Why do people want more aggressive razors than the 40s to 60s Gillettes?

[REV579]

That’s a cool razor

 

[BigJ]

Using an "aggressive" open comb
(yeah, I do have them)...because I'm scarring up for my initiation into the local headhunting tribe...

You had me there!!!

 

[Bakker1964]

I'm too old to care about "macho" . . . place me firmly in the camp of, "Lets walk down . . .". I like the razors I do because they're nice to look at, and I get great shaves out of them based n my level of technical proficiency.

 

[THall]

I have never achieved BBS or a solid DFS with a Tech style of head. Any tips technique wise how to get there?

I get them with a sharp blade that works for you such as a Yellow, Kai or Lab Blue. I also found that the best angle with my Tech is close to riding the cap. WTG, XTG right after each other without re-lathering, then one more lather and ATG. Follow up with cold water rinse. Get BBS easily in minutes.

 

[Nicholas]

Because people are never satisfied with what they have.

It's human nature.

 

[Twelvefret]

Here is a way to make your razor do more, just shave with the blade.

 

[KW Driver]

I got into wet shaving because I was tired of dropping a house note to buy new multi-blade carts, and it looked cool. I had to shave daily at work, and up to that point, if I wasn't working I didn't shave. it was a bothersome chore.

started with a 23C brass knockoff made in India. once I mastered it, I looked around. picked up an SS. it was less efficient, and less interesting because of that. I settled for a long time on a Fatip. yes, more aggressive razors require better technique to be pain free, but that's part of the draw for me. it's what got me to straights and a 1912, then MMOC.

Fatip, 1912, straights, '11 R41 to see what the hype was about (ditched it as too aggressive unless I went as slow as a straight. I wanted a faster alternative), MMOC, Trac II for a carry on Dopp. that's been my sequence and progression.

I kept the Fatip and haven't used it in years. I haven't used the 1912 since I got the MMOC. 98% of my shaves are with straights.

for me, it's about achieving the best quality shave I can, building a skill set to achieve it, and enjoy the process. time isn't a big deal, my straight shaves are at/below 10 minutes. if I need an out the door now shave, I can do a 1 pass XTG/ATG pass with the MMOC. I could do a fast 2 pass BBS with the Fatip, and the Gems. I enjoy straights the most. I'm "competing" with myself, no one else.

aggressive is a misapplied descriptor of most razors. efficient and close with comfort comes with improved skill for most of those razors.

and the more aggressive blade/milder razor, aggressive razor/milder (less expensive) blade game can be fun too.

 

[sm29]

Preferences vary by individual. I prefer a mild razor with a sharp blade (GSB, Nacet, etc) for a daily three pass shave. My Timeless Titanium 0.68 is my home razor of choice and gets about 90% or more of my home shaves. My 1962 travel Tech with either the short handle or a spare Bakelite handle is my travel razor. Sharing the 10% remaining home shaving are my 1920s Ball end Old Type, Goodwill #164, New SC, New LC, 1957 Flare Tip Superspeed, 1957 ball end Tech, 1959 Fatboy and ATT Atlas M1. The duration of the Old Type and Goodwill #164 shaves exceeds the Tech, but all provide a BBS to start with shave. None of these razors beats the Timeless for the smoothness and efficient combination. I will not push a blade past 4 shaves as pulling and roughness are not for me worth the few dollars saved in a year. I have no desire to see if I can tame an Icon Tech or Muhle R41.

Daily shaving with a mild razor and sharp blade works best for me. YMMV.

 

[jFrode]

I think the OP has it right. If you shave every day you can probably get away with almost any kind of razor, and I remember my granddad even shaved in the evening if he had some social obligations. I doubt that he ever changed his razor as long as it was not broken. Back then, it was a chore. For many of us (the most?) the hobby aspect somewhat takes over, and that is OK. I was mesmerised by his rituale, especially when he applied aftershave. I think he had a proper burn most of the time . Never used any post shave treatment like balms or creams. I strive for as little burn as possible, and besides stellar shave soaps/creams nowadays, that is achieved with a bit aggressive razor and a sharp blade. Afaik, the sharper the better because that minimise the need for blade contact with the skin. If he had seen how I perform a shave, he would have called me a "fancy-boy".

 

[sharktown]

I was thinking about why there is a fad today for ever newer and generally more aggressive or mid aggressive razors. Yet the big sellers of the 1940s and 1950s when almost all men shaved with DEs tended to be mild Super Speeds or Tech equivalents. Many now find even the Fatboy and Slim insufficiently aggressive at the top numbers.

My best guess for this is that today men are less likely to want or need to shave everyday. They are more likely to alternate between carrying heavy growths or beards and then shaving. And for some there is less practice doing regular shaving with mild razors. They want efficiency and the ability to deal with rough, heavy beards. In contrast men in the 40s and 50s not only would shave everyday but do an evening shave or risk looking indecent at an evening public event if five o'clock shadow was too severe. Today's socially acceptable shave -- usually visible stubble -- would have gotten you kicked out of most good houses.

People also point to the earlier Gillettes as having more blade gap. But I think the older blades didn't cut as well or got dull more quickly. Certainly that's what an older professor who passed away in his nineties told me. He claimed that in the 30s the blades would dull too easily and all were amazed at how much sharper the Wilkinsons and Gillette stainless steels of the 1960s were. So on average the two systems cut equivalently. In contrast, today many like the most aggressive early razors with some of the best of today's blades like the Feather and GSB.

This is all just shooting the breeze. So any opinions welcome.

