Well said.All you shim lovers have your fun, I'm sticking to the original designer's blueprint. I once thought I was smarter than Gillette's engineers but after a raft of experiments I concluded I simply needed to work on my basic technique.
Don't get me wrong, I see where some shavers would like more blade feel or exposure or gap, but I'm not one of them. I can get an absolutely great no-brainer shave with a stock Tech or Super Speed without all the fiddling around.
The best part of shimming for me was the realization that after 35-40 years of DE shaving I just needed to slightly change pressure and up my angles to steeper giving me a better shave.
My First Time Making And Using A Shim. WOW.
- Thread starter Alum Ladd
- Start date
Well said.
- Thread starter
- #22
Indeed. Learning and improving never stops. In whatever we do.
I played with shims for a bit, trying to get a bit more oomph out of the RazoRock .68 Game changer. (The .84 plate was just too aggressive for me.) I never really found the dramatic results that shimmers seem to tout, and didn't really care for adding another element to my set up, so I settled for what the razor was and worked at achieving the results I wanted. I've since transitioned over to the .84 plate and I'm happy with the results. I'm not really sure what changed though, it just seems to work now.
If you find results with shimming and are content with the setup, that's great. Many would say that that isn't the razor for you to begin with, and there's probably some truth to that. It's sure nice to find one that works right out of the box with minimal learning curve. It's all a matter deciding whether you adjust the equipment to suit your technique or do you adjust your technique to suit your equipment. Either way can be successful.
If you find results with shimming and are content with the setup, that's great. Many would say that that isn't the razor for you to begin with, and there's probably some truth to that. It's sure nice to find one that works right out of the box with minimal learning curve. It's all a matter deciding whether you adjust the equipment to suit your technique or do you adjust your technique to suit your equipment. Either way can be successful.
Congratulations!! 
- Thread starter
- #25
I have found on 2 occasions now, that using a single shim in a specific razor with unusual characteristics in terms of it's weight, the English Tech double spiral aluminum handle, did noticeably increase the razors efficiency. As I plan on using this razor as part of my camping/travel shaving setup, and was unfamiliar with how a Tech head behaved, I wanted to get the most out of it. It seems to work for this specific razor.
I used my good old friend the EJ DE89 Kelvin yesterday, and it certainly does not need a shim. More like a newer, efficient blade choice, of which I have some examples now. It has more than twice the heft of the Tech, which may explain it.
I have also been experimenting for the first time with daily shaving. I am noticing that I can do a 2 pass shave which seems to have a more lasting effect than if I shave every 48 hrs. There seems to be some cumulative effect going on with how the whiskers respond, and skin improvement. I enjoy trying out new things more and more.
But one thing is clear. There is no 'magic bullet' in DE shaving, as in life. It is more a combination of small improvements, and incremental changes that better effect the whole.
I am enjoying DE shaving more and more as a result.
I used my good old friend the EJ DE89 Kelvin yesterday, and it certainly does not need a shim. More like a newer, efficient blade choice, of which I have some examples now. It has more than twice the heft of the Tech, which may explain it.
I have also been experimenting for the first time with daily shaving. I am noticing that I can do a 2 pass shave which seems to have a more lasting effect than if I shave every 48 hrs. There seems to be some cumulative effect going on with how the whiskers respond, and skin improvement. I enjoy trying out new things more and more.
But one thing is clear. There is no 'magic bullet' in DE shaving, as in life. It is more a combination of small improvements, and incremental changes that better effect the whole.
I am enjoying DE shaving more and more as a result.
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If you don't already have something similar, they also sell through Etsy since you are across the pond
Spearhead Safety Razor Case
Simple, functional and durable protection for safety razors. The Spearhead Case is inspired by a 100-year old design and upgraded with modern Mil-Spec materials. The case holds a 3-piece safety razor and 1-2 packs of blades for travel or storage. It is compact and lightweight for easy travel...
spearheadshaving.com
- Thread starter
- #27
Here are my final thoughts on my English Gillette Tech aluminum handle, C.65-69. Unsure of the date range on these double swirl handles. Does anyone know by the way?
I had a 4 day growth to get off tonight. Notable because this is the most beard growth I have tackled using a DE razor. My beard type is medium coarse. Probably in the middle to somewhat tough.
Again I used a single shim, although I am unsure what effect and by how much this is affecting blade angle .05mm?
The modern Tech heads seem to have a narrow blade angle 'window' or maybe that is just my inexperience with other heads. Again I used a Gillette W/S 'Saloon' Indian SS. First use of a new blade. Castle Forbes cream in lime because I felt I would need all the soap help I could get. Hydrated face and beard well.
