A question about blade exposure.

[proxymoron]

The subject of blade exposure comes up a lot around here and I've always just accepted that more blade exposure means more aggressiveness and all that that entails. But, having come across yet another such thread, it occurred to me the only part of the blade that matters is the edge and that's only as thick as it is, no matter how much more blade is exposed.

So here's my question: what is it that makes more exposure equal more aggressiveness?

 

[life2short1971]

That gap is what determines how much pressure the blade puts on your skin. More aggressive equals more gap which allows more pressure of the blade on the skin with the same amount of pressure from you.

 

[DE Shaver]

When you expose more blade, the razor can be considered more aggressive. There less protection by a blade guard and a protuting blade with no guard can allows the user to shave more closely. If you think of of in reverse terms, a mild razor wil have a recessed blade that is surrounded by blade guards will not be as aggressive because the ability of the blade to contact skin and shave too close is diminished. A razor aggressviness, however, is a combination of blade angle, exposure, gap and geometry.

 

[ackvil]

Have you seen this? http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Double-Edged_Safety_Razors_Ranked_by_Aggressiveness

 

[Go West Young Man]

the only part of the blade that matters is the edge and that's only as thick as it is, no matter how much more blade is exposed.

So here's my question: what is it that makes more exposure equal more aggressiveness?

First off, as said above aggressiveness is about more than just blade exposure, but to answer your specific question -

Blade exposure refers to how much of the blade protrudes beyond the safety bar/comb. Imagine one razor who's safety bar allows the tip of the blade to just perfectly reach the base of the whisker as it emerges from the skin. A milder razor's blade will only reach mid-way up the hair, while a more aggressive one will actually dig into your skin slightly if you shave with the same pressure and angle.

 

[proxymoron]

Thanks. I had an intuitive sense of what you're all saying, but in the face of the idea that the edge alone does the cutting, I guess I needed it spelled out, mechanics not being my strong suit. I suppose the easier way (for me) to think about it is to consider how much protection a given razor head offers relative to the naked blade instead.