Aggressive Razors, Lotsa Blade Feel And Your Face...

[Chef455]

Blade feel. How does it make you feel?

There was a time not long ago that I was dismissive of aggressive razors. I never wanted to feel the razor blade on my face.

I currently own two razors with considerable blade feel. Please keep in mind that I am (have been?) a self admitted mild razor "fanboy". I will continue to be. Give me a mild razor and a Feather blade and I'm in shaving heaven.

I don't shave like I used to. When I first joined B&B all I could think about was my next shave. Which razor, which soap, which AS, where can I post it?

I don't shave every day anymore. Maybe every other, occasionally I'll skip 3 or more. When that happens I'll use the two razors in question. They are the Merkur 37c and the Timeless Bronze .78 OC. I'm certain some members will scoff, but unless I'm opening the Slim up to 9, these are the only two that I "feel the blade" on my face.

When I speak of "blade feel" I mean that the predominant feeling is that I feel a razor blade on my face. The razor that is holding it is secondary.

Here's the thing. I refuse to do a ATG pass with either of those razors. It's uncomfortable, OK, borders on "hurts". WTG, XTG all good. ATG... heavens no. I always do my final ATG pass with a mild razor.

My question to the members that gravitate towards more aggressive razors with a lot of blade feel is- how did you arrive there? Was that where you landed in the beginning of your journey? Do you do all 3 passes with the same razor? Have you always done so?

 

[AshleyC]

I bought some aggressive razors in the beginning, not knowing that they were. The two I remember was a Cadet, from India, and a Gillette Old Type. For a beginner, the Cadet was ghastly. I was soon into Super Speeds and a Slim.

My preference now for more "blade feel" razors is probably nothing more than experience. I better know what I'm doing. A couple months ago I revisited one of my Techs and found its narrow range of "sweet spot" blade angle to be tedious.

I do all passes with the same razor. And if I'm using an adjustable, I don't change settings between passes. I just discovered today my Vikings Blade Emperor has a side of its head that is aggressive and had blade feel like my Futur. The other side, by design, is mild like a Tech. And I think I like having that duality, for the "Tech" side is good for ATG under the nose.

 

[AndyPanda]

I'm not positive that everyone means the same thing when they say "blade feel".

If I have a really well made razor -- and by well made I guess what I really mean is that the blade goes in the same way every time, perfectly aligned and the cap holds the blade perfectly against the base plate such that the blade stays straight and is consistent across the whole length (or is it width?) of the exposed edge -- in a razor like that, I want enough edge exposure that I can feel the blade and know that the edge is skimming right at the surface of my skin and I still won't be getting nicked or feeling my skin being scraped raw. I can take quite a bit of blade exposure or "blade feel" when it's precise like that.

But some razors aren't very precise and the blade can be skewed one way or the other or even have ripples because of how the clamping isn't precise - or just have more exposure in some places than in other places along the edge. And that kind of "blade feel" is the feel of a blade catching and biting into the skin. I've had one razor that seemed to cause the very corner edge of the blade to curve in a way that always grabbed and cut me when I was shaving just under my nostrils and the corners of my mouth. I would always get weepers at the corners of my mouth and under my nostrils with that razor. I could put the same blade in a better razor and get a close shave without any irritation or weepers.

Anyway .. in a good razor with a lot of blade feel, I use almost no pressure at all and get a really close shave with two passes. In a razor without blade feel (less exposure) I can press harder without worrying about getting cut - it'll take more passes and my skin will feel a bit abused after.

 

[tube_guy]

For years I had always used more mild razors and I got some OK shaves that took a lot of effort and a lot of time. I realized that more aggressive razors were the best fit for me after my wife bought me an ATT set with three plates. I started with the mild plate and I really worked to get what I considered a rather mediocre shave. After a week or so, I stepped things up with the regular plate, and my shave improved somewhat. Finally I went to the H plate and I had a shaving epiphany. The razor effortlessly glided on my face and my face was like glass when I was finished. Never before had my shaving experience been anything like that. So I began experimenting with more aggressive razors. I found that it's definitely possible for me to go too aggressive for my face. An Ikon Tek, for example, is just too much for me. But i seem to like razors on the more aggressive side of medium. An R41, a Blackbird, a Dart, or a Wolfman 1.55 all just glide effortlessly on my face.

