Aggressive Razor. Whats the appeal?

[James1971]

Ive been shaving with antique gillette safety razors for a few years now. Ive got a pretty reasonable collection of each basic model. Not every different kind of every different model, but a reasonably representative sample.

Some of these razors are pretty aggressive. The merkur futur dialled up is pretty nasty. The old type I have is pretty aggressive too.

I tend to avoid shaving with the aggressive ones. I get a perfectly adequate 2 pass shave for work days in about 5 mins and can take extra time on sundays for a good job with one of the superspeeds or techs.

I get no nicks or cuts. With one of the aggressive ones no matter how careful I am, I end up with some weepers.

So, you guys that like the aggressive ones - whats the appeal?

Does it have a good valid advantage, or is it a bit of a pissing contest?

 

[Go West Young Man]

Why do some people like sports cars and some like family sedans?
Different needs, different preferences, different tools

 

[smalltank]

Thick and of coarser beards need more mow down..hehe

 

[nemo]

I've been wondering about this as well. I get a relaxed, comfortable 2 or 3 pass smooth shave every time with a Super Speed. For decades. I need to pay a little more attention with my Single Rings or a German open comb razor. But my FaTip or heaven forbid -- that other one, leaves me with tiny toilet paper Japanese flags all over my face. Really?

I think the OP summed it up in the second part of his last sentence.

 

[MrGuy]

I like the challenge. Shaving for me is trying to find the perfect balance between BBS and no blood or irritation. With the more gentile razors no blood or irritation is pretty easy, but BBS is a little tricky. With the aggressive ones BBS is easier, but to get no blood or irritation requires more attention to details. It just depends on my mood and if I feel like a quick and easy shave or a slower more involved one.

 

[franz]

I used to be a Superspeed adherent. My love for aggressive razors is something I discovered through blind experimentation. An aggressive setup with fewer, more efficient passes is friendlier to my skin. I also enjoy the process more. Annihilating a week's worth of stubble in a single pass is something to behold.

 

[mattface]

I don't like a SUPER agressive razor, but I find medium-agressive to be the sweet spot for me. It makes shaving seem easier more effortless. My guess is that preference has some to do with technique, and a lot to do with hair density and coarseness, and skin type. What feels perfect to me, may be mild to Mr. Wirebeard, and agressive to Franky Fairhair.

 

[mikey]

...or is it a bit of a pissing contest?

This.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[rkinz]

Great question, good thread. Thanks.
I'd been DE shaving with a long handled Merkur for about six months when I stumbled across my Dad's long forgotten forties Superspeed.
Couldn't believe how much more fun shaving became when I wasn't bleeding afterward.

 

[franz]

Doug, sounds like you need to send that Fatip to me for proper disposal. I will try not to pee on it.

 

[redbike]

I have some razors that shave aggressively enough that I don't use them on consecutive days. That category includes my Big Fellow, ball end Old Type, Goodwill 164, Bulldog, and OCMM. I typically use them on Monday mornings to mow down the weekend's stubble. The liklihood of nicking myself with one of these razors is much higher than with my safety bar razors, but I do get a closer shave that lasts longer into the day. There is a cool factor too.

 

[Face&Head]

I'm not a great fan of aggressive razors and don't for instance often really dial up my adjustables. I also don't have a a very heavy beard. That said, I prefer the sharpest blades I can find and keep a Joris in my weekly rotation. I generally only use it on weekends when I know I can take a liesurely shave. I never cease to be awed by how efficient this razor is. Yesterday, using a fresh Feather I got a BBS in what amounted to a 1 1/2 pass shave. It was smooth & comfortable with nary a nick or weeper. You can't use any pressure whatsoever with this setup, but if you pay attention to your technique it delivers an outstanding shave. I rarely skip a day shaving but if I do this is my goto razor. Only my Futur opened up gives me that kind of beard reduction, and a Futur opened up becomes a deadly tool if you're not very careful. As always YMMV, yada, yada, yada.....

 

[itsmedave]

I have a thick course beard and when I use a SS or other mild razor it just doesn't do the job. A more aggressive razor cuts away most of the stubble after one pass and then cleans up nicely on the second and third pass.

 

[Old Man Army]

I have a fast-growing, thick beard. If I use my Old Type or one of my adjustables (Slim or Fat Boy) dialed to 9 I get a closer shave and don't have a five o'clock shadow by lunch time. At the same time, I have to be careful shaving ATG with an aggressive razor, which is why I typically dial the adjustable down to 5 for that pass. As you might guess, I like my adjustable Gillettes.

