Razor Boring Details

[jar_]

I imagine that all this is readily available somewhere out there but being old and slow I could not find it so I threw together a database with basic specs for the typical razors I own and have used over the decades. Where I have multiple examples of a style I only included one typical example. It's somewhat incomplete and if folk would post similar information for other models I will update the table periodically.

If this is something everyone already has, well then simply attribute it to someone who is lacking google-foo.

 

[Highspeedlane]

I think you might be interested in exchanging data with member @ShavingByTheNumbers

He is very detail oriented regarding that exact sort of dimensional info. Good stuff.

 

[BigJ]

Thanks for sharing the data!

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

I think you might be interested in exchanging data with member @ShavingByTheNumbers

He is very detail oriented regarding that exact sort of dimensional info. Good stuff.

Thanks, Lane, for making me aware of this, and thanks, @jar_, for sharing your measurements and data. Great stuff! I have similar measurements for my few razors. There is a broad DE razor comparison table, not at B&B, with a lot of razors in it---which I won't link to because that would be in violation of a forum rule---but that table basically includes no measurements, only generic information collected and organized. From what I've gathered here, B&B has four separate tables for DE safety razors that are not regularly maintained:

• Aggressiveness, plus head materials/construction, price index, assembly, and country of origin
• Blade gap, plus some mass data
• Head mass, plus notes
• Mass, plus notes

I started here last year with measurements and a photo analysis of my PAA DOC Satin regarding blade exposure, etc., and it didn't take long by the time that I was proposing a "Comprehensive DE Safety Razor Data Table". I never got that started because I ended up taking a step back to analyze DE razor blades first, since proper analysis of the razor-blade combination is connected to the blade and there is so much important information missing for razor blades. (I've since refined my photo analysis method and learned that my earlier work was a bit flawed.) Measuring DE razor blades and collecting user ratings for them has been my overall focus here for a while, and that's a long-term project that is still getting off the ground. Maybe it is about time that we revisit the "Comprehensive DE Safety Razor Data Table" in the ShaveWiki. I'd still like to get that started.

There should be one comprehensive table to compare DE safety razors. There is no need to have separate tables with different rankings. The comprehensive table would be sortable by clicking on the column headings. That's the way that I have the Comprehensive DE Razor Blade Data Table setup in the ShaveWiki. As I originally posted last year, there would be columns for mass, length, center of mass, etc. I think that I wrote about possibly starting by combining the already existing separate tables into one and going from there, but I can't remember exactly.

In principle, once the table is started, it would be refined and built up over time. Users like you and me and others would be more inclined to make measurements and edit the table a little at a time, especially as interest in the table increases and more guys use it. Sources of information and measurements should be noted at the respective ShaveWiki pages for the individual razors, such that the razor names in the table would be links to those pages.

That's a pretty good overview of what we have and where we could go. How does that sound? I'm not willing to start this right now, since I'm still getting razor blade stuff off the ground, but I'd like to start it this year.

 

[jar_]

I considered adding balance point but that really is a subjective and visual item. Also when using a very light hand there can be several ways to position the razor beyond simply center of mass; for example with some of the longer razors I find I am holding by a two point grip; a forward finger hold and the rearward handle against my palm.

But it certainly should be possible to add basics of lengths and types and weights. Adding sample pictures with key identifying points would be nice as well. Then an additional long text field to include unstructured impressions; those things the source loves or hates about the model.

 

[ackvil]

Thanks, Lane, for making me aware of this, and thanks, @jar_, for sharing your measurements and data. Great stuff! I have similar measurements for my few razors. There is a broad DE razor comparison table, not at B&B, with a lot of razors in it---which I won't link to because that would be in violation of a forum rule---but that table basically includes no measurements, only generic information collected and organized. From what I've gathered here, B&B has four separate tables for DE safety razors that are not regularly maintained:

• Aggressiveness, plus head materials/construction, price index, assembly, and country of origin
• Blade gap, plus some mass data
• Head mass, plus notes
• Mass, plus notes

I started here last year with measurements and a photo analysis of my PAA DOC Satin regarding blade exposure, etc., and it didn't take long by the time that I was proposing a "Comprehensive DE Safety Razor Data Table". I never got that started because I ended up taking a step back to analyze DE razor blades first, since proper analysis of the razor-blade combination is connected to the blade and there is so much important information missing for razor blades. (I've since refined my photo analysis method and learned that my earlier work was a bit flawed.) Measuring DE razor blades and collecting user ratings for them has been my overall focus here for a while, and that's a long-term project that is still getting off the ground. Maybe it is about time that we revisit the "Comprehensive DE Safety Razor Data Table" in the ShaveWiki. I'd still like to get that started.

There should be one comprehensive table to compare DE safety razors. There is no need to have separate tables with different rankings. The comprehensive table would be sortable by clicking on the column headings. That's the way that I have the Comprehensive DE Razor Blade Data Table setup in the ShaveWiki. As I originally posted last year, there would be columns for mass, length, center of mass, etc. I think that I wrote about possibly starting by combining the already existing separate tables into one and going from there, but I can't remember exactly.