 

[ButterfaceX]

Well as always each shavers journey will be very different. There are just so many variables involved with the shave. Skin, Stubble Type, Stubble Density, Technique, Shave Process ( from prep to post shave), Hardware and Software, just to name a few.
The target is to enjoy the shave, learn, grow, adapt, be open, take care of the face, focus on the technique, consistent and improvements. Understanding your tool and your face, proper angle, light touch.. Eliminate bad habits, once you a consistent and you are shaving smart. Sure, go out into the sea of razors and see if you find the best tool for your and the shaving task.
I have been shaving for over 50 years, started out with SR's, about a decade later adding DE's into the toolbox ( mainly for quicker shaves).
There are so many great options out there for higher efficiency razor.
You just got to find what fits your needs and works best for you.
I always suggest the buy and try option. We are so very lucky here!
You can scout the market here and pick up something quick, lower that retail for a great member.
If it does to work out, sell it ...repeat and rinse...

I could list a bunch but many amazing members have already tossed out some.
Also again think about needs.
My brother recently borrowed my Karve CB and plates.
Loves it ..
Lots of plate options to fine tune your shave...

BFX

 

[wetshaver233]

In my experience, a very mild razor with little to no blade feel can do what a very efficient and more aggressive razor. It's just that (for me at least) it takes me too much time and patience do to so and for that reason I can't stand mild razors that have little to no blade feel.

A few years ago I've tried the Lamda Athena when it first came and then the Blutt 1.20 and Karve Overlander, because I was under the impression that razors with very good blade claming combined with minimum blade exposure will work best. For me, those razors didn't perform really well and it took me a lot of effort, time and patience to do what say a Blackbird with the standard plate and my Yates 921 with the EH scalloped plate can effortlessly do.

That doesn't mean that I enjoy razors hyped aggressive razors with tons of blade feel like with the Rocnel Hybrid, which I've recently parted with, Merkur Futur or Stirling HA to name a few. With those razors, it's the opposite - I need to be really careful and mindful during the shave and to be honest, the efficiency gap isn't that huge compared to some of my favorite razors, but the aggression simply doesn't allow me to use those razors as fast and as nimble as the ones I like. So, sacrificing too much comfort for nearly the same or a bit more efficiency also isn't an option for me.

I know some folks are going to say that technique is all that matters and if yours is good enough, then the razor doesn't matter at all, but we all know that this isn't all true. While having a good technique with improve your shaves to a great degree, it simply cannot compensate for the big difference in efficiency between a very mild and highly efficient razor. Since razors are essencialy tools, one needs the right tool for the right job. Just like using the right size and type of hammer for the right job. The other thing is that even the most skilled shaver has one, two or more favorite razors, which clearly means that not all razors are made equal or shave exactly the same despite being able to achieve the same result with nearly any razor one can get his hands on.

Like ButterfaceX above me said - it's all about what works for you and what you enjoy the most. We're indeed all very different and we have different preferences and I don't think anyone can find a person who enjoys shaving absolutely every way as he does and uses the same hardware and software. Each year we have more and more options - new razors, new better soap bases, new types of synthetic knots etc. So yeah - buy, test, experiment and have fun.

 

[86-foxtrot]

My favorite razor is the Ikon Tech (not sure if the Ikon Tek is the same razor of old). Lots of blade feel, it's considered aggressive.

I shower shave. Shave by feel and use a little mirror. I can shave daily with it or every 3-4 days. Very efficient and smooth for me with no pressure. YMMV

 

[mcee_sharp]

Thanks to my beard +/- skin I came to realize that my face can handle basically anything I throw at it (with the exception of rocks and blunt objects) and find I get the smoothest closest shave with razors where I can feel a bit of blade. Most times I'm not in a rush or a state where I require an auto-pilot razor.

• Currently my most blade feely razors in rotation are my BL Vector and my Merkur Progress
• I also enjoy using a GC84 as well, and this is one where many people say they experience blade feel, but I don't notice it despite the + exposure
• My most autopilot razor would be the Hawk V3A with a Feather Pro. Super which isn't blade feely ironically, but ends up delivering

My MO is two passes, XTG/ATG and I like to have a smoothness that keeps me stubble free for the majority of a day.

