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My friction issue with the EJ Kelvin (having the standard DE89 head) reminded me of the friction issue that I wrote about with the Dorco PL602. On September 7, 2016, I wrote about how I "experienced some noticeable friction and stick-slip issues" that I could not resolve with lather, angle, or pressure. I speculated about drying lather in the guard/bar, which was "unconfirmed", and I also theorized that "maybe" the light weight of the plastic razor had "more to do with it", but I just couldn't figure out what was going on.
I think that the friction and stick-slip issues that I previously experienced with the Dorco PL602 are similar to what I'm currently experiencing with the EJ Kelvin, both cases of friction and stick-slip being primarily due to the smooth surface of each top cap. The Dorco PL602 has a super smooth top cap, too, but it is plastic, as opposed to the super smooth chrome surface of Edwin Jagger's DE89 head.
I conducted the same quick friction experiment for the Dorco PL602 with dry and wet conditions that I wrote about earlier for the EJ Kelvin and the PAA DOC Satin. Bingo. The friction drastically increased with the Dorco PL602 under wet conditions on the skin, similar to the significant increase with the EJ head and very different from the slight increase with the textured surface of the PAA DOC Satin. This isn't coincidence. It's because of surface tension and energy.
It certainly seems to me that razors, or at least their top caps, should have textured, not perfectly smooth surfaces to reduce friction. I will probably study this issue further, but it would involve ordering Teflon or UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight) tape for sticking onto top caps. This could really be a breakthrough, offering a cost-effective, or cost-saving, means to reduce friction for friction-prone razors and soaps. Soaps and razors that might otherwise be avoided might become acceptable in this case.
I think that the friction and stick-slip issues that I previously experienced with the Dorco PL602 are similar to what I'm currently experiencing with the EJ Kelvin, both cases of friction and stick-slip being primarily due to the smooth surface of each top cap. The Dorco PL602 has a super smooth top cap, too, but it is plastic, as opposed to the super smooth chrome surface of Edwin Jagger's DE89 head.
I conducted the same quick friction experiment for the Dorco PL602 with dry and wet conditions that I wrote about earlier for the EJ Kelvin and the PAA DOC Satin. Bingo. The friction drastically increased with the Dorco PL602 under wet conditions on the skin, similar to the significant increase with the EJ head and very different from the slight increase with the textured surface of the PAA DOC Satin. This isn't coincidence. It's because of surface tension and energy.
It certainly seems to me that razors, or at least their top caps, should have textured, not perfectly smooth surfaces to reduce friction. I will probably study this issue further, but it would involve ordering Teflon or UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight) tape for sticking onto top caps. This could really be a breakthrough, offering a cost-effective, or cost-saving, means to reduce friction for friction-prone razors and soaps. Soaps and razors that might otherwise be avoided might become acceptable in this case.
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