 

[Sledgehammer39]

Just love to have a variety at my disposal!

 

[abershaver]

I had always assumed it was to do with the fewer number of passes needed if you have a good technique?

 

[Hubsche1]

My beard is scared of the R41.

Seriously, I have some tough whiskers, and a more aggressive razor will clear it faster. My milder razors take a LOT of extra work, while two passes and a touch-up will do with my R41. Technique certainly matters more, but I think it's a good learning tool for me there, as well. I can't simply run it all over my face and expect a blood-free shave.

Still, if a superspeed works for you, then that's great. Enjoy it!

 

[bkfist]

I think for about 75% of the folks it's a pissing contest situation, as you put it.

For a few people, however, I think their technique, coupled with their skin & beard, can get a closer shave in fewer passes with a more aggressive razor.

I also feel that many of those people would probably get *about* the same shave quality with a less "aggressive" razor *if* they paid just as much attention to blade angles, pressure, etc. when using the less "aggressive" razors.

They take an R41 or a Gillette Old/New OC razor and pay very, very close attention to blade angles, the use the cap of the razor to keep a low blade ange, not relying on the safety bar... When many of these same people go to a tech or other razor with a "mild" reputation, they begin using (relying on) the safety bar of the razor, so the blade angle of attack at the skin level is now different that it is when they are using the "aggressive" razor, or the adjustable turned up all the way, so their shave is not as close or it takes more passes, simply because the blade angle is not optimal.

The Feather stainless is a great example. If you "use it like a tech" it's almost as forgiving, and won't give you a much closer shave. On the other hand, treat it like you would a Gillette Old Type with the lower blade angle, keeping more of the cap in contact with your face, and it will mow down the whiskers every bit as close as an Old or New type OC razor. (You'll also get 2-3
X the blade life, since you aren't "bending" the edge of the blade backwards, but rather attacking the hair at a much more head-on angle.)

 

[Mick]

Sometimes I think it is just a "guy thang..."

I suppose someone who has a very heavy, coarse, beard may need more than someone like me who is blond hair, blue eyes, milky white complected with a thin wispy beard. All I need is a little sweet cream on the face then let kitty lick it off to get a BBS shave.

I'm very lucky. For me.... Every razor is a winner and every blade is sharp enough (and my blades last a full week too)....

 

[jamesspo]

I like aggressive razors because the are flexible, in much the same way a straight razor is. A very mild razor, like the Tech, with the blade right at the cap/guard tangent line (or maybe even slightly recessed below it... my eyes are getting a little old to tell), has a limited range of angles at which it will cut hair. The more blade exposure you have, the more cutting angles are possible with the blade in contact with the skin. This old post with pictures of various razors in profile I think illustrates this pretty well - http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/162987-Photo-Analysis-of-Razor-Designs . For me, that's the key difference. I've tried shaving with a tech, and while it provides an ultra "smooth" shave for the first pass, it takes me forever (like 5-6 more passes), with pressure, to get anywhere close to a BBS. This isn't a technique thing.. you can only work a tech at very limited range of angles anyway (and I've tried them all). I think the key factors that allows some to get a good shave with a very mild razor are the elasticity of one's skin, and thus the ability of the skin to keep good contact with the blade despite little exposure, and probably some characteristics of the hair itself. Mine seems to just fold over with low blade exposure, so it never makes contact with the blade, once it's cut short.

Edit: I realized I missed one aspect of the OP's question. I should say that it is possible for me to get a SAS and maybe even a DFS from a mild razor...I just can't get to a BBS in any reasonable amount of time with very mild razors (or anything less than, say, 5 on a Fatboy). The fact that I seek BBS nearly every shave leads me to use aggressive razors most of the time. With regard to blood, I see some occasional weepers, mostly around my mouth where my attempts at ultimate smoothness there (one of my silly obsessions) lead to over shaving. The pores in that area for me sort of "swell up" sometimes, and I mistakenly think I haven't finished shaving there, because it feels like stubble. When I go over it again, I can have some weepers. Beyond that though, it's pretty much blood free, even with my R41. I do have to be careful though. Any sort of surface imperfections on your face are at risk. Bottom line, if I wasn't so BBS obsessed, I probably could do fine with a mild razor.