Open comb vs, Safety bar

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Hank, Jul 23, 2016.

  1. Hank

    Hank Active Member

    I've been wet shaving for a number of years and I've never used an open comb razor. What's the big deal does it shave differently? Do they shave better?

    Thanks
     
  2. cmorris357

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

    Some do, some don't. There are mild open comb razors and aggressive solid bar razors, and vice versa. Each razor has to be judged on its own merits
     
  3. Straight razor dandy

    Straight razor dandy Stuck cleaning the house himself PERMANENTLY

    I use straight razors, but im looking into getting a de as a "quick shaver" when i dobt have time to sr shave.

    It seems that different people have different preferences.

    Are you specifically looking for aggressiveness?
     
    George X likes this.
  4. ARGH

    ARGH Well-Known Member

    They don't shave any closer or smoother and each razor needs to be judged individually. Mild to wild open combs and bars can be had. Most quality razors can be great shavers once you take the time to get to know them.

    I struggled with DE razors for a long time opting for straights most days until I spent a week with each DE figuring them out. Now I still opt for straights but my DE collection is a welcomed change in my rotation.
     
  5. swarden43

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

    Yes and yes.
     
  6. blashe

    blashe Well-Known Member

    I shave with both and they all do the job proper. The only difference OC has over SB is more precise when I want to reach tricky areas like the line underneath my nose. It just a feeling I get from the OC that is more precise shaver but the final results are the same, a good razor will give me good shave no matter OC,SB,CC...
     
    AGHisBBS likes this.
  7. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    Open combs handle longer growth better, but for someone who shaves daily or every other day, the difference is negligible. The face feel is a bit different, but for most people, open comb vs bar guard is a choice made based on what a person thinks looks better.

    I like open comb razors. I think they look cooler than bar guard razors.
     
  8. PLAla

    PLAla Bit Shy of a Full Puck

    I moved to using an open comb razor versus safety bar when using DEs. I just liked it a little better.

    @Hank - Let me know if you want to try an open comb. I'll loan you one to try out. Send me a PM if you're interested.
     
    Boojum1 likes this.
  9. Hank

    Hank Active Member

    Ok thank you guys who do you think makes the best modern OC? Both mild and aggressive?

    Thanks
     
  10. Badgerstate

    Badgerstate Well-Known Member

    Its not a huge difference. You can definetly feel the blade on your face more and you need to be a bit more careful than with a full bar.
     
  11. navy mac

    navy mac Well-Known Member

    That question my friend is a slippery slope. Many people have personal preference on this such as mine, I prefer my wolfman on either the OC or SB. For my sensitive skin they are very smooth but very efficient at the same time much better than my previous ATT or feather. The wolfman is a combination of the two. Smooth as the feather but efficient like the ATT.


    Fellowship of cold water shavers
     
  12. swarden43

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

    I don't think so, but that's me.
     
    whiteboy_cannon and PLANofMAN like this.
  13. Herm2502

    Herm2502 off to elf practice

    I find the Merkur 41c "1904" OC to be extremely mild. My Gillette Old Type (102 cap) is a bit on the aggressive side. I, too, like OC razors because of their look. I don't particularly notice any real difference between OC and safety bar.
     
    PLANofMAN likes this.
  14. AGHisBBS

    AGHisBBS Well-Known Member

    I can get a quality shave out of either, and I enjoy o/c razors but I find it a bit harder to shave around my goatee and get a hard shave line with the o/c.
     
    Robyflexx likes this.
  15. Badgerstate

    Badgerstate Well-Known Member

    YMMV.
     
  16. ARGH

    ARGH Well-Known Member

    I have an ATT M2 that is very efficient. Not mild.
     
  17. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    OCs just look a lot cooler. OTs are aggressive while NEWs are tamer. I like the NEWs and the Goodwill razors best.
     
  18. whiteboy_cannon

    whiteboy_cannon Well-Known Member

    Yeah I don't see how just adding teeth instead of a bar can increase blade feel. That seems dependent on the individual razor and how much blade it exposes, even a safety bar can expose the blade a lot. Maybe the open combs they have tried are just not aggressive than the SB razors they have used. But I guess In the end it doesn't really matter. Enjoy your shaves with whatever you enjoy using
     
    PLANofMAN and swarden43 like this.
  19. swarden43

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

    Most definitely! :)
     
  20. Badgerstate

    Badgerstate Well-Known Member

    My understanding is that an open comb gives the blade more direct access to your skin, instead of having a full safety bar that doesnt let the blade make as much contact with your skin.
    I do agree that aggressiveness can be achieved with a full bar, depending upon how much blade gap there is. My Muhle R89 is more aggressive than my Merkur 1908 was but I believe thats due to blade gap, so open vs full bar isnt the end all, be all.
     
    whiteboy_cannon likes this.

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