Any shallow angle shavers out there?

[sarir97]

Steep angle shaving seems to be the dominant recommendation here on B&B, with a whole club (Steep Angle Shavers Alliance or SASA) dedicated to this shave angle technique.

Are shallow angle shavers being sidelined, hiding in the closet for fear of being ostracized by SASA members?

Using a shallow angle and a mild blade made all the difference to my daily shaving. No more tugging and irritation, only smooth and DFS/BBS.

Am I alone? Are there enough of us out there to form our own competing club?

 

[Cafebarian]

As a SASA member I am all for members using what works for that individual YMMV. With all the shaving tutorials on YouTube and websites instructing to place the cap flat on your skin and slowly drop down until the razor removes hair. I would conclude that you are far from alone and that the majority use a shallow angle or neutral.

SASA was probably started because steep angle was rare?

I would wholeheartedly support the creation of a Shallow shaving club as long as it doesn't divide us as a wet shaving group.

 

[sarir97]

I would wholeheartedly support the creation of a Shallow shaving club as long as it doesn't divide us as a wet shaving group.

You mean like the schism between tallow and non-tallow soap utilizers? I don’t think wet shaving has ever recovered. [emoji6]

 

[sarir97]

With all the shaving tutorials on YouTube and websites instructing to place the cap flat on your skin and slowly drop down until the razor removes hair. I would conclude that you are far from alone and that the majority use a shallow angle or neutral.

SASA was probably started because steep angle was rare?

Hmmm… never thought of it that way. Makes sense!

 

[santamariasteve]

Brother 97,

No, you are not alone.

If we agree that a shallow angle means keeping the handle high and riding the cap, I believe it is the superior way to shave for most men, especially for men who have tough old whiskers, such as myself. It's generally better to slice our whiskers than to scrape them.

My experience is a shallow angle, plus a light pressure, following a thorough facial prep will pay huge dividends to the shaver.

 

[Kyle89]

I ride the cap. I experimented with steeper angles in the past and for my face it was not optimal.

 

[Ron R]

Steep angle shaving seems to be the dominant recommendation here on B&B, with a whole club (Steep Angle Shavers Alliance or SASA) dedicated to this shave angle technique.

Are shallow angle shavers being sidelined, hiding in the closet for fear of being ostracized by SASA members?

Using a shallow angle and a mild blade made all the difference to my daily shaving. No more tugging and irritation, only smooth and DFS/BBS.

Am I alone? Are there enough of us out there to form our own competing club?

Oh, I'm not sure where you get that most folks steep angle shave, I believe it is the other way around that most folks do shallow approach shaving! (90+% of my shaving are Shallow approach-riding the cap or 7-10 degress approach>mainly a SE shaver myself)
Shavers who use SE are shallow angle approach shaving mostly, Anyone who uses a straight razor are using a shallow approach. I believe a lot of DE shavers are using shallow approach also.
At times I use a steep approach depending on the DE razor used because high arc top caps and baseplates force a person to use it. Some folks get great shaves with a steep approach but it might be a scrapping approach instead of a slicing approach and blade might not last as long IMO.
............................different methods of shaving....................shallow approach gives edge more strength.(better blade life IMO)

Have some great shaves!

 

[sarir97]

Oh, I'm not sure where you get that most folks steep angle shave, I believe it is the other way around that most folks do shallow approach shaving! (90+% of my shaving are Shallow approach-riding the cap or 7-10 degress approach>mainly a SE shaver myself)
Shavers who use SE are shallow angle approach shaving mostly, Anyone who uses a straight razor are using a shallow approach. I believe a lot of DE shavers are using shallow approach also.
At times I use a steep approach depending on the DE razor used because high arc top caps and baseplates force a person to use it. Some folks get great shaves with a steep approach but it might be a scrapping approach instead of a slicing approach and blade might not last as long IMO.
............................different methods of shaving....................shallow approach gives edge more strength.(better blade life IMO)
View attachment 1319077 View attachment 1319078
Have some great shaves!

Great stuff… razor makes the difference.

 

[thombrogan]

I shave shallow most of the time. Helps save me from me.

 

[ackvil]

I use a shallow angle when I use milder razors such as Tech or Feather AS-D2. With a mild razor and a Feather blade it works great.

 

[dmshaver]

I used a steep angle for at least a year, with everything from mild Techs & Krona to efficient razors such as Timeless Ti .95 SB, WR1 .74, & H&S P076. Personally, I decided to go back to a shallow angle so I was cutting through my whiskers more. I like how the razor is smoother gliding over my face with a shallow angle. I will still use a steep angle when I am first getting to know a razor as I find that a steep angle is a more forgiving method of using a razor until I become familiar with it. But for the comfortability & pleasantness of shave, IMHO, I prefer shallow.

