What do OC razors really do?

[spacemonkey42]

If you hold everything else constant, I can't imagine that an open comb would be any more or less aggressive than a closed. Unless one is really riding the guard, the guard shouldn't matter.

Now if they change anything else with the base plate - exposure, blade gap, angle, etc. that would make a difference.

 

[Old School TSD]

Open comb razors are made for diverting my money away from high end synthetic shaving brushes and I find them insidious for that reason.

I don't like synthetics anyway lol.

 

[Saxonbowman]

For me, the main advantage of the open comb--slight as it is--is that OCs allow some of the lather to pass through, thereby clogging less quickly than a solid bar razor and requiring the user to rinse the razor slightly less frequently.

Yes, this!

 

[Rosseforp]

Usually, yes.

Yes, between the teeth... whereas a Safety Bar will wipe all the lather off in front of the blade.

Some do, some don't. It all depends on the individual razor's design. There are probably as many "mild" OCs as there are "aggressive" ones.

You need an OC.

View attachment 1415159

What @Cal said.

doug

 

[BigJ]

Great discussion!!

The most ‘direct’ comparison I made was with a dual comb Wolfman that I borrowed some years ago. Both sides had the same blade gap. I found the SB smoother and slightly more comfortable.

My guess is that I might draw different conclusions if I tried a similar experiment with a different razor.

 

[jefffeith]

I own just two razors (after buying,using and selling x10 more ) : The solid bar RR Lupo .95 and the RR Game Changer OC .84

Efficiency-wise they are almost of equal level.

The GC OC .84 NEVER clogs and is far easier and quicker to rinse clean .

I use it when I want to shave over 3-4 days worth of stubble .
The solid bar Lupo .95 is somewhat more aggressive,a tad more efficient and is used
for under 72h stubble .

Open comb razors are used
primarily for long stubble growth.They do not clog .

I feel the same but with the Lupo 72 and Game Changer 68OC. Excellent razors! The GC 84 (both Straight Bar and Open Comb) are a bit too aggressive on my skin and I’m pretty sure the Lupo 95 would be too. No doubt they are also excellent if your skin is comfortable with them.

One thing I noticed (for me) is the Game Changer 68 Straight Bar had ‘chatter’ which left my skin irritated. The 68 Open Comb has no chatter at all and leaves my skin feeling clean and smooth. Wonder if anyone else feels the same?

 

[cyberdog]

If you haven't mastered the 'light' touch, the OC is more prone to bite you, and/or cause irritation. Since there's no solid bar, the blade has more access to your skin, particularly if you apply pressure, where the comb sinks into your skin, but remains higher between the teeth. End results, you'll typically feel more blade with an OC vs a SB (Strait Bar), all other factors remaining constant.

Generally, the smoothness or aggressiveness ranking for razors of the same geometry & gap would be Solid/Smooth Bar, Scalloped Bar, and then Open-Comb, with each one having a bit more 'feel' than the prior. Of course, that is all things being equal, and there are exceptions to the rule. The R41 is regarded as one of the most aggressive razors, and although sold as an 'Open Comb', it's more of a Scalloped head, granted a VERY deeply scalloped head, than a true open comb design.

 

[Hammond Cheeseman]

I feel the same but with the Lupo 72 and Game Changer 68OC. Excellent razors! The GC 84 (both Straight Bar and Open Comb) are a bit too aggressive on my skin and I’m pretty sure the Lupo 95 would be too. No doubt they are also excellent if your skin is comfortable with them.

One thing I noticed (for me) is the Game Changer 68 Straight Bar had ‘chatter’ which left my skin irritated. The 68 Open Comb has no chatter at all and leaves my skin feeling clean and smooth. Wonder if anyone else feels the same?

Tried the 68 Jaws for the first time today. Had a couple of weepers which would be unusual with the SB also a little intimation on the neck. Dealt with a couple of long hairs with less effort than the SB (missed a bit with the new Lupo yesterday). Didn't really notice a difference in chatter but wasnt looking for it. Will try a half face shave with each tomorrow and see how it goes.

 

[ERS4]

There is another situation.
When shaving long hair that grows over many days or a lot of body hair, the shaved hair often "hangs on the solid bar"; interfere with the flushing process, or must be pulled up by hand.

With the open comb you don't have this hanging hair problem, so the open comb is perfect for thick, long hair and body hair.

