Are DEs often different from side to side?

[Zumkopf]

I asked a similar question in the Newbie section but on reflection it probably belongs here. I had my first DE shave this morning, with a 1962 Gillette Slim. Got a very good shave for the first time out, had a few issues, but the one that really puzzled me was that the two sides of the razor shaved differently. I had it set on 3. One side shaved well; the other side seemed to have little or no blade exposed, and wouldn't do much of anything other than wipe off the lather. Any idea why this would be so? Is it just the nature of the DE beast that the sides are different? Should I try moving the blade towards the other side? is it even possible to shift the blade side to side? Is it the blades themselves (I used the only ones I could find on short notice, the Rite-Aid "platinum" store brand)? Is the razor out of whack? Can it be put back into whack?

My guess is that the blades are poor tolerance, and the center slot is simply shifted to one side, but I thought I'd ask.

 

[luvmysuper]

usually, but not always, this is caused by some "trauma" to the razor. a drop, or an accidental bang against a sink.
First check with a completely different blade manufactured by a different company than the one you have loaded and see if it is still the same.
Look carefully at the head and make sure that it is all straight from end to end on each side, and that the sides appear to be the same. The end caps are a good indicator of a bend, as they will look like they are higher on one side than the other.
These bent razors can usually be gently pried back to shape if you find out exactly where it is bent, I wouldn't just go trying to tweak it in general.

 

[mretzloff]

DEs should not be different on both sides. Many are, but those were most likely not manufactured correctly.

Before jumping the gun and getting another razor, try a blade sampler pack.

 

[**Bingo_Bob**]

yeah, the blade gap should be symmetric

 

[kingfisher]

After loading the blade, take a good hard look at the razor directly down on top of it. You should see the same amount of blade exposed on both sides.

Then, take a look at the blade gap (that's the distance between the blade and the safety bar). It should look the same on both sides.

If it passes those two "eye tests," it could be that your shaving style differed significantly from one side of your face to the other.

 

[Oldguy]

...cut...
My guess is that the blades are poor tolerance, and the center slot is simply shifted to one side, but I thought I'd ask.

If you suspect the blade is off just rotate the blade and see if the problem stays with the blade or with the razor.

It is more likely that the blade guard on one side of the razor has been bumped out of whack and needs adjustment.

Len

 

[ctakim]

This is very common and it is because of minor bumps and bruises over the life of these razors. Remember that brass is a relatively soft metal. You can easily fix this as indicated in the following thread:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=100227

Good luck!

 

[le_paulo]

There are a few threads about this issue with other brands and I check mine every time I load a new blade - it's a quick check and saves me being sliced up!

 

[Sixxtwo]

I just recieved a razor that I knew had this issue and I kinda like the accidental tweak. Its like a slant on one side and normal on the other.

I have noticed it would be a difficult fix because the side you bend may not really be the problem. It could be the hinge or the door as well.

 

[AsylumGuido]

Nine times out of ten that problem with a Slim is caused by a bent safety bar. The bar is almost always bent downward and can be easily bent back up to match the gap on the other side. The side with the greater gap is invariably the bent side. The quickest fix is to place the blade of a standard screwdriver under the bar and onto the blade carriage and carefully pry it upward in small increments until it is even across and matches the gap on the good side. Do this with no blade installed. In the case where both sides may be bent I compare the gaps to a Slim that I know is correct with both razors set on "1".