Odd title? Maybe but I'm wondering what is the most aggressive to most mild shaving Gillette razors from 1950-1988. I just got myself a super speed X3 and it seems very mild. Feels like I had to use a lot of pressure even when I changed up my angle. I also have a black tip I will be using in the next day or two. So does anyone have their own list of razors from mild to aggressive in the Gillette world? Thanks!
I had Gillette adjustable one and while was crazy efficient I had to shave with it on #9 to actually get that medium aggressive feeling, actually a bit notch below medium aggressiveness. If you dislike adjustable Gillette razors then your best bet would be the red tip or any of the 3 piece open comb Gillette razors.
The answer to your question is big league YMMV and is controversial. However, IMO for the time frame of 1950-1988 the most aggressive would be the Red Tip and the least aggressive would be the Blue Tip. All the others have varying positions in between. The Black Tip gives a very SMOOTH shave of moderate aggression. I think you would enjoy an adjustable razor. The Slim and the short handled Super Adjustable are superb. Adjustable razors make all the controversy over the aggressiveness of various razors academic.
The fat boy YMMV is perfect for me on 8 and a feather. I also use the RFB Gillette new that is also very good, but the new is an earlier model than the years you have put down. The old is even more aggressive than both of them.
It's not an easy question to answer. by personal opinion, I would say a an Old Type Ball End Tech would be mild compared to one of the Adjustable's on 9 to be most aggressive. With that being said., Consider not only the blade gap but blade exposure on a razor. Now consider matching the razor blade to the razor. an aggressive feather blade in a mild Tech would make it more efficient, where as a mild blade in an Adjustable @9 would make it less efficient than it would be if it had a Feather Blade in it. This is just my opinion, others may have better ansewrs.
Super Speed Flare Tips, blue is light weight aluminum handled and mild. The regular model with the shiny tip. Heavier of handle and more aggressive in geometry is the red tipped version. I prefer the more aggressive DE feel, and often use a Feather blade in an adjustable Gillette. Below is a model #195, the Fat Boy. It has a thicker head and handle than later models. Starting at a lower setting you can adjust up for more efficient shaving as your skill improves. I was a "5" shaver for a long time. Once I got it figured out I settled on "7" for a while. Now it's "9" for WTG, sometime backing down to "6" for the rest of the shave. Less irritation for me. I do Ride The Cap and make my lather on the wet side.
As a general rule (but not without exceptions), the older a razor is, the more aggressive. There are exceptions like the adjustable and the flare tip Super Speeds. Even inside of a "model" like Tech, you see variations: The pre-war Techs are more aggressive than the later Techs. The same for the NEW: The short comb is more aggressive, in my opinion, than the long comb version.
The picture above of the three Super Speeds posted by brother RyX reminds me if one of these three razors doesn't work at least reasonably well for a shaver, that shaver is going to be very difficult to please. Light, Medium, and Heavy kinda says it all for 95% of us. If we go beyond that, we are in the deep waters of redundancy. If one of those razors doesn't work for a shaver, perhaps the shaver should revisit the principles of technique (something we all should do occasionally) and maybe experiment with a preshave concoction. Still, having said all that, I believe there is no greater shaving concept than the adjustable razor! With an adjustable razor we have nine (or whatever) razors in one. Such a bargain!
Relative aggressiveness is absolutely not ymmv, and it's not controversial. Aggressiveness is determined by gap, exposure and radial curve, are those all known and quantifiable. You've ordered them correctly, except that in the grand scheme of razors all SS models are very mild. The Flare tip is like an adjustable on 3.5 in terms of measurements. The Red tip is equivalent to about a 5-6, still pretty mild. Blue in the middle. These razors are more really mild, mild, and kinda mild. The range and difference isn't very great. If these razors don't work out, preshave product isn't the answer either. An actual aggressive razor with pristine technique is the gentler shave. The SS models are all, IMHO, almost too mild for someone coming from cartridge world, they encourage heavy pressure and promote irritation in newbies. This leads to buying crazy gear and unnecessary products to try and make the hardware more efficient. Mild razor advice to newbies can actually prolong the learning curve and delay happiness.
Just had a nic shave with my black tip. I really like the way the black tip shaves with Gillette super platinum Blades. Next up woll be a new 3 piece tech. Looking forward to this one, I hear they are rather aggressive.
Very nice! Just so you're not surprised...the Tech is a bit milder than the Black Tip SS. So mild, that you'll need to avoid using extra pressure. Have fun with it.
OC razors seem to be very agressive for my skin, but if you are careful you can get a super smooth shave with one. The Gillette Redtip and Tech's are more on the mild side and usually what I use to try new blades with. But if anyone is looking for a mild shaver that works great check out the Wilkinson Sword Classic, they can be found for $9 shipped. So very affordable and a surprisingly great Razor for the price.
"The food is terrible at that place". "Yes, but the portions...." Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Dont forget the England rockets. Supposlely slightly more aggressive than their usa counterparts. Sent from my KIW-L24 using Tapatalk
