Technical question about the Gillette Slim...

[dullhead]

Hi,

I read about the Gillette Slim, that - in opposite to other adjustable razor with similar mechanics - that it does not only adjust the gap between the blades edge but also adjusts the angle of the blade.
For changing the blade gap only it would be sufficient to move the safety bar up and down. Instead Gillettes engineers decides to make the position of the plate with the safety bars fixed and stop the up-and-down movement of the doors by four studs which go throw the fixed plate and are adjusted by the
adjustment knob (hence its name ).
So...Gillettes solution seems quite a bit more complicated than moving the plate with the safety bars up and down. And I believe its done for a reason.
But ... I cannot see / imaging how this mechanism will change the angle of the blade. So my two questions are:
* Does this mechanism really change the blade angle?
* And if not: Why does Gillette choose this complex mechanism instead of moving the plate with the safety bar?

Cheers!
dullhead

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

I read about the Gillette Slim, that - in opposite to other adjustable razor with similar mechanics - that it does not only adjust the gap between the blades edge but also adjusts the angle of the blade.

Not just the Slim. All the Gillette adjustables have that mechanism. I never thought it was for blade angle. I assumed the angle was a factor of the curve of the butterfly doors and that the posts that move do so to keep the blade tight against the closed doors. That angle doesn't appear to change. Just the gap.

Addendum
This from a patent filed by Gillette in 1958 for a prototype of the Fatboy. In the claim:

In greater particularity the present invention concerns the provision of improved and relatively inexpensive means for adjusting the shaving relation between a clamped blade and an associated guard member to suit the needs of the user. [Emphasis mine]

Does "shaving relation" mean gap or angle?

 

[BigJ]

Not just the Slim. All the Gillette adjustables have that mechanism. I never thought it was for blade angle. I assumed the angle was a factor of the curve of the butterfly doors and that the posts that move do so to keep the blade tight against the closed door. That angle doesn't appear to change. Just the gap.

That is also my understanding.

 

[dullhead]

Hi Dog Whiskerer,

...that was my impression also...no change of the blade angle - it depends on the curvature of the doors.
Hmmmm....
Why choose Gillette this more ...hrrrm... sophistcated mechanism then?
If they would have built awful razor which would had got a bad reputation for not only shaving the stubles but the skin
from your face...then I would say: OK...bad engineers...
But the Gillette razor as a whole and especially the adjustable are the best of best...
So ... /something/ must be the reason...
What?