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Bevel DE Safety Razor: Review, Photos, Measurements, Photo Analysis

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
Thanks, Mike (@Esox) and Jim (@Chan Eil Whiskers), for your thoughtful comments. I like how we're all trying to figure out what works best, and that might vary from person to person. Guard span definitely matters, but so does blade angle, and we can't forget about blade exposure. I haven't even tried a TTO yet, let alone a SE, so you guys are ahead of me. I really appreciate your offer, Jim, to have the time to analyze your ATT SE1 and SE2. That would be cool. I've made a note about that in a file for future reference. :001_smile

:thumbsup:

I find with guard span, like gap, that less is more. Not so much with blade exposure though.

Fatip OC heads offer generous blade exposure, but so do early Gillette TTO's. Both also have short guard span distances, but theres something about a TTO thats hard for me to quantify in use. They feel different than 3 piece razors and I dont understand why.

Given a rigid design geometry, combining generous blade exposure, minimal gap and a short guard span distance, you can shave very shallow very easily. The closer I can get the blades edge parallel to my skin, the smoother, more efficient and more comfortable the shave.
 
:thumbsup:

I find with guard span, like gap, that less is more. Not so much with blade exposure though.

Fatip OC heads offer generous blade exposure, but so do early Gillette TTO's. Both also have short guard span distances, but theres something about a TTO thats hard for me to quantify in use. They feel different than 3 piece razors and I dont understand why.

Given a rigid design geometry, combining generous blade exposure, minimal gap and a short guard span distance, you can shave very shallow very easily. The closer I can get the blades edge parallel to my skin, the smoother, more efficient and more comfortable the shave.

What you just described---"rigid design geometry, combining generous blade exposure, minimal gap and a short guard span distance"---sounds like the OneBlade, except that the user might not be able to make the blade angle very shallow with the OneBlade. You've found small blade angles to work very well for smoothness and efficiency. Jim (@Chan Eil Whiskers) also talked about this. You guys might really be onto something.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
What you just described---"rigid design geometry, combining generous blade exposure, minimal gap and a short guard span distance"---sounds like the ...

...Fatip OC :)

IMG_2182.JPG


I think of my Grande as a straight razor with training wheels. The cap and comb being the training wheels.


Some straight razor info may help add some insights to this discussion ;)

Straight razors with an extra hollow grind flex more at the edge (while shaving) than hollow grinds, which flex more than half Hollow grinds, which flex more than wedge grinds.

When the edge on a straight razor deflects a tiny bit while shaving hairs, it gives more skin irritation (since it always deflects along the hair shaft, the direction the hair shaft is sloped - which is always towards the skin.

However, if you adjust the angle a straight razor sits against your skin, then you can get the cutting action 100% aligned with the blade (edge to spine) so no deflection happens with even the thinnest grinds.

The thicker (less flexible) grinds are a lot easier for a beginner to use - because they are more tolerant of missing the perfect angle by small amounts. This deflection is what causes chatter in a DE.

Its all in finding the right angle, as long as the razor design lets you achieve it. For shaving very shallow, the shorter the guard span the shallower the angle you can reach while keeping the edge in contact with the skin and base of the stubble. More blade exposure compounds that effect.
 
Whew, I just stumbled on this thread as well. Great read Grant @ShavingByTheNumbers!

I understood most of Mike's @Esox post, but mostly because I spent about a week studying the quoted portion when it was posted in my journal. I think you might have come very close to a definitive post on rigidity in regards to shaving, as well as your wave and skin inside the blade gap theories, with this most recent one Mike! Most impressive sir.

