Steep Angle Shavers Alliance

[Phoenixkh]

I inherited my mother's G4 and G8 razors but I haven't used them yet. They were the first blade razors I used when I was a teen... I only remember they cut my face up something fierce. Of course, I had no idea what I was doing. I do know, when I borrowed her Gillette TTO, I had much better shaves.

 

[Rosseforp]

I've read the E-2 open to clean razors might vary. It also might be that the razors don't vary but the folks reviewing them vary in experience and/or whiskers, skin, and technique.

I have several E-2 razors, only one of which is an open to clean.

You can see the differences in the guard bars and springs in these pictures.

Both of them will give me a nice close shave, the non open to clean being my favorite of the two.

~doug~

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I have several E-2 razors, only one of which is an open to clean.

You can see the differences in the guard bars and springs in these pictures.

Both of them will give me a nice close shave, the non open to clean being my favorite of the two.


~doug~

None of my photographs below show the textured surface of the guard as well as Doug's picture above.

My E-2 open-to-clean has the same textured surface. It's my only E-2 unless I'm very wrong.

Did you show only two razors? I think so, but didn't do a forensic examination.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Rosseforp]

View attachment 1672667







None of my photographs below show the textured surface of the guard as well as Doug's picture above.

View attachment 1672651

View attachment 1672659

View attachment 1672663

My E-2 open-to-clean has the same textured surface. It's my only E-2 unless I'm very wrong.

Did you show only two razors? I think so, but didn't do a forensic examination.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Yes, my open to clean E-2 has the same textured surface as yours does Jim. My other E-2 which is not an open to clean, has the grooved guard bar and smooth surface on the rest of the razor.

~doug~

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Yes, my open to clean E-2 has the same textured surface as yours does Jim. My other E-2 which is not an open to clean, has the grooved guard bar and smooth surface on the rest of the razor.

~doug~

Thanks, Doug.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Rosseforp]

Thanks, Doug.

Happy shaves,

Jim

This is what I paid and the gap on my open to clean E-2.

SCHICK Injector TYPE E 31.5g May 01, 2020
Open to Clean
Gap=.032 $25

~doug~

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

This is what I paid and the gap on my open to clean E-2.

SCHICK Injector TYPE E 31.5g May 01, 2020
Open to Clean
Gap=.032 $25
View attachment 1672726View attachment 1672727View attachment 1672729View attachment 1672730

~doug~

For some reason back in the day I just had to have an open-to-clean E-2. Probably thought I wanted to experiment with Proline blades, but I never have done so.

Maybe it was the beautiful handle? Nah, probably not as the handle isn't exclusive to the open-to-clean model.​

I spent literally months looking for one on eBay. It was a quest for sure, but I couldn't find one anywhere at any price. Not that I would have purchased a too expensive example, but I found none.

Then I looked carefully at the vintage Schicks already in my collection. I discovered I already had a nice open-to-clean E-2. I'd purchased one not advertised as open-to-clean, and been so ignorant about the various models that I didn't look at it carefully enough to realize what I had. When I became more informed and looked more closely it was a joyful moment.

I have no idea what I paid for mine. I doubt it was very much. Probably about what you paid.

Exactly when mine was purchased I don't know, but I found the post documenting my first shave with the E-2. Did I even know then that it opened for cleaning?

We both got a good deal I think.

Happy shaves,

jim

 

[MrFritz]

Is this club still taking applicants?
Because I just recently (after over 17 years of wetshaving) tried this and was BLOWN AWAY by the results!!!
Was watching sugardaddy shaves videos on Youtube as I was trying to find better ways to improve my lather - and he happens to mention steepness.
And then I remembered seeing on B&B some people mention this, but gave it no mind because I've always been told the "ride the cap/30 degrees/let the razor do all the work gentlemen" type stuff and figured this was for extremes.
Even my best shaves the 30 Cap way would miss more hairs and leave some kind of red bumps or ingrowns behind, not ALL the time, but more than I would like.
I generally use mild razors, like Fatboy on 3 mild, so a 48-50 Aristocrat is usually kind of aggressive for me.
Not this week it isn't!
It is most definitely different shaving this way - and so are the effects of it!
So close. No irritation. Nacet blade that would definitely cut me before - NO cuts. Long lasting.
I can't wait to try this out with other combinations.

