What's new

DE vs. SE vs. Straight - sharpness and smoothness

I have been using a variety of SEs recently with GEM stainless steel coated blades. I find that I get closer shaves with SEs than DEs and often less irritation too. However, DE blades normally feel sharper and smoother on the face. I have been wondering why this is, and also how a straight shave would compare.

Obviously, there is a much greater range of DE blades so I expect the quality of the best DE blade to be better than the quality of the best SE blade. However, I am sure that is only part of the story.

Does a thicker SE blade flex less on the face and therefore feel less forgiving (even though it is actually doing a better job)? Does the greater flexing of a DE blade potentially lead to more irritation? Is a straight shave the perfect solution as it will be sharper than a mass produced SE blade but with similar stiffness?
 
Sounds like youre on the right path with your thoughts. I would say that perhaps its the edge retention. I find a DE has too much give and gets beat up quick from the beard. So only one or two shaves will be ok then the blade turns chewed up and chews me up. With a straight I get a less irritated shave, sine you strop before a shave its like a fresh blade most of the time. I do enjoy using an injector on the days I dont use a straight.
 
I have been using a variety of SEs recently with GEM stainless steel coated blades. I find that I get closer shaves with SEs than DEs and often less irritation too. However, DE blades normally feel sharper and smoother on the face. I have been wondering why this is, and also how a straight shave would compare.

Obviously, there is a much greater range of DE blades so I expect the quality of the best DE blade to be better than the quality of the best SE blade. However, I am sure that is only part of the story.

Does a thicker SE blade flex less on the face and therefore feel less forgiving (even though it is actually doing a better job)? Does the greater flexing of a DE blade potentially lead to more irritation? Is a straight shave the perfect solution as it will be sharper than a mass produced SE blade but with similar stiffness?
If this is the case, I wonder why shavettes work so well, perhaps the rails of the shavette supports the blade?
 
I have been using a variety of SEs recently with GEM stainless steel coated blades. I find that I get closer shaves with SEs than DEs and often less irritation too. However, DE blades normally feel sharper and smoother on the face.

Personnas Gem in my Micromatic OC feel way sharper than any DE blade I have ever tried... maybe that's just that combo in my little SE experience. I got a great shave, but there felt like no tolerance for not dead-spot-on technique.

Is a straight shave the perfect solution as it will be sharper than a mass produced SE blade but with similar stiffness?

question to all the edge SMEs, is a well honed straight sharper than a SE blade? and I would think that different grinds would affect your stiffness application in this hypothesis...
 
I have been using a variety of SEs recently with GEM stainless steel coated blades. I find that I get closer shaves with SEs than DEs and often less irritation too. However, DE blades normally feel sharper and smoother on the face. I have been wondering why this is, and also how a straight shave would compare.

Obviously, there is a much greater range of DE blades so I expect the quality of the best DE blade to be better than the quality of the best SE blade. However, I am sure that is only part of the story.

Does a thicker SE blade flex less on the face and therefore feel less forgiving (even though it is actually doing a better job)? Does the greater flexing of a DE blade potentially lead to more irritation? Is a straight shave the perfect solution as it will be sharper than a mass produced SE blade but with similar stiffness?

I can't answer the SE vs Straight question you pose as I haven't used SE. However I read your post as revolving around sharpness. I used straights for a while and found that once I got through the learning curve I was getting great shaves. However I also found that, over time, I developed an area on the side of my chin that became quite sensitive. I think that it was the sharpness of the blades that caused this - no doubt aided by my technique!

I find now that I get much better shaves with DE without any irritation. For me, at any rate, it's possible for a blade to be too sharp.
 
Top Bottom