our reaction to physical exertion, no matter how slight, differs significantly.
3. The exact same environmental conditions over that time frame.
Unless one lives in a laboratory clean room, air quality changes constantly, and the skin is exposed to various environmental conditions such as humidity changes, pollens/microbial contaminants, and other particulate matter.
4. The exact same level of sebum production from the sebaceous glands.
The skin produces sebum, and though peak is during the teen years, even daily sebum production is affected by numerous factors including diet, level of physical activity, and exposure to environmental contaminates.

Next let us address the stubble being felt itself.

When facial hair is cut, there are only 3 options:
1. The hair is cut, to some varying degree above the skin surface.
2. The hair is cut perfectly even with the skin surface.
3. The hair is cut, to some varying degree below the skin surface.
On average, human facial hair grows approximately .27mm in 24 hours. As with all things - each individual may differ slightly on the plus or minus side. For the sake of the discussion, let us assume that in general, the same persons hair growth rate will not significantly change day to day, though it may change very very slightly due to factors such as fatigue.

If the hair is cut at some measurable distance above the skin surface, it is felt almost immediately, and for the sake of this discussion, is out of the equation.

If the hair is cut perfectly at the surface, and all of the above factors of lubrication and pressure are removed, the stubble will be "felt" at the same time period consistently. As mentioned, the factors of lubrication and pressure cannot be controlled to any degree.

If the hair is cut at some level below the skin surface, the hair must grow to a level even with, then above the skin level to be felt.
How much above the skin level it must grow to in order to be felt is again affected by the factors of lubrication and pressure.

Stretching of the skin, and the aggressiveness of the shaving process both have some effect on whether the hair is cut below the surface, and to what degree. However, the significant factors of lubrication and pressure again will bias what we perceive to be the relative smoothness of the shave.

In short, I think that those who experience what they believe to be a longer lasting BBS shave are influenced by the incontrollable factors mentioned above, combined with cutting of the hair below the surface of the skin to some degree. Regardless of which razor or blade is used, the blade will cut the hair at the level that skin stretching and shaving aggressiveness permits, not by virtue of the particular razor or the blade used.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
bbs = bbs no matter what type of blade being used, case closed?
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
I'm nearly certain that @luvmysuper did not look at my extensive werk on the subject.... I wrote my Docktoral Thesis on BBS. Entitled: "Time Travel and the BBS, or: how to save planet Earth's water supply by only shaving once in your lifetime."

Once I get the math all fine tuned like I plan on picking up my Docktorate at just about any Ivy League Skool!
 
I'm nearly certain that @luvmysuper did not look at my extensive werk on the subject.... I wrote my Docktoral Thesis on BBS. Entitled: "Time Travel and the BBS, or: how to save planet Earth's water supply by only shaving once in your lifetime."

Once I get the math all fine tuned like I plan on picking up my Docktorate at just about any Ivy League Skool!
Common sense is a shaved face at skin level regardless of blade used will be equal regarding the shave, same applies to below the skin level
 
There is much more to the feeling of stubble.
There is wide variability amongst humans in what they can actually fell (tactile stimulation and transmission); so NOT everyone is the same.
Now the beard.......not sure why it sometimes grows more and some less......maybe what we eat and how we sleep.......

Finally, I bet some razors actually scrape, peel the top layer of the skin......(when some of us have a burning sensation, which could be cause by a multitude of inputs).

All I will say, enjoy your shaves, people are different and what works for one might not work for another......it's about your shaves and your results (experiment) and find out your best mix.

And one thing I have never read: as I have aged, I have 50/50 dark and white hair.....and those dark ones distributed around look bad!!! I did not mind having an all dark stubble (I did that for good 20yrs, the Miami vice look), but now it looks like a sick possum. Got to shave it all frequently
Nothing worse than looking like a sick possum. 😂😅
 
Interesting. Being an every day shaver, I never thought or worried about the three pass shave or chasing a BBS or comparing one day's shave to another. I always shave the same way passes wise whether I'm using a DE or using a cart (if I am travelling). My "prep" is my morning shower. Still an interesting point that the feel and beard growth can vary with conditions but I guess it makes sense. Again I'm a pretty simple shaver and shave every day and for the most part I get pretty much the same results every day.
 

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
If one isn't looking for red, irritated skin, they are only shaving above the surface of the skin. I can always feel stubble, because the sensory feeling on my fingertips has the sensitivity perception, to feel the stubble in the pours of my skin, that are just below the surface of my skin. Because my skin is very pliable and stretches when I rub my hand and fingers across my face.

Isn't the definition of 'baby butt smooth' (BBS)- Rubbing the hand and fingers across the face in every direction and not feeling any trace of stubble? You know, like a babies butt? :)

No such thing as BBS.
 
Well boys, forget about BBS. That was yesterday's news. I present you the new best thing in shaving, since the invention of the warm water and that's LLS! You might be wondering what the hell does LLS stands for? It stands for long lasting shave. I just heard some guys talking about this on a Facebook shaving group and said to myself - damn, that's probably the most interesting thing that I've heard in that God forsaken group ever since I've joined.

So it's no longer about how close you can shave, but also how long would it last too!
 
Well boys, forget about BBS. That was yesterday's news. I present you the new best thing in shaving, since the invention of the warm water and that's LLS! You might be wondering what the hell does LLS stands for? It stands for long lasting shave. I just heard some guys talking about this on a Facebook shaving group and said to myself - damn, that's probably the most interesting thing that I've heard in that God forsaken group ever since I've joined.

So it's no longer about how close you can shave, but also how long would it last too!
You can never chase and catch perfection, just a myth
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
Found the safety razor that lets me push follicles closer to the skin’s surface to comfortably shave below skin level. And have many more where I can do the same with more contortions and less comfort.
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
I'm jealous.

¿Por qué? I find easy ways of overstepping its safety and opening myself up to razor burn and weepers, sometimes with as little as getting lost in a daydream or letter the lather dry a little.

I’m still miles away from a quick enough shave with a barber razor and even further from one that’s quick enough and close enough. And forget overcoming the fear of attempting the same in the shower.
 
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