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Who likes the "talk"?

Some of my razors talk, some don't. I generally have the music loud enough I can't hear the razor anyway. I go more by feel.
 
As a former drummer I'm so deaf I can't even hear myself talk, let alone another person or a razor. But seriously, I like to hear what the razor has to say as I find it integral to the entire effort of trying to get that sometimes elusive BBS. If I do happen to listen to music it is on in the bedroom so it never is so loud that it drowns out the sound of the razor.
 
I like the sound of my very vocal razors, but I'm also good with the ones I have where I can't even tell it's cutting anything. My Micromatics, and I think my 1924, are some of my loudest ones. I can't remember which of my DEs is the loudest. My new-to-me '41 Ranger Tech is pretty vocal.
 
I like a bit of feedback on a razor, I also like to feel it too

Smooth and loud
Loud with feeling
Silent with feeling
(All good)

Smooth and silent
(No fun in my book)
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I like a bit of feedback on a razor, I also like to feel it too

Smooth and loud
Loud with feeling
Silent with feeling
(All good)

Smooth and silent
(No fun in my book)

Good answer :biggrin:

Aside from letting my face rest, I think this is one of the reasons that I don't tend to shave every day. With a good close shave, I can go two days without looking too scruffy (the second day I just look like someone who uses an electric razor :wink2:). Shaving the day after a perfectly clean BBS shave isn't very satisfying. I don't feel like I'm achieving anything. There's more to work with if I only did one pass the day before, but waiting that one extra day, and hearing the razor talk to you, really does make for a more rewarding shave in my opinion.
 
The one thing I had to overcome was unconsciously adding more pressure when I hear whiskers. I was thinking to myself "boy, sounds like a lot of stubble still there, I better add some pressure to get rid of it all"
 
I started with a super lightweight aluminum Feather razor from the 50’s. Lots of audible feedback! Loud in fact. Due to past cancer surgery on my neck, I have no feeling in much of the left side of my face. That audible feedback was massively helpful early on. Not necessary any longer, but was very instructive in the beginning.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
The one thing I had to overcome was unconsciously adding more pressure when I hear whiskers. I was thinking to myself "boy, sounds like a lot of stubble still there, I better add some pressure to get rid of it all"

I remember that from my early days with a DE! Especially when I decided to grow a short beard occasionally and decided to get rid of it (or screwed up trying to line up a goatee/van dyke).
 
I remember that from my early days with a DE! Especially when I decided to grow a short beard occasionally and decided to get rid of it (or screwed up trying to line up a goatee/van dyke).
Can't tell you how many times I've had to say, 'screw it' and just shave it all off after too much sculpting haha
 
What is the cause of the sound some razor have?

I think it must be a minutely vibrating blade. Doesn't there have to be vibration for a sound to exist? But I'm speculating.
Speculate no longer; one of the main reasons of the sound is blade chatter i.e. the vibration of the blade. It tends to increase the steeper you go. At a neutral angle each razor has its own tune as it were.
I don't pay attention to it, preferring to concentrate on keeping a constant blade angle.
 

Graydog

Biblical Innards
One of My best singers is My 1914 ER SE, and it happens to be one of my razors that gives Me My closest shaves.
I t has a built in echo chamber ....
IMG_5689.JPG
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
Loudest one so far (30-40?) is the '46-47 Aristocrat.

For whatever reason, it makes a symphony of scraping sounds.

The combo always matters, but all the blades I've tried in it have been like violin strings. Maybe a thicker KAI would quiet it some.


AA
 
A vibrating blade is a primary source of sound when shaving. Agreed.

But I wonder if the physical "slicing of one's whiskers" is a secondary source of sound during shaving?

Interesting topic.
 
I suspect in general quieter is more efficient - but I like a little audible feedback, the higher pitched the better. Don't know why, I just do.
 
Audible feedback really depends on the razor IME! Some shave best when they are noisy, others don't.
 
The less noise the less the blade is vibrating, so long as it's cutting. Minimize the sound and you should maximize the comfort and blade longevity because the force required to cut the hair is as vectored as closely as possible into the blade. The more the force vector points at an angle to the blade, the more it vibrates.

Assuming, of course, the blade is actually cutting hair at the skin surface, the quieter it is the better the shaving action will be.

Some blades vibrate more, some razors allow the blades to vibrate more, but vibration is bad for your skin -- the blade will be dipping into the surface as it vibrates.....
 
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