What's new

How do you use an adjustable?

How do you use an adjustable razor?

  • One setting throughout the shave.

    Votes: 42 56.8%
  • Increasing gap with each pass.

    Votes: 6 8.1%
  • Decreasing gap with each pass.

    Votes: 26 35.1%

  • Total voters
    74
I haven't voted because that's why I'm asking. Is there a correct way to use an adjustable?
 

Kilroy6644

Smoking a corn dog in aviators and a top hat
The correct way is whatever gets you the best results. Personally, I leave it on one setting all the time. I have experimented with changing settings between passes, but I didn't find it to be any better, and I stick to one pass shaves now, so there's no opportunity to change settings. The adjustable feature, for me, is just so I can get it dialed in to where I like it.
 
I voted for increasing gap with each pass. I do a 3 pass shave w/ touchups. I use the same setting for the first 2 passes, a higher one for the 3rd pass and sometimes go up a notch for the touchups.

Rarely, I just leave it on a low setting and just do the whole shave like that. Depends on what is happening and how much time I have to shave.
 
There’s no correct way. That’s the beauty of an adjustable—do what works best for you! I don’t follow either approach. I use the same setting for WTH and ATG passes. Sometimes I prefer a higher setting, sometimes not—depends upon the blade and my mood. I do, however, normally dial up for touching up my tricky spots (increased blade exposure helps), and dial down for ATG on my upper lip (hard for me sometimes to avoid irritation and weepers while still getting a close shave there). I suspect that most people use the “dial down” approach—lowering the setting with subsequent passes. I shave daily and don’t have a lot to take down initially. New wet shavers are probably best served by sticking with a setting for a while to hone technique.
 
The 3 ways you've listed in your poll are the 3 traditional ways. They all have their champions. I've tried 'em all, but I'm generally a "set it and leave it guy," though I do sometimes reduce the setting to the lowest position when at the end of the shave I'm cleaning-up S to N immediately under the nose.

I have tough coarse whiskers and my 84 year old skin is slightly sensitive. In principle an adjustable razor is not a toy to constantly play with by changing settings; rather, it's a serious tool to customize to the coarseness of one's whiskers and to the sensitivity of one's skin. And that one setting varies from person to person.

By analogy, if one were unscrewing a nut with a wrench, the wise person would seek the one wrench that fits the size of the nut best, even if other wrenches could work.

Did I mention I have 12 adjustable razors? I've shaved daily since my 15th birthday in November 1951. I've never met an adjustable razor that I didn't LOVE. I consider adjustable razors to be "God's personal gift" to the shaving world.
 
Depends on the amount of stubble I have to take of for instance with the slim.. light growth I usually start at 4/5 and 2/3 on the second pass with several days of growth I leave it on 5
 
The 3 ways you've listed in your poll are the 3 traditional ways. They all have their champions. I've tried 'em all, but I'm generally a "set it and leave it guy," though I do sometimes reduce the setting to the lowest position when at the end of the shave I'm cleaning-up S to N immediately under the nose.

I have tough coarse whiskers and my 84 year old skin is slightly sensitive. In principle an adjustable razor is not a toy to constantly play with by changing settings; rather, it's a serious tool to customize to the coarseness of one's whiskers and to the sensitivity of one's skin. And that one setting varies from person to person.

By analogy, if one were unscrewing a nut with a wrench, the wise person would seek the one wrench that fits the size of the nut best, even if other wrenches could work.

Did I mention I have 12 adjustable razors? I've shaved daily since my 15th birthday in November 1951. I've never met an adjustable razor that I didn't LOVE. I consider adjustable razors to be "God's personal gift" to the shaving world.
I love adjustables but currently only have three (Fat Boy, Slim and Rex Ambassador). I gave my Merkur Futur to my son.

I’d love to see your list or pics of adjustables in your den!
 
I haven't voted because that's why I'm asking. Is there a correct way to use an adjustable?
I believe that they were intended for you to set it to whatever setting you like best and leave it there. Instead of having to make several different models of the same razor, they can just make it adjustable, give you a bunch of different settings and let you set it where you want.
IMO, some Youtube wet shavers waaaay overthink things and came up with the idea of making it progressively more aggressive with each pass.
 
I'm mostly stuck at one setting usually the highest, but sometimes I dial down when I go against the grain on my neck.
 
I believe that they were intended for you to set it to whatever setting you like best and leave it there. Instead of having to make several different models of the same razor, they can just make it adjustable, give you a bunch of different settings and let you set it where you want.
IMO, some Youtube wet shavers waaaay overthink things and came up with the idea of making it progressively more aggressive with each pass.


I have to agree.
I wonder how many that buy modern adjustable razors (with different plates) actually change out plates during their shave?
Probably none - they find the one they like and leave it be.
 
