So I've read quite a bit here about these topics but I'm still a bit confused. I'm hoping that if I'm still a little confused that someone else out there may be too. Otherwise, I apologize for the waste of time & space. I've read the razor handle should be held at a 30-45 degree angle to the floor (with 90 degrees being perpindicular to the face). Obviously each razor bends the blade differently so the razor angle will vary. What I'm curious about is what is the best angle for the blade to cut the hair? Is it better to have the blade parallel to the face so that it cuts the hair flat, or to have the blade angled toward the face to cut the hair at an oblique angle? The shallower my razor angle (closer to 30 degrees) the more it looks like the blade will be scraping my face. While the steeper the razor angle (closer to 45 degrees) the blade looks like it won't shave as close while being parallel to my face. Is this what's referred to as being more aggressive or more mild in regards to razor angle? I'm sure a good bit of this is a YMMV thing, but I also think that there is an optimal way for the hair to be cut. So can someone confirm which angle provides a more aggressive shave? I've got a few areas on my face that aren't getting as close as others so I want to make sure I'm making the right angle adjustment & not chop my face up in the process with too many passes.
I don't sweat any of the angle stuff. Just use it and after several repetitions, you'll find out what works for the given razor. Same applies for every razor you try. Trying to put a number on it, especially without a way to guage that angle, is futile. They are all round values anyway.
My brain won't accept that answer! Understanding things better helps me to enjoy them more. I'm not looking for a specific angle, just to know which approach does what to the hair & what the results of the given approach is.
Hmmmm.....I'm going to try and take notice next week. I haven't really thought of it enough to connect the angle to the comfort. I'll try and see if I can't make some kind of effort at 5 a.m. to record what I find out. Empirical evidence is always useful. So, since next week is Super Speed week, and they are similar in head design and blade angle when closed, I'll try to pay attention. You do the same and we can reconvene and see what we find. Others, feel free to do the same. I'm kinda interested now.
Brian, mildness or aggressiveness is a combination of blade gap (exposure), angle of blade, and head configuration/size and weight of the razor. If you are having an issue with 30 degrees scraping and 45 degrees not providing a close shave, then it may just not be angle. What razor are you using and then the members can better gauge (no pun intended) what the corrective action might be. As always YMMV. Hope this helps!
It all depends on the razor that your using. I've never really given much thought about the relation of the handle to my face until I used a GEM Gbar, and found that SE are not for me. I believe the 30 degree angle is just a standard form answer but is not intended to be set in stone, some people may be more comfortable with a steeper angle some can do with a lot less.
I am currently using a Merkur 33C. The only blades I have are Merkurs & Wilkinson Swords. To me the angle at which the blade is coming into contact with the face is paramount. The head of the razor will bend the blade a certain degree and there are fixed values for blade gap & exposure with each razor. However, the blade angle can be manipulated through the razor angle and thus can make a huge difference in the shave IMO. I think of it like mowing the lawn. The blades on the mower remain parallel to the ground for the most part. You control the closeness of the cut by raising or lowering the blades in relation to the ground. You don't change the angle at which the blades are cutting the grass, just the ground clearance. If you were to angle the blades on a mower it would seem that you'd tear up your yard along with cutting the grass. This would be bad both for the yard & the blades. My thinking is that the closer to parallel that your actual blade remains to your face then the less chance for skin irritation & best opportunity for a smooth efficient slice on the hair follicle (less drag on the skin). Since I'm more interested in reducing stubble than removing my epidermis I just wanted to see what some more experienced shavers thought about this. To me the blade gap (distance between the blade & safety bar) is like the ground clearance for the mower. The bigger the gap, the more hair exposed to be sliced. I think that blade exposure plays a big role in this aspect as well. The angle of the blade is the main thing that we control during every second that the blade is on our face. Without changing hardware & keeping those variables fixed, blade angle seems to be the determining factor (or least common denominator) when it comes to technique. As mentioned before, my thinking is that a parallel/horizontal cut is the most efficient. I'm wondering if this thinking is correct or if I'm way off. If I am correct, then the mastering of technique comes down to learning the undulations of your own face and then manipulating the razor & blade angle to be as close to parallel/horizontal as possible through as much of your shave as possible. An added benefit to a very efficient cut I would think would also be less wear on the blade (refer back to lawn mower example). Therefore, increasing cutting efficiency would be directly proportional to blade longevity. While the horizontal cut may be the most efficient, I'm not sure that it would produce the closest shave. However, an oblique cut would seem to leave the stubble more pointed & thus make our face feel scratchy even with a fairly close shave. I look forward to & appreciate your ponderings.
Sorry Brian. I was going to say the same thing Bob did. Is there an optimum angle? I'm sure there is. What is it? I have no idea. Without trying to sound sarcastic, I've never put a protractor up to my face. Obviously you're trying to cut/slice the whiskers. Not enough angle and you're trying to push the whiskers down. Too much angle and the head of the razor will cause the edge of the blade to lift off the face, thus not cutting anything. GDC and WW give some good words of wisdom.
