HLS Taiga Gaps | Measured & Calculated

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

According to my measurements and machinations these are the gaps for my Taiga.

1​	2​	3​	4​	5​	6​	7*​	8.5​	10​	15​
0.7​	0.775​	0.85​	0.925​	1.0​	1.25​	1.5​	1.75​	2.0​	3.0​

To begin with I disassembled the Taiga, oiled various threads to smooth everything out as much as possible, and reassembled the razor.

If you try hard you can get the razor's gap to open further than I opened it. With the various parts as tight as I think they should normally be in daily use, I was able to open the gap a good little bit.

Starting on the razor's most closed setting which is #1 the adjustment dial of my razor can be turned all the way around to #1 two times and can then be easily turned to slightly less than #3.5.

I decided to number the various settings as per the chart above in the following manner.

• #1 is fully closed.
• #7 is rotated all the way around one time so it's back on #1.
• #10 is rotated all the way around one time and then turned further to #4.
• #15 is rotated all the way around two times and then turned further to #3.

I hope that makes sense to you. I think it should be the conventional adjustment naming scheme for this razor.

The manufacturer says this razor has a gap of 0.8 to 3.2.

By my measurements with my feeler gauges my razor has a gap of 0.7 to 3.0.

I'm not one to believe the gap is all that important nor do I believe my little chart is loaded with precision, but it gives me something to go by when thinking about how to compare this razor and its gaps with other razors and their gaps.

It also should help me figure out what I'm doing as I experiment with the various settings of the Taiga.

It might be totally useless to think this a useful tool for comparing, let's say, the Wolfman WR2 1.65 with the Taiga.





Rule of thumb: Never trust a drunk baby.

It should be obvious to you that in constructing the gap chart above I employed a mixed system. Yes, I used feeler gauges, but I also used my calculator. In my opinion and from fooling with the razor the action is more or less linear.

*I could tell you that the gap for setting #7 is 1.5 mm. I could also tell you that the gap for setting #7.5 is 1.5 mm. Don't think that I'm claiming precision with these measurements.

As a feeler gauge user I'm a rank amateur & now I have to put the gauges's pieces back in order and all that jazz.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[hduty]

The thing that stands out to me is that the obtained measurements aren't linear for settings 5 -> 6 (0.25 increase) vs 1 -> 5 (0.075 increase between settings). That's a huge jump.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The thing that stands out to me is that the obtained measurements aren't linear for settings 5 -> 6 (0.25 increase) vs 1 -> 5 (0.075 increase between settings). That's a huge jump.

My measurements may not be very precise. Perhaps others more skilled with the feeler gauges will create and post a better chart. That would suit me fine.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My measurements may not be very precise. Perhaps others more skilled with the feeler gauges will create and post a better chart. That would suit me fine.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Also, I probably named the curve incorrectly.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[DSR]

According to my measurements and machinations these are the gaps for my Taiga.

1​	2​	3​	4​	5​	6​	7*​	8.5​	10​	15​
0.7​	0.775​	0.85​	0.925​	1.0​	1.25​	1.5​	1.75​	2.0​	3.0​

To begin with I disassembled the Taiga, oiled various threads to smooth everything out as much as possible, and reassembled the razor.

If you try hard you can get the razor's gap to open further than I opened it. With the various parts as tight as I think they should normally be in daily use, I was able to open the gap a good little bit.

Starting on the razor's most closed setting which is #1 the adjustment dial of my razor can be turned all the way around to #1 two times and can then be easily turned to slightly less than #3.5.



View attachment 1401987



I decided to number the various settings as per the chart above in the following manner.

• #1 is fully closed.
• #7 is rotated all the way around one time so it's back on #1.
• #10 is rotated all the way around one time and then turned further to #4.
• #15 is rotated all the way around two times and then turned further to #3.

I hope that makes sense to you. I think it should be the conventional adjustment naming scheme for this razor.

The manufacturer says this razor has a gap of 0.8 to 3.2.

By my measurements with my feeler gauges my razor has a gap of 0.7 to 3.0.

I'm not one to believe the gap is all that important nor do I believe my little chart is loaded with precision, but it gives me something to go by when thinking about how to compare this razor and its gaps with other razors and their gaps.

It also should help me figure out what I'm doing as I experiment with the various settings of the Taiga.

It might be totally useless to think this a useful tool for comparing, let's say, the Wolfman WR2 1.65 with the Taiga.


View attachment 1402004


Rule of thumb: Never trust a drunk baby.

It should be obvious to you that in constructing the gap chart above I employed a mixed system. Yes, I used feeler gauges, but I also used my calculator. In my opinion and from fooling with the razor the action is more or less linear.

*I could tell you that the gap for setting #7 is 1.5 mm. I could also tell you that the gap for setting #7.5 is 1.5 mm. Don't think that I'm claiming precision with these measurements.

As a feeler gauge user I'm a rank amateur & now I have to put the gauges's pieces back in order and all that jazz.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Interesting measurements, thank you!
The chart below was posted by HLS a while ago, when they came out with the very first version of Taiga (beginning of 2020, if I’m not mistaken), which wouldn’t allow the adjustment knob to go around more than twice, so it wouldn’t open as high as the subsequent versions (including current one).