An orthodox NS 1st pass. I felt the blade teetering between not cutting and audible cutting. There was somewhere in between that was cutting well but slightly off the optimum. This DE shaving is like piano tuning I thought.
1st pass finished. This lightweight razor with a basic blade had knocked 90% of the growth off. A cartridge would have suffered bad clogging and pulling I am sure. This was smooth as silk.
To be honest that would have got me to 'socially acceptable' there and then. But I commenced 2 more passes. SN, which got me to a DFS position, and a 3rd, mostly confined to upper neck, gill and chin/under chin, and moustache. This was a XTG/SN kind of hybrid. A VDFS.
An excellent shave. There are 2 areas under the jawline where I can feel short growth, and a tiny patch far left moustache area. This makes me think I will need to do a couple of daily shaves Monday and Tuesday, to regain the almost BBS effects being achieved after regular shaves after 2 days. I think my personal mileage is a combo of daily and 48hr shave per 7 day cycle that I need to dial in.
The Aluminum handle Tech despite being 1oz, about 30gms, performs very well. There is something to holding the handle tighter, without putting on pressure, as a previous post recommended. The shim may have increased aggression by a small degree certainly. But I now see why so many praise the design of the Tech head. It's highly maneoverable, and I enjoy it's short handle. I do favour a shorter handle I am finding. A great vintage first in any newbie collection for sure.
A great little performer that punches well above it's weight! And affordable as a first 'real' vintage in any little collection.
I had a 4 day growth to get off tonight. Notable because this is the most beard growth I have tackled using a DE razor. My beard type is medium coarse. Probably in the middle to somewhat tough.
Again I used a single shim, although I am unsure what effect and by how much this is affecting blade angle .05mm?
The modern Tech heads seem to have a narrow blade angle 'window' or maybe that is just my inexperience with other heads. Again I used a Gillette W/S 'Saloon' Indian SS. First use of a new blade. Castle Forbes cream in lime because I felt I would need all the soap help I could get. Hydrated face and beard well.
An orthodox NS 1st pass. I felt the blade teetering between not cutting and audible cutting. There was somewhere in between that was cutting well but slightly off the optimum. This DE shaving is like piano tuning I thought.
1st pass finished. This lightweight razor with a basic blade had knocked 90% of the growth off. A cartridge would have suffered bad clogging and pulling I am sure. This was smooth as silk.
To be honest that would have got me to 'socially acceptable' there and then. But I commenced 2 more passes. SN, which got me to a DFS position, and a 3rd, mostly confined to upper neck, gill and chin/under chin, and moustache. This was a XTG/SN kind of hybrid. A VDFS.
An excellent shave. There are 2 areas under the jawline where I can feel short growth, and a tiny patch far left moustache area. This makes me think I will need to do a couple of daily shaves Monday and Tuesday, to regain the almost BBS effects being achieved after regular shaves after 2 days. I think my personal mileage is a combo of daily and 48hr shave per 7 day cycle that I need to dial in.
The Aluminum handle Tech despite being 1oz, about 30gms, performs very well. There is something to holding the handle tighter, without putting on pressure, as a previous post recommended. The shim may have increased aggression by a small degree certainly. But I now see why so many praise the design of the Tech head. It's highly maneoverable, and I enjoy it's short handle. I do favour a shorter handle I am finding. A great vintage first in any newbie collection for sure.
A great little performer that punches well above it's weight! And affordable as a first 'real' vintage in any little collection.
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How did you shim the EJ89? Were the shims on the top-cap above the actual blade or the bottom plate below, or one on each side?
- Thread starter
- #29
They would be below the blade. Below to increase efficiency, above to decrease.
The only exception I have encountered was the Le Coq adjustable. If opened much at all, blade chatter is quite noticeable, and directly relates to the design using a bronze plunger to push against the bottom of the blade, e.g., no blade tray, or "piers", ala Gillette. This does not work nearly so well with comparatively ultra thin modern blades.
Double shimmed below the working blade on the Muhle R89.
Here is the "problem" with shims.
They may make it possible to have only one DE razor since you can adjust the efficiency. Isn't that idea an abomination here on B&B - namely, having only one DE razor???
Moderators! Delete this thread!
They may make it possible to have only one DE razor since you can adjust the efficiency. Isn't that idea an abomination here on B&B - namely, having only one DE razor???
Moderators! Delete this thread!
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