 

[Hercule]

Having recently given away a beloved and long-used vintage open comb (a 30s Gillette Goodwill) I've been considering getting a modern open comb. My primary razor is a Game Changer .84 safety bar. According to the RazoRock aggression chart the .68Jaws is near the same aggression level as the .84 safety bar - the .68 being 20 and the .84 being 21. The .84 open comb is rated at 27. Is the .84OC really that much more aggressive? How does the .68 Jaws compare to the .84SB?

I found that with the .68SB I over did it trying to get the my desired results. I was able to effectively transition to the .85SB and it has become my primary (only) razor. So I'm trying to figure out what to get. Anybody have any experience with the .68 and .84 open combs as compared to the .84SB?

 

[kingfisher]

Maybe consider getting a hybrid if you don't already have one

By hybrid I mean one side open comb and the other side safety bar

This type of razor is generally referred to as a dual comb razor, rather than a hybrid.

 

[borwish]

I can't compare, but I do have a .68OC. If I've got several days without shaving it'll go through the stubble like butter where all others have trouble. Yet, it's still smooth enough to use everyday.

 

[Jer78]

I not cannot compare the 68oc to the 84sb, I'm sure someone else will be able to chime in soon.

I can say that I need to do a more buffing for a close shave with the 68 standard bar but find the 68 open comb exquisite. Easy close shaves even with extra growth. Highly recommended. I believe there are threads that list it as the best of the bunch, but others may be able to chime in on this as well. JM

 

[Hercule]

I not cannot compare the 68oc to the 84sb, I'm sure someone else will be able to chime in soon.

I can say that I need to do a more buffing for a close shave with the 68 standard bar but find the 68 open comb exquisite. Easy close shaves even with extra growth. Highly recommended. I believe there are threads that list it as the best of the bunch, but others may be able to chime in on this as well. JM

The extra buffing with the 68 safety bar is what did me in. I initially found the .84safety bar to be too much but I quickly warmed up to it when I committed to it (a lighter handle helped a lot too). So I went from 3 passes with a lot of buffing/touchups to 3 passes with little or no touchups. I really don't think I need to go more aggressive with a long comb so I'm beginning to think the .84 OC is probably not the way to go.

 

[Dnallehekaj]

I feel the same but with the Lupo 72 and Game Changer 68OC. Excellent razors! The GC 84 (both Straight Bar and Open Comb) are a bit too aggressive on my skin and I’m pretty sure the Lupo 95 would be too.

This is surprising to me! My Lupo .72 is easily more aggressive on my skin than my GC .84-P. YMMV strikes again!

I have a birthday coming up. I'm gonna ask for either a Lupo .95, or a GC .84 OC or Jaws. I'm leaning towards .84 OC, because I've never used an open comb, and the Lupo .72 is so great, I don't need to improve it.

 

[Quaznoid]

Never found there to be much difference between open comb and solid bar designs, but YMMV.

 

[d_e]

I like my SLOC

 

[gigashadow02]

I don't feel that they're any more aggressive/efficient than solid bar razors. I just like more of the lather to still be there when the blade cuts the hairs.

 

[Dave himself]

I have 3 open comb razors the first is the yaqi Mellon head witch to me is moderate to mild aggressive it'll take down 2 to 3 days growth anything over that it starts to struggle a bit with a bit of buffing needed in certain areas.

The next is a Fatip Piccolo which I would class as mid to high aggressive it will knock down 3 to 5 days growth with no problems 2 shave pass WTG XTG with a few touch ups

And the last one is the Yaqi slant which I would class as as highly aggressive but once you get this razor dialed in its surprisingly smooth that I can use as a daily driver and have done for 2 weeks solid.

My favorite is my Piccolo as a daily driver matched with either a Nacet or GSB blade gives me a buttery smooth shave with a few touch ups. I'm new to wet shaving but I'm quickly learning that all open combs are quite different.

 

[Rosseforp]

The extra buffing with the 68 safety bar is what did me in. I initially found the .84safety bar to be too much but I quickly warmed up to it when I committed to it (a lighter handle helped a lot too). So I went from 3 passes with a lot of buffing/touchups to 3 passes with little or no touchups. I really don't think I need to go more aggressive with a long comb so I'm beginning to think the .84 OC is probably not the way to go.

I went from the GC68-P to the GC84-P, then GC84OC. Pretty much the only one I use now is the OC.

~doug~