- Thread starter
- #41
Oh I also noticed nobody mentioned the Rockwell 6c/s. Are they all hype?
Suggestions on a razor to try/ My experience
- Thread starter Mantis Toboggan
- Start date
Not at all, 6C is terrific razor set for not much money.
I have found that technique is as important as the razor or blade. For me, a shallow angle where I can hear the blade cutting but can barely feel it gives me the best shave -- two passes, strictly ATG with a couple spots needing a bit more to compensate for hair growth direction gets me at least a DFS, near BBS every time.
Every razor and every blade brand will have a slightly different "perfect" angle. Shallow works the best for me for two reasons -- the actual physical cutting of the hair is easiest when the blade cuts through the least distance at each hair and the shallower the angle of the blade the less the edge abrades the skin. Shallow angle uses the edge of the blade very much like a straight razor at the angle where you get the best cutting action and the least skin irritation.
With shallow shaving angle, the blade gap become immaterial as the safety bar will not touch your face at all. You can also apply light pressure safely and get a closer shave (within limits, you will still get weepers if you push too hard).
Irritation shaving against the grain makes me think too high a shaving angle and too much pressure. Blade sharpness counts here too, but I get huge number of shaves compared to other people with miminal discomfort and no irritation at all.
Note that it's BLADE angle, not razor angle that counts -- each brand or style of razor hold the blade differently, and for instance, a Slim curves the blade less than a Fatboy or 40's Aristocrat. The same handle angle will give you a different blade angle for those razors, and a Tech will be different yet.
I have not finished cleaning up my Old types yet (they all have dents on the corners of the cap, and most of them need to be straightened, too) but my German old type clone turned out to be pretty mild compared to a FatBoy on 5. So mild, in fact, that I could not get a good shave with a Lord Rainbow back in February.
I'd experiment with the Slim for a while changing angle before I bought another razor. Remember that the head is fairly fat in comparison to some thing like a Tech, and the blade angle is a little different, but play with the handle angle and aggressiveness to see what works for you repeatably.
And don't neglect your soap -- you need a fairly thin, slick lather to get good performance from any blade or razor. Dense, dry lather isn't slick enough to get the best out of any blade, and you don't need much. I get my best shaves when the lather is so wet that it drips off the razor while I'm shaving! Slickness is all that counts -- you need that slickness to protect your skin as it allows the edge to slide without abrading it while cutting the hair clean.
Every razor and every blade brand will have a slightly different "perfect" angle. Shallow works the best for me for two reasons -- the actual physical cutting of the hair is easiest when the blade cuts through the least distance at each hair and the shallower the angle of the blade the less the edge abrades the skin. Shallow angle uses the edge of the blade very much like a straight razor at the angle where you get the best cutting action and the least skin irritation.
With shallow shaving angle, the blade gap become immaterial as the safety bar will not touch your face at all. You can also apply light pressure safely and get a closer shave (within limits, you will still get weepers if you push too hard).
Irritation shaving against the grain makes me think too high a shaving angle and too much pressure. Blade sharpness counts here too, but I get huge number of shaves compared to other people with miminal discomfort and no irritation at all.
Note that it's BLADE angle, not razor angle that counts -- each brand or style of razor hold the blade differently, and for instance, a Slim curves the blade less than a Fatboy or 40's Aristocrat. The same handle angle will give you a different blade angle for those razors, and a Tech will be different yet.
I have not finished cleaning up my Old types yet (they all have dents on the corners of the cap, and most of them need to be straightened, too) but my German old type clone turned out to be pretty mild compared to a FatBoy on 5. So mild, in fact, that I could not get a good shave with a Lord Rainbow back in February.
I'd experiment with the Slim for a while changing angle before I bought another razor. Remember that the head is fairly fat in comparison to some thing like a Tech, and the blade angle is a little different, but play with the handle angle and aggressiveness to see what works for you repeatably.
And don't neglect your soap -- you need a fairly thin, slick lather to get good performance from any blade or razor. Dense, dry lather isn't slick enough to get the best out of any blade, and you don't need much. I get my best shaves when the lather is so wet that it drips off the razor while I'm shaving! Slickness is all that counts -- you need that slickness to protect your skin as it allows the edge to slide without abrading it while cutting the hair clean.
I bought my R41 from The Modern Man and was quite satisfied with their pricing and service. Product came in quicker than advertised and their customer service was responsive.
- Thread starter
- #45
Yea, I think that might be why I like the red tip is because it works more how I just naturally hold it and if so, I probably would like a fatboy more, because that is why I suspected I liked the red tip, the more curved blade, meaning I can use a steeper? angle. I do plan to try some different angles on the old type, slim, and aristocrat and see if I can get some better results. Just waiting for it to grow back. Probably will be ready tomorrow.
You might enjoy having a dozen examples of the Red Tip ,or having one re-plated in gold, trying to find one in each year of production.
I've got two examples of the Barbasol, Floating Head, one branded and one unbranded, One Schick Krona and one Eversharp Krona from the mid '60's. I found another un-notched '47 Super Speed last night. You have many options for not much outlay in funds.
- Thread starter
- #47
I do eventually want to get one in better condition. It's in probably the worst shape of what I have besides the old type, but still the one I like the most.
Based on my experience, your preferences may change as your technique evolves. One school of thought and it certainly worked for me after a requisite learning period with a “non-aggressive” or “mild” razor was a move to a more aggressive razor. For me it was the NEW SC. It taught me a lot about not using pressure and also helped with shaving angle. After that the universe of razors that I could enjoy got much larger.
