Shave off! Short comb New versus British flat-bottom long comb New

[kingfisher]

I've long been a fan of the Gillette New, and a lot of of them have passed through my den over the years. I've had the New Improved, the New Deluxe, an American long-comb New, a British Raised Flat Bottom (RFB) New, and a British flat-bottom New. All of them have left my den except for the flat-bottom New, which I liked just as much as the RFB, so the RFB was sold.

In all that time, I had never tried a Short Comb New. I know a lot of people like it, especially those who prefer razors that hold the blade very rigidly and close to its edge.

I FINALLY picked up a SC New off the B/S/T.

Full disclosure: I shave with replaceable blade straight razors, and have done so every shave since September of 2019 EXCEPT when on vacation (which, unfortunately, has not been much). I use DEs for touch-up only. It has been so long since I have done a full DE shave that I actually forgot how I used to do it (didn't forget how to shave with a DE, just where I started and what directions I went for each pass, etc; used to be second nature but this morning i realized I can't really remember how I did it, lol).

Anyway, after a few tries with the SC New for my touch-ups, I decided it would be fun to pit the SC New against my beloved flat-bottom LC New, which I will admit is one of my favorite DE razors.

To make the comparison as fair as possible, I got brand new, fresh Polsilver blades for each razor. I would have loved to have the exact same handle for both razors but I don't have two copies of any particular handle, so I used an iKon bamboo for the LC and a Wolfman hybrid for the SC. I chose these two handles because they were approximately the same weight.

For lather I used one of my new favorites, Blue Devil Shave Company tallow soap in the Peach and Pear scent. I made a beautiful lather, applied it, and started the shave. For today I chose to use the SC New on the left side of my face and the LC on the right.

Face feel was definitely different. I know a lot of people find the SC to be milder, but to me there is a lot more "comb feel" with the SC. Therefore, to me, the LC feels smoother on the face, probably because of the way the combs bend down more near the edges.

After the first pass, both sides had about equal reduction. I lathered up again and did a second pass. Same thing: the LC felt "smoother" on the skin, but both razors did a good job. I got a very tiny weeper on the right side of my chin from the LC, but it was so small that I couldn't find it after I rinsed. Feeling both sides revealed that both sides were about equally smooth. I did only a tiny bit of touch-up and was done.

I don't usually use alcohol-based aftershaves but I did so today to look for sting. Really none on either side.

I did get a little irritation at the base of the left neck. There was a tiny area that looked irritated on the left mid-neck but it felt fine and didn't sting with the aftershave.

The verdict? I'd have to give the first shave to the LC New for two reasons: 1) it felt smoother during the shave, and 2) I had slightly more irritation on the left side, which was done with the SC (to be fair, it is in an area that has caused problems in the past).

My plan is to do this at least one more time, and probably two or more, switching sides, blades, and handles. At the end of three or four direct comparison shave-offs, I should be able to decide which of these wonderful open comb Gillette razors is best for ME.

I have to add that I do like the LOOK of the SC slightly better, but the LC wins the first shave.


I will post the other shaves after I do them. I shave four times a week so it won't take long to get it done.


Any of you that have both a SC and a LC New in your stable, I'd love to have you join me in the shave-off, so people can hear your opinion as well.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

I've long been a fan of the Gillette New, and a lot of of them have passed through my den over the years. I've had the New Improved, the New Deluxe, an American long-comb New, a British Raised Flat Bottom (RFB) New, and a British flat-bottom New. All of them have left my den except for the flat-bottom New, which I liked just as much as the RFB, so the RFB was sold.

In all that time, I had never tried a Short Comb New. I know a lot of people like it, especially those who prefer razors that hold the blade very rigidly and close to its edge.

I FINALLY picked up a SC New off the B/S/T.

Full disclosure: I shave with replaceable blade straight razors, and have done so every shave since September of 2019 EXCEPT when on vacation (which, unfortunately, has not been much). I use DEs for touch-up only. It has been so long since I have done a full DE shave that I actually forgot how I used to do it (didn't forget how to shave with a DE, just where I started and what directions I went for each pass, etc; used to be second nature but this morning i realized I can't really remember how I did it, lol).

Anyway, after a few tries with the SC New for my touch-ups, I decided it would be fun to pit the SC New against my beloved flat-bottom LC New, which I will admit is one of my favorite DE razors.

To make the comparison as fair as possible, I got brand new, fresh Polsilver blades for each razor. I would have loved to have the exact same handle for both razors but I don't have two copies of any particular handle, so I used an iKon bamboo for the LC and a Wolfman hybrid for the SC. I chose these two handles because they were approximately the same weight.

For lather I used one of my new favorites, Blue Devil Shave Company tallow soap in the Peach and Pear scent. I made a beautiful lather, applied it, and started the shave. For today I chose to use the SC New on the left side of my face and the LC on the right.

