What's new

Enclosed edge tabs or exposed?

The masamune and fatip are the only razors that have exposed blade tabs among those that I own. I do not find them a problem and this feature aids blade handling.
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
I prefer covered, but the best DEs I currently possess - Gillette Post-War thin-handled Tech and Fatip Grande - have exposed tabs so I grin and bear it.

Or I wave hello to them and go on extended shaving binges with a GEM Micromatic Open Comb or RazoRock Hawk V3OC.
 
I agree that it's much easier to insert and extract blades from a head that exposes them, the alignment pin tolerances are so tight on my GC that I have had to set the cap and handle aside to safely remove a spent blade several times, my Mamba is ever so slightly looser, so blade loading and extraction is a snap with it, despite the hidden tab ends.

A small relief cut on the sides of the bottom plate would fix that while maintaining the ability to nose or ear mash with impunity.
 
I hadn't had an issue with the blade tabs before, but last week the tto wasn't functioning well on one my razors and I ended up grabbing one of the tabs on the Astra sp that was loaded. Sliced my thumb wide open, even through the washcloth I was using to grip it. I couldn't beleive it was so sharp! Haven't had any other blades with tabs that were so sharp before though.
 
I used to prefer covered tabs. This was because I used to attempt XTG passes on my neck and would often catch myself with the uncomfortable exposed tab along the the bottom of jaw when doing that pass. I don't think it caused any cuts but was just rather uncomfortable.

I have since ditched the XTG pass and don't even notice exposed tabs anymore.
 
Exposed tabs... Covered tabs add unnecessary size to the razor...
This^ Needless width and mass covering the tabs.

Keep this safety thing up. Big brother will end up requiring a NICS check to buy a razor cuz y'all are nicking your ears.
 
Last edited:
Hi,

Every single thing about the DE blade shape came about one at a time as patents expired. While in force, the patents then force you to use only the razor maker's blades. As they expired, then that shape item was added to everyone's blades. There are some razors which use the corners between the cutting edge and the end of the tab to hold the blade. And, the tab needs to be as long as it is with those razors.

So, the shape is cast in steel. The modern makers of razors decide to cover the tabs or not. My old Fasans do. Nothing else I have does. The old Gillette razors used a different shape blade end, so it wasn't as protruding as it later came to be.

Personally, I don't care. I have been shaving since 1976 and have yet to run into an issue with the tab sticking out.

Stan
 
I have razors that will both expose and enclose tabs. I think enclosed is prettier but exposed are a tad simpler to load. Some razors like Timeless will have the tab maybe a mm or two exposed. Personal preference really. I’ve never cut myself with a tab.
 
I’ve used a 60’s era Gillette when I was learning to shave and now a Rockwell 6S. I’ve never had an issue with the tab sticking out. I’m wondering how much harder it would be to remove the blade if the tab did not stick out.
 
Exposed tabs for me for handling, aligning, etc., plus I keep a goatee so I never run the risk of the tabs cutting me anywhere.
 
Top Bottom