In regards to the razors you're going to analyze in the future: I have to also throw my hat in the ring for an SE. I haven't been doing this wet shaving thing for very long (8 months or so), and my short attention span has caused me to "razor jump" far more than any newbie should. For me though, I was searching for something very particular (namely a good shave, without irritation or ingrown hairs) and quickly discovered that rigidity was very important for my whiskers. I've shaved with a whole host of razors: Baili TTO (Super Speed knockoff), Edwin Jagger DE89 (knurled), Parker Variant, RazoRock OLD type, RazoRock Baby Smooth, Maggard Slant/V3a/V2OC on MR7 handle, Stirling DE (DE89 clone head with MR7 handle), RazoRock German 37 slant, Rockwell 6s, RazoRock Black Hawk V1 and V2, Colonial General Stainless Steel, GEM Clog Pruf, GEM G bar, GEM Contour II, GEM Junior (1912 style head), Supply Single Edge Injector V2 (all 3 plates), Schick injectors Types M-1 and J-1 (I own more just haven't shaved with them yet), and eBarbershop Type O clone.

Best shaves, hands down, have been with the latter part of that list. Easiest and most comfortable shaves are with the injectors. I get close, nearly irritation free shaves with the injectors The TWIN blades are very sharp and can be harsh if not given the proper respect, especially on the early shaves with the blades. I love the J-1 and Chinese Schick blade combination. I have tried far too many razors, and definitely should have tried to stick with one setup more as I learned to wet shave.

Going back and using some of the first razors I purchased has been educational. I moved on from them mainly due to lack of rigidity, and find that lack of rigidity still a big problem. I loved my Parker Variant. It still gives me some of the best DE shaves I've had, which I attribute to the curvature the head gives the blade. I keep it on a low setting (1.5-2.5 or so out of 5+) for most of my passes. The Rockwell 6s gives some amazingly smooth and comfortable shaves. My favorite plate was 4 when I tried it on the passaround. Neither of these really gave me the shave I was desiring, though. I got some irritation, and actually some ingrown hairs. The RR Black Hawks came close to being the right one for me, but my face was always sore after using the AC blades. The J-1 injector was my revelation. I'd used the supply injector for at least two or more weeks of shaves and couldn't get it to work well for me (weepers, irritation, and sore face). The J-1 with a Chick blade is very smooth and comfortable. The TWINs take a bit more care, but not much especially in comparison to the AC style razors. Either way, not noticing ingrowns and almost no irritation.

I know you are going to be using that Gillette Tech and analyzing it for quite awhile before you'd ever get to any of the SE razors, but I'd be very interested in seeing your breakdown of them at some point. Enjoy the Tech in the meantime! They're supposed to be very good shavers.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
I haven't been doing this wet shaving thing for very long (8 months or so), and my short attention span has caused me to "razor jump" far more than any newbie should. For me though, I was searching for something very particular (namely a good shave, without irritation or ingrown hairs) and quickly discovered that rigidity was very important for my whiskers. I've shaved with a whole host of razors: Baili TTO (Super Speed knockoff), Edwin Jagger DE89 (knurled), Parker Variant, RazoRock OLD type, RazoRock Baby Smooth, Maggard Slant/V3a/V2OC on MR7 handle, Stirling DE (DE89 clone head with MR7 handle), RazoRock German 37 slant, Rockwell 6s, RazoRock Black Hawk V1 and V2, Colonial General Stainless Steel, GEM Clog Pruf, GEM G bar, GEM Contour II, GEM Junior (1912 style head), Supply Single Edge Injector V2 (all 3 plates), Schick injectors Types M-1 and J-1 (I own more just haven't shaved with them yet), and eBarbershop Type O clone.

RAD.jpg
 
...Fatip OC :)

View attachment 859424

I think of my Grande as a straight razor with training wheels. The cap and comb being the training wheels.




Its all in finding the right angle, as long as the razor design lets you achieve it. For shaving very shallow, the shorter the guard span the shallower the angle you can reach while keeping the edge in contact with the skin and base of the stubble. More blade exposure compounds that effect.