As a woodworker and planemaker, I have probably given more thought to how a blade cuts than most. I've applied this to shaving with excellent results. Let me sum up the theory: The lower the blade angle to the skin, the more efficient the cut. In other words, the closer you can come to actually rubbing the bevel of the blade on the skin, the cleaner it should cut, and with less irritation. The downside is that you're more likely to get small nicks as well, since it won't discriminate between whisker and skin as well. In terms of mechanics, the further you lift the handle from the skin while still cutting hairs, the more efficient the shave should be. This has stood me in the best stead in the coarse but sensitive area under my chin. I can feel the tugging fade as I lift the handle towards 90 degrees to the skin, and the post-shave irritation goes WAY down while giving a closer shave. I can't think of a better way to explain it. Experiment with your razor while keeping the theory in mind. It'll come to you.
The lawn mower analogy only goes so far. Those blades are relying on momentum to cut the blade of grass. This is of course the fundamental concept with the razor and your face too, but when the sharpness gets thrown into the idealized p=mv equation, then it gets a lot more complicated. Lets all try to make some observations over the next few shaves and see?
BTW, I'm getting great shaves & not really asking this to try to diagnose any problems. While I shave it's a zen experience. My face, hand, and razor are one. I'm not thinking about blade angle or razor angle. I'm just getting the feedback from my face & razor & adjusting on the go to get a close & comfortable shave. After the shave, however, my brain starts trying to figure things out. I'm a very conceptual learner & I love objective data. So this is more of a shaving philosophy type discussion rather than a diagnose & treat type thing. I'm interested in what others have noticed & thought about when it comes to their good shaves versus their GREAT shaves!
I will echo the ponderings above; however, I am going to add another variable into the mix (or maybe 2-3 depending on how long I go before being distracted). With straight razors, you often hear/see mentions of using a different angle with different pass. Why? Well, different passes are going in different directions and hitting the grain differently. In some directions, the hair is more likely to bend out of the way that others. With a straight, it has been suggested for 30 degrees WTG, 15 degrees XTG and shallower for ATG. However, with a safety razor there is that safety bar in the way. Take your loaded razor. Place it on your forearm where you can clearly see. Slowly rotate the razor (decrease the angle) until the blade is making contact with the hair/skin. That is your minimal angle. Try using that angle for ATG.
Wow, you've really thought this out. Nice analogy, BUT shaving with a razor is more like scraping off a layer of grass with a shovel. Many different angles will work, but some will be more effective than others. . Only the man with the shovel can decide what is right or wrong.
My great shaves seem to come with certain blade/razor combos and a lather that has been whipped up with the absolute perfect soap/water ratio. The blade/razor combo is easy enough to repeat. It's getting that soap/water ratio the same every time that's the tricky part. I have heard of some who actually measure out how much water they add to their brush before taking it to their soap, then time how long and how many swirls they make on the puck. So why not use the same blade/razor combo every time? I like the variety. I'm also at a point with my technique and gear that I don't get bad shaves, some are just better than others.
Brian, To provide some additional information on your razor. The Merkur 33C is the lighter handled stablemate of the 34C. They have the same head and the gap is .71mm. For reference to other razors, it is slightly less aggressive gap than a Gillette Adjustable @ 4 Setting (.74mm) and the Mühle R89 / Edwin Jagger DE89L (.76mm). That is middle of the road on gap and should work fine for the majority of shavers (Wider Gap generally means More Aggressive). The Merkur 33C is just 1.8 oz (~51g) so that tends to reduce the aggressiveness if you are properly allowing the razor and its weight to do the work instead of bearing down (More weight generally means More Aggressive). Given the head shape and the factors of the 33C's light weight and medium gap would lead me to believe that the most efficient angle would be between 30 to 35 degrees. More steep of an angle with this razor may lead to more scrapes and cuts because you might try to bear down to compensate for the incorrect angle. I hope this provides the scientific angle and measurement statistics you need to improve your shave. Of course this is only one component of the superior shave. I hope this helps!
You're going to have to PM me the formula you used to come to that answer. I'd love to see it! Now just to clarify, are you referring to actual blade angle or the razor handle angle? From just eyeballing my razor & blade: A razor handle angle of 30-35 produces a blade angle of ~45. A razor handle angle of ~45 produces a blade angle ~20-25.
Blade angle from the head point of view. There is no true formula, that is why I threw in 5 degrees of slop 30-35. However, 45 degree exposes the blade at a bad angle to the skin. The head naturally protects your face when you use the shallower angle.
That sounds like a question for the Gillette, Schick or ASR research labs. I doubt they will be divulging what must be highly confidential information anytime soon. Besides, it is not the best angle for cutting hair that is important, it is the best angle for shaving - the best angle for cutting hair that also gives an irritation-free shave. Skin sensitivity will affect this angle, as will the razor and blade combination being used. A shaver won't know with any certainty the angle between his beard and the blade. Since the grain direction of one's beard changes over different parts of the face and neck, this angle will not be consistent. The recommended 30-35 degree razor angle is merely a starting point. This can then be varied if necessary until the best shaves are obtained. I know that is an empirical answer to a theoretical question, but hopefully one which helps.
