Gillette Tech First Impressions

[kingfisher]

I keep seeing people saying that it takes a lot more skill to get a BBS with a super mild razor than a very aggressive razor and I think that's partly true, but not entirely. That's not always the case and it depends on a huge variety of factors like face and skin type and probably others as well. I have a tough whiskers and very dense beard and while I can get BBS with my Tech razor, it's nowhere as fast or as enjoyable as with some of my more efficient razors, especially if I haven't shaved in 3+ days.

I've been a DE shaver for 6 years now and my first DE razor was a British Tech from the 70s and I know that's not much, but i've tried over 20 razors so far and I keep learning new stuff and I can safely say that when I pick a blade that work for me, get a nice prep with cold water and use Arko for instance, I can get BBS with pretty much any razor regardless how mild, inefficient, aggressive or efficient is even if I try it for the first time without getting irritation, cuts, nicks, weepers, creepers or whatever like 95% of the time.

But that doesn't mean that all razors shave the same or that I can achieve the BBS as easy or as fast. For those with softer whiskers and not so dense it might not matter that much what type of razor they use if they are skilled enough, but that definitely affects those with though whiskers and very dense beards. For instance, even when I get a BBS and my skin is as smooth as glass, I can still see small dots on my face, which are impossible to remove no matter how many times I try, while others have absolutely nothing when they get BBS and that's one of the reasons why I think my beard is a bit different than most people.

I never go longer than 48 hours without shaving. Ever. I have tough stubble that grows very quickly, but since I never let it grow for long, I never have to worry about having an aggressive shaver to mow down 4 days of stubble, or whatever. For every shave since September of 2019, I have used a shavette anyway, which can mow down any amount of stubble equally well, so for me it doesn't really matter, but I can see how a Tech might not be the first choice for a person with a lot of facial hair who only wants to shave once a week. Even that is not a problem with the tool itself, it's the tool being used inappropriately.

 

[Chandu]

If you usually use razors that have a ton of blade gap and a fair bit of blade exposure, your poor technique is often rewarded, as the effective angle with one of these razors is very wide. A smaller gap razor like the Tech requires the user to maintain the proper angle; once they do, they are rewarded with a nice, smooth shave.

Yes. The AS-D2 I gifted to my nephew wad exactly like that. Once you hit the angle it was great, miss it by a little and it's kind of an ineffective razor, miss it by a little more and it won't even cut hair.

I can see how a Tech might not be the first choice for a person with a lot of facial hair who only wants to shave once a week. Even that is not a problem with the tool itself, it's the tool being used inappropriately.

Yup again. If you shave every few days something with a larger gap or a little more blade exposure would be better than a Tech or Tech clone.

Dang I miss my AS-D2.

 

[Chaucer]

I wonder if the variety of experience with all versions of the Techs is due to variations in manufacture. When made, they were totally mass market and very cheap. They aren’t precision instruments.

Example: I’ve owned two pre-WW2 US-made Techs with fat handles and nickel plating. In appearance they seemed identical. But use was another story. One of them is up there with my best DEs out of the 15-20 I’ve tried. It’s in my rotation. The other was just OK. After having it in rotation for a year or two, I sold it. No, I didn’t try swapping out parts. That way madness lies.

So luck of the draw looks like an explanation.

 

[LMcC]

So today I put a Nacet blade in the Tech. Had an amazingly smooth close comfortable shave. Nothing negative to report. Chances are my technique has improved as well. But yeah, what a great shave.

 

[LMcC]

Today I had one of my best shaves ever. Guess it just took a little practice. Thank y’all for all the advice and encouragement.

 

[South Dakota Guy]

I put one of my two Techs up for a Pif and I think tomorrow I will shave with the other. My Timeless shaves me so well that I really have to talk myself into using my other razors.

Tech Pif

 

[South Dakota Guy]

So I did shave with the Tech today using a Wizamet SI blade. It was my best Tech shave yet but I still got a little bit of mild irritation. Likely would have been fine if I didn't go for touchups after the third pass. I am sure if I shaved with it daily I could improve my shaves even more.

 

[glm38]

I put one of my two Techs up for a Pif and I think tomorrow I will shave with the other. My Timeless shaves me so well that I really have to talk myself into using my other razors.

Tech Pif

LOL. I had a timeless a few years ago. I ended up selling mine partially due to the fact that I just couldn't get as good a shave from it as I could from my $10 techs. Just goes to show YMMV is very real in DE shaving.

 

[hangblague]

I have a late-40's Canadian Tech. My brief experience is that it's a pleasure to use in being comfortable and non-threatening. It's also a bit inefficient. It offers a pretty close shave, not a super close shave. Diminishing returns as you add passes and touch-up strokes. Someone suggested I shim it. That noticeably improved efficiency without compromising comfort.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Yesterday I used the yellow gold Tech on a 36-hour beard. Excellent shave.

 

[old_school]

While back I picked up a pre-war Fat Handle off ebay it was a rough, ornery, nasty thing.

Went here to make sure it wasn't some FrankenRazor. Seemed all good in the parts department. So next checked blade gaps. One side of the base plate was tweaked pretty hard, way to much gap compared to the other side. Took a couple sessions in the vice finally got it set where the tweaked side was within a few 1/1000's of the other. Works great now.

I think Astra SP's are an incredible all around blade for anything I've tried it in so at ~$5 for a year of shaves that's what is in inventory. Still evaluating a tuck each of Astra SS, Gillette Silver Blue, Gillette Platinum, Green and Yellow 7 o'clocks. All seem to be a fine blade in any of my Tech's. YMMV