In principle, once the table is started, it would be refined and built up over time. Users like you and me and others would be more inclined to make measurements and edit the table a little at a time, especially as interest in the table increases and more guys use it. Sources of information and measurements should be noted at the respective ShaveWiki pages for the individual razors, such that the razor names in the table would be links to those pages.

That's a pretty good overview of what we have and where we could go. How does that sound? I'm not willing to start this right now, since I'm still getting razor blade stuff off the ground, but I'd like to start it this year.

That info in the wiki would be helpful.

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

I considered adding balance point but that really is a subjective and visual item. Also when using a very light hand there can be several ways to position the razor beyond simply center of mass; for example with some of the longer razors I find I am holding by a two point grip; a forward finger hold and the rearward handle against my palm.

But it certainly should be possible to add basics of lengths and types and weights. Adding sample pictures with key identifying points would be nice as well. Then an additional long text field to include unstructured impressions; those things the source loves or hates about the model.

Center of mass is not subjective, but measuring it can be more or less subjective. You are right that there is some eyeballing involved, but with a good measuring method, the COM can be measured accurately. I've measured the center of mass for my razors fairly accurately. What I do is make a disposable triangular stand out of a little paper---but a more permanent fulcrum could be used---and I carefully balance the razor on it. You shift the razor on the fulcrum a little to one side or the other to fairly accurately locate the center of mass. You can't perfectly balance the razor for long without it falling to one side or the other, so you make sure that it doesn't fall far so that you can use a piece of tape to mark the center of mass. Then, you take the razor off of the fulcrum and measure the location of the COM using a scale or caliper. It doesn't take long. I've done this a few times. Since I use my caliper, I'm able to carefully use the jaws to make contact with the top of the razor and where the tape edge is on the handle to measure the COM, but a scale or ruler could be used, too. I've measured the COM for the PAA DOC Satin as being 31.00 mm from the top of the razor and the COM for the EJ Kelvin as being 25.73 mm from the top of the razor. The mass distributions are similar for these two razors, which have similar length, so the COM are similar. With a standard metric scale or ruler, you should be able to measure the COM to the nearest millimeter with a fair amount of accuracy. My measurements are recorded to 0.01 mm because that's the resolution of my caliper, but I'm certainly not measuring the COM to an accuracy of 0.01 mm. I'd say that my measurement accuracy is within a millimeter, which is good enough, but I can't say exactly how accurate it is. I should probably round my measurements to the nearest millimeter, but I'm nuts.

I agree that the basics of mass and length are a minimum and doable. COM provides information on balance of the razor and would be blank unless it's been measured and added to the table. That is similar to currently existing data in the tables that I've linked to above. What you said about any needed sample pictures, or diagrams or illustrations, is right. However, what you said about long text fields wouldn't be necessary and probably wouldn't fit with respect to available space. What you're getting at has a lot to do with reviews, which can be linked to in the ShaveWiki page for each razor. I think what you're getting at is that the table should communicate how a razor feels and performs, and I agree. That's why it would have aggressiveness in there, and hopefully efficiency, too. Any sort of important, subjective data that deserves a column in the table could be put there and surveys could be conducted to gather user ratings for the data. That's what I do for sharpness, smoothness, longevity, and consistency of DE razor blades. Average values go in the main table, and tables with all of the user ratings go in the ShaveWiki pages for the blades, sourcing back to the survey threads.

 

[imatabor]

Wow great information!!!

 

[izen]

It IS great information for those that care. I'm not one of them. For me, those numbers have nothing to do with quality of my shaving experience... but, but, but for those that find the info important or helpful, I respect that someone cares to provide it.

 

[ackvil]

It IS great information for those that care. I'm not one of them. For me, those numbers have nothing to do with quality of my shaving experience... but, but, but for those that find the info important or helpful, I respect that someone cares to provide it.

I agree. For me, it's how smooth and close a shave I can get. However, for others, it's a quantitative analysis.

 

[BSAGuy]

I think you might be interested in exchanging data with member @ShavingByTheNumbers

He is very detail oriented regarding that exact sort of dimensional info. Good stuff.

I was thinking the same thing, Lane.

 

[jar_]

Updated to add a couple more older Gillettes.

 

[Swazilander]

After seeing the weights i need to try the Merkur 34c HD. Closest to the weight of a Fat Boy!

 

[Blain]

Was the Schick Krona a black plastic or metal knob version?

 

[jar_]

Was the Schick Krona a black plastic or metal knob version?

I have both but don't remember which I weighed. I've never noticed much difference between the two versions. If I get a chance I'll weigh both today and post the results. Better yet, hold on and I'll do it now.

AbE:

Well, interesting. It was the plastic knob version and there is a bigger difference than I remembered. The metal knob version weighed in at 55.2g. I'll add that to the next version of the table along with a Gillette travel razor set, the Feather AS-D2 and a Gillette Old style.

 

[jar_]

Latest version

 

[jar_]

That table has an error. Here is the corrected table.

 

[jar_]

Added Krona metal end and a SS Flare.