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considering an open comb for the first time

I’ve never used a Razorock old type, but I’ve been eyeing the head due to its low price and good reviews. Seems like a good introduction to open combs

I love my OC razors. I usually use a NEW long comb, but I also have an old Wade and Butcher DE which is essentially an old type clone from the 20s. Excellent shavers. Give them a shot.

The RR Old Type shaves nothing like the vintage Gillette version, in spite of the name. If I were shaving every day I'd use it a lot more. I'm shaving two or three times a week so my New Deluxe, RR GC OC, Schone OC and vintage Old Type get the most use.
 
I think that for the money, the GameChanger .84 Open Comb is the best thing out there. It is stainless steel, really nice looking and gives a great shave - they come up for sale pretty frequently and you can pick one up at Italian Barber. Also, if you want to go vintage, you cannot go wrong with a Gillette Single Ring or Old Type - they are a century old, so the finish is not usually pristine but with a little bit of luck, one can be had on BST or eBay for around $20 - they give a nice shave.
 
You will be getting lots of recommendations soon regarding open combs razors...
I started with my 1st Open Comb the Parker 26C and have never look back...now with 10.
My (YMMV) considered mild OC razors are:
  1. Parker 26C
  2. Yaqi DOC (similar to RR SLOC)
  3. Razorock SLOC
  4. Pearl OC
A bit more than mild would be:
  1. Fatip Grande
  2. Gillette New SC & LC
  3. Gillette RFB
As you will read in many of the threads here in B&B, you won't know the best choice until you actually shave with it. For myself, I just choose based on reviews and experiences posted by members and/or watching utubes...

My next target/wishlist is the Fatip OC Slant....finger on the trigger...
Hopes this helps and best of luck...have a good weekend!
I second the vote for the Parker 26C open comb. It's the perfect combination of efficiency and lack of harshness. I don't have the other mild razors listed, but I also agree with your recommendations of the Fatip and the Gillette open combs.

I also have the Merkur 15C open comb, but I find it way too mild for me and rarely use it.
 
I think that for the money, the GameChanger .84 Open Comb is the best thing out there. It is stainless steel, really nice looking and gives a great shave - they come up for sale pretty frequently and you can pick one up at Italian Barber. Also, if you want to go vintage, you cannot go wrong with a Gillette Single Ring or Old Type - they are a century old, so the finish is not usually pristine but with a little bit of luck, one can be had on BST or eBay for around $20 - they give a nice shave.
I have the Game Changer .68 JAWS open comb. That works well for me without being harsh.
 
I think Chucked is right - the .84 might be a bit too much blade exposure for a first time O/C user - the .68 might be a better place to start - if later, you want to go more aggressive, you can always trade it or sell on BST and replace it with the .84. I personally like a more aggressive razor, but I have been using mostly O/C's for about 10 years, so I have my technique together.
 
M

Member 113878

For mild OCs, I recommend the RR Old type or SLOC head with the handle of your choice, or a Merkur.
 
Can I ask why you aren't looking at a slant?
This is really shallow, but I haven't yet warmed up to the look of the slant razor. It looks like a regular razor that got bent! I did some reading on them a while back and the concept seems solid, but I just can't bring myself to even entertain the thought of owning one.
 
This is really shallow, but I haven't yet warmed up to the look of the slant razor. It looks like a regular razor that got bent! I did some reading on them a while back and the concept seems solid, but I just can't bring myself to even entertain the thought of owning one.
Well you just may be missing something great!!!
I love mine. I have the razorock 37 on the way too to try.
They do look mean but I assure you they aren't bad
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
Love my slants. The ones I didn't love, I got rid of. [grin]

I went through a time when I thought the answer was an OC razor. And mostly it is! But I've found a couple of SB razors that deliver sterling performance, the RazoRock Wunderbar and the Blackland Sabre.

The other thing I've reflected on lately is that if the teeth on an OC are too widely spaced I'll start straddling bumps instead of riding over them. That means the blade will be low enough to level off the bump rather than going over the top. I don't have too much trouble with that, but the other day I had a nice pink shave with a Hawk V3OC. The comb on that thing needs about two more teeth.

O.H.
 
I don't think you could go wrong with a Karve Christopher Bradley razor. Their plates range from AA (.47mm gap, -.07mm exposure) to G ( 1.36mm gap, + .25mm exposure). Their B plate is .73mm gap and zero exposure which is a very nice starting point. Pricing for their brass razor starts at about $70 USD plus freight, and adding additional plates for either OC or SB is only about $22 each.

I started with SB plates then ordered B & C OC plates which totally changed my outlook toward OC plates. I have not ordered an SB razor since then that offered OC.
 

Mike M

...but this one IS cracked.
The Parker 26c was my first OC and it is great, mild and easy to use but my favourite is my Fatip Piccolo, I know people say it's aggressive, but I have never had a bad shave with it.
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
I'm here to ask for recommendations for an open comb razor. Here's the story why I am doing that.

A couple of days ago, I decided to use my Gillette Guard (GG) that had been sitting around for a while. I found that I actually got a closer shave than I normally do with my AS-D2 + Gillette Platinum Plus (GPP) without even really trying and shaving in quite a hurry. There was a bit of razor burn compared to the AS-D2 + GPP, but I attributed that to the quality of the blade. On doing a bit of research, I found that the GG is actually similar to an open comb. So that got me thinking if I should consider an open comb razor.

I am usually careful when I shave with the AS-D2 and it is very rare that I get a nick. Actually I know the razor and my face so well that even if I'm sloppy, it might result in less close of shave, but not a nick. Are there mild enough open combs where I wouldn't have to worry about nicks? What reading I have done seems to suggest that solid bar razors are more forgiving. Is that universally true or is there a mild enough open comb? Am I right in thinking that an open comb will deliver a closer shave?

Some of the ones I'm considering are Merkur, Muhle, and Fatip. What would be the best choice for a first time user?

Thanks.

How much do you want to spend?
 
Vintage perspective here.
I've definitely consider a Gillette New Long Comb. This is a precursor to the Gillette Tech which is very similar to your AS-D2, and would be a easy transition.
If you have more $ and time to find them, I'd also consider a England-made Raise Flat Bottom, or Gillette New Deluxe (more aggressive).
 
Vintage perspective here.
I've definitely consider a Gillette New Long Comb. This is a precursor to the Gillette Tech which is very similar to your AS-D2, and would be a easy transition.
If you have more $ and time to find them, I'd also consider a England-made Raise Flat Bottom, or Gillette New Deluxe (more aggressive).

I just started shaving with an RFB, and it’s amazing how not aggressive it is. Totally with the money, and even if the silver is mostly gone it should last a lifetime it’s so solid, especially a 44.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Vintage

You cant go wrong with Gillette old type with a thick cap and the Gillette New long or short comb.

Modern razors
Try the RR game changer OC razors or Karve OCs. The timeless 0.68 OC is an extremely refined shaver. The PAA ascension DOC is an efficient and smooth shaver too.

Special recommendation
Jump to the Gem blade razors. Try a Gem micromaric open comb. You'll never go back to DE razors.
 
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