Based on your picture, it looks like there is a big difference between the shallow and steep blade angles with the Fatip. Is that correct? I can see why you consider it a "straight razor with training wheels". :001_tongu
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
Based on your picture, it looks like there is a big difference between the shallow and steep blade angles with the Fatip. Is that correct? I can see why you consider it a "straight razor with training wheels". :001_tongu


There is a drastic difference in feel between shallow and steep, and its a very small window.

See the post below by @Cal if you havent already.


BLADE ANGLE (that's blade to skin angle)

I didn't know where to post this Mike, but as the razor in question is a Fatip OC, I thought it best to post here.

Shallow angle (riding the cap): 22° (yellow to red)
Steep angle (riding the guard): 26° (yellow to blue)
upload_2018-1-10_23-52-20-png.851439

A whole 4° difference from one extreme to the other.

To put this in perspective, bear in mind that your average slant razor (with the handle held perpendicular to the ground) will offer the blade to your face only 3° off the horizontal.
 
Whew, I just stumbled on this thread as well. Great read Grant @ShavingByTheNumbers!

I understood most of Mike's @Esox post, but mostly because I spent about a week studying the quoted portion when it was posted in my journal. I think you might have come very close to a definitive post on rigidity in regards to shaving, as well as your wave and skin inside the blade gap theories, with this most recent one Mike! Most impressive sir.

In regards to the razors you're going to analyze in the future: I have to also throw my hat in the ring for an SE. I haven't been doing this wet shaving thing for very long (8 months or so), and my short attention span has caused me to "razor jump" far more than any newbie should. For me though, I was searching for something very particular (namely a good shave, without irritation or ingrown hairs) and quickly discovered that rigidity was very important for my whiskers. I've shaved with a whole host of razors: Baili TTO (Super Speed knockoff), Edwin Jagger DE89 (knurled), Parker Variant, RazoRock OLD type, RazoRock Baby Smooth, Maggard Slant/V3a/V2OC on MR7 handle, Stirling DE (DE89 clone head with MR7 handle), RazoRock German 37 slant, Rockwell 6s, RazoRock Black Hawk V1 and V2, Colonial General Stainless Steel, GEM Clog Pruf, GEM G bar, GEM Contour II, GEM Junior (1912 style head), Supply Single Edge Injector V2 (all 3 plates), Schick injectors Types M-1 and J-1 (I own more just haven't shaved with them yet), and eBarbershop Type O clone.

Best shaves, hands down, have been with the latter part of that list. Easiest and most comfortable shaves are with the injectors. I get close, nearly irritation free shaves with the injectors The TWIN blades are very sharp and can be harsh if not given the proper respect, especially on the early shaves with the blades. I love the J-1 and Chinese Schick blade combination. I have tried far too many razors, and definitely should have tried to stick with one setup more as I learned to wet shave.

Going back and using some of the first razors I purchased has been educational. I moved on from them mainly due to lack of rigidity, and find that lack of rigidity still a big problem. I loved my Parker Variant. It still gives me some of the best DE shaves I've had, which I attribute to the curvature the head gives the blade. I keep it on a low setting (1.5-2.5 or so out of 5+) for most of my passes. The Rockwell 6s gives some amazingly smooth and comfortable shaves. My favorite plate was 4 when I tried it on the passaround. Neither of these really gave me the shave I was desiring, though. I got some irritation, and actually some ingrown hairs. The RR Black Hawks came close to being the right one for me, but my face was always sore after using the AC blades. The J-1 injector was my revelation. I'd used the supply injector for at least two or more weeks of shaves and couldn't get it to work well for me (weepers, irritation, and sore face). The J-1 with a Chick blade is very smooth and comfortable. The TWINs take a bit more care, but not much especially in comparison to the AC style razors. Either way, not noticing ingrowns and almost no irritation.

I know you are going to be using that Gillette Tech and analyzing it for quite awhile before you'd ever get to any of the SE razors, but I'd be very interested in seeing your breakdown of them at some point. Enjoy the Tech in the meantime! They're supposed to be very good shavers.