So I guess generally/all things being equal, positive exposure is one consideration for me when/if I buy another razor.

 

[Alex Jr]

I like it for WTG or XTG passes. Never for ATG.

Aggressive and ATG is no no for me.

 

[DE Steve]

Merkur Progress.

From mild to wild with tons of blade feel.

 

[dotKomo]

Not sure if this thread is more about blade feel, aggressive vs mild, or both.

When I started wet shaving, I equated aggressive and more blade feel with better shaves. WRONG!

Part of that was born from reading posts that touted one pass shaves with a certain razor. Or watching YT videos of Paul H or GeoFatBoy, who could get a great shave from a rusty lawn mower blade.

Guess what? Kudos to those folks, but that's not me.

I tend now towards medium to mild razors. Not a big fan of razors with a lot of blade feel.

YMMV.

 

[AshleyC]

Not sure if this thread is more about blade feel, aggressive vs mild, or both.

When I started wet shaving, I equated aggressive and more blade feel with better shaves. WRONG!

Part of that was born from reading posts that touted one pass shaves with a certain razor. Or watching YT videos of Paul H or GeoFatBoy, who could get a great shave from a rusty lawn mower blade.

Guess what? Kudos to those folks, but that's not me.

I tend now towards medium to mild razors. Not a big fan of razors with a lot of blade feel.

YMMV.

Maybe we should narrow it down to "scary" and "not scary"?

 

[Life Is A Dream]

I bought some aggressive razors in the beginning, not knowing that they were. The two I remember was a Cadet, from India, and a Gillette Old Type. For a beginner, the Cadet was ghastly. I was soon into Super Speeds and a Slim.

If I'm not mistaken Pearl is the OEM for Cadet. I'm currently using Pearl L-55 as my first DE razor and I can certainly see why it would be ghastly...

My question to the members that gravitate towards more aggressive razors with a lot of blade feel is- how did you arrive there? Was that where you landed in the beginning of your journey? Do you do all 3 passes with the same razor? Have you always done so?

I went with what is described as "medium aggressive" for my first razor because I shave only twice or thrice a week. Same reason I was told I need an open comb for it. Hence the L-55 OC. I don't ever see myself shaving daily. So that's the reason I arrived at this razor. I am still not sure if it was a great decision but I am doing my best with it. I'm not regretting the decision entirely either.

I have only 1 razor so all my passes are with the same razor. I never do ATG. I don't have enough experience with backhand/reverse technique plus I know it will just tear open my face with the razor I'm doing. WTG, XTG and some buffing and I'm done. Most shaves I don't have irritation but I can feel that I have shaved for about a couple of hours after shaving (if I do 2 or 3 passes). I wouldn't call it irritation though.

 

[Goblin]

I used to favour mild safety bar razors and sharp blades for daily shaves, then OC razors and sharp blades for shaving a couple of times a week, then aggressive safety bar razors and sharp blades for shaving every other day.

If I am shaving 24hrs growth and not bothered about a particularly close shave I will use my preferred mild razor, a GC 0.68 - it's enough for the job.

For 48hrs growth and I will use a more aggressive razor, perhaps a Lupo 0.95 or the Nodachi. I can get a close shave in 2.5 passes with these razors. The feedback from the blade is helpful to me, as it encourages me to keep things light. Using a milder razor for 48hrs growth is less comfortable on the first pass and requires an extra pass, with a greater chance of irritation, but it can be done.

I used to think that my technique wasn't good enough for aggressive razors because I am prone to irritation. These days I am more likely to irritate myself with something mild, because I end up compensating for the lower efficiency with pressure (still after all these years). That's especially the case when going ATG around the jawline - something that's aggressive and blade forward does a better job for me because I don't end up having to do extensive touch-ups to get everything cleaned up.

However, this is coming from someone who uses shavettes a lot of the time - blade feel has become second nature to me!
Use what works and what you enjoy. That's the best route.

 

[DesertIguana]

The word Aggressive, or Mind is not the same for every person. Reson is everyone face and beard it different. So it is like asking someone is this Hot Sauce Hot, person who enjoy super hot stuff say no it fine, someone else will say my mouth is on fire, call 911.