Face feel was definitely different. I know a lot of people find the SC to be milder, but to me there is a lot more "comb feel" with the SC. Therefore, to me, the LC feels smoother on the face, probably because of the way the combs bend down more near the edges.

After the first pass, both sides had about equal reduction. I lathered up again and did a second pass. Same thing: the LC felt "smoother" on the skin, but both razors did a good job. I got a very tiny weeper on the right side of my chin from the LC, but it was so small that I couldn't find it after I rinsed. Feeling both sides revealed that both sides were about equally smooth. I did only a tiny bit of touch-up and was done.

I don't usually use alcohol-based aftershaves but I did so today to look for sting. Really none on either side.

I did get a little irritation at the base of the left neck. There was a tiny area that looked irritated on the left mid-neck but it felt fine and didn't sting with the aftershave.

The verdict? I'd have to give the first shave to the LC New for two reasons: 1) it felt smoother during the shave, and 2) I had slightly more irritation on the left side, which was done with the SC (to be fair, it is in an area that has caused problems in the past).

My plan is to do this at least one more time, and probably two or more, switching sides, blades, and handles. At the end of three or four direct comparison shave-offs, I should be able to decide which of these wonderful open comb Gillette razors is best for ME.

I have to add that I do like the LOOK of the SC slightly better, but the LC wins the first shave.


I will post the other shaves after I do them. I shave four times a week so it won't take long to get it done.


Any of you that have both a SC and a LC New in your stable, I'd love to have you join me in the shave-off, so people can hear your opinion as well.

Great job. I (also) much prefer the smoothness of the LC to the SC. I tried multiple SC’s and never kept one. The Goodwill #160 (basically a LC) has been dubbed ‘my Precious’ and is a top 5 razor for me.

 

[Medivh]

I find the SC to be a good shaver, but I also find the NEW LC, RFB and FB NEW to be a bit more enjoyable and more comfortable to shave with.

There are at least 3 different SC versions where the difference in the base plates is very slight and I doubt that it would impact the shave that much, but the different top caps might have a slight impact when combined with the different base plates.

I found these 3 photos on the forum and the 4h is of mine. My SC version has the base plate of the first photo and the top cap of the second.

 

[kingfisher]

Mine looks like the third picture.

 

[BigJ]

Great photos!! Appreciate the comparison.

 

[kingfisher]

Shave number two of the shave-off is completed; I did it last night.

I tried to switch handles and switch sides of the face, but I was unable to do a symmetric handle switch because the short comb only accepts a narrow after-market handle, and the iKon bulldog wouldn't fit correctly. So I used the PAA Meta4 handle (which looks like the handle of a Red Tip SS) instead. This handle is quite a bit heavier than the iKon handle, but it was as close as I could get, so I loaded up the razors.

For this shave I used PAA Lime/Ginger/Tea tree in the CK-6 formula, lathered with a Yaqi Sagrada Familia synthetic brush. I got a fantastic, beautiful, fragrant lather and began the shave on the left side of my face with the Long Comb, now mounted to my Wolfman handle. This side of my face went very smoothly and comfortably.

(I want to interject an aside at this point. I know that some people say the LC New is "aggressive" or "likely to bite" or whatever, but I have always felt that it was generally a fairly mild shaver. In past posts I have called it "a Tech with a comb," and I am sticking with that description. Now back to the shave.)

I shaved the right side of my face with the Short Comb on the PAA Meta4 handle. Again, there was definitely more "comb feel" than with the LC. I don't think there is any difference in the actual "blade feel," but the comb feel is definitely different, making it feel not quite as smooth on the face. But it went pretty well.

Rinsing off after the first pass I was somewhat surprised to find that the SC side was very slightly closer.

I lathered up and did the second pass, XTG, starting with the left side and the LC New and then finishing with the right side and the SC New. Both razors did fine and felt fine on the face. After rinsing off it seemed to me that both sides were the same, and only a bit of touch-up along the jawline was needed. After touch-ups I rinsed off and found the shave was very smooth indeed, DFS+ (I don't do ATG so I never really get BBS, but this was a very close shave.)

I applied the PAA matching splash, with is alcohol based, to feel for sting, but had none. There was no irritation on either side.

This morning in the shower, about 12 hours after the shave, I was surprised to find that it seemed the SC side must've been slightly closer, because there was a bit more stubble on the LC side.

Winner for this round? Insert shrugging shoulders emoji here. The LC felt better on the face, the SC side was closer after the first pass, and perhaps closer overall based on the feel this morning. So maybe a tie? Or maybe give this one to the SC because there was no irritation on either side and the SC side was slightly closer? I guess so.

