Also, does the dummy thicc clamping surface make shaving steep smoother than with your other DE favorites used the same way?
I haven't used the number of razors that many members here have, nor I have used the $300+ high end razors that I see mentioned sometimes. However I am "blessed" with copper wire beard and a growth pattern that's all over the place. And NO, I don't have sensitive skin
I cannot help you with angles since I am not really paying attention to them, I just do what feels best.
Some razors that are considered mid level aggression and above are serviceable for me. I even was perfectly happy with my Merkur 23 for years before stepping into the rabbit hole. I tried what is considered a widow maker (R41) and I found it very agreeable.
Now that I have a choice of few razors (thanks B&B for all the enabling!) I find that I tend to gravitate towards designs that leave a small portion of the blade unclamped, ie the distance from the cutting edge to the support point. The other school of thought, say the likes of the R41, that rely on tension to fix the cutting edge leave something to be desired.
I try to avoid going against the grain but sometimes I do it subconsciously chasing BBS. For my beard, just tension does not do it. Another place where I can measure the effectiveness is on my lower neck. Against the grain is out of the question there, but still the firmly clamped design (Fatip, Lupo) manage to get everything with fewer strokes.
So, to recap, for my case the dummy clamping surface really makes a difference! The Lupo .95 is the best compromise between smoothness and efficiency for me, with the Fatip open comb a close second.