What is the safety bar for?

[antsjack]

Ok. This may seem a silly question but I am going to ask it. I have noticed that there are two different theories about using a safety bar DE. One is that the safety bar rests on the skin. The other is that it may not, rather the razor cap rests on the skin. Obviously this depends on the razor's blade angle.

If it is the case that the cap rests on the skin and not the safety bar, what is the purpose of the safety bar?

 

[Blondie]

Safety. It helps to maintain correct blade angle and gap while using the razor. Watch [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMvUhJZtnjg[/YOUTUBE] this commercial and it might help you visualize it better.

 

[luvmysuper]

It helps to prevent, in the case of errors on angle, your DE turning from a shaver to a hospital tissue sampler or skin graft remover.

 

[cooncatbob]

The safety bar prevents you from cutting your head off.

 

[Sueto]

The safety bar prevents you from cutting your head off.

cooncat, you have a way with words.

 

[theperfectstorm]

It helps to prevent, in the case of errors on angle, your DE turning from a shaver to a hospital tissue sampler or skin graft remover.

Now THAT is perspective!

 

[danparker77]

cooncat, you have a way with words.

it is almost a form of art!

 

[cooncatbob]

cooncat, you have a way with words.

Well it should be self evident, safety bar & razor sharp blade.
It not there for doing chin ups.

 

[col conk]

Safety. It helps to maintain correct blade angle and gap while using the razor. Watch this commercial and it might help you visualize it better.

Cool commercial
I never realized Don Zimmer was young once.

 

[antsjack]

Ok,

Thanks for the answers. So do you guys rest the safety bar on your face or is it there in case you slip?

 

[Blondie]

Ok,

Thanks for the answers. So do you guys rest the safety bar on your face or is it there in case you slip?

I would check out this post if you are having questions about resting the safety bar on the face. At the end of the day, it is all about blade angle, and you are actually putting the three elements on one tangent line if that makes sense.

 

[Pike]

With safety bar: Without safety bar: Any questions??

 

[raisindot]

The safety bar prevents you from cutting your head off.

Y'know, I just hate it when that happens.



Jeff in Boston

 

[82R100]

Ok,

Thanks for the answers. So do you guys rest the safety bar on your face or is it there in case you slip?

Honestly, unless your face is rigid and flat, the safety bar comes into play regardless. As a rule, try to pretend it isn't there when setting your angle.

- Chris

 

[Haiku]

One very important point that hasn't been mentioned is that the safety bar flattens the skin. You end up with pressure on the safety bar, lighter is better of course.

The bar flattens the skin and creates a very slight bulge between the bar and the blade edge, that forces the hair to stand up straighter to be cut by the blade. That's why on adjustables when you dial up, the blade exposure doesn't change, only the distance between the bar and the blade edge changes, creating a different geometry of the bulge resulting in the blade shaving higher up on the bulge of skin.

The bar is there to flatten the skin and to create that tiny bulge. That's why folks like Mantic don't recommend that you stretch the skin very much when using a DE. If you stretch the skin too much, you defeat the way that the razor is designed to work.

If you use a straight, you stretch, and if you use a cartridge razor, the rubber fins at the bottom of the cartridge stretch the skin instead of flattening it and creating the bulge like a safety bar does.

 

[GarageBoy]

Great video

 

[Monkeydad]

Cool commercial
I never realized Don Zimmer was young once.

DEFINITELY a cool ad.

Roy Campenella looks so happy when shaving.

 

[Go West Young Man]

After 2 weeks shaving, muscle memory will take over and you won't even notice it's there.

 

[muzl0dr]

That video was awesome. Thanks for sharing!