 

[Cafebarian]

Welcome! Ride the guard and enjoy.

 

[Cal]

Is this club still taking applicants?

Yes indeed, MrFritz...

and feel free to add SASA to your signature (if you so desire).

 

[Rosseforp]

It is most definitely different shaving this way - and so are the effects of it!
So close. No irritation. Nacet blade that would definitely cut me before - NO cuts. Long lasting.
I can't wait to try this out with other combinations.

Welcome to the club @MrFritz!

~doug~

 

[Raven Koenes]

Is this club still taking applicants?
Because I just recently (after over 17 years of wetshaving) tried this and was BLOWN AWAY by the results!!!
Was watching sugardaddy shaves videos on Youtube as I was trying to find better ways to improve my lather - and he happens to mention steepness.
And then I remembered seeing on B&B some people mention this, but gave it no mind because I've always been told the "ride the cap/30 degrees/let the razor do all the work gentlemen" type stuff and figured this was for extremes.
Even my best shaves the 30 Cap way would miss more hairs and leave some kind of red bumps or ingrowns behind, not ALL the time, but more than I would like.
I generally use mild razors, like Fatboy on 3 mild, so a 48-50 Aristocrat is usually kind of aggressive for me.
Not this week it isn't!
It is most definitely different shaving this way - and so are the effects of it!
So close. No irritation. Nacet blade that would definitely cut me before - NO cuts. Long lasting.
I can't wait to try this out with other combinations.
View attachment 1713852
View attachment 1713853

SASA looks great in your signature line!

 

[MrFritz]

Found these on Mr Razors' site this morning from about a hundred years ago or more.
The funny part is that it doesn't say WHICH way to "tilt the handle until the blade engages" LOL.
And it does mention "making a scraper" out of the Gillette if the angle is too much either SHALLOW or STEEP.
Steep is definitely working the best for me!!!

 

[Rosseforp]

Found these on Mr Razors' site this morning from about a hundred years ago or more.
The funny part is that it doesn't say WHICH way to "tilt the handle until the blade engages" LOL.
And it does mention "making a scraper" out of the Gillette if the angle is too much either SHALLOW or STEEP.
Steep is definitely working the best for me!!!
View attachment 1714263
View attachment 1714264

Looks like instructions from an Old Type, this one is from a TECH

And this figure should help.

~doug~

 

[MrFritz]

I am thinking about finding Youtubers that are steep anglers, or at least close, and posting them here.

@sugardaddy definitely is (unless he has changed it up since the older ones I saw. See post above with him in it)

Looks like Geofatboy of Shavenation is on this side of steep shaving.

 

[never-stop-learning]

Is this club still taking applicants?
Because I just recently (after over 17 years of wetshaving) tried this and was BLOWN AWAY by the results!!!
Was watching sugardaddy shaves videos on Youtube as I was trying to find better ways to improve my lather - and he happens to mention steepness.
And then I remembered seeing on B&B some people mention this, but gave it no mind because I've always been told the "ride the cap/30 degrees/let the razor do all the work gentlemen" type stuff and figured this was for extremes.
Even my best shaves the 30 Cap way would miss more hairs and leave some kind of red bumps or ingrowns behind, not ALL the time, but more than I would like.
I generally use mild razors, like Fatboy on 3 mild, so a 48-50 Aristocrat is usually kind of aggressive for me.
Not this week it isn't!
It is most definitely different shaving this way - and so are the effects of it!
So close. No irritation. Nacet blade that would definitely cut me before - NO cuts. Long lasting.
I can't wait to try this out with other combinations.
View attachment 1713852
View attachment 1713853

Welcome to SASA, @MrFritz!

 

[sugardaddy]

I am thinking about finding Youtubers that are steep anglers, or at least close, and posting them here.

@sugardaddy definitely is (unless he has changed it up since the older ones I saw. See post above with him in it)

In my early videos, I probably played around with steep angles, but I mostly go for a balanced approach, using whatever angle puts equal weight on the safety bar and top cap. This probably walks hand-in-hand with my penchant for non-aggressive razors.

