I thought that I had found BBS...............

[ash410]

and then I tried the R41 !
I made the change to DE shaving back in November last year and had been using an EJ89L. I went through the various sample packs of blades, Astras, Lord, Treet, Shark, Wilkinson Sword and many others until I found Gillette 7 o'clock yellows, these seemed to give the best combo for me with my creams/soaps, (proraso, TOBS, Tabac and GFT) after about 6 months of DE shaving I could get a consistant BBS/DFS for most of my shaves. It was then that I tried "feather" blades, now I had heard the praises of these blades so many times, especially the "Ninja" sharpness of them! I was totally blown away by how good they were but the extra cost in my opinion could not be justified for everyday shaving so I was quite happy to use the 7 o'clock yellows, keeping the feathers for when I needed a REALLY close shave.
I was quite happy with this combo until RAD set in enter the R41
1st shave was using TOBS and a 7 o'clock yellow and was AMAZING, BBS ! a couple of shaves later was then I tried the R41/feather combo and WOW i mean WOW!
I thought that I had found BBS using my EJ89L and 7 o'clocks until I tried the R41 It takes BBS to another level so easy to get a DFS/BBS but the R41 needs respect i mean RESPECT any slip in concentration and it bites
Now dont get me wrong I had heard that the R41 was good, Very good but I didn't think that 2 razors could be so different!
Anyway the EJ is now gathering dust.........until something else comes along, thats RAD i suppose Whats next???? maybe a straight

 

[prsman23]

Nice to hear you've tamed the beast! Well done sir, well done.

 

[Mick]

Keep working on your technique. You should be able to get a BBS shave using any razor. I did a head to head between the R41 and the Gillette Tech (most aggressive and mildest razors made). http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/284877-The-absurdity-of-Aggressive-VS-Mild I was able to get BBS shaves out of both these razors even though they are at both ends of the blade exposure scale. Good shaving technique will go a long ways in helping you ending up with the same BBS shave using any razor you pick up.

 

[bluesbishop]

I have much respect for Turtle... He's a good brother.... But I have to respectfully disagree. For Me... And YMMV.... I can not use all types of razors and get a BBS.... Unless i want to do 4 or more passes, and that leads me to " the danger zone"..... Bumps and burn.

For my face, razors like the R41 and the Fatip simple do a better job.... I've used the Tech, the DE89, superspeeds.... All with various blade combos.... Nope.... Doesnt make the cut....

I agree that the R41 gives a new meaning to BBS..... Read the R41 combined thread.... Check the BOTOC thread.... Most "converts" will tell you that they are blown away at the closeness of the shave.

If the R41 and feather works well for you.... Then keep it up!!

 

[jamesspo]

I agree. I've tried a lot of different razors, and some of them (despite using at the proper angle where you have blade contact) just don't get good "bite" on the hairs. I think the factors that control that are complicated, and involve the actual blade angle against the skin, skin elasticity, angle of the hairs themselves, skin oils, hair thickness and the geometry of the guard and cap that shape how the skin reacts right at the blade/skin interface. I think this becomes particularly important when the hairs get very short, and you're going for BBS. I don't doubt others can get BBS with any razor (and with a reasonable number of passes), but it just doesn't work that way for everyone, regardless of technique. Technique only goes so far in shaving...primarily serving to get the blade on your face, and do so without scraping off a lot of skin cells. That's a relatively simple task to master. The details of what happens getting very close though, IMO, are complicated enough that hardware (and software) can make a big difference in the outcome for some people.

I have much respect for Turtle... He's a good brother.... But I have to respectfully disagree. For Me... And YMMV.... I can not use all types of razors and get a BBS.... Unless i want to do 4 or more passes, and that leads me to " the danger zone"..... Bumps and burn.

For my face, razors like the R41 and the Fatip simple do a better job.... I've used the Tech, the DE89, superspeeds.... All with various blade combos.... Nope.... Doesnt make the cut....

I agree that the R41 gives a new meaning to BBS..... Read the R41 combined thread.... Check the BOTOC thread.... Most "converts" will tell you that they are blown away at the closeness of the shave.

If the R41 and feather works well for you.... Then keep it up!!

 

[a Rose's thorn]

All good comments above. The R41 is unmatched by any modern razor. Why aren't other razor manufacturers making heads similiar to it? It is a step forward in DE design. If the reason we shave is to remove whiskers (albeit as comfortably as possible), nothing comes close to the shave you can get from this razor.

 

[Viseguy]

Keep working on your technique. You should be able to get a BBS shave using any razor. I did a head to head between the R41 and the Gillette Tech (most aggressive and mildest razors made). http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/284877-The-absurdity-of-Aggressive-VS-Mild I was able to get BBS shaves out of both these razors even though they are at both ends of the blade exposure scale. Good shaving technique will go a long ways in helping you ending up with the same BBS shave using any razor you pick up.

I agree that technique rules, but a milder razor might require an extra pass or two to get to where you want to go (as was the case, apparently, in your R41 vs. Tech comparison [3 passes vs. 4]), and extra passes can translate into greater irritation -- though not necessarily, if your technique is solid (to come full circle). For me it's often a matter of mood. Sometimes I want the blade-on-skin feel of the 2011 R41 or the Fatip, other times I want the more attenuated experience you get with the Weber DLC or the 2010 R41, and still other times I'm in the mood for the more middle-of-the-road feel of an Old Type or MMOC -- it's great to have options. And a solid technique gives you options.

 

[celestino]

I agree. I've tried a lot of different razors, and some of them (despite using at the proper angle where you have blade contact) just don't get good "bite" on the hairs. I think the factors that control that are complicated, and involve the actual blade angle against the skin, skin elasticity, angle of the hairs themselves, skin oils, hair thickness and the geometry of the guard and cap that shape how the skin reacts right at the blade/skin interface. I think this becomes particularly important when the hairs get very short, and you're going for BBS. I don't doubt others can get BBS with any razor (and with a reasonable number of passes), but it just doesn't work that way for everyone, regardless of technique. Technique only goes so far in shaving...primarily serving to get the blade on your face, and do so without scraping off a lot of skin cells. That's a relatively simple task to master. The details of what happens getting very close though, IMO, are complicated enough that hardware (and software) can make a big difference in the outcome for some people.

+1 It all depends on the individual as YMMV!

 

[bluesbishop]

I agree that technique rules, but a milder razor might require an extra pass or two to get to where you want to go (as was the case, apparently, in your R41 vs. Tech comparison [3 passes vs. 4]), and extra passes can translate into greater irritation -- though not necessarily, if your technique is solid (to come full circle). For me it's often a matter of mood. Sometimes I want the blade-on-skin feel of the 2011 R41 or the Fatip, other times I want the more attenuated experience you get with the Weber DLC or the 2010 R41, and still other times I'm in the mood for the more middle-of-the-road feel of an Old Type or MMOC -- it's great to have options. And a solid technique gives you options.

+1!!!!

Great explanation and post!!!!