I am always reading about how smooth certain razors shave. Why are some razors smoother than others? Or, at least, seem smoother? What physical attributes contribute to "smoothness"? Blades and shave soap / preshave potions, etc not withstanding - let's eliminate those factors and dwell on why razors are smooth or why they are not smooth. Anyone care to expound on the topic? I sure as heck have no idea.
Speaking about straight razors? An edge honed on a stone at a 23 degree angle(just a random acute number, I've never measured actual edge angles) will be sharp. But it'll also be harsh, won't feel nice dragged across your skin. Hone it on a 12000 grit or more it'll become smoother. You can see the edge, off the bevel setter, it'll have scratch lines to the uniform edge. Look after a finishing stone the scratches smooth out to a mirrored shinyness. The whole trick is to make a sharp edge smooth enough to feel nice, otherwise we'd just hone with the bevel setter.
Mainly, a combination of the angle at which the razor head is machined, which determines blade angle and exposure, combined with the blade itself...some are much smoother than others and can make more aggressive razors seem tamer, and vice versa. Just my opinion.
I agree. While "smooth" may not be the scientific or technical term, I believe most wet shavers use the word to refer to a less aggressive feel. While my R41, a somewhat aggressive razor, can shave smoothly while riding the cap with a light touch, it requires a focus on the task at hand. My primary back-up razor, a Rockwell 6s (R6 plate), will shave my face smoothly with a lot less focus. I could probably belly dance while shaving and feel comfortable with the Rockwell.
To me, there is a trade off between efficiency and comfort, with efficiency a measure of the amount of hair reduction. Usually, again to me, more aggressive razors reduce more beard per/pass (again, my view). Smooth is the balance between efficiency and comfort and is, probably , subjective. Of course things like blade and quality of lather play a role, too.
I think there is a difference between mild and smooth. A badly designed mild razor is not necessary smooth. For example, if the razor is not clamping the blade properly and you end up with plenty of blade vibrations, the razor might feel harsher than what the geometry alone would allow. For me a smooth razor means that I do hardly notice the blade, the beard just disappears. I think it all comes down to a stable blade, right angle and approximately zero blade exposure.