Thanks, Joel, for your great input. :thumbup1: Wow! You've really tried a lot of razors... way, way more than I have and in less time than me, too. I believe you about blade rigidity. Others have been praising blade rigidity, too. That's one of the reasons why I chose the Gillette Tech as my next razor. Thanks for the well wishes with the Tech. I hope that it goes well, too. After the Tech, maybe I'll venture away from DE and try a SE. Your not the first in this thread to praise the injectors. Why are injectors so different from other SE razors? Are the blades fundamentally different in their honing or thickness? Are the razors themselves made with shallower blade angles or smaller guard spans? What's going on? :stuart:
 
There is a drastic difference in feel between shallow and steep, and its a very small window.

See the post below by @Cal if you havent already.

It's hard to imagine such a drastic difference in feeling between shallow and steep shaving if the difference between shallow and steep blade angles is really only 4 degrees. Maybe the difference is only 4 degrees, but judging angles from photo analysis alone can be misleading when you have to detect the blade cutting edge. Perspective also affects judgments. Take a look at your photo. The difference in steep and shallow angles appears to be much more than 4 degrees. Different photos of the same razor can get different results. In any case, I believe you about how the difference in shallow and steep shaving with the Fatip is drastic. I expect that with so-called "aggressive" razors since they typically have more blade exposure that causes larger angle differences. A shorter guard span, like you said, also creates bigger differences.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
You've found small blade angles (that is, shallow-angle shaving) to work very well for smoothness and efficiency. Jim (@Chan Eil Whiskers) also talked about this. You guys might really be onto something.

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Problem is, all we're doing is what straight razor shavers have always done, I believe. We didn't exactly invent anything, but we'll take all the credit especially if royalties are involved.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Once I started writing them all down, I realized just how insane it actually was... I figured I had better come fully clean rather than truncating it by being more general. I luckily didn't buy the Rockwell 6s, just tried it on the passaround. That one razor costs more than at least a half dozen of those other razors combined.

Thanks, Joel, for your great input. :thumbup1: Wow! You've really tried a lot of razors... way, way more than I have and in less time than me, too. I believe you about blade rigidity. Others have been praising blade rigidity, too. That's one of the reasons why I chose the Gillette Tech as my next razor. Thanks for the well wishes with the Tech. I hope that it goes well, too. After the Tech, maybe I'll venture away from DE and try a SE. Your not the first in this thread to praise the injectors. Why are injectors so different from other SE razors? Are the blades fundamentally different in their honing or thickness? Are the razors themselves made with shallower blade angles or smaller guard spans? What's going on? :stuart:

For me, the reason the injectors are my favorite razors right now is a combination of amazing blades and the correct angle for my whiskers. The shaving angle of these blades is very close to a straight razor. I start with the cap flush with my skin, then slightly lower the handle to engage the blade. I believe this angle to be about 10 degrees or so. An extremely shallow angle. The GEM blade razors hold the blade even more shallowly, but I find those blades a bit harsher. I was never able to get a decent shave out of them for some reason, and the longevity was no better than a DE blade for me. The injector blades are incredibly efficient and generally very smooth. There is also significant longevity with these blades for most gents. The AC blades are actually very similar to the injector blades, but there is more blade length so they shave more whiskers per stroke (think 1.5 times a DE blade length). They cover too much area for me, and I don't find the razor/blade combinations even remotely as forgiving as the injectors.

With some of my other SE razors, I feel as though I'm not actually using the guard bar. I haven't really gotten a nick for many months with my SE razors, so it seems that the guard bar isn't that necessary. Shaving at a steeper angle I do get irritation and weepers with the AC razors, but maintaining that shallow angle is fairly difficult. The punishment is a bit more severe than what I get with DEs. The injectors have a fairly narrow shaving window where the blade is engaged. If you go too shallow, the cap saves your face. If you go too steep, the bar pushes into your face and the blade gets rotated away. Maintaining the angle isn't difficult at all and feels natural after a very short time with the razor.