When I come across an aggressive razor, most often my solution to reign in that aggression is to ride the cap, producing a smaller blade angle.

However, one razor stands out against that rule: the Blackland Dart (machined version). For me, at least, I have to shave with that one steeply. I used it for a whole month in 2018 and tried all manner of technique on it to tame it. Only a steep approach worked for me, and I eventually found it neat the way I could vary the angle when shaving steeply to change the aggression, like some kind of on-the-fly dynamically adjustable razor.

I would start out on pass one with almost a normal/balanced angle, but as more stubble was removed, I would increase the blade angle for pass 2, and then even more steeply for pass 3. It helped that almost-too-aggressive-for-me razor not to give me razor burn by the end.

On the Dart, that technique did give me a more scrapey sound (which I don't really enjoy) than one gets when riding the cap, but at least that did not translate into tender/burned skin. So by the end, it was a win.

Also, as far as teaching folks how to find a good angle, most guys will say start with the razor handle perpendicular to skin and then bring the handle in and note when it starts to cut. While I do that as well, I'll also say try the reverse. One should also try starting with the handle almost perpendicular to the skin, with a steeper blade angle, and then decreasing the blade angle to see when the good cutting starts. Then the shaver can pick which method has the feel or results they prefer.

 

[MrFritz]

In my early videos, I probably played around with steep angles, but I mostly go for a balanced approach, using whatever angle puts equal weight on the safety bar and top cap. This probably walks hand-in-hand with my penchant for non-aggressive razors.

When I come across an aggressive razor, most often my solution to reign in that aggression is to ride the cap, producing a smaller blade angle.

However, one razor stands out against that rule: the Blackland Dart (machined version). For me, at least, I have to shave with that one steeply. I used it for a whole month in 2018 and tried all manner of technique on it to tame it. Only a steep approach worked for me, and I eventually found it neat the way I could vary the angle when shaving steeply to change the aggression, like some kind of on-the-fly dynamically adjustable razor.

I would start out on pass one with almost a normal/balanced angle, but as more stubble was removed, I would increase the blade angle for pass 2, and then even more steeply for pass 3. It helped that almost-too-aggressive-for-me razor not to give me razor burn by the end.

On the Dart, that technique did give me a more scrapey sound (which I don't really enjoy) than one gets when riding the cap, but at least that did not translate into tender/burned skin. So by the end, it was a win.

Also, as far as teaching folks how to find a good angle, most guys will say start with the razor handle perpendicular to skin and then bring the handle in and note when it starts to cut. While I do that as well, I'll also say try the reverse. One should also try starting with the handle almost perpendicular to the skin, with a steeper blade angle, and then decreasing the blade angle to see when the good cutting starts. Then the shaver can pick which method has the feel or results they prefer.

Thank you sharing!

 

[MrFritz]

In this great video by Blackland, they list their three rules for blade angle:

1. Use what works best for you, not what you are told on the internet (and of course we prefer steeper here)
2. Adapt your shaving angle to the razor instead of the other way around. This has been seen specifically in razors that almost require steep like sugardaddy mentioned above.
3. Use angle to your advantage.

As part of number three, they show diagrams showing how shallow puts the blade what I consider almost too close to the skin and how going steep pulls the blade away from the face and isn't as possibly harsh on it. Their recommendation is to use this to your advantage by using shallow for parts that may need it and steep for others. Like sugardaddy said above "I eventually found it neat the way I could vary the angle when shaving steeply to change the aggression, like some kind of on-the-fly dynamically adjustable razor."

I was afraid to try steep at first because I incorrectly assumed that IT was the possible HARSHEST of the two sides. Wow how my shaves improved lately with GUARD RIDING with ABSOLUTELY NO IRRITATION with several different razors and that is almost unheard of for me.

 

[MrFritz]

I have been having such good shaves with the steep method and found out the hard way that - you can still definitely go overboard with the pressure!!

After, all of a sudden, having two or three shaves with some razor burn and red areas, even though the shave was otherwise great, I realized that I pushed "Riding the Guard" with pressure past it's limits.

I haven't had razor burn in a while, even when riding the cap.

So, after waiting a couple of days for my face to heal, I applied the Palmolive, backed off the pressure again, and I'm happy with one of the best DFS's I've ever had!