Open comb question

[red zeppelin]

So I let my beard grow much longer than normal this long weekend, shaved Friday morning and not again until today. I used my normal go-to razor, the merkur 38 and noticed that during my first pass it seemed to almost be passing over my whiskers, rather than cutting them. I normally do a wtg and a xtg, but even that wasn't getting the job done today. On the second side of my face I grabbed the only other razor close that had a blade in it, a very old gillette open comb (a senator I think?). The difference was dramatic. While the first pass did not completely remove everything (and it never does for me no matter what I use), combined with the second pass it was like a normal shave. With the longer beard, it was very easy to see all of this, thankfully not all of my beard is gray yet!

So, is that a normal observation, that open combs do better on a longer whisker?

 

[jbradley]

Somewhere in the BOTOC thread I recall someone theorizing that the original DE razors were OC razors for that very reason. At that time, men didn't shave every day as we do now. Longer stubble was common. The gaps let the longer hair come into contact with the blade. It was years later, after WW I and mustard gas, that the safety bar razor was introduced, by Gillette at least. By that time, men were in the habit of shaving daily. At least I think I remember that correctly.

 

[tacchini]

i find the open comb razors are better if i have not shaved for a few days, a safety bar razor for everyday shaving, some oc razors can be a bit harsh on the skin if used everyday for me.