Asymmetric razor

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Leisureguy, Aug 25, 2007.

  1. Leisureguy

    Leisureguy Read My Blog

    I just recently won a beautiful English President open-comb TTO on eBay. Yesterday was the first shave. I was disappointed to find that one side shaved nicely, but the other side was shy, as if the blade as not sufficiently exposed. And it's such a nice looking razor!

    Today, I put the blade from the President into my trusty HD and tried a different brand in the President, shaving one side of my face with one, the other with the other. Same thing: the President had one side fine, the other side shy, and the HD (with the blade I used yesterday in the President) shaved both sides equally well.

    So it's definitely the razor and not an asymmetric blade. Too bad. I really like open comb razors that have the blades edge lifted a bit from the comb, and this razor manages that. I guess I just need to keep an eye out for another.
     
  2. TraderJoe

    TraderJoe Pink Floid

    Michael, keep trying different blades in the President, I think you'll come across one that fits (with dimensions that are appropriate to razors made back then).

    I think that blade size has a lot to do with how exposure will turn out, and I began to realize this at the same time I came across an analysis done by Giovanni.

    Here's a link:

    http://www.razorandbrush.com/bladwidth.html
     
  3. Leisureguy

    Leisureguy Read My Blog

    Very interesting. Thanks for link. Based on that analysis, I'll try a Feather blade in the English President next week and see how that works. (No shave on Sunday, in my apartment.)
     
  4. peacefrog

    peacefrog Jet Setter

    Interesting, but I don't see how this would be the culprit. I could see different width blades being more or less aggressive, but unless the blade itself is not symmetrical I can't see how this would account for the problem you describe.
     
  5. TraderJoe

    TraderJoe Pink Floid

    You'd be surprised.

    I have used quite a few razors, and Many, many blades (too many, perhaps)....and one conclusion I can make with certainty is that some blades just "fit better" in razors than they do in others. Specifically, the exposure symmetry varies by blade and by razor.

    Why? I'm not sure. But I do feel that blade dimensions (including thickness) are one factor.
     
  6. qhsdoitall

    qhsdoitall Wilbur

    I would probably agree with that. Flexibility and thickness of the blade. It would give you different exposure profiles.
     
  7. jbcohen

    jbcohen New Member

    On another forum Michael said that I had gotten him out of his rut and he was trying many different blade brands. In another post he said something like try different blade brands with different razors. I think Michael you need to take your own advice.

    Also you seem to have the largest collection of anyone that I know of, outside Giovanni of course. Your shave den msut be over flowing with hardware.
     
  8. TraderJoe

    TraderJoe Pink Floid

    :happy001
     
  9. Leisureguy

    Leisureguy Read My Blog

    The Feather blade did work better. And I do have a fairly large collection, but of course there are always larger collections.
     
  10. Will

    Will Nevermind

    You do have a very nice "spice" rack. :D
     
  11. qhsdoitall

    qhsdoitall Wilbur

    Did I mention that Michael's "collection" is only like 40 minutes from my house? I might have to call in special ops on this one. :D
     
  12. TraderJoe

    TraderJoe Pink Floid

    Special Ops = Garlic Brigade :rofl
     
  13. peacefrog

    peacefrog Jet Setter

    I wouldn't be surprised at all to find variances in manufacturing like that. I work for a manufacturing company, and one thing I learned early on here is that nothing is exact. Every manufacturing measurement is plus or minus some tolerance. And given the quality we see out of some countries, plus the fact that we're talking razor blades, not jet engines, I'm not surprised at all that some blades might be noticeably asymmetrical.
     
  14. Will

    Will Nevermind

    Lock your doors Michael

    [​IMG]
     
  15. jbcohen

    jbcohen New Member

    Now here is an issue that poped into my neural cortex some time ago and I have been thinking of asking:

    Which razor tends to be better at what sort of situation? I will make sure all understand by giving examples of my own set of hardware.

    I have a Merkur 1904 clasic which seems to better at taming those particularly agressive blades. Will probably use this one with the feather blades I have in the cabinet when I get to them.

    A Merkur Future - being adjustable it seems to be best able to get different blades to perform different ways depending on how high or low I crank the razor. A blade set at one will not work like the same blade set at five.

    A Gillette Super Speed - My maintay razor I evaluate everything in the Super Speed which I spend 95% of my time using.

    A Big Boss 636 - See my review over in the show and tell section.

    A Big Boss - Also in my show and tell section

    Have not really gotten a chance to use either of the Big Boss razors with much yet. Hope to get more oportuinity later.
     
  16. Leisureguy

    Leisureguy Read My Blog

    Giovanni, of Razor and Blade, suggests that the central upright bar might be slightly bent to one side, which could account for the asymmetry. I'm going to send the razor to him so he can take a look.

    And on being close: I just sold a copy of the book yesterday to a guy who teaches at the Naval Postgraduate School, so he was able to stop by and pick the book up in person, thus saving on postage. :)
     
  17. qhsdoitall

    qhsdoitall Wilbur

    He was doing recon for us. :D
     

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