Gamechanger SB vs. OC base

[Cafebarian]

If there's a Low Angle Shavers Alliance, I'd be happy to join

If I shaved by riding the guard with the GC .68 OC, I'd literally get a bloody mess instead of a shave, mostly because the razor simply wouldn't cut my whiskers and would chatter, tug or dig in without some significant application of pressure to the head ...and yes, I prep, I'm a shower shaver and my shaves happen at the end of the shower after at least 20 minutes of my face being wet.

Directly under my nose, where I'm forced to scrape shave for the first (WTG) pass, the result is *not* close... I only get to my normal DFS+ after a second cross grain pass that allows a low angle of attack.

The only meaningful thing I can say to address the issue of how the SB compares to the OC when used with steep angles, is that neither one is better in this respect in my use, but then again *no* razor works for me when used at the angles you're talking about D:

You might want to see this. A group was talked about: Any shallow angle shavers out there? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/any-shallow-angle-shavers-out-there.612847/

 

[Sambalam]

As a follow-up to my previously stated opinion of the GC 0.68 OC head, I'm now finding that the OC *does* beat the SB version out for closeness. This is both on a per-pass basis and in the absolute. This change came about after a month and a half of using only the 0.68 SB and OC, both mounted on identical RR HD handles and using the same type of blade in each.

My take on this is that while the extra blade exposure of the OC forces me to pay closer attention to blade angle, there also has to be something to the theory that the OC base provides better mechanical grounding than the SB does, as I was never able to get quite as close per pass, with the SB, even when I gave my full attention to the shave.

I still consider the GC 0.68 SB to be a more forgiving razor (not that the OC is particularly harsh, but it does afford more opportunity to cause nicks or abrasion at higher angles), and the SB remains in rotation for those half-awake shaves that happen from time to time... the original Mamba also serves periodically in that capacity.

I also recently picked up a Lupo .72, it's certainly a great razor in it's own right, but I don't like the head design as much as the GC and I don't get any closer shaves than the 0.68 SB delivers. The clinching feature of the Lupo, that keeps it out of regular rotation, is the fact that the same performance comes with slightly more abrasion.

This is more or less my experience... I recently shaved after 48 hours; first pass with the .68OC and second with the SB and had a fantastic shave. I'd never switched plates in the middle of the shave before and it gave great results. If I'm shaving daily I use the SB but once I've skipped a day I use the OC at least for the first pass... Now I'm planning to get the Timeless Ti .68 with the duel OC/SB head for more variety and hopefully even better shaves. I'll then mostly use my Merker 34C for travel and to loan it to friends interested in tryng a DE razor...

 

[awa54]

...once I've skipped a day I use the OC at least for the first pass...

What is this "skipped a day" thing again?