Taming the Mamba???

[kcmodan]

Hello all,

I have a general question, or maybe one that can only be answered by fellow Razorock Mamba owners. A few weeks ago my wife gave me a Mamba as an early Christmas present. At the same time, I purchased a Razorock Game Changer .84

I have been using both, but concentrating on the Mamba. The problem I am having is that I cannot get through a shave with the Mamba without a serious amounts of nicks and cuts. I was puzzled because I know the Mamba is considered a daily mild razor, to the point where some users feel like they aren't getting a good shave from using one.

I noticed the problem from the very first shave, which I then chalked up to inexeperience with the razor. I have since moved across my blade spectrum - Feather, Kai, Polsilver,Nacet, and Vokshod with similar result. I have varied the soap between Wholly Kaw, Stirling and Declaration Grooming and I still wind up looking like I just shaved with a broken Mason jar. It's not like I am not getting a close shave, it's that I am paying a steep price in blood to get one.

Oddly, I do not have the problem at all with the Game Changer. From the first, I have used Feathers and Kai's and have yet to get a nick. I am used to fairly aggressive razors - my daily driver is a Rockwell 6s with plate #5 and a Feather, or a BBS-1 with a Polsilver Iridium. This after the usual pre-shave meticulous prep.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with the Mamba?
Is there some that you all see that I don't? I don't want to give this up and set it aside, as it was a gift from the Mrs., but this is getting frustrating.

BTW the Kai blades that other Mamba owners seem to recommend produce the bloodiest results of all.

Any thoughts?

DCJ
Raytown MO

 

[kcmodan]

a "fairly mild" razor, not "daily mild" razor. . .

Autocorrect is evil.

 

[steffenapelz]

My experience with the Mamba is quite the opposite of yours. If I had to guess, based on what you are describing in your OP, I would guess your shaving angle is too steep requiring too much pressure to get any kind of hair being mowed. The other razors you use successfully make me think I am not far off.

The Mamba requires a very precise and very shallow angle to cut efficiently, so what I suggest you try is to use a smooth blade and start with an ultra shallow (almost parallel) angle and then tilt the razor head just enough until you get audio feedback. Once you get to that point, maintain THAT angle throughout the entire shave.

One thing I notice myself with the Mamba is that it shaves so smooth and has so little blade feel that I fi d myself going over the same areas over and over in the search for the perfect BBS. Despite the fact that I don't draw blood, it is often not until after the shave that I notice some tightness in my skin and some burn from the AS...which is driven by shaving too eagerly. Get the angle shallow and right and resist going over the same areas you many times. That should do the trick.

If none of this is helpful, I wonder if you have a razor with a manufacturing defect...

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[steffenapelz]

P.S. do not use the Kai blade since that one is slightly wider than other blades which means you are shaving with more blade exposure...I would also stay away from Feathers. Maybe an AstraSP, Rapira Lux, Personna Red or Gillette Silver Blue?

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[sw_]

My first guess would be that you don't screw the handle tight enough which results in increased blade exposure. Blade tension is pretty high with this razor. After inserting the blade, press the top cap and base plate tightly together while screwing on the handle.

 

[steffenapelz]

Can you post some pics of the razor head with blade inserted?

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[kcmodan]

Thanks guys,

Before I attempt to post a picture here, let me try both of your excellent suggestions first. I will even break out my dusty Israeli Crystals if it will give me an error free shave. My wife has never bought a razor for me before, or even been so inclined, so I want to make this work.

I am intrigued to look again to see how tight the head is to the handle. I think I generally keep it not much beyond normal and I know I don't generally press the top cap and baseplate tightly together when screwing the entire head onto the handle. That for any razor, not just the Mamba.

I'll get back on this - at this point, I am not at all assuming there is any kind of defect in the razor, likely user error. .

DCJ
Raytown MO

 

[steffenapelz]

There should be zero blade gap when the blade is seated correctly. That is what causes the negative blade exposure and why some folks report being unable to get a shave of any kind with the Mamba.

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[glm38]

I shave several times a week with my mamba. I use personna blue blades. I love the razor and have never once nicked myself with it. In fact I consider it so safe i use it to cut some hairs that spring up weekly on my ears.

I would change blades and also make sure the alignment is correct as others have suggested. If that's not it I would think you got one that is defective. It really makes no sense the game changer is working for you but the mamba isn't. They are really the same razor with different blade gaps.

 

[Graydog]

I find my mamba to be mild and I am inclined to believe also that your angle is not correct

 

[BradWorld]

I don’t think I could possibly cut myself with the Mamba. It is so smooth and mild. Find the right angle, and use very little pressure if any. Be sure to mount the blade properly, as it’s different than most other DE razors. I have good luck with Astra SP and Polsilver in both the Mamba and the Game Changer. Good luck. It’s a great shaver.

On another note, I also have the original Black Mamba, and find that one to be a bit on the harsh side. Great razor, but I could never use the black one as a daily driver.

 

[John R]

I suspect you may not be getting the blade seated right, if that is possible. I use Feathers in all my razors and find the Mamba to be the safest of all. Try placing the blade on the cap first and use the base to align the blade before you tighten the handle.

 

[engblom]

My experience is that mild razors are more difficult than other razors. First, a mild razor will always have a more limited range of working angles. Second, many are getting tricked into adding pressure because the mildness and lack of blade feel at close to zero pressure is tricking the user.

I had this problem myself when I begun with mild razors. I was expecting to feel some blade and I added some pressure until I begun feeling some blade. Rather than adding pressure in order to feel some blade, one need to adjust the angle until the blade is lightly touching the skin.

While I do not rotate much between razors anymore, sometimes I want to try my other razors. Each time I return to The Mamba it is razor i have to "relearn". The first shave will always be less than satisfying. Then with each shave the shaves begin to improve. For best shave you probably would need to concentrate on this razor a longer time without using any other razor between.

 

[kcmodan]

Follow up: I took everyone's suggestions and produced the desired result. First, I noticed that I did not have the blade seated right. I squeezed the head and baseplate together when assembling, and noticed the blade flatten out in the head. I could swear I heard a click of metal as the blade moved. It now sat differently in the head. So obviously, I didn't have the blade tension right.
I paid much more attention to the angle of the razor when shaving. I am sure I did not have the angle right, and I consciously reduced any inclination to press to hard by adjusting my grip.
I have now gotten some pretty good shaves with the Mamba. Not as easy to use as the Game Changer, but it's a keeper.

Apologies to all for my ignorance, but after several years of doing this, I had gotten to a point of load and go shaving, primarily with a Rockwell 6S, so one does get a bit lazy... That is the greatest benefit of the 6S - it's just so easy and reliable, you don't have to put much thought into what your doing.
I think it's good to be using the Mamba as it forces me to pay more attention to the mechanics of the shave.
It's not my favorite razor, but I can honestly report to my wife that I like the Christmas gift.
Thanks to all for the suggestions.

 

[Bill Wood]

Just a guess KC - but I have the Game Changer and the Mamba. My experience is similar to yours - but here's the rub - as for myself (and perhaps you) - I tried a little TOO hard with the Mamba. Because it's mild I would go over and over spots that the Mamba didn't shave. You said you have the .84 and have no problems, and I'd guess you'd find the Game Changer fine as well. I know I did. The Mamba 'might' be a little too mild for you.