 

[Anu]

Shallow angle all the time, especially in the mid-neck area as it insures a smooth shave. Longevity is also improved upon as the lateral stresses on the bevel are minimized.

Why shaving dulls even the sharpest of razors

A new study by MIT engineers shows how shaving can damage blades. Human hair, 50 times softer than steel, can chip away a razor’s edge, the engineers found.

news.mit.edu

 

[Eben Stone]

I just use whatever works for whichever razor I happen to be using. My idea of what works is to achieve the "best" blade feel. Not necessarily the maximum blade feel, I'm talking about an angle where you can feel the blade but also at the same time it doesn't produce a scraping sensation. That is a different angle for each of my razors.

Razors that bend the blade a lot (ex: Blackland Dart) I prefer to ride the bar.

Razors that keep the blade somewhat flat (ex: R41) I prefer to ride the cap.

Then there is the Ikon Tek. It doesn't have a functional safety bar (IMO) and the blade is somewhat bent. I have no idea what angle I use. All I can feel is the blade.

I'm suggesting the angle of the cutting edge of the blade is obscured inside heads that either bend the blade to an extreme or keep the blade mostly flat. Most likely the shallow/steep shavers are probably (maybe?) preferring a particular angle because of their razor's geometry.

 

[Eben Stone]

...At times I use a steep approach depending on the DE razor used because high arc top caps and baseplates force a person to use it...

^^ this

 

[sm29]

Whatever works for you and your preferred razors. Intuitively, a neutral angle should be ideal. I would naturally assume and I did that a shallow angle would slice rather than scrape with my Blackland Tradere SB. As it turns out, I get a more comfortable and closer shave with the steeper angle.

We are all different and some of us defy conventional wisdom. Use what works best for you.

 

[Chandu]

An observation or two. For me and maybe for you. First off I shave 2 passes wtg and atg

I have figured out I definitely prefer a steep angle shave. The razors best suited seem to be ones with larger blade gap, or more blade exposure.

The problem I have with shallow angle shaving is that it leaves my skin irritated. One would think just the opposite would be true. The difference is marked. After a shallow angle shave (Fatip/Schone, or Feather ASD2, Karve with B plate - razors I own or owned that actually worked well for a shallow angle shave), anyway, stroking the post shave whiskers against the grain I can feel tenderness. Doing the same thing after a steep angle shave leads to none of this for me.

My theory is that shallow angle on the atg pass tends to slide a bit too far under the whisker and as it shaves it prehaps makes a micro cut in the skin on the "upstream" side of the whisker.

Razors that I've really liked for steep angle shaving, Muhle R41, Rexx Envoy and Blackbird. Even the Gillette KCG is pretty decent in that role too.

@Eben Stone it looks like you and I used some of the same razors in opposite ways.

 

[Eben Stone]

The problem I have with shallow angle shaving is that it leaves my skin irritated. One would think just the opposite would be true. The difference is marked. After a shallow angle shave (Fatip/Schone, or Feather ASD2, Karve with B plate - razors I own or owned that actually worked well for a shallow angle shave), anyway, stroking the post shave whiskers against the grain I can feel tenderness. Doing the same thing after a steep angle shave leads to none of this for me.

My theory is that shallow angle on the atg pass tends to slide a bit too far under the whisker and as it shaves it prehaps makes a micro cut in the skin on the "upstream" side of the whisker.

I also get that occasionally, exactly as you describe, but never when I use Nacet or London Bridge blades, so I've been assuming its the blades not the angle. I'll try to pay more attention next shave. I PIF'd my R41 and I can't get to my Tek at the moment, so all I have right now is the Dart. I use a steep angle with the Dart with great results.

@Eben Stone it looks like you and I used some of the same razors in opposite ways.

Steep with the R41? Well that throws my theory out the window.

 

[SydneyShaver]

It just depends on the razor and what your face likes. Talked to people on here who use a razor I like to use on a shallow angle at a steep angle and vice-versa. Just go with what works and don't set arbitrary lines on what you can and can't do.

 

[Ivo4u2]

Actually no idea what i do I somehow simply follow the land most likely coming from carts and messed up more with some se razors I run a steep angle most of the time.
rofl could get a Henson to Learn a more steep angle.

 

[Aendir]

I was all the time I used my feather ws-d2s.
Not since I’m a timeless and wolfman user.