Gillette Adjustable Settings... which do you use?

Same for me.

 

Shaved tonight with it set at 2. Got a decent shave but not super close. Absolutely no nicks or weepers though which is a first.
Setting 2 just isn't quite enough to get my neck well so I think I'm going to have to stick with it on 3. I think I did 5 passes on the neck and still didn't get it super smooth.

So far this is turning into my favorite razor. Gillette really had the contours and dimensions down for a great razor.

 

I kept my slim set on 6. I tried it on 9 a few times before I gave it away. 9 works well if you enjoy a shave from an aggressive razor.

 

My default is #4 for all passes with a Derby. However, if I try a different blade that is less forgiving I'll lower the setting to 3 or even 2. Alternatively, if the blade is more forgiving I'll do the first pass at 4 and ramp up to 7 for the last 3 passes. I find the more reduction I can get in the XTG passes, the easier the ATG goes, resulting in less touch up and irritation.

For me the setting depends on what the blade is doing. That's what I love about my Fat Boy. It adjusts! A fixed setting of 7, with a very forgiving blade, gives me the best BBs, if I can depend on the blade staying forgiving for all 4 passes. Sometimes I bet wrong, hence my #4 default scheme.

 

My Slim Adjustable has been on 9 since about my third shave with it. Not only is this very aggressive but it's simultaneously comfortable and responsive (even for behind the back spud shaving.)

 

I've been getting some really good shaves with a Personna blade set at 3. So far the Slim has been the best razor I've used. No wonder people rave about them.

 

Took a chance this morning and used #8 with a store blade on its 4th shave, to see if my fears of facial slaughter were real or imagined. To my pleasant surprise it went well (no nicks, weepers or irritation). Still not as good as the Gem, but an improved shave for sure. My technique must have improved. Soon I'll be on #9 with you dude.

 

Nope. Back to 6, and there they'll stay.

 

Not to bust your bubble or anything but IMHO, you can't find a DE that shaves as well as a Gem. The closest I've found so far is my 1908 Single Ring Old Style. Great shaves but still not Gem close. The only thing I've found that can run with a Gem is a very well sharpened str8. YMMV and all that other drivel.

 

I usually go use a 5 for the first two passes and then sometimes dial it down to a three for the last pass.

 

I tried this today for the first time, i.e. kicking the razor up a notch as the blade seemed to be losing a little. It worked great. And reading this thread, I'm finding lots more ways to experiment with the Slim. 3 is/was my usual setting.

 

I generally use my Gillette Slim set to 3 or 4, but it depends on the blade I am using. I don't change the setting according to the pass. Once it is set, it stays that way until a different blade type is used.

 

Continued again at setting #8, still using the same store blade for its 5th shave (which I usually do not push), with astringent and band-aids at the ready. This time I took extra time (2 min instead of 1) to over kill the lather into a super smooth cream using TSD Cool Water.

The results: A 3-pass BBS including easy touch up, and no blood or irritation.

Learning Moment: The more aggressive settings pay off and give nick free, BBS shaves even with marginal blades provided extra care is given to getting a superior lather. I have had a bad habit of rushing the lather in the past, due to time constraints. I can see now that this has probably been limiting me to the lower blade settings, forcing more passes and irritation, resulting in inferior BBS.

My new default is #8 with my Fat Boy, along with a much higher commitment to the lather stage.

 

I am a 3

 

I am currently at 7

 

4

 

I've been known to go to 9 now and then. Right now, however, I use:
7 WTG
7 XTG
5 ATG
and very very rarely if I want extra BBS, I do another ATG pass on 6 or 7

 

From the looks of things...I think someone needs to start an Adjustable Club, or a Gillette Adjustable Club...What do you think ??

 

I try not to. And when I have to, it's always as little as possible.

It hurts.

 

Great Info for newbies

Sinc I awaiting my first Gilletes that are adjustable this info was helpful.
Especially since will be very first DE wet shave.