I love my Rockwell 6S but only use plate 4. Why? Because it seems to do a good enough job and I can never be bothered to dig around in drawers to swap out different plates. I think about it and think, "screw it! this plate will do".
I really think these multi plate razors are marketed all wrong. They should come with a base the razor stands in that has slots where the two extra plates sit in instead of some oversized display box that has no business in your washroom. All the components should be handy and be contained in the same compact and counter friendly base.
 
Back in early '66 when I bought my brand spankin' new L1 Slim, I fooled around with the settings and settled in on 3. I changed blades every other Monday, and I did that for almost 50 years (same razor and Wilkinson Sword blades). Pretty soon I started moving up to setting 4 during the first weekend between blade-change-Mondays, and then up to 5 for the final shave or two. After a couple of years, when I found myself traveling for work, I discovered the difference between hard water and soft water, and would start out at 4, or 5, or even 6 if the water was hard wherever I was staying. If I forgot my shaving cream (or ran out) I used bath soap and opened the Slim up to 8 or 9 and shaved very slowly (trial and error).
Soooooo, to get back to the question, I guess I use one setting throughout the shave, but it has been one of the most versatile, and adaptable razors I have (even though I discovered open comb razors when I stumbled into B&B almost eight years ago and have been using OCs almost exclusively since then). When I travel, though, it is usually with the Slim.

Tom
 
I believe that they were intended for you to set it to whatever setting you like best and leave it there. Instead of having to make several different models of the same razor, they can just make it adjustable, give you a bunch of different settings and let you set it where you want.
IMO, some Youtube wet shavers waaaay overthink things and came up with the idea of making it progressively more aggressive with each pass.
I know I’m in the minority here but I do usually change settings with subsequent passes. This let’s be open her wide up for the WTG where I can remove a lot of hair in the least skin sensitive direction. Then I scale down XTG and down again ATG where my skin is most sensitive. When I do this I get consistent BBS results with zero irritation.
 
I know I’m in the minority here but I do usually change settings with subsequent passes. This let’s be open her wide up for the WTG where I can remove a lot of hair in the least skin sensitive direction. Then I scale down XTG and down again ATG where my skin is most sensitive. When I do this I get consistent BBS results with zero irritation.
This is pretty much how I use a modern adjustable . The starting setting depends on how much growth I start with. My vintage Gillette adjustables stay on 9.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
Also, consider this. Most of us have way more than one razor and those razors range from mild to aggressive. If we have a lot of growth we are more apt to grab an aggressive razor. If however we need to shave again soon for an event, without much growth, we are more likely to grab a milder razor. Well I also use my adjustables in that regard. I dial up for two days growth or more, and down for one day of growth.
 
I’d love to see your list or pics of adjustables in your den!
[/QUOTE]
Gillette Fat Boy
Gillette Slim
Gillette Super Adjustable SH
Gillette Super Adjustable LH
Apollo Mikron
Merkur Progress
Merkur Futur
Merkur Vision 2000
Parker Variant
Schick Injector Type M
Pal Adjustable
 
I’d love to see your list or pics of adjustables in your den!
Gillette adjustables. D1 Toggle in Gold, F4 Toggle in rhodium, an F4 Chrome in native nickle, a D3 Fatboy, a slim, a 84 and a 109 Black Beauty.

6 position Wolfman WR2 adjustable 1.15mm SB to 1.65mm SB, WR1 3 setting adjustable, 80OC, 86OC, 94SB.

4 Rocnel Sailors with another en route.

I also have an NOS Merkur Vision unused by definition.

An L2 and L3 Copper Charcoal Goods set qualifies as a 2 piece maybe.

My poor 24kt Goldbird is not adjustable, although it does have both plates...on a cousin Blackbird Jet that is in a dopp kit for travel.

Yes, I like adjustables. Really like adjustables.

proxy.php


Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
Gillette adjustables. D1 Toggle in Gold, F4 Toggle in rhodium, an F4 Chrome in native nickle, a D3 Fatboy, a slim, a 84 and a 109 Black Beauty.

6 position Wolfman WR2 adjustable 1.15mm SB to 1.65mm SB, WR1 3 setting adjustable, 80OC, 86OC, 94SB.

4 Rocnel Sailors with another en route.

I also have an NOS Merkur Vision unused by definition.

An L2 and L3 Copper Charcoal Goods set qualifies as a 2 piece maybe.

My poor 24kt Goldbird is not adjustable, although it does have both plates...on a cousin Blackbird Jet that is in a dopp kit for travel.

Yes, I like adjustables. Really like adjustables.

proxy.php


Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Phenomenal collection!
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
I like to go up in aggression when using my adjustables, I learned that back 2 years ago by another B&B fellow, he claims you get a closer shave. Some times I like to use my Gillette Fatboy just on 7 sometimes and works well. The thought of going up leaves a little more blade feel for the smaller targeted whiskers that have snipped already.

..........Gillette Slim.....................Ming Shi 2000(Futur clone)........Schick adj injector, M3..............Gillette fatboy
Rons Adjustable razors! (2).jpg

Have some great shaves! Stay & think safe in these times!
 
Top Bottom