Unnecessary purchase conundrum...
- Thread starter AshleyC
- Start date
Fatip Grande blade exposure.
I'm not sure a Gentile would offer less exposure, but the shape of the comb is different. OC razors dont necessarily equate to more blade exposure. You can have as much blade exposure, or even more, with a closed comb.
My Gillette Regent, which is not an OC razor and has as much if not slightly more blade exposure than either my Grande or R41.
A D2 Gillette Tech for comparison.
I'm not sure a Gentile would offer less exposure, but the shape of the comb is different. OC razors dont necessarily equate to more blade exposure. You can have as much blade exposure, or even more, with a closed comb.
My Gillette Regent, which is not an OC razor and has as much if not slightly more blade exposure than either my Grande or R41.
A D2 Gillette Tech for comparison.
You are right but OC makes a razor feel more aggressive than it really is because it allows the blade more direct contact with the skin. A lot of people actually think that all OCs are super aggressive but most really arent. Its one of those things where lots of different factors come into whether a razor seems mild or aggressive.
I don't know how you use the term mild, but to me mild means a razor basically sucks, has neutral to negative blade exposure, and is inefficient. I am a steep angle shaver and I can go steep with Fatips easily. Riding the comb is no problem. @Esox has no problem riding the cap at the other end of the spectrum. I like blade feel and have no problem maintaining blade feel at all times with Fatips.
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You can feel more blade with an OC yeah. The more rigidly the blade is held, the smoother the shave. A very good comparison of that is a Fatip compared to a Muhle R41.
Virtually identical blade exposures. Similar blade angles. The Fatip is smooth. The R41 is aggressive. The difference is in the baseplates and how they each support the blade.
The R41 base supports the blade between the two vertical red lines and again in the same place and the same amount on the other side of the center point.
The Fatip base supports virtually the entire width of the blade.
Thats something rarely appreciated in Fatip razors. The window of available angles is huge. You can feel as much blade as you want, and more than you might like, or none at all. The beauty of it is, you can have a very nice shave at either end of the spectrum.
or buy a regular nickel Piccolo and a special black Piccolo and swap the plates into this pair of awesomeness -
Special Edition black handle with nickel OC......regular nickel Piccolo with Special gold gentile plate
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If you're a steep angle shaver (SASA), with a Fatip OC you can increase blade exposure on one side by intentional blade misalignment. Blade feel, smoothness, efficiency and blade life galore.
I've been treading into steeper shaving angles now that I have soaps that work better with my skin. You can do the same for shallow angle shaving, but my stubble is hard to cut and with that much blade exposure its even easier for the edge to flex and tug.
- Thread starter
- #53
It went down to the wire as to what I finally decided.
First, had I been able to order both from one vendor, I probably would've got both. But I couldn't.
Then I thought I'd get the Piccolo Special Edition...only to decide I didn't care for the two-tone color scheme.
Ultimately, I decided on the Game Changer. I didn't like being limited to just the one handle type (The Super Knurl), but figured I could put any handle on it I want if I don't like the handle.
And I ordered a 125g block of Shavex Alum.
First, had I been able to order both from one vendor, I probably would've got both. But I couldn't.
Then I thought I'd get the Piccolo Special Edition...only to decide I didn't care for the two-tone color scheme.
Ultimately, I decided on the Game Changer. I didn't like being limited to just the one handle type (The Super Knurl), but figured I could put any handle on it I want if I don't like the handle.
And I ordered a 125g block of Shavex Alum.
I doesn't really matter!
You will buy them both anyway.
As I read your post, I found myself singing a song from Chris Tomlin,
“You're my brother, you're my friend,
You're my beginning, your my end.
You're all around me when the world
turns an walks away.
You're my sunshine on a cloudy day,
you're the rain that washes my tears a way.
And I can always count on you
‘cause you're my brother, you're my friend”
a Fatip Grande is the only DE I still own, and I haven't used it in years. super smooth, and efficient, and also can be very fast once you get the technique down for it. I had an '11 R41 that was harsher and more "aggressive". took as long as a straight shave, so I sold it. my most intuitive, efficient, smooth, comfortable, and lasting shave comes with a Gem MMOC for any DE/SE razor.
but 99% of my shaves are with straights.
but 99% of my shaves are with straights.
I'm happy to trailblaze if you'd like to follow.
My Grande is, by far, my best DE. My razor quest has ended at the MMOC and PTFE blades. I generally shave with both directly ATG first pass every 48 hours. My Grande and a Polsilver gives me a 12 hour BBS. My MMOC gives me, typically, a 14 hour BBS but as long as almost 19.
I've tried an old Boker straight that would easily tree top my arm hair 1/4" or so off my skin, but I could barely shave with it. It was very tuggy and I had to use it at a near 90° angle, but I did finish one pass.
Straights are in a rabbit hole I'd rather not dive into. If I was 20 or so years younger and had the desire to hone, strop and maintain them, I'd have an Ed Brice ...or two.
I'm learning vicariously through Jim @Chan Eil Whiskers as he's learning and becoming quite adept at the entire process. I do find it very interesting, I like blades.