I want to mention that there must be more gap in the LC; when removing the blades and rinsing them, I find a lot more lather stuck to the bottom of the blade in the LC than in the SC. I don't know if that matters to anybody.

So does the SC offer me anything the LC doesn't? Not really. I mean, I think it LOOKS cooler, and, because it is gold in color, it's a bit different from my other razors. It shaves perfectly well and if it were the only razor in my stable I would be clean shaven and do just fine. But the feel on the face, for me, is just a bit more "toothy" than I'd like it to be. If I had to unload one of these razors from my den right now, it would be the SC. But you have to remember that I don't do ATG, and others have emphasized that the ATG pass is where the SC stands out from the LC the most.

My advice would be that if you don't do an ATG pass, either razor is fine. If you don't mind a bit of "tooth feel," the SC may even be a better choice for you.

 

[santamariasteve]

I have both the LC and the SC Gillette NEW. I love 'em both. To me they shave identical, in comfort and closeness.

As an aside I understand the LC was made circa 1929 to 1936, and the SC was made circa 1936 to 1941, though there is precious little corroborative evidence available. Anyone have more information on the dating?

 

[thombrogan]

So the winner is the Gillette Old Type?

 

[Two Tonic]

I have both the LC and the SC Gillette NEW. I love 'em both. To me they shave identical, in comfort and closeness.

As an aside I understand the LC was made circa 1929 to 1936, and the SC was made circa 1936 to 1941, though there is precious little corroborative evidence available. Anyone have more information on the dating?

I hadn't heard this. I wonder if any clues can be garnered from old advertising? Has anyone seen much of interest from old magazine archives, such as Popular Science from the 1930s?

Judging from the offerings on eB, there seems to be a 10 to 1 ratio of Long Combs to Short Combs, and, if anything, there seem to be more Long Combs in very good condition, which is not consistent with the Short Combs being a bit newer and soon superseded by the Techs.

When testing these razors, please keep in mind that they have two different sides, one more aggressive than the other, so if you only use one edge on each when testing, you might get spurious results. The gentler side was traditionally used on the sensitive areas around the mouth.

Comparing a Long Comb and Short Comb with a magnifying glass, one can see that the Long Comb has a wider blade gap. Yet, to me, the Short Comb shaves slightly closer. Why? I don't know if the length of the comb makes a difference in this regard. Anyone? However, the price of the Short Comb is some razor burn.

The Long Comb shaves plenty close, but with zero razor burn, on a good day. And it produces remarkably consistent results even with sloppy technique, so there are lots of good days.

Some people swear they get much better results with a Short Comb, but most seem to prefer the Long Comb. Why is that?

My theory is that the short comb may have been designed as an option for people with rugged, angular faces - the shorter comb allows the razor to reach the hard to shave spots on the chin and jawline, whereas the large section on the Long Comb gets in the way.

The different handle specs also may provide a clue:

"I was unable to do a symmetric handle switch because the short comb only accepts a narrow after-market handle" -

kingfisher​

The Long Combs tend to come with newer handle designs, while the Short Combs take handles consistent with the Old Type. So, if anything, the Short Combs are probably older, and may have been discontinued by the mid-30s. Pristine Short Combs seem to be rare. Again, advertising may provide the answer. And there is pricey definitive book on Gillette razors that someone out there must have, such as the New York Public Library.

The bottom line, to me, is that the Long Comb is a helluva fun razor to use. I can get a consistently close, fast, comfortable shave with zero razor burn. It works well with a wide variety of blades.

I can get a slightly closer shave with a Short Comb, but I have to manage my technique more carefully. I can see why some might prefer the Short Comb.

I don't need stress first thing in the morning. Guess which I use more often?

I have a Long Comb with bar handle that has the deep reddish gold finish still in pristine condition. And I have some with the gold more or less worn off, some that had green corrosion between the teeth when I bought them, and one that even has a single bent tooth. They all shave great, so don't be afraid to try restoring a beater. When I shave with that minty gold one, it does seem to shave better. This is all in my head, of course, but it is nice to dream.

It is fun to resuscitate a razor with many years of hard use. The Long Comb is too good to let one just fade into oblivion.

 

[Nidan]

I have both the LC and SC. Nothing wrong with the SC, but for my face the LC is the better performer. I get closer shaves with it and at the same time, no sting when I put on Speick aftershave. I have not given up on the SC, though. Maybe I just need more practice with it. Mine is silver (nickel?) which seems fairly unusual and in excellent condition while my LC had lost most of it's original finish when I got it. I invested in a re-plate for the LC as it's one of my favorite razors.

Two Tonic, I had not heard that one side is more aggressive than the other on either razor. Mine seem pretty even, but maybe I just have not noticed the difference. Are they are marked anywhere to differecntiate one side from the other?