I was thinking about why there is a fad today for ever newer and generally more aggressive or mid aggressive razors. Yet the big sellers of the 1940s and 1950s when almost all men shaved with DEs tended to be mild Super Speeds or Tech equivalents. Many now find even the Fatboy and Slim insufficiently aggressive at the top numbers.

My best guess for this is that today men are less likely to want or need to shave everyday. They are more likely to alternate between carrying heavy growths or beards and then shaving. And for some there is less practice doing regular shaving with mild razors. They want efficiency and the ability to deal with rough, heavy beards. In contrast men in the 40s and 50s not only would shave everyday but do an evening shave or risk looking indecent at an evening public event if five o'clock shadow was too severe. Today's socially acceptable shave -- usually visible stubble -- would have gotten you kicked out of most good houses.

People also point to the earlier Gillettes as having more blade gap. But I think the older blades didn't cut as well or got dull more quickly. Certainly that's what an older professor who passed away in his nineties told me. He claimed that in the 30s the blades would dull too easily and all were amazed at how much sharper the Wilkinsons and Gillette stainless steels of the 1960s were. So on average the two systems cut equivalently. In contrast, today many like the most aggressive early razors with some of the best of today's blades like the Feather and GSB.

This is all just shooting the breeze. So any opinions welcome.

I don't like an aggressive razor. I'm happy shaving with a Tech, Super Speed, Slim and Rockwell.
I do at times, mostly on a weekend with more time, indulge with an open comb New or open comb ball end but I have to pay particular attention to what I'm doing. Don't get me wrong I like the open comb types they just give me a but of irritation if I don't do my part.

 

[sharktown]

I think the OP has it right. If you shave every day you can probably get away with almost any kind of razor, and I remember my granddad even shaved in the evening if he had some social obligations. I doubt that he ever changed his razor as long as it was not broken. Back then, it was a chore. For many of us (the most?) the hobby aspect somewhat takes over, and that is OK. I was mesmerised by his rituale, especially when he applied aftershave. I think he had a proper burn most of the time . Never used any post shave treatment like balms or creams. I strive for as little burn as possible, and besides stellar shave soaps/creams nowadays, that is achieved with a bit aggressive razor and a sharp blade. Afaik, the sharper the better because that minimise the need for blade contact with the skin. If he had seen how I perform a shave, he would have called me a "fancy-boy".

+1 - both my father and grandfather would have said it the same way. Hahaha I love it, brings back memories.

 

[donttpanic]

I shave every day and find that as I set my rockwell to a more aggressive setting, I get a closer shave that lasts longer through the day with less effort. I struggle to get a bbs shave with a tech, but it's possible with enough buffing. I think part of the advantage is the angle is more forgiving on a razor with a wider blade gap.

 

[romsitsa]

The closest I came to a BBS shave with a pre-war Tech was WTG, ATG, and XTG, while also stretching/expanding my skin. If you want to practice, do so in your cheek, not you neck. Puff your cheek to stretch/expand the skin, like you are “holding a bubble in your mouth”. If you use the proper technique and a good blade, you ought to achieve the BBS, or close to it.
For me, it’s more work with a safety bar razor to achieve the desired results I get with an open comb.
On the other hand, the pre-war tech is perfect for a fast, I’m-running-late shower shave, without shaving cream.

Exactly the same here. I have three spots where no safety bar can cut “deep” enough for a bbs, but open combs do the trick without effort.

Adam

 

[les24preludes]

Exactly the same here. I have three spots where no safety bar can cut “deep” enough for a bbs, but open combs do the trick without effort. Adam

+1.... My shaves got a whole lot better when I went open comb.

 

[OkieStubble]

I can shave close enough to the point of even drawing blood, with the mildest razor and blade made, just by simply adding pressure.

 

[Twelvefret]

From what I read, razors are judged after 3 or 4 days growth.

 

[Chandu]

I honestly think it’s pretty simple. Ask yourself what most men today value in a shave? Quick, easy, no cuts, no razor burn. That is exactly what men valued back then. Probably even more since they had to shave daily. The razor most likely to provide all of those would be the least agressive. The more aggressive the razor, the higher the level of concentration must be. It also ups the potential for a cut or razor burn. And just like today there was/is a subset of people who value a closer shave or have beards that are heavier. Those people bought the more aggressive razors. I think today’s obsession with them is just guys being guys.

I agree, guys being guys. I want an efficient DFS or slightly better, no pain, no cuts, weepers, etc. I think there are lots of folks that think their shave is worthless unless it's BBS and think the aggressive razor is the answer to that.

You also see lots of folks that seem proud of using the sharpest blades in the most aggressive razor in a pi##ing contest sort of way. A right of passage or badge of honor I guess. I also have seen a number of folks that have migrated from mild to aggressive and back again.

 

[Clay S]

I think it is interesting how many people that don't use aggressive razors think they know why people use aggressive razor, when this thread has responses as to why people use aggressive razors from people that use aggressive razors.

 

[THall]

I think it is interesting how many people that don't use aggressive razors think they know why people use aggressive razor, when this thread has responses as to why people use aggressive razors from people that use aggressive razors.

I think you’ll find that most have both aggressive and mild razors and therefore can offer an unbiased opinion. I have both and can say with certainty that as my technique got better, I didn’t need an aggressive razor to get BBS.

 

[Clay S]

I think you’ll find that most have both aggressive and mild razors and therefore can offer an unbiased opinion. I have both and can say with certainty that as my technique got better, I didn’t need an aggressive razor to get BBS.

I see a lot of people offering up that its a macho thing. I guess they think impressing people they don't know is important.

I have gotten a BBSs with a VDH TTO and with Slims set on 9. I try razors I manage to get, don't know if they're aggressive or not. Longest lasting BBSs are from my Gem 1912 though.