No Safety Bar? who's brave?

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Weeper Warrior, Jun 5, 2015.

  1. mrchick

    mrchick Odd, Terrible Avatar

    I had the same revelation. I was able to get a nice shave without the safety bar.
     
  2. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    Who's brave?

    MacGyver Shavette

    [​IMG]
     
  3. mrchick

    mrchick Odd, Terrible Avatar

    Outshine Kamisori
    [​IMG]
     
  4. cmorris357

    cmorris357 catching flies.........

    Russian steel meets American fruit juice.
    image.jpeg
     
  5. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Tell me that was a cherry popsicle and not blood!
     
  6. Drygulch

    Drygulch Snowballs

    Technique trumps tools!
    image.jpeg
     
  7. cmorris357

    cmorris357 catching flies.........

    Pomegranate actually. I had one small nick on my cheek due to the fact I used Stirling Glacial Lemon soap and didn't think about the fact it makes my eyes water, so I lost focus for a second.
     
  8. vmarks

    vmarks Active Member

    Ok, I realized I had a de I didn't care about. So I made one. Here it is.

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    My results so far are two small nicks, largely no irritation, although the upper lip is worse than it's ever been in terms of stubble clearing. The shaves I get with bar or comb razors are superior for the upper lip. The chin wasn't as hard to navigate as I suspected it might be.

    Tldr; it can be done, it can give good results, bars still allow lather to reach the blade and it's a combination of tools and technique that lead to good results- choose the right tool for the job. It completely violates the intended geometry for shaving angle that razor makers intend- and that's ok, if it works for you.


    Sent from my mobile device
     
  9. vmarks

    vmarks Active Member

    Follow up to follow up.

    I was rubbing my face and still feeling stubble. It was passable but not the best shave ever. So, having done the test, I grabbed my wolfman (tools. It and the baby smooth work the best for me, followed by old type on a shim) and did one more pass. I could hear hair being cut, and now have a proper, worthy shave.

    Think I'll stick with the tools I know work well.


    Sent from my mobile device
     
  10. Lilan

    Lilan Active Member

    I would be game!
     
    Carbide Mike likes this.
  11. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    Shimming a razor violates the intended geometry.... Just giving you a hard time for fun.

    Did you do a full straight shave skin stretch routine?

    Do you have solid straight razor experience?
     
    Carbide Mike likes this.
  12. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    If you treat it as a straight razor, you'll be fine!
     
    Carbide Mike likes this.
  13. vmarks

    vmarks Active Member

    You're not wrong... except, the carbon steel blades manufactured at the time of the OLD type were twice as thick as today's thin blades. The THIN blade was invented in 1938, contemporary with the Tech. By shimming the OLD type, I'm just getting a modern blade back to the thickness and geometry that the razor maker designed it for, which is why it's so much better on the shim. ;)

    I'm concerned that the skin stretch and shaving in this manner will lead to increased ingrowns. I have no straight experience, solid or otherwise. I feel like I did pretty ok, for a first go without the bar. I think the tool I altered is somewhat suspect - it was a low quality DE, and may not have curved the blade enough to give it stiffness. Anyway, I think I've given a decent amount of attention to this, both checking that the lather does reach the blade instead of the bar snowplowing it, and making and using a bar-less razor. No one can say I didn't try.
     
    Carbide Mike, Drygulch and AGHisBBS like this.
  14. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    I am glad you tried and actually didn't realize that about the OLD and carbon blades. Using the DEvette configuration is definitely easier if you are a straight razor user. Skin stretching achieves the closeness you were missing. Glad you got through it unscathed.

    Edit: I doubt skin stretching will cause ingrown hair. My skin is prone to ingrown hair, and my face is in the best shape of my life since switching to full stretches with any razor.
     
    Carbide Mike likes this.
  15. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    I agree. I stretch my skin to get a closer, smoother shave. Zero ingrown hairs.
     
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  16. Bezoar

    Bezoar Active Member

    the problem is with this whole devette thing...

    the modified razor doesn't provide proper blade support. Sadly to say.
    There is a fellow on a different forum who specialized in buying old gem and ever ready SE razors with damaged teeth, and cutting the inner ones out and making se vettes from them.

    As to riding the cap or the bar, read your original Tech boxes guys. it makes particular mention of the little grooves on the safety bar as being there to help keep the razor goig in a straight line. Words from the sage that say, RIDE THE BAR
     
    Carbide Mike and Billyfergie like this.
  17. Redfisher

    Redfisher Doesn't celebrate National Donut Day

  18. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    When I was younger and with my Dad, old time barbers would say that the purpose of the comb or bar on a razor is to protect the face from exposure to the blade. The comb was replaced by a bar for ease of manufacture and cost. Also according to them, riding the cap is the way to shave with DE's and I agree with that.
     
    PickledNorthern and Carbide Mike like this.
  19. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    My DEvette was a cut down 89clone. A high angle, ala ride the bar, would've been disastrous. The radial curves of a razor cap are what should be used to set the angle.
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2016
  20. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    Yep
     
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