Aside from the obvious construction differences, what are the differences in shave characteristics of each style of head?
There is some debate about the open comb, the other two (slant and str8) are pretty well agreed upon. Aggressivity is directly related to blade exposure. Some razors have open combs and more blade exposure as do some closed comb razors, but somehow the open comb gets blamed for aggressivity, not that being aggressive is a bad thing, its just the way we describe it and "aggressive" has the conotation as being a negative where here in our world, it is not necessarily a bad thing. Some aggression is necessary, its just how much. Regarding the slant, I personally don't have one but have heard that it is very aggressive and is also one fine shaving razor once you learn to use it properly. Due to the slanted bar, the cutting action is at more of an angle so it slices more than a blunted cut. Mix this action with some crazy aggression and you get an extremely close shave. Recall, I don't have one or have ever tried one, but that is what I've heard. On the str8, It is 100% the most aggressive shaving gets. Full blade exposure. I really like str8 shaving but have yet to commit to getting my equipment squared away enough to make it completely enjoyable.I recommend you try it though. It takes a bit more to learn it and maintaining the blade is way more involved but it is good fun and you feel really good when you finish and notice that you didn't kill yourself. Me likey lots.
I routinely shave with them all: straights, SE, and DE, and in my opinion when it comes to aggressivness, it all depends on the razor. I've got open combs that are not at all aggressive, and I have some razors that are "closed" that are quite aggressive. I don't feel that any generalizations about open comb vs. the other types are universally valid.
:ashamed001 Interestingly, all I have are DE's that the group would classify as Aggressive.. two slants and one open comb. Probably not the best group of razors to use to indoctrinate myself to the craft.. I have a Merkur Futur coming in the mail though..
Bob-I think you'd really like a Slant-give it a go. The technique is identical to a DE-I think it's more efficient than agressive- especially on a few days growth.
lmao, that is kinda known as the most aggressive whisker whacker on the planet. You can use it, just ADHERE to the rules, all of them, and you'll be fine. It's on my list. I'm actually wanting to trade for one or buy one but I'm trying to keep my RAD in check, so I'm limiting myself to <12 razors at any given time, so I am forcing myself to sell or trade for new razors instead of just acquiring more. I've found that I could grow a collection indeterminately, and since I got into this to shave better as opposed to becoming a collector, I have capped my inventory. That's the plan anyhow......
Sounds like a good plan-you've got more discipline than I do. I look forward to hearing how you like the Slant once you get one.
The Futur? It depends on what you read...and read I did! The reviews are all over the place. Well, I have been doing pretty good with the slant bar..no real irritation of nicks and that is with a grocery store blade... The Futur will be a blast and definitely a nice addition. It arrived yesterday, along with a gojillion blade samples so this morning's shave will be fun!!
It's no doubt a beautiful razor but I have heard that it is the most aggressive DE out there, is all. Like I said, you can use it (and by reading your other thread, by the time you read this you probably already will have done so) you just have to make sure you play by the rules. Please, let us know how it goes.
Hey folks, speaking of the Futur, I'm finding that even on setting six and the Merkur Super blades, I wouldn't mind it being closer. Call it a fine beard, a baby face, (a steady hand? haha) or what not, but is there anything more aggressive in a safety razor then going to a single edge that would be even closer? Thanks, JPR
Define closer please. Since you said you only have to shave every 2 to 4 days, I'm not sure what you're looking for. If you don't feel that you are getting a close enough shave with the Futur wide open, I would recommend a blade sampler pack since you stated to only have tried the Merkur and Kai blades so far.
+1 on everything you said Bill. By all rights, that thing should be stripping you down to bone, from all I've heard, so you may just need to find the right blade. Maybe I'm wrong?
I find that kind of odd. I have a wiry, dense beard, and I keep my Future on 1.5 with a Feather blade, and it's plenty aggressive for me!
Wrong? Nope. Spot on. Mine is locked at just a nudge over 2.5. Many folks talk about the aggressiveness of the Gem MicroMatic Open Comb - Gem MMOC. I really like mine. But, yes, they are very aggressive. I can only use it for two days in a row, max. After that I really start to feel the razor burn, it gets that close. For what it's worth, I do three passes with all my razors. Granted, that third pass may not be necessary for many out there. I certainly look presentable enough after two passes. But I like to get as close as I can. That's probably why I get the burn on the third day with the MMOC.
Interesting question Basically a smooth bevel makes for a smooth shave, and a thoroughly stropped straight razor made of high quality tool steel is about as smooth as it gets. Also, since there's no guard to interfere with the blade's action, a well honed straight will shave closer than a safety razor; the downside of that, of course is that when the thing cuts you it really cuts you. Even so, I prefer a straight to anything else. As for open comb DEs, they're impossible to generalize about - the open combs in my collection range from insanely aggressive (Parker) to extremely mild (Paragon). I have heard it said that open combs tend to work better than bar guards for guys with very dense beards, which intuitively makes sense, but since my beard isn't dense I can't speak to that idea out of personal experience. I've never used a slant bar, so I can't say anything about them except that I love the look; Whenever I see one I think " You're gonna shave with that thing? " Best Regards goshawk
