Auditory feedback

[know1special]

Hello B&B Friends,

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

I've started this thread to open a discussion about an aspect of shaving that only ever seems to get mentioned anecdotally, if ever...how it sounds.

Ever since I began shaving with a DE I've relied upon the distinctive sonic feedback that a good shave provides. Not exclusively, mind you. Being able to see, and more importantly, feel what I'm doing are just as important.

However, when it comes to nailing the perfect angle, distinguish the efficiency of my gear, etc. the way the shave is sounding has always been a focal point for me.

Especially nowadays as I'm nearsighted w/ astigmatism and into my fifties. My 'bathroom vision' has never been stellar but is beginning to worsen. As a result, the experience I've gained over the years regarding what a good shave sounds like is paying increasing dividends.

So, some things I'm wondering:

1) How many of you rely similarly?
2) To what degree?
3) What do different sounds (or lack of) tell you about what's going on?
4) Do different razor formats perform differently in this regard?
5) Shoud this element be mentioned more often when advising new shavers?
6) Is this all utter nonsense?

What say you?

[Apologies in advance to my friends who are hearing challenged in any way.]

 

[Three_Bravo]

not nonsense. I need it quiet when I shave. no bathroom vent rolling, no music, etc. the auditory feedback is indeed important! and probably my favorite part of a 2+ day growth shave

 

[StewB]

My hearing on my left side is poor, so I rely more on finger feel to determine shave quality than the sound of blade chatter.

 

[KW Driver]

it's subconscious with a DE/SE because they're fairly quiet. I feel it as much as hear it. thinner straights, up to extra hollow make a sound like a knife buttering toast. thicker 1/4 hollow to wedges are nearly silent, so it's more of a feel again.

but it's there if you pay attention for it.

 

[silverlifter]

One of the reasons I like half hollows is the balance between more heft behind the edge, but still enough flex to provide that crackle as it mows down whiskers.

I also like shaving in near silence so that I can hear what is going on. At least for the first pass...

 

[@ngel]

I also have noticed that it makes a significant difference depending on how hydrated the whiskers are.

The more hydrated the less I hear any feedback and viceversa.

I’ve also noticed the difference in chatter from a sharp blade to a dull one so it helps noticing when a blade needs to be changed rather than waiting till starts to tug.

 

[know1special]

I also have noticed that it makes a significant difference depending on how hydrated the whiskers are.

The more hydrated the less I hear any feedback and viceversa.

I’ve also noticed the difference in chatter from a sharp blade to a dull one so it helps noticing when a blade needs to be changed rather than waiting till starts to tug.

The difference in pitch was one of the things that helped me get my lathering dialed in way back at the beginning and still helps me find the sweet spot of a soap/cream to this day.

Your suggestion about blades has proven to be true for me as well.

 

[Psychtec]

I shave with one of the loudest razors ever. That is why it is the only razor I use. The 1924 ever ready shovel head single edge razor.

I shave face and head. The noise sounds are crucial, especially for the back of the head.

I don’t use a mirror anymore. Sound tells me what I need to know.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I rotate 5 DE/SE razors at the moment.. well, I say "rotate", I pick one up on a whim. I do notice how different each of them sounds, both in loudness (volume) and timbre. My Athena projects the loudest, mellow, sweet tones. My Rocnel Elite is about the same volume but a much brighter tone. Different blades also produce varying tones as well.

I use both the auditory feedback and blade feel to guide me to sweet spot for each razor. With the quieter razors, I have to pay closer attention to the blade feel but I do like having a dual guide. This rotation is fairly new so I'm still learning the idiosyncrasies of each of them... same with the DE blades. My single edge razors are a bit muted compared to some of the DEs, though I can still hear the sound of the whiskers being sliced off. They just don't reverberate, if you will.

 

[BobbyB]

I use high-tech hearing aids. I am reluctant to get shaving lather(s) on them.

 

[Psychtec]

I shave with one of the loudest razors ever. That is one of the reasons why it is the only razor I use. The 1924 ever ready shovel head single edge razor with the long handle.

I shave face and head during a shave. The noise sounds of the blade are crucial, especially for properly shaving the back of the head.

Mirrors and sound together help provide me with the shave quality I expect.

Sound tells me what I need to know.

 

[Guido75]

I shave in complete silence so I can listen to the razor and blade. The feedback tells me how I am doing in reduction.

I am with @Psychtec regarding head shaving - again the feedback tells me what I need to know particularly the back of my head and neck.

If I use the Razorine Flatboy I could turn on music. It will easily top that! But I don’t because the Flatboy simply sings.

Cheers,

Guido

 

[Asland408]

I use sound all the time to determine how my shave is going. I used to shave at my mothers house with no mirror at the dinning room table. My Aunt watched me and was very surprised at how well I shaved with out seeing my face. Just a matter of feel and sound.

 

[FarmerTan]

I get auditory feedback from the lovely War Department all the time about this hobby!

 

[Owen Bawn]

I think that wee Welsh postman who shaves on the YouTube machine created that term "auditory feedback." He shoulda copyrighted it.

 

[gpjoe]

I get auditory feedback from the lovely War Department all the time about this hobby!

Yep, but still better than no feedback (aka: the silent treatment).

 

[gpjoe]

I've found that my lighter razors are my loudest. My aluminum Razorock Hawk single edge really talks to me, whereas my stainless steel or brass heavyweights (Timeless, Pear Flexi) are still audible, just not nearly as loud.

Having said that, yes, I do rely on audio feedback for my 3-passes. Touchup, of course, is by feel.

 

[Psychtec]

I shave with one of the loudest razors ever. Sound and feel are the main reasons why it is the only razor I use. The 1924 ever ready shovel head single edge razor long handle.

I shave face and head during the same shave. The noise sounds and the feeling of the blade across my skin are crucial, especially when shaving the back of the head.

Sound and feel, tells me what I need to know.

 

[JCarr]

I've always appreciated a razor and blade that gives some auditory feedback. For me it just makes the overall experience a bit more satisfying.

 

[Ron R]

I shave with one of the loudest razors ever. That is why it is the only razor I use. The 1924 ever ready shovel head single edge razor.

I shave face and head. The noise sounds are crucial, especially for the back of the head.

I don’t use a mirror anymore. Sound tells me what I need to know.

I would say the Ever-ready 1914 is a one of the best for razor audio feedback, it just the way they designed it that gives great audio feedback. It uses the Gem blade but they slightly curved the top cap + lots of blade reveal seems to amplify the feedback. It is a mid range to upper mid range depending on experience. I receive some of the best shaves with the 1914 ASR razor, note there are 2 types of blade stops, one is shallow type and other is hooked & secures the blade better.
(L) older style of blade stop for the ER 1914...................................(R)Newer and better hook blade stops for the ER 1914

Have some great shaves!