to be or not to be ... adjustable

[jean-pierre]

Hi dear All,

I have a question about the adjustability:
do you think that is a interesting gadget, a 'I-can't-live-without-it' feature or a marketing concept invented to increase the price of the adjustable razors on ebay ?

I use both adjustable and non-adjustable razors but I can't decide.

Cheers,

jean-Pierre

 

[fatt_tony]

I only have a non adjustable razor (merkur HD). I don't think an adjustable would be good for me just because I can't leave things alone and always have to mess with them.

 

[Ashe]

I'm convinced that great and perfect BBS shaves can be achieved regardless of the tools being used, as long as they are used with proper technique.

 

[Jim]

a 'I-can't-live-without-it' feature or a marketing concept invented to increase the price of the adjustable razors on ebay ?

jean-Pierre

Do you mean the 50+ year old Gillette adjustable razors?

 

[jean-pierre]

Ashe,

Well said, I have nothing to add
By the way, how is the weather in Grimbergen ?
Here in Anderlecht, it's not to bad

 

[tjkirch]

To be honest, I haven't found that an adjustable adds much to the experience. It's definitely good for experimentation and general hooliganism, but it's not going to get you a perfect shave on its own.

 

[htownmmm]

I'm convinced that great and perfect BBS shaves can be achieved regardless of the tools being used, as long as they are used with proper technique.

This is the absolute truth! I have given myself BBS smooth shaves with the HD, Gillette slim adjustable, the 'fatboy', and my VISION.

When my technique wasn't up to snuff, neither were my shaves. Now, however, I get the results I want with the equipment on hand. However, when using the adjustables, I need to pay more than the usual attention to my technique.

Remember, YMMV.


Marty

 

[mrob]

I like adjustables for the flexibility they provide.

Set 'em high and aggressive for your first couple of passes, then dial it down for the SN and T&C--which gives me the courage to go for the BBS!

 

[Ashe]

Ashe,

Well said, I have nothing to add
By the way, how is the weather in Grimbergen ?
Here in Anderlecht, it's not to bad

Luckily the weather is becoming a bit better.

July was about the hottest month ever measured here in Belgium and August seems to have been the darkest month ever. I wonder what's in store for us in September.

 

[olkev]

I'm still quite new to all of this but, I started with a Gillette Super adjustable. My first DE since high school, I guess. I found that "4" was the best setting for me. However, this weekend I got my Gold Gillette Tech and Gold Artistocrat razors in the mail. Both of these are fixed heads. I usually don't shave on Saturday but, I had to try out the Tech. I was intrigued by the low profile head. I loaded it up with an American Personna got a quick lather whipped up, didn't pre-lube like I usually do and went at it just to see how it was . . .

It was dramatic. The razor is lighter, the head is flatter and seems easier to get the proper angle; no burn and BBS.

I doubt I will be using my adjustable for a while.

I think it might be rather interesting to have 3 different "generations" of Gillettes to play with.

 

[Scorpio]

For me is the shave and the looks of the razor. Once I find the setting that works for me I leave them alone. To date I have 3 slims and 4 Fat boys ( I wish Goose quit selling the darn things). Now I get BBS shaves from both my slims and Fat Boys, but this is also a result of perfecting my technique and becoming familiar with my facial hair growth. I love the feel of the razor, I need to feel the instrument in my hand if it is too light I don't like them. But that is just a personal preference. I was the same way with my golf clubs when I was trying to adjust my swing weight. But that's another subject......

Rafael

 

[Tito]

Adj. is the only thing that worked for me. I have mine dialed way back 2-3.

 

[marclynn]

I fiddle too much with the adjustables. The fixed blade is the only way this newbie is going to concentrate on technique.

 

[mparker762]

I used the adjustability heavily in three ways:

1) to adjust for different brands of blades. Feathers might get 2, American Personnas or Merkur's might get 3. I never had to worry about blade X not working well in razor Y.

2) to adjust the aggressiveness between different passes. I might do the first two passes on 3, and the final pass on 5. I never had to use a different razor for the against-the-grain pass, or for T&C work like some of the fixed-blade guys.

3) to adjust for wear on the blade. The first day a blade might start at 3, then the next three days it start at 4.

When all these were combined it looked much more confusing than it really was in practice. A feather might start out at (2,3,4) the first day, then (3,3,4) the second and third days, then (3,4,5) the fourth day. American Personnas usually went (3,3,5) the first three days, then (4,4,6) the fourth day, then (4,4,7) the fifth day if I decided to stick with it. I did push occasionally to (5,5,9) for the sixth day, but rarely bothered because there just didn't seem to be any point.

This probably all seems complicated, but it all settled out over months of daily use with the same razor and the mostly the same brand of blades; when I first started using the fatboy I just stuck with 4 for everything, and then gradually started doing 1-click bumps here and there to optimize things a bit. I eventually settled on American Personna's for my everyday shave, since they were cheap, had a built-in blade safe, and shaved just fine once I worked out the best setting.

 

[gundog]

What I like about an adjustable is that I can find the setting that works the best for me. Once this setting is determined, then I just set it and forget it. I have never found a need to adjust during a shave or for subsequent passes.

 

[Shadow_6]

Well I have neither as of yet but will be trying both types.

Shadow_6

 

[MasonM]

I only have a non adjustable razor (merkur HD). I don't think an adjustable would be good for me just because I can't leave things alone and always have to mess with them.

I'm having that problem with my Futur

My friends call me the Tweak King.

 

[J_P_K]

Proper technique is everything.. An adjustable razor wont compensate for bad technique.

 

[av8or234]

I have both a FUTUR and a HD and get equally good results out of both. Don't know why I ordered the FUTUR as I don't adjust it, but it's there if I need it!

 

[Pete_d]

As a DE-shaving newbie living in Aus, All i have general access to from a retail point of view is a cheap but decent fixed Weishi razor, and Wilkinson DE Blades. The two have given me good shaves with little irritation, but it takes more passes than i'd like before i get as smooth as i'd want. Now i can't really test many other blades without resorting to bulk international Ebay orders, but would the lack of closeness be due to the razor(Weishi), the blades(Wilkinson), the Soap(C&E Sandalwood) or all of the above?

would this be an instance where an adjustable would be beneficial?

Pete D