Open Comb Razor Vs Straight Razor

[Dave-the-rave]

how would the fatip OC slant be more comfortable than a regular OC fatip, it would just be more efficient wouldn't it? Never used a straight, but used SE's which are more thicker and rigid than DE. I would imagine how thick the straight is would make a world of difference in comfort although an OC might be as efficient.

They are different enough to be considered different razors.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Keeping an open mind and ‘trying just one more’ can pay huge dividends!!

Always busy saving money aren't we?

 

[BigJ]

Always busy saving money aren't we?

’Saving money..’

 

[Scaramouche]

Not a straight user, so coming from that perspective, but my father and grandfather were. Gillette's original marketing was that the DE razor would replace the SR because it 1) didn't need a visit to the barber for a shave two or three times a week if you didn't have the requisite expertise on your own, 2) a DE blade was sharp out of the box, could be used by anyone in the comfort of their own bathroom, and the razor design prevented mortal injury for the less-than-skilled, and 3) didn't require a whole other skill set to create and maintain the critical edge on an SR, sharp enough to shave with. A lot of marketing hype (King Gillette was a consumate artist), but I expect those all still apply. An OC DE, as some pointed out, doesn't really change that dynamic - the blade is still clamped between metal plates, with limited blade exposure, and the open comb really just provides channels for the lather to flow through, reducing the surface "cushion" provided by a solid bar and hence, potentially, producing a closer shave. It's all good.

 

[Latherati]

@Scaramouche so then in your experience a closer, more efficient shave has to do more with blade gap and blade exposure rather than razor type (closed comb vs open comb?).

Correct me if I am wrong but blade gap is essentially the distance between the plate and the cap on the razor? The bigger the gap, the more efficient and close the shave?

 

[Badgerstate36]

Id say its six in one, half dozen in the other.

 

[Scaramouche]

@Scaramouche so then in your experience a closer, more efficient shave has to do more with blade gap and blade exposure rather than razor type (closed comb vs open comb?).

Correct me if I am wrong but blade gap is essentially the distance between the plate and the cap on the razor? The bigger the gap, the more efficient and close the shave?

Blade gap (measured with a feeler gauge) is the space between the blade and the baseplate. A larger gap may increase relative efficiency, but the head design and architecture of the safety bar/comb will have a significant impact as well, the Timeless Bronze being a perfect example, which can be ordered with a rather modest blade gap but still be very efficient and even mildly aggressive with it's flat safety bar and 90 degree face. Blade exposure is probably a better indicator, which is how much the blade edge "sticks out" from the razor relative to the top cap and baseplate of the razor itself - one of the threads here discussing razors with no baseplate, leaving the edge of the blade completely exposed with essentially no back stop - that would be 100% exposure. And really, really "efficient." As in, straight razor efficient.

 

[Cal]

Further to Scaramouche's post above, here's an illustration from the B&B ShaveWiki:

The full article is HERE.

 

[Latherati]

@Scaramouche Okay, thank you for your very detailed explanation. I now understand what you mean. Makes sense that more blade would be used if more blade was exposed leading to greater aggressiveness. I liked your Timeless Bronze example.

So, would you say that the aggressiveness and efficiency would be similar between the Timeless SS solid bar, scalloped and OC designs?

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Blade gap? The less the better.

Having spent a great deal of time studying all sorts of "engineering" matters related to shaving, I discovered the Fatip Open Comb Slant. I don't know if Fatip has an engineering crew, but I do know they've either figured it out or gotten very very lucky.

It does not matter to me.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Scaramouche]

@Scaramouche Okay, thank you for your very detailed explanation. I now understand what you mean. Makes sense that more blade would be used if more blade was exposed leading to greater aggressiveness. I liked your Timeless Bronze example.

So, would you say that the aggressiveness and efficiency would be similar between the Timeless SS solid bar, scalloped and OC designs?

Great reference above from the Wiki by Cal! Timeless gives you a host of options for their razors - and for their SS line, including finish, baseplate, top cap and gap. Just my opinion, the "scalloped" options are more cosmetic from a practical standpoint, but from least to most "aggressive" (and we can interchange with "efficient"), would be the 0.68 gap and solid bar, the 0.68 gap and OC, the 0.95 gap and solid bar and the 0.95 gap and OC. This sort of follows a traditional ranking of aggressiveness, but it could actually be different with different blades, prep, software and individuals, and shave to shave, but it's a starting point. I use a .068 Timeless SS with a scalloped cap and scalloped SB, and find it plenty efficient for my shaves, but others would consider it pretty mild. FWIW, I consider the AS-D2 as "very mild " as a baseline point of reference, and a DE89 as "mild."

 

[kingfisher]

I agree with the others that an open comb and a straight razor have virtually nothing in common.

If you want to try a safety razor that is closer to a straight, I would suggest the Micromatic open comb SE razor. It is a gateway drug to straight razor shaving (at least it was for me).

Load it up with a palm stropped GEM blade, hold the entire head of the razor very close to your face, stretch the skin a little, and shave using a very light touch. Keep trying it for a couple of weeks. If, at the end of a couple of weeks of trying, you don't think it is a pretty amazing shaver, straight razor shaving is probably not for you.

An open comb DE shaves pretty much like a safety bar DE.


For what it is worth, I had my first straight razor shave on December 30th of 2017. I went back to DE and SE for about five months since then. I haven't used any razor except the Feather SS replaceable blade straight razor since late September of last year. For me a straight doesn't shave closer, it shaves more comfortably. YMMV.

 

[Latherati]

Wow! I’m really glad I found B&B to help feed my curiousity for wet shaving. There are so many knowledgeable people willing to help! You all are great!