Greetings Forum, I have just recently got my hands on a Gillette red tip, and I'm wondering on what kind of razor it is. Is it a mild, medium, or aggressive razor? So far all I've been using is the Merkur 34c, and how does it compare to the Gillette?
O.K. Here are the blade gaps. Razor Blade Gap Gillette Super Speed Red Tip (US) .66mm Merkur HD (34C) .71mm Both are above average in terms of aggressiveness (standard Super Speeds, U.S. Aristocrats and especially Blue Tip Super Speeds are milder) but they are clearly not the most aggressive razors out there. Some more aggressive razors in this class. Razor Blade Gap Gillette Adjustable @ Setting 4 .76mm Mühle R89 / Edwin Jagger DE89L .76mm To continue, the Gillette New Improved and R-41 are much more aggressive. Hope this helps!
Interesting stuff on the blade gaps. Is there a thread around with a bunch of gaps listed?? Where/who does this info come from? thnx!!
Ok, thank you GDC. I was affraid to use the Gillette since I get razor bumps easily, and was told that the red tip was a very agressive razor and that the Merkur was a mild razor. But now that I was told this new info I'm glad I am able to use my new razor without fear.
The red tips are a very nice razor. If you look at all the Superspeeds end to end, I would say that the red tip would be the only one that may shave differently enough to make buying it worthwhile. You'll like it.
If it is a English Red Tip it will be more aggressive than the U.S. versions due to the increased gap. Most English versions tend to be slightly more aggressive than their U.S . counterparts until the Adjustables came out.
From what I can see I'm sure my red tip is an American version. I also just finished shaving using my red tip, and from what I can tell at the moment there isn't any irratation. I say from what I have expierienced the red tip is much better then the Merkur. I just hope to keep getting these good results.
I'm wondering if it's possible to have problems with a certain brand blade in one razor, and not in another? Since I have a few unused blades that kept giving me irritation, and I would like to try them in my red tip.
Hi Dennis .. really glad to hear of your success with the new razor. The red tip SS is a dandy alright. Ya some razors might be fussier than others for the blade. Myself the different blade brands don't seem to make much difference in any of my shavers..cept a really sharp one like a feather blade. But YMMV as they say...
Very possible. Blades that are horrible for me are shelved and get revisited down the road in other razors, sometimes it does work out for the better.
Thanks Slippery, and Neo. At first I was very nervous about trying out the red tip, but after using it I have to say that the Merkur is the more agressive razor. As for the blades I'll just have to try them out in my new razor, and hope for the best. Thanks again for all the help.
Is the most smooth that i´ve prove. If you are scared by the name (red tip) forget it...its really fine smooth. Here is the mine. Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I see you use Musgo Real shaving cream, I've been thinking of trying it out. I use C.O. Bigelow since all I can get locally, but how similar is Musgo Real to C.O. Bigelow?
Red Tip is a fav of mine. I don't know about aggressiveness ratings and blade gaps, but is shaves similar to my Fat Boy/Slim set on 7, which is my default setting, so there must be a lot of YMMV regarding how it will shave for you.
Thank you DLreno for your response. How well does the adjustable slim work in comparison to the red tip? I ask since I'm a huge James Bond fan, and the adjustable slim was the razor used in the iconic film Goldfinger.
The Slim and Red Tip are both great shavers for me, and even though they handle differently, I find they like the same blades and perform similarly for me. I do like the heft and feel of the Slim a little more, plus you get many more setting choices too. I use the setting #7 mostly now, but when I was learning and experimenting I tried many setting/blade combos, until I grew into the more aggressive setting. If you initially find the Red Tip a little too aggressive, the Slim will help you work up to it.
I have a Merkur 34c, and I find it a little more aggressive, and likely to give me more irratation then the red tip. So I guess I'm on the hunt for a slim. Thank you DLreno.
Every DE head seems has it's own distinctive subtle variations in head geometry. They may all look the same but they seem to not all feel the same when the shave comes down. These subtle differences somehow interact distinctively on each person. So far the TTO head feels very different to me than the 3 piece. Maybe that's why your red tip seems more to be agreeing with you than the Merker...
It's a shame that there arn't any new TTO razors, since I just love the style and like you said so far seem to agree with my face.
