OC vs SB question

[olschoolsteel]

So I was doing some reading on the SE page and someone posted their view of an OC razor. I shall paraphrase;

"the open comb allows more lather to stay in contact with the skin before it is scraped by the blade, therefore giving you a smoother overall shave than a SB that scrapes almost all of it off before the blade scrapes the skin"

I will freely admit that all I have are SB razors as the OCs always looked scary and were purported to be more "aggressive" (I know, subjective term). But now after reading this I may have to re-evaluate my view and pick up and OC to see if there is any merit to this claim. I mean, who doesnt want a smoother more effective shave. With all the banter of soap qualities, if the SB scrapes a large portion of it off, what good is it? (retorical question)

My question is for those that rotate in comparable razors of OC and SB heads, can you tell a difference between the two? Like say between a ball tech razor (my daily driver) and a Gil. New.

What say you?

 

[Panama]

Are your sb shaves not smooth? I do not feel everything is removed. My face is still slick. The tech is known as a very smooth shaver, it must be ok.

 

[bclaw]

I've wondered the same thing. It seems counter intuitive to have a razor that basically wipes the lather off the skin before the blade scrapes it.

Still, I haven't noticed any real difference in performance between by OCs and SBs.

 

[Haegar]

OC or SB by it self has nothing to do with aggressiveness. Some of my mildest razors are OC (Merkur, and some vintage non-Gillettes), and the Russian Tech knockoff Rapira is about as aggressive (or even more) as my 2013 R41.

I also respectfully disagree with those who spread the theory that cleaning most of the lather off the whiskers a fraction of a second before the blade hits its goal could lead the blade to scrape the skin, hence irritate it more easily. As long as the safety bar is not equipped with a vacuum and a drying towel there will still be a sufficient soap layer on the skin to not let scrape it by anything. If it scrapes, it's because of too much pressure, not by lack of lather. If it was lack of lather, using an OC our face would be left after one stroke with a stripe pattern of irritated and non irritated skin, right? The big heap of lather is there to keep the water close to the whiskers over a prolonged period of time (opposed to pure water that will almost instantly run off the face).

 

[jdkdonk]

I'm no expert, but I feel a lot of difference between my Tech and New. I found the tech to be very mild, a look in the sink after shaving and the cut hairs are like dust! almost like what you find in a electric razor. Where the new takes a lot longer cut.

I'm not convinced there is any difference with the later being there when the razor cuts between the SB and the OC. I like my New shaves better than the tech, I'll probably get rid of the tech soon, cause I never use it anymore, just takes too many passes for me.

Even if the SB takes the lather off earlier than an OC, we are still talking about a fraction of a second. Plus, the main benifits of the lather remain in either case. Softened hair, lubrication, and supple skin. Even if you use your finger to wipe the lather off, the skin still feels soft and lubricated right?

That said, I do like OC razors. They are fun! But I like my SB too.

 

[Jeff_H]

Well, I certainly can.

My first razor was a Merkur 180 (of 25c), open comb long handled razor. I didn't know any better really, it was the only razor my local barber supply had, so I bought it and learned to shave with it. For 2 years. Then the head broke and I joined here. I replaced it with a Muhle R89 and then got bit by the vintage Gillette bug. Super Speed, Aristocrat, Fat Boy, Slim. I had some of the most highly regarded safety bar razors there are and just couldn't get a good shave. Couldn't get as close a shave as I wanted without irritation.

So I went back to my Merkur with a new cap. My shaves got better. So, I picked up a Gillette NEW and my shaves got even better. Now I am working my way through all the different NEW's to find the one I like the best.

To me OC's give me a better shave than most SB razors. I say most because I am currently getting great shaves from a Weber Polished Head. I don't know if there is anything real behind the OC's leaving more soap to get to the razor blade vs a safety bar, but it makes sense to me. My skin seems to like it better, so at least for me I think it does.

I suggest you try yourself an OC. Pick up one that you like. They can be had for a great deal. A new Merkur 180 for $30 or so, a Gillette NEW in user grade condition for between $10-$20. A really nice one for $40. There is no real correlation between an open comb razor and aggressive or a safety bar razor and mildness. Some of the most aggressive razors are safety bar's. The Merker 180 is every bit as mild as my R89.

Hope this helps.

 

[inspiringK]

I think there is merit to the idea that an open comb razor leaves more lather on the face to cushion the blade.

To be honest though, I doubt I could tell the difference and I have had many great shaves with solid bar razors like the Slim, my Red Tip, and President. On any given 100 day stretch though, I bet I use an OC razor for 90 of those days or more. Whether that is because the OC are inherently better or that I just happen to like those two razors (the Merkur OC head and the Gillette New head) I am not sure.

If you are into SE razors and are interested in an open comb, I bet there are a few OC Micromatic fanatics who are just bursting to give you a recommendation.

