Once Upon A Stubble

[Esox]

Rigidity matters not.

Forgive the residue, but here's the inside of the Wilkinson Sword Classic. Rigid. Hard clamped.

View attachment 1122889

It's the closed comb riding high that lifts the blade and causes tugging on 3+ day stubble. This would struggle just as much as the Jagger. The rigidity wouldn't make a scrap of difference.

Here's the inside of the slightly more aggressive Razorine. Same story.

View attachment 1122893

No, I don't polish my razors. There's a nice patina building on that now.

Here's the inside of the Merkur head (985 and 41C). That's as rigid as rigid gets!

View attachment 1122890

Again, it's the open comb that can dive into the beard a short way, biting off more than intended. Notice I said a short way. When clearing heavy stubble, I'd still probably short stroke it - not in the frenzied scrubbing way, but I'd probably still need more of a chopping action than a full length wipe.

Open as the comb may be, my stubble isn't conveniently spaced tooth width apart As such, it's still going to be riding up on stubble if I try to do a full length swipe. Then we're back to high comb, high blade, and tugging. I will NOT be applying high pressure to counteract that.

If I wanted to take longer strokes, I'd have to lose the comb altogether.

View attachment 1122896

Changing the angle of the razor so its not at the base of that hair would do it yep. The more rigid the design, the less give in the blade, the more tugging would be felt unless the blade was a very good match to your hair composition.

The Merkur, its hard to say how rigid they can be and that may even vary from razor to razor. Just looking at my Brit clone Old Type one would assume the same extremely rigid design, but it isnt...

Look at the profile of the inside of the cap. You can see between the cap and the blade to the white paper I used as a background between the edge of the cap and the blade tab.

The only place the blade is clamped is at the edge of the cap and its free to vibrate and flex all it wants. Because of the little blade exposure it just happens to vibrate at a frequency that suits me perfectly, though its too mild for more than around 60 hours growth. I've thought about sanding the inside of the cap to make it fit flush across its length and width, but if it aint broke... If, on the other hand, that razor had as much blade exposure as my Grande, it would be unusable by me.

Longer strokes are easier with more blade exposure, assuming the correct angle. Using my MMOC with a steep angle, basically nothing but blade, I'd say 80% blade and 20% comb, a full beard would just fall off your face as the razor moved. One quick pass ATG and I'd be done.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Neither my vision nor my phone's camera is up to macro work, so I can't take and offer a comparative pic. It certainly feels rigid though, but is a mild razor. Whereas a Fatip Grande has enough exposure for the comb to ride high but the blade still be at the sweet spot, the Merkur is mild enough so as to lose that aspect. Then again, I find the Merkur WAY more comfortable than the Fatip. It's very smooth and certainly efficient enough for my needs. I find the shavette way more comfortable too, should I want heavy growth removing. The Razorine is still hit and miss, though that's just due to it being unfamiliar when I do use it.

The MMOC and similar, are razors I can't comment on. The only other disposable blade I've used, other than double edge, and the cartridges of years ago, was a single shave with a modified GEM blade in a Wilkinson Sword Empire. That was a horrendous shave, and will never be repeated (I gave away both the razor and the blades). However, I get my best shaves with double edge, and have enough here to never anticipate running out again, like I used to in the dark days of the nineties and noughties, so that's a diversion I don't have to take.

 

[Esox]

I'm at the point now Al it doesnt really matter much. I can pick up any DE or SE on my shelf and get pretty much the same shave. Some are slightly more comfortable, some are more efficient, some are easier to use. My Grande with a Feather is so close to my MMOC the difference is moot.

I'm pretty content in my shave world and could easily live the rest of my days with what I have. I bought the 100 Perma-Sharp Supers so I can add my Regent back to that group. If its as good a pairing as I remember anyway.

This is why I'm in no hurry for a Fatip slant. It might give a 'better' shave, but better isnt much of a reach these days.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm at the point now Al it doesnt really matter much. I can pick up any DE or SE on my shelf and get pretty much the same shave. Some are slightly more comfortable, some are more efficient, some are easier to use. My Grande with a Feather is so close to my MMOC the difference is moot.

I'm pretty content in my shave world and could easily live the rest of my days with what I have. I bought the 100 Perma-Sharp Supers so I can add my Regent back to that group. If its as good a pairing as I remember anyway.

This is why I'm in no hurry for a Fatip slant. It might give a 'better' shave, but better isnt much of a reach these days.

Oh, I thought the "non-DE" were significantly better for you. Or at least that's the impression I got when you first headed that way.

I'm kind of the same with my select few. The Jagger is my primary, the straight formats are for novelty, the open comb Merkur for heavy growth and nudging back beard boundaries, and a couple get used away from home. Likewise with soaps. Mitchell's at home, and Palmolive when away. The samples are a fun change, but nothing has challenged the main two, and no matter which of the proven razors, soaps, and blades I choose, I can pretty much always get the shave I want, whether that's "perfection", or just a quick fuzz removal. My worst razors are quite acceptable, I just prefer others more.

I had expected great things from the old Wilkie blade, but as you know, it pretty much echoes the new one in terms of life span for me. The first ten shaves, the old one is better, the second ten, the new one is better. Long story short, it's just another decent blade. Not worth the money I ended up paying for them, although £1/blade isn't significantly more than buying blades on the High Street.

 

[Esox]

Oh, I thought the "non-DE" were significantly better for you. Or at least that's the impression I got when you first headed that way.

I'm kind of the same with my select few. The Jagger is my primary, the straight formats are for novelty, the open comb Merkur for heavy growth and nudging back beard boundaries, and a couple get used away from home. Likewise with soaps. Mitchell's at home, and Palmolive when away. The samples are a fun change, but nothing has challenged the main two, and no matter which of the proven razors, soaps, and blades I choose, I can pretty much always get the shave I want, whether that's "perfection", or just a quick fuzz removal. My worst razors are quite acceptable, I just prefer others more.

I had expected great things from the old Wilkie blade, but as you know, it pretty much echoes the new one in terms of life span for me. The first ten shaves, the old one is better, the second ten, the new one is better. Long story short, it's just another decent blade. Not worth the money I ended up paying for them, although £1/blade isn't significantly more than buying blades on the High Street.

They are when I'm using them lol. I'm like Rave, each razor I use is my favorite while I'm using it. None beat my Grande with a Feather or my MMOC with a PTFE from shaves 4-10. My Grande is equal to my MMOC in every respect, but only for the first shave on the blade. The PTFE's just keep getting better.

I remember using a tuck of Perma-Sharp Super in my Regent and have said they were Nirvana. That was almost two years ago though. We'll see if they still are. That razor is like a TTO R41 and shaves extremely close. Closer than my Grande, but not as easily.

I enjoy variety in my shaves. Thats the only reason I dont just stick to my MMOC and a single soap.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

You've gone quiet on us, Chi. Did you grow a beard?

 

[thombrogan]

@comis are you still removing stubble with your Rockwell and Merkur 34G? Anything new in your journey?