Comparing the injectors to the other SE formats, the injectors are just as efficient, as smooth or smoother, easier to use, and maintain the right angle for my beard. Hope that helps.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
The injectors I've used - ebarbershop Type O clone, Schick Type M1 and M3 Protector, Schick L3 - with the TWIN blade have one thing in common.

It is not the blade gap or the guard span. As Joel @Johnnynroy will attest, the Type M3 Protector, on high settings, has a gap of something close to a million miles. Well, maybe it is only a quarter of an inch, but it might as well be a million miles.

I've shaved with the M3 Protector on the high settings, but I was riding the cap.

With very shallow angle shaving who cares what the gap is? The gap doesn't come into play.

TypeO.TypeOClone.Side.Top.JPG L3.Name.Red.JPG L3+M1.Side.Top.JPG M1.M3.Bottoms.Heads.Clear.JPG

What all these injector razors, and the also pictured Schick Type O injector, have in common should be obvious. Besides the fact that the blades are rigidly held.

Look at how thin the caps are! You use these injector razors by putting the flat surface of the cap on your skin and moving the handle in the direction of a steeper angled shave only until you can feel and hear whiskers being cut, and that's not very far at all.

There's not much to get in the way of a very shallow angle shave. When using these injectors I want to have very, very little blade feel at any point during the shave. Same with the SS Colonial General and the ATT SE1 and the ATT SE2.

I know some of my shaving buddies are skin scrappers (that is, steep angle shavers), and maybe they're right and I'm wrong, but I don't get what they're doing at all. Besides, what I'm doing is working for me, and that is my primary concern and objective.

Just my point of view about this of course. I'm no expert on anything shaving related except what works for me, and even then I'm a novice.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
Maybe the low blade angle is the key

Hmmm, I'm not sure I'd agree with this statement. Even for the straights, there are places on my face where low blade angle works and places where it doesn't. For the Chick blades in the injectors, I start steep until the performance wears off a bit and then my angle diminishes a bit, but I still don't shave the cap. And now that I think on it, the place that asks for "shallow angle" is a depression in my neck between the jaw, adam's apple and the muscle on the right side of my neck. I have to really get to what feels shallow to get in there, but given it is a hollow, that would mean the angle to that portion of the neck is still not riding the cap, but right where the blade meets the hair, considerably more. It's like turning the wheels of your car when going over a dip to keep the nose from bottoming out except in this case, to get the blade on the skin, I keep the wheels straight and am able to get a touch on the far side. It feels like the head is flush but I suspect more focus would show it is probably the back of the head that touches or actually a bit of pressure to get the head in and the blade in the right place.

I also consider this with low angle shaving vs steep, namely that the steep angle is safer when the inevitable slip in technique occurs. Perfect focus and technique are not possible, and the no pressure really applies best to shallow angle shaving because if you encounter a skip or difficulty in cutting, the head is going to pitch towards the safety bar, all the force is in that direction. With enough gap, the blade now is turning into the skin and if the bar isn't close enough, you can get a nick with enough pressure, hence one of the reasons for no pressure. With steep angle shaving, in the same scenario, the pressure will tilt the head past the bar so the blade isn't even engaged anymore, no nicks or cuts, hence the appellation "safety bar". In my opinion, it is more comfortable, easier, and safer to shave this way. I understand YMMV and that for others it won't feel comfortable, and they don't have any real issues with their technique to worry about, but steep angle shaving has been a revelation for me.

