Blade angle in the Fat Boy

[duckintheface]

I noticed that in the Gillette Fat Boy instructions(http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/6736&original=1&c=80), it says:
"Test the settings as you shave by gradually dialing upwards, 2,3,4... towards 9, increasing blade exposure and shaving angle."

Does that mean that as you dial up, the angle of the blade changes in the razor, or that you should increase the angle at which you hold the razor as you dial up?

 

[mr-razor]

hope this will help you. The settings change the blade angle and exposure (as far the blade stands out)

 

[duckintheface]

hope this will help you. The settings change the blade angle and exposure (as far the blade stands out)

In other threads, I have read that the angle of the blade is constant relative to the handle and that the increased exposure just increases the range of angles which will result in blade contact with the skin. Is that wrong? In your diagram, the blade angle seems the same at 3 as at 7.

 

[minstrel]

I think it would be helpful to define what "blade angle" actually means. If you are talking about different things, there will only be confusion.

The angle of the blade relative to the handle stays the same, as far as I can tell on my Fat Boy and Slim adjustables. The only thing the dial does is change, or "adjust", the gap between the blade and the "guard".

As noted, the wider the gap, the more you can tilt the handle down and still maintain blade contact with the skin. I would still use the same shaving angle regardless of blade exposure, because tilting the handle down = razor burn in my book.

Cheers!

/Nicholas

 

[mr-razor]

I think it would be helpful to define what "blade angle" actually means. If you are talking about different things, there will only be confusion.

The angle of the blade relative to the handle stays the same, as far as I can tell on my Fat Boy and Slim adjustables. The only thing the dial does is change, or "adjust", the gap between the blade and the "guard".

As noted, the wider the gap, the more you can tilt the handle down and still maintain blade contact with the skin. I would still use the same shaving angle regardless of blade exposure, because tilting the handle down = razor burn in my book.

Cheers!

/Nicholas

That´s right - I´m wrong. Only the gap between the blade and the guard is changing. I thought the blade will curve on ***.1, but that´s wrong.

 

[duckintheface]

That´s right - I´m wrong. Only the gap between the blade and the guard is changing. I thought the blade will curve on ***.1, but that´s wrong.

I think what you are saying is correct. So that leaves my original question.... What does Gillette mean when they talk about increased "shaving angle" resulting at the higher dial numbers?

 

[guenron]

I think what you are saying is correct. So that leaves my original question.... What does Gillette mean when they talk about increased "shaving angle" resulting at the higher dial numbers?

For a little geometry.. As the space increases between the blade and the safety bar (think of it as increasing the height of the opposite side of a right triangle) you have a greater range of angles available to you at which you may apply the cutting edge to your visage.. NB: Not all of these angles will provide satisfactory or desirable results.

 

[MotoMike]

take a look at Mozarts piece on blade angle.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24685&highlight=blade+angle

If you shave with the safety bar and the blade in contact with your face, this dictates the blade angle. In an adjustable, when you dial in a higher number, you increase the distance between the blade and safety bar. If you then contact the safety bar and the blade to your skin, you will notice that the blade angle relative to your skin is steeper, that is to say closer to vertical. this results in more aggressive cutting, but if too steep becomes a scraping as opposed to a cutting action and you get razor burn. that is my take.

Regards,
Mike

 

[duckintheface]

take a look at Mozarts piece on blade angle.
If you shave with the safety bar and the blade in contact with your face, this dictates the blade angle. In an adjustable, when you dial in a higher number, you increase the distance between the blade and safety bar. If you then contact the safety bar and the blade to your skin, you will notice that the blade angle relative to your skin is steeper, that is to say closer to vertical. this results in more aggressive cutting, but if too steep becomes a scraping as opposed to a cutting action and you get razor burn. that is my take. Regards, Mike

What you say makes sense... but it assumes that the shaver uses the guard as the contact point. Is that what Gillette expects/recommends?

Note Mozart's point that "The larger angles result in a more aggressive disposition of the blade. Therefore, using the top cap as a guide is safer than using the guard as a guide."

What is (or was) Gillette's recommended shaving technique?

 

[MotoMike]

...What is (or was) Gillette's recommended shaving technique?

It is my opinion that Gillette intended you to use the safety bar and blade in contact with the skin. If you look at the diagram that Achim put up, there are two lines composing the angles on each razor shown. I believe the lower line in each represents the plane of the skin. By using this method, you will have repeatable results. Getting too steep or aggressive will cause skin irritation, so you find the highest setting that gives you good results without the irritation. Rocking it down from the top till the blade makes contact seems like it would be hard to maintain.

In my initial examination of the issue of aggressiveness I surmised that when the distance between the blade and the safety bar is increased, the skin is allowed to bulge into that space. Therefore at the very point of contact with the blade, because of the bulge, the angle is allowed to be more steep and therefore more aggressive. I then read Mozart’s blade angle piece and reconsidered.

Then I think it was JP that posted a piece that shows a paper on surgical razors and discusses this very bulge I had envisioned.

So now I think the truth is a combination of the two, but that blade angle is the main component provided light pressure is used.

Man, I’m flying the geek flag today