My advice, and it’s worth what you are paying for it, is to not spend too much on a grail razor but instead try user grade vintages and more reasonably priced modern razors before splurging on the pristine vintage or high end modern razor. Give yourself time to refine your technique and determine what you like best. You may end up with different razors that are nothing alike but equally enjoyable.
My advice, and it’s worth what you are paying for it, is to not spend too much on a grail razor but instead try user grade vintages and more reasonably priced modern razors before splurging on the pristine vintage or high end modern razor. Give yourself time to refine your technique and determine what you like best. You may end up with different razors that are nothing alike but equally enjoyable.
Great advice
- Thread starter
- #51
Well today I had a good amount of growth and decided to try the aristocrat again with a new astra blade. I tried adjusting the angle to more where I was riding the cap. I'm thinking this is also what the previous owner did also since the middle bar on the cap is the only spot where the finish is missing.
This did make it smoother, and I decided to be brave and try a third against the grain pass. I ended up with a tiny little cut on my chin and could feel some small irritation mostly on my neck. So not the most comfortable shave in the world, but not too bad either. I had kinda given up on shaving against the grain and figured it just wasn't for me, but maybe I just need more practice. I'm still kinda doubting I'll ever love this razor, but we'll see with more time.
This did make it smoother, and I decided to be brave and try a third against the grain pass. I ended up with a tiny little cut on my chin and could feel some small irritation mostly on my neck. So not the most comfortable shave in the world, but not too bad either. I had kinda given up on shaving against the grain and figured it just wasn't for me, but maybe I just need more practice. I'm still kinda doubting I'll ever love this razor, but we'll see with more time.
A shallower angle can and does help as you're finding. If you feel the blade tugging, try a different kind of blade. They may not all match the razor and your hair type or composition.
For shaving ATG nothing has helped me more than rigid designs. While the Gillette TTO's are fairly rigid, a 3 piece razor with a base plate that supports the blade fully is much more rigid.
My recent use of a Gillette Slim also showed me that while I still dont like gap, the way they clamp the blade when closed makes them very smooth razors.
My best shaves in my Regent came from Perma-Sharp Super. Its the best match I've found for it. Polsilver is a close second and I've had a few really great shaves with Feather blades, but I find their performance erratic. I might get 3 or 4 really great shaves from a blade only to swap it for a fresh one and only get a single shave as good.
If you want to shave ATG in comfort, try a post war Tech. Its a very rigid design and they're easy to come by. For a modern equivalent, the RR Teck II or DE1. They share the same head, with different handles.
I can't help it but I keep making a mental picture of Danny DeVito reading your thoughts out aloud. Too much of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". [emoji28][emoji23]
- Thread starter
- #54
Interesting. I do notice when going against the grain, it's hard to go smoothly because it catches so much.
- Thread starter
- #55
I use mostly just Astra and Gillette Yellow. When I first started I tried a sample pack and those were the winners. I also didn't care much for Feather blades. They were ok for about one shave and then drastically deteriorated after that, and even that one shave wasn't that amazing. Didn't care at all for Derby, Rockwell, or some of the others I can't remember. Rockwells were by far the worst. I also recently got a 100 pack of Voskhods to try and they're ok at best. I'm not sure if I want to try to finish them off or just get rid of them. Gillette Silver Blue was pretty similar to the Yellows. Not sure which was better.
And this is why so many love the Old Type and NEW(Long Comb & Short Comb). The blade is locked down extremely well even though the design is significantly different with both.
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- #57
I haven't had a chance to try Polsilver or Perma-Sharp Super.
- Thread starter
- #58
Ah, I have an old type I can try with that in a few days.
I was about to suggest Gillette Yellow and actually backspaced that out as I read your next post lol.
If you feel tugging with the Yellow, make sure the knob is tight. Dont over tighten it, but they do need to be firmly closed.
See my post below about my Regent. It could be, the same applies to your Aristocrat.
In the next picture, the lower green line would be roughly where the blade is when the razor is fully closed. The upper green line is roughly the inside surface of the doors. The space between is airspace. No blade support.
@AimlessWanderer Heres another example of The Squiggly Green Line™ lol.
Because that razor only has two very small points for bearing surfaces of the blade between tray and doors, combined with the more than generous blade exposure it offers, when I use that razor the blade can chatter. This is also why I believe these particular early Gillette TTO's to be so much more audible or noisy shavers. The center of the blade chatters against the inside of the doors and the head basically acts like an echo chamber.
What you're feeling may very well be blade chatter. That can be overcome with adjusting technique, but simply, some razors are easier to use than others.
Also, try an even shallower angle. When I shave shallow, the comb or safety bar isnt even touching the lather, not to mention my skin. I shave so shallow with my Fatip Grande that I actually push the cap into my skin. If I release even a little pressure, the blade doesnt even engage.
It could also be the blades dont match your hair composition too. There can be a surprising amount of difference between blades. Of the 20 or so I've tried, only 5 are good for me and of those 5, 3 are the best for me.
I've just had my first shave with a Muhle R41. I love my Fatip Grande and I've kept 12 or so DE's of the ones I've so far tried. All are rigid designs. Of them all, my Gillette Regent demands the most respect.
Problem solved! lol
Load a Yellow in it and shave with a bit of care the first few shaves. I find Gillette Yellows so smooth that I dont even feel them. Its easy to bring blood when you cant feel the blade.
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