And lastly I'll tackle Jim's statement about the planed off hairs vs spike tipped hairs theory that I've heard other places around B&B. I can visualize what he's talking about particularly with the images of the Gillette lift and cut from the cart advertisements, but I also wonder if I'm shaving to a planed surface than it doesn't matter the angle the blade is at, it will cut to the surface of the plane and everything will be cut equally. Now I know the face is not a smooth flat surface, but for example the guard and the cap are, so if I shave my face to that standard, than the hairs should be planed smooth at the height of the cut, no matter what the contours of the face. Perhaps the initial cuts conform to the angle of the blade, but if you aren't lifting the hair out of the follicle than it will be more or less cut smooth. My understanding(which may be incorrect) about why the hairs are sharp growing in is that they aren't so much pointy as being cut by a sharp blade. Imagine a planed cyllinder cut to exacting precision vs one that had been smoothly polished and rounded, if that planed cyllinder were small enough it would be more pokey, than one smooth and rounded, but not necessarily the shape of a pungi stick.

Just thinking out loud and all respectfully delivered for consideration, not for argument or belittlement.
 
Once I started writing them all down, I realized just how insane it actually was... I figured I had better come fully clean rather than truncating it by being more general. I luckily didn't buy the Rockwell 6s, just tried it on the passaround. That one razor costs more than at least a half dozen of those other razors combined.



For me, the reason the injectors are my favorite razors right now is a combination of amazing blades and the correct angle for my whiskers. The shaving angle of these blades is very close to a straight razor. I start with the cap flush with my skin, then slightly lower the handle to engage the blade. I believe this angle to be about 10 degrees or so. An extremely shallow angle. The GEM blade razors hold the blade even more shallowly, but I find those blades a bit harsher. I was never able to get a decent shave out of them for some reason, and the longevity was no better than a DE blade for me. The injector blades are incredibly efficient and generally very smooth. There is also significant longevity with these blades for most gents. The AC blades are actually very similar to the injector blades, but there is more blade length so they shave more whiskers per stroke (think 1.5 times a DE blade length). They cover too much area for me, and I don't find the razor/blade combinations even remotely as forgiving as the injectors.

With some of my other SE razors, I feel as though I'm not actually using the guard bar. I haven't really gotten a nick for many months with my SE razors, so it seems that the guard bar isn't that necessary. Shaving at a steeper angle I do get irritation and weepers with the AC razors, but maintaining that shallow angle is fairly difficult. The punishment is a bit more severe than what I get with DEs. The injectors have a fairly narrow shaving window where the blade is engaged. If you go too shallow, the cap saves your face. If you go too steep, the bar pushes into your face and the blade gets rotated away. Maintaining the angle isn't difficult at all and feels natural after a very short time with the razor.

Comparing the injectors to the other SE formats, the injectors are just as efficient, as smooth or smoother, easier to use, and maintain the right angle for my beard. Hope that helps.

Thanks, Joel. That does help. :001_smile
 
The injectors I've used - ebarbershop Type O clone, Schick Type M1 and M3 Protector, Schick L3 - with the TWIN blade have one thing in common.

It is not the blade gap or the guard span. As Joel @Johnnynroy will attest, the Type M3 Protector, on high settings, has a gap of something close to a million miles. Well, maybe it is only a quarter of an inch, but it might as well be a million miles.

I've shaved with the M3 Protector on the high settings, but I was riding the cap.

With very shallow angle shaving who cares what the gap is? The gap doesn't come into play.

View attachment 859457 View attachment 859463 View attachment 859464 View attachment 859465

What all these injector razors, and the also pictured Schick Type O injector, have in common should be obvious. Besides the fact that the blades are rigidly held.

Look at how thin the caps are! You use these injector razors by putting the flat surface of the cap on your skin and moving the handle in the direction of a steeper angled shave only until you can feel and hear whiskers being cut, and that's not very far at all.

There's not much to get in the way of a very shallow angle shave. When using these injectors I want to have very, very little blade feel at any point during the shave. Same with the SS Colonial General and the ATT SE1 and the ATT SE2.

I know some of my shaving buddies are skin scrappers (that is, steep angle shavers), and maybe they're right and I'm wrong, but I don't get what they're doing at all. Besides, what I'm doing is working for me, and that is my primary concern and objective.