I believe that version had 6 positions, rather than 5 on the current one, so you could go all the way to mark 6, and then another mark or two above, so to an imaginary 7 and 7.5 or 8.
So the gaps would have been slightly different from the current version, even during the first turn (presumably slightly smaller increase in gap between consecutive settings on the old one).

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Interesting measurements, thank you!
The chart below was posted by HLS a while ago, when they came out with the very first version of Taiga (beginning of 2020, if I’m not mistaken), which wouldn’t allow the adjustment knob to go around more than twice, so it wouldn’t open as high as the subsequent versions (including current one).

View attachment 1402073

Thanks.

If I'd seen that before (and I think I had) I'd forgotten about it. I was aware they'd published a lower gap number - 0.5 - for an earlier razor.

Today I used and enjoyed settings 5, 7, and 1.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[APBinNCA]

If I am understanding correctly, only the gap changes? This razor has a neutral to just-barely-catches exposure right?

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

If I am understanding correctly, only the gap changes? This razor has a neutral to just-barely-catches exposure right?

We are talking about the Taiga, right?

I am finally beginning to understand the changes in blade exposure which occur when the gap changes in an adjustable razor.

See these photos - linked here - and the various and several posts surrounding the photos.

I'm interested in learning more. There's a lot I don't know and understand about razor design and engineering.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[hduty]

If I am understanding correctly, only the gap changes? This razor has a neutral to just-barely-catches exposure right?

Yes

+0.028 mm

 

[DSR]

Yes

+0.028 mm

May I ask where you got this from?
I‘ve seen lots of people saying that it has either neutral or just slightly positive blade exposure, but I’ve never seen an actual figure quoted anywhere until now.

 

[APBinNCA]

Yes

+0.028 mm

This is perfectly consistent with just-barely-catches, thank you! I still haven't figured out how the Taiga increases the gap without increasing exposure, but it sounds like I better try it for myself.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

May I ask where you got this from?
I‘ve seen lots of people saying that it has either neutral or just slightly positive blade exposure, but I’ve never seen an actual figure quoted anywhere until now.

See this post. Linked. See what the manufacturer says.

I'm not at all sure the blade exposure is static.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[DSR]

See this post. Linked. See what the manufacturer says.

I'm not at all sure the blade exposure is static.

Happy shaves,

Jim

I see, thank you.
I tend to agree with you… I would think that there must be some change in blade exposure as the gap increases, just because of the slight change in geometry of the whole head, as nicely shown in the photos you posted that link for above.
It might be that the change in blade exposure is fairly small, so it wouldn’t compare to an adjustable like Tatara Muramasa, where the lateral movement of the plates can directly affect the exposure, and to a greater degree.

 

[APBinNCA]

Considering that they say the gap starts at .80mm, I wouldn't be surprised if that is the starting exposure. It might stay close to that for the first three positions, see photos of the executive by @Rosseforp. Even if it goes up to .05mm in the middle numbers, that's only Henson medium territory. I am getting excited about getting one!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Considering that they say the gap starts at .80mm, I wouldn't be surprised if that is the starting exposure. It might stay close to that for the first three positions, see photos of the executive by @Rosseforp. Even if it goes up to .05mm in the middle numbers, that's only Henson medium territory. I am getting excited about getting one!

Probably someone could ask the manufacturer about this, about what setting the blade exposure was based on.

Most people talking about it don't seem to feel much blade, or no blade, especially at setting most likely to be actually used.

Does anybody use (except for science) gaps much beyond 1.65? I'm not saying nobody should. I'm not saying nobody can. But, does anybody?

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Clouds]

The thread on the Taiga has a 1mm pitch.
The "Gibbs" adjustment system does nothing to the blade itself so turning the adjustment dial a full turn will increase/decrease the gap by 1mm (and obviously proportionately) . If your measurements are coming out different to that, you are doing something wrong.

 

[APBinNCA]

Whiteout a razor to examine, it appears from the older chart that they have fit six whole numbers into what used to be the range of 3 to 6. Or another way, half a turn. That would imply that there is still a half turn below 1 that they decided didn’t need to be in the normal range.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The thread on the Taiga has a 1mm pitch.
The "Gibbs" adjustment system does nothing to the blade itself so turning the adjustment dial a full turn will increase/decrease the gap by 1mm (and obviously proportionately) . If your measurements are coming out different to that, you are doing something wrong.

I'm not arguing with you. I don't know enough to argue nor do I want to argue.

If you're right, the published Taiga chart for their razor with a lowest gap of 0.5 makes sense.

I could do as they've done and calculate what should be the gaps at various settings, but I'd have to assume that either the lowest gap is 0.8 or go by my measurement of 0.7.

The lowest gap on my razor is not 0.8.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Clouds]

No argument intended.
All I am giving you is the pitch "in" the adjuster dial. All anyone needs to do is measure the gap anywhere and they can calculate the rest of the settings.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

No argument intended.
All I am giving you is the pitch "in" the adjuster dial. All anyone needs to do is measure the gap anywhere and they can calculate the rest of the settings.

Makes perfect sense to me. I'll give it a spin when I have time to do it right.

Thanks and happy shaves,

Jim