How should I use an adjustable razor?

[DamnFineBob]

I'm about to use my Gillette Slim Adjustable for the first time. I'm wondering if my ideas on HOW to use it are accurate, and if it will help me with a few problem areas.

Should I shave WTG on a fairly aggressive setting, then dial it back some for XTG, finishing ATG on one of the mildest settings?

I nearly always get irritation/rash under the chin and on my neck. It seems that no number of WTG and XTG passes gets the whiskers there reduced sufficiently for the final ATG pass. The whiskers there grow nearly parallel to the skin, and no amount of prep or skin stretching seems to get them to stand up to get cut prior to the ATG pass. Would a more aggressive razor/setting help me?

 

[Eclectic]

Firstly I would do a complete shave on 1, then a complete shave on 2 etc etc not adjusting it during the shave. This is just to get used to it and see over the whole face what the different settings do on different passes. After doing this you will have a fair idea what you want to do with it.

Some people, on the salami slicing principle, start a shave on a high setting then lower it for subsequent passes to remove smaller slices.

Some people start low and go higher for subsequent passes to get a closer shave.

Some people constantly adjust the razor during the shave to get the exact aggression they want for what they are doing.

The really nice thing about traditional shaving with an adjustable is that it is entirely up to you, customise your shave to suit what you like. You might do it differently every single day.

 

[sodajerk]

Changing settings will work like you describe, however, if you're still in the early learning stage, changing settings will make figuring out what is working (technique-wise) and not working very difficult. One setting will work better in the beginning.

Have the same problem with the underside of the chin. What I do is hold the the neck skin and then pull up with my lower lip. This causes my hair to stand up and cut better. Good luck!

 

[ackvil]

I would start off with the first pass at a setting of 1 or 2. If you experience no problems then increase the setting by 1 each time.

When I started out with my adjustable I could get up to 5 on my cheeks but only 3 on my neck. After a period of time my technique improved and my skin "toughened up" and I gradually increased it until my current settings today which are WTG 5 (both cheeks and neck) XTG 7, XTG 7, and ATG 8 (but 7 at the most on my neck).

 

[BillC]

I agree with the recommendation to start with one setting and get used to the razor. Setting a Slim on '1' will be very mild - you might want to look at the Wiki and choose a setting that's close to the blade gap of the razor you're coming from to let you get used to the Slim.

With regards to changing settings during a shave - I hardly ever do that unless I'm just not getting a good shave that day. But I do change the settings to adjust for different blades - for instance I drop down a setting or two from my "normal" when I'm using a Feather.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

The whiskers will mock the slim to derision at those settings. Be fearless; set it to 9 and go to town! The purpose of shaving is to eliminate the whiskers, not coddle them!

 

[fluffman86]

The whiskers will mock the slim to derision at those settings. Be fearless; set it to 9 and go to town! The purpose of shaving is to eliminate the whiskers, not coddle them!

+1 for teh lulz.

 

[Mr. Styptic]

Wow, we're all over the board on this one! Personally, I used a lower setting (3, if I remember correctly) for my first couple of shaves with a Super Adjustable. That was about six months into wet shaving. I was not satisfied with the shave, nor the feel of the razor -- blade angle, weight, balance, etc. So I set the razor aside in favor of others.

I picked it up again recently, armed it with a Lord Platinum (which I consider a sharp, smooth blade) and dialed the SA up to 8. Excellent! WTG, XTG and ATG, it worked well every pass. It was one of my better shaves in a while. I look forward to going to 9. Heck, if that goes well, I might look into a straight edge. (Okay, not really.)

So, DunEd might seem like a shaving terrorist for telling you to turn it up to 9 and go for it, but I tend to agree with him. The only caveat is that you're technique should be pretty well refined if you're going to try that. If not, keep the styptic pen handy. Good luck.

 

[Mr. Styptic]

P.S.

Remember to loosen the silo doors whenever you adjust the razor. Otherwise you could put too much tension on the inner mechanism, which will be pushing the blade against the underside of the doors.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

I shave with the slim @9 and the Futur at 6.5.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=155335&page=7

Start at post 135 for shaves with the adjustables.

 

[dpm802]

Firstly I would do a complete shave on 1, then a complete shave on 2 etc etc not adjusting it during the shave. This is just to get used to it and see over the whole face what the different settings do on different passes. After doing this you will have a fair idea what you want to do with it.

+1

Some people, on the salami slicing principle, start a shave on a high setting then lower it for subsequent passes to remove smaller slices.

+1, again.

I don't think its been mentioned, but don't adjust your razor's setting with the blade tightened down. Back off the bottom knob just enough that the blade can wiggle, but not open the doors. If you don't loosen the knob, and turn the adjustment ring, you run the risk of jamming the razor's mechanism.

 

[Mike'sWorld]

The whiskers will mock the slim to derision at those settings. Be fearless; set it to 9 and go to town! The purpose of shaving is to eliminate the whiskers, not coddle them!

This is the only way I could get a decent shave with a slim. But, it is a very, very close, comfortable shave. At lower settings, it cut me to pieces and left significant stubble.