Just my point of view about this of course. I'm no expert on anything shaving related except what works for me, and even then I'm a novice.

Happy shaves,

Jim

The gap on the M3 is quite terrifying with a blade loaded. I wonder what angle we really do shave at: shallow, neutral or steep. My guess is that I shave closer to neutral, which is why I really like having the blade guard be fixed. I think the possible angles (steep vs neutral vs shallow) are actually very close together for injectors, especially with a TWIN blade loaded. Getting both blades to engage doesn't allow for much variation in angle really.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
The gap on the M3 is quite terrifying with a blade loaded. I wonder what angle we really do shave at: shallow, neutral or steep. My guess is that I shave closer to neutral, which is why I really like having the blade guard be fixed. I think the possible angles (steep vs neutral vs shallow) are actually very close together for injectors, especially with a TWIN blade loaded. Getting both blades to engage doesn't allow for much variation in angle really.

When I started with the TWIN I got all into figuring out how to involve both blades. It was hard for me to get my head around it, but I finally did. Experienced injector and TWIN users told me what they always say, "Just shave." It took me a while to get my mind around that. More correctly, it took me a while to get out of my mind, and to listen and feel instead of concerning myself with the angle.

I'm only saying what I think the angle is from observation. I'm sure others get great results doing things which wouldn't work for me and vice versa.

However, I'm quite sure I had to be shallow angle shaving to keep the Type M3 Protector set on #7 from eating me alive. You've seen that gap! The guard span is so big the guard is meaningless almost.

My guess is anyone shaving with the injector and a TWIN is probably doing the right thing or they quit with the razor. I have no real knowledge about what the range of angles really is to engage both edges of the TWIN blade (and don't know if I am engaging both edges), but I suspect the truly most effective both-edges-engaged range is tiny, tiny, tiny.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
I also consider this with low angle shaving vs steep, namely that the steep angle is safer when the inevitable slip in technique occurs. Perfect focus and technique are not possible, and the no pressure really applies best to shallow angle shaving because if you encounter a skip or difficulty in cutting, the head is going to pitch towards the safety bar, all the force is in that direction. With enough gap, the blade now is turning into the skin and if the bar isn't close enough, you can get a nick with enough pressure, hence one of the reasons for no pressure. With steep angle shaving, in the same scenario, the pressure will tilt the head past the bar so the blade isn't even engaged anymore, no nicks or cuts, hence the appellation "safety bar". In my opinion, it is more comfortable, easier, and safer to shave this way. I understand YMMV and that for others it won't feel comfortable, and they don't have any real issues with their technique to worry about, but steep angle shaving has been a revelation for me.

Its exactly the opposite for me, but I get what you're saying.

I shave as shallow as I can, even beyond the razors design parameters. I shave ATG on my neck and cheeks so shallow that I have to push the cap into my skin with considerable force to make the blade engage. If I used the same amount of pressure shaving steep I'd have no skin too shave.

I also find that quite safe. When you nick yourself, the first thing you do is release pressure. As soon as I release even a little pressure, the blade is entirely off my skin. I will say that my reflexes to that have been very well honed! lol

Thats not an easy technique to learn, but with the right razor offering a profile to allow that type of technique, it works very well for me and I never feel the blade at all. If I feel the blade, I'm not shallow enough.

I do have areas where I need to use a steeper angle however. Along my jawline both sides and the face of my chin.

With my direction of growth at and just under the edge of my jawline, for me to get a BBS finish there, which isnt easy I might add, I need a steep to very steep angle. Theres a strip maybe 1/2" wide and 4"s long on my left side jawline that is really a nuisance to BBS lol.

The face of my chin also needs a steeper angle to get an effective shave. The stubble is so dense and coarse there that shaving shallow ATG, even as rigid as my Grande is, the very edge of the blade will flex and skip over it. This is what I think an SE will eliminate simply because the blades are thicker.
 
The Bevel is also available from Chinese distributor Yaqi for $25 shipped.
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