 

[Rob72]

I started with SEs, so blade feel was something I sought out. That, along with a healthy dose of RAD, led to the acquisition of a large number of razors of varying blade exposure and from "mild" to "aggressive/devette".

Generally, more aggressive razors provide me with a longer lasting shave, which is one of my primary shaving goals. A couple of the modern CNC razors were a revelation, very little blade feel, but highly efficient. I have not encountered that combo with the vintage razors.

I do 3 passes almost all the time.

 

[Jonn]

Started with a Feather AS D2. Sold it after a year or so because it was too mild and difficult to get a close shave. I also had a Timeless .68 closed comb. It was more efficient than the ASD2, but I traded that after I got the Timeless .68 Open comb, which has some blade feel and is sufficiently efficient. The timeless .95 scalloped is excellent, and one of my favorites based on how absolutely smooth it is, and despite that, it is very efficient. It also has some blade feel. The Timeless Slim and I never got along. My preference in general, however, is the real blade forward razors. The Blackland Blackbird is almost perfection. Ditto for the Yates EH open and closed comb. They surprisingly cause little irritation despite the significant blade feel. The Lambda Ares is both unique and highly efficient and right there with the Blackbird and Yates. The Tatara Nodachi open and closed combs are highly efficient razors with a lot of blade feel, but seem to cause maybe a touch more irritation. My one Titanium razor, a Haircut and a Shave PO.076 is very efficient and smooth with some blade feel. I love it, however, I think I prefer stainless steel razors as a general rule.
This is all very subjective and perhaps flawed because how a razor performs depends on many variables, including the blade and how many shaves are on it, the soap and how well you have it dialed in, even the aftershave. Then of course there is your skin, the heaviness of your facial hair, whether you shave every day, etc. For me, the bottom line is how much fun it is to use the razor.

 

[Umma2gumma]

Blade feel. How does it make you feel?

There was a time not long ago that I was dismissive of aggressive razors. I never wanted to feel the razor blade on my face.

I currently own two razors with considerable blade feel. Please keep in mind that I am (have been?) a self admitted mild razor "fanboy". I will continue to be. Give me a mild razor and a Feather blade and I'm in shaving heaven.

I don't shave like I used to. When I first joined B&B all I could think about was my next shave. Which razor, which soap, which AS, where can I post it?

I don't shave every day anymore. Maybe every other, occasionally I'll skip 3 or more. When that happens I'll use the two razors in question. They are the Merkur 37c and the Timeless Bronze .78 OC. I'm certain some members will scoff, but unless I'm opening the Slim up to 9, these are the only two that I "feel the blade" on my face.

When I speak of "blade feel" I mean that the predominant feeling is that I feel a razor blade on my face. The razor that is holding it is secondary.

Here's the thing. I refuse to do a ATG pass with either of those razors. It's uncomfortable, OK, borders on "hurts". WTG, XTG all good. ATG... heavens no. I always do my final ATG pass with a mild razor.

My question to the members that gravitate towards more aggressive razors with a lot of blade feel is- how did you arrive there? Was that where you landed in the beginning of your journey? Do you do all 3 passes with the same razor? Have you always done so?

There's two ways to define "aggressive".

The first is "one wrong move and you are bleeding." I don't like razors that are that way.

The second is "an effective razor that will still be forgiving with basic technique and care".

I'd rate most of my favorite razors that way. Two Parker Variants (regular and OC), Maggard V3A, and Baili BT131 (also sold as BD171). They have lots of blade feel, but are very forgiving if you do your part (mainly, avoid applying pressure).

I don't like some of the vintage Gillettes because they don't have that blade feel so it's hard for me to figure the cut angle. I miss the feedback.

 

[Gilf187]

I find mild razors more irritating because they require typically three passes for me. I can always finish in two passes with an aggressive razor and end up with no irritation. The first year or so was hit or miss but eventually got the technique down and didn't want to ever use a mild razor again. I think it's a combo of having the right technique alongside the thick wiry hair getting me to the aggressive razors.

 

[cranewarrior]

I like a quieter, more cushioned feel, but I don't like it completely dead. I have noticed "mild" razors have make less noise when cutting whiskers.