Who likes the "talk"?

[AimlessWanderer]

Maybe it isn't all the blade?

Lets face it, running your hand over two day stubble isn't silent. Maybe it's partly the comb, partly the blade, and partly the hair itself. It's possible that some of the variations people get are due to lather thickness being more muffling for one person than another (I run a thin wet lather).

Just speculating....

 

[psfred]

Lol, I tend to run VERY thin lather -- with Williams soap it's usually so thin it's hardly visible except that it slowly accumulates on the razor as I shave.

Blade vibration is what counts -- the larger the amplitude (i.e. the greater the volume of the sound) the more the blade edge is vibrating into the skin. Higher skin contact equals more irritation, as we have all learned, I hope.

You will always hear the blade cutting the hair, but the minimum volume should produce the best shave and least irritation, and also least blade wear, all other variables aside.

 

[sw_]

The more resistance the blade has to overcome, the louder the noise it generates upon cutting (I'm not considering the head design which can either muffle or amplify the noise). I prefer my shaves to be smooth so whenever it gets too noisy it might be a good time for a fresh blade. A sharp blade cutting through softened stubble shouldn't be too loud. Never shave a hedgehog with a dull blade if you prefer it silent.

 

[cryhavoc]

I don't hear much singing from my DE razors, but my GEM 1912 and ER 1914 are very loud.

 

[mozartman]

I have read a few posts on here that imply a silent shave is a better one than when you can her the razor doing it's job. Personally, I like the talk of the razor on my stubble, and it's one of the methods of feedback that tells me (audibly) that everything is working as it should. When you get to know a razor well, it develops it's own language as it were, and lets you know what's happening without having to run a hand over your face to find out. If it doesn't sound right, then I know I didn't quite get the angle right, and need to go over that area again. Maybe those of you who don't stick with a set up very long aren't as attuned to this - I don't know.

So, is it just me, or do other people like the talk of the razor during a shave?

I shave almost entirely by sound. But for me, there needs to be only a slight sound, too loud means I'm doing something wrong.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I shave almost entirely by sound. But for me, there needs to be only a slight sound, too loud means I'm doing something wrong.

I do know what you mean. I took a Wilkinson Empire razor for a spin with a GEM blade in, as I haven't rehoned all the proper blades yet. That was very loud, no matter what I tried to do with it, and the shave quality was horrendous. I'd had reservations over the stability of the blade before I started, but (here's where I echo psfred's comments above) the blade was resonating far too loudly, and I was getting heavy chatter off the blade. I only hope I can rehone the blades well enough to perform properly and get a true test of this razor - and I have yet to make a strop for it too.

 

[cwnidog]

Oh, yeah - talk to me baby.

 

[JBO667]

The less noise the less the blade is vibrating, so long as it's cutting.

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.....

This makes the most sense in my limited couple years of experience. My son found this beaut for me the other day and it is one of the most aggressive shavers I have (which I love since I have 2-3 hairs per follicle on the dome I shave).

Could've been BBS in 1 with touch up, but went 2 1/2 and was stupid closely cut even the next morning. He said "it looks great, even has little pink spots, or are those freckles I never usually see?!"

No weekend, perse, or irritation but it explains a lot as this was a 2-3 day growth shave with a great, thick, slick, superlather, with extensive prep and a fresh Astra SP. Noisiest shave I've ever had! But heavenly nonetheless. Didn't even wince with the Skin Bracer "slap" but red dots would make sense with skipping closer into the skin.