 

[olschoolsteel]

Are your sb shaves not smooth? I do not feel everything is removed. My face is still slick. The tech is known as a very smooth shaver, it must be ok.

My current shaves are very smooth. But can they be smoother?

 

[olschoolsteel]

OC or SB by it self has nothing to do with aggressiveness. Some of my mildest razors are OC (Merkur, and some vintage non-Gillettes), and the Russian Tech knockoff Rapira is about as aggressive (or even more) as my 2013 R41.

I also respectfully disagree with those who spread the theory that cleaning most of the lather off the whiskers a fraction of a second before the blade hits its goal could lead the blade to scrape the skin, hence irritate it more easily. As long as the safety bar is not equipped with a vacuum and a drying towel there will still be a sufficient soap layer on the skin to not let scrape it by anything. If it scrapes, it's because of too much pressure, not by lack of lather. If it was lack of lather, using an OC our face would be left after one stroke with a stripe pattern of irritated and non irritated skin, right? The big heap of lather is there to keep the water close to the whiskers over a prolonged period of time (opposed to pure water that will almost instantly run off the face).

I certainly don't intend to be divisive. I see your point. If the SB levels off the lather to a very thin layer, and the shave is acceptable, and the OC hits the whisker with the full layer of lather, would the cushion and glide be a step better?

 

[shave/brush]

I certainly don't intend to be divisive. I see your point. If the SB levels off the lather to a very thin layer, and the shave is acceptable, and the OC hits the whisker with the full layer of lather, would the cushion and glide be a step better?

Nothing you would notice.

 

[Panama]

Perhaps for a test you can start at you cheek with an sb and one stroke to your jaw line. Go up to the same starting point and go down again. The lather was removed on the first stroke, is there a noticeable difference? Repeat with an open comb, is there a difference? I would think not. Shaving seems to have a lot of YRMV and very in science.

 

[DrAwkward]

My current shaves are very smooth. But can they be smoother?

Yes.
I do not have a good explanation as to why OC razors are better, but (for me) they are definitely better. You will need to try a few OCs to see if they work better for you.

 

[skip]

Yes I can tell the difference between the two. I actually find my old type OC to be one of the mildest I have tried. More then my 40s super speed or fat handle tech. I keep reaching back for my OC. As always YMMV.

 

[Jeff_H]

And I haven't even busted out my coefficient of drag formula in support of the OC razors. Don't make me do that please.....

 

[Pudu]

...
I do not have a good explanation as to why OC razors are better, but (for me) they are definitely better...

For me as well. I'd like to figure out why too, as it bugs me that I haven't really got a clue. OCs also leave my face feeling closer to the way a straight does - compared to an SB. Won't go back to SB.

 

[Teppanyaki]

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/162987-Photo-Analysis-of-Razor-Designs?highlight=

I have not tried a pre-war Tech, but I have tried a post-war Tech, short comb New, and long comb New. I personally found that the open combs were more effective and less irritating, but with significantly more blade "feel" which required more care.

I started with slant bar razors, but switched to open combs as they simply work better for me. Other people have the opposite experience. I will say that the Tech is the only slant bar razor that I have actually liked.

To be honest, I'd recommend trying a New long or short comb and see how it feels for you compared to your Tech.

 

[bosseb]

The difference between an open comb and a safety bar DE may look big. In practice I have found that it may not be that big.

​

 

[engblom]

If you shave daily, there is no big difference between open comb and safety bar razors.

As said in this thread already, some of the most mild razors are open comb. All Merkur OC razors are more mild than even Gillette Tech. It is completely impossible to injury yourself with a such. Also you find the most aggressive razors in the OC category. R41 (even though it is a hybride) is counted as the most aggressive one.

The big difference comes when you have several days of growth. A safety bar will push down the whiskers, making a longer cutting surface on each hair. This will cause tugging and pulling. An OC razor will allow to make a straight cut at the base of the hair without pulling and tugging as the hair is standing up. Thus an OC razor is more aggressive to the hair, but in this case more mild to the face.

Also, I find it easier to keep the right angle with an OC, as a too steep will make stripes in the foam. With a safety bar it is not visible if you had too steep angle or not, as you do not know if the safety bar removed the foam or the blade.

 

[shoulderpet]

Is this really true that a solid bar scrapes the lather off before the blade touches the skin? If so then I must be using the wrong angle as the blade always makes contact with my skin before the safety bar does and the lather is always scraped off by the blade when I shave

 

[Shutterbug57]

Can I tell the difference between a TECH & a NEW? Yes, very much yes. Do I end up with a BBS with both, yes. Do they both give a comfortable shave, yes. The NEW is far more efficient and requires fewer passes to get the BBS.

To to me the main difference between OC & SB razors in general is that OC razors make a better training tool. If you are leaving rake marks of lather on your face, your angle is wrong. This becomes apparent right away. With a SB razor, your face is wiped either way.

FWIW, the majority of the razors in my rotation are OCs. I really like the way they feel and perform.