I ride the cap as YMMV because everybody is different
Most razors I use prefer the neutral angle. The exception is the R41 which I use very steep. But there are guys who use it shallow. It’s all very much personal preference. Best to find what works best for you through experimenting!
Deciding whether to ride the cap or the comb, is like deciding if you want to limp with your left leg, or your right.
I don’t even know. I just shave. Well I hold the razor in a way that is comfortable and is cutting the hairs. I always seem to get a subpar shave when I think about angles and pressure.
Exactly. For me, Blackbird OC with just about any blade, ride the comb. Who knew. Karve OC D plate, ride the capDepends on the razor, and the person.
Many razors are designed for an angle in between those extremes, around 30 degrees. The neutral angle generally gives the most blade exposure. Moving away from the neutral angle can help reduce blade exposure and tame the razor down a bit. Riding the cap gives a shallower angle of blade to skin, for many people this feels smoother, taken to extremes the razor does not remove enough hair. Riding the bar works well for some people, others get the feeling with a steeper angle they are scraping the skin, leading to more irritation.
YMMV is a B*tch, isn't it?
So what's the purpose of all that lovely thick lather then if ya just scrape it all of with the safety bar?
X2 to the open comb yo.That‘s why there are open combed safety razors and why "residual slickness" and "vengeful poltergeist" are such sales points in shaving creams and soaps.
What's the purpose of a safety bar if you're not going to use it? Buy a cheap $5 razor from eBay, whack off the safety bars and make it into a DEvette. Then you'll see that you're riding the safety bar a heck of a lot more than you think.So what's the purpose of all that lovely thick lather then if ya just scrape it all of with the safety bar?
What's the purpose of a safety bar if you're not going to use it? Buy a cheap $5 razor from eBay, whack off the safety bars and make it into a DEvette. Then you'll see that you're riding the safety bar a heck of a lot more than you think.
My dad shaved with a Tech DEvette his entire life and it always terrified me. He's been gone for 26 years now, and I'd use it twice a year, the day he was born and the day he passed away (and sometimes Father's Day). Nothing but miserable shaves every time - never any blood, but lots of irritation.I don't think I'll ever be brave enough to use a DEvette!
My dad shaved with a Tech DEvette his entire life and it always terrified me. He's been gone for 26 years now, and I'd use it twice a year, the day he was born and the day he passed away (and sometimes Father's Day). Nothing but miserable shaves every time - never any blood, but lots of irritation.
It's only when I took up straight and shavette shaving did I unlock the key to using the DEvette. Cap flat on cheek and LOTS of pressure to stretch the skin and let the blade harmlessly skim the tight flat skin.
My dad used to shave steep, handle about 5 o'clock when shaving cheeks WTG. I still can't come close to pulling that off.
What's the purpose of a safety bar if you're not going to use it? Buy a cheap $5 razor from eBay, whack off the safety bars and make it into a DEvette. Then you'll see that you're riding the safety bar a heck of a lot more than you think.
That's exactly what my dad did to make his DEvette back in the 1960s, and he used it every day till he passed away in the 1990sWell I cut the bars off a Tech. Does that count?