Open Comb Question?

[HMan]

That's a really great point. I've seen a lot of conversations in that past the conflate efficiency and aggression, but I think the language in the shave community overall is starting to become more sophisticated and people more and more get that they aren't the same thing, though they can be somewhat inter-related.

Same goes for just using blade gap as a way to measure aggression, like you pointed out, there's more that goes into that as well. Exposure, blade angle, rigidity, head shape and so on all play into it.

 

[Rowlers]

I feel like there's some loss of distinction between aggressive and efficient.
If there's a forum glossary page, I've probably missed it. However, I had thought that aggressive means harsh to skin and efficient means effecive at heir removal. Aggressive suggests it's likely to be efficient, but that wouldn't necessarily be true in reverse.
For me, aggressive razors are those that have at least one of:
- poor blade support resulting in lots of blade flex (this is an issue when going ATG and sometimes across as well)
- excessive blade exposure combined with head geometry that doesn't allow to compensate with the angle used.

Thus, for example, the PAA Evolution Aluminus is one of the most aggressive, if not the aggressive, safety razors I have, as it has both. It does allow to compensate for the excess blade exposure by riding the top cap, but going ATG with it is practically always unpleasant. It's also mostly unnecessary, though.

Some razors with little blade exposure really work nearly just as well, but require lots of glide but a thinner lather, as flowthrough often isn't that great. Using just water and shave oil usually works a treat. Also angling the razor head so it slices rather than chops.

More on topic, the razors I found give me a good shave on a week's worth of growth while being gentle:
- Parker OC style head (found on e.g. Parker 24C and 26C, also Maggard's v2 OC head)
- iKon 101 and 103
- Rocnel SE-P OC (and CC, but the OC is more efficient)
- MMOC (has a bit of blade chatter ATG, though)
- PAA Ascension
- Occam's razor
- The Leaf (with more frequent rinsing)

Perhaps another thing to note is that, as mentioned by others earlier, just swishing the razor head in a bowl of water or rinsing it is probably the surest way of preventing clogging.

You could also use a shavette with little blade exposure (Parker has a few models that are fairly inexpensive, too) to go with the growth for the first pass or use something like the Philips OneBlade to mow most of the hair off in one pass (still needs rinsing if you were to use it with soap) and finish off with a safety razor.

You could also do a WTG pass every 2-3 days, it would take probably less than 5 minutes including cleaning the razor and brush and would make things easier.

Great post!

 

[ManicDee]

As you have a Rockwell 6s, you could just do your first pass with head #3 (which you prefer) and a second pass with #2

or if you would like to try a Open Comb go with a Merkur 41c

This is a fantastic beginners razor and a very mild OC but once mastered, as with all things in life. You will enjoy using it over and over.

 

[les24preludes]

Whatever you shave with the process should be stubble reduction over multiple passes using a very light touch. You try and get it all done in one pass and you are begging for irritation because you are forcing the issue by using too much pressure.

I'm one of the guys who thinks the opposite of this. You try to get as much as possible done in one ATG pass with a very efficient razor with a very sharp and rigid (SE) or rigidly held (DE) blade, so you have the minimum of cleanups. Multiple passes in themselves are the cause of irritation in a number of shavers, and certainly in my case. A very light touch is easier with an efficient razor - with a mild razor that's increasingly unlikely to get you to a smooth face without either going over the same areas again and again or applying more pressure. And both of these can cause irritation. Some of this depends on the lather, of course, which is always a factor.

 

[slapo]

I'm one of the guys who thinks the opposite of this. You try to get as much as possible done in one ATG pass with a very efficient razor with a very sharp and rigid (SE) or rigidly held (DE) blade, so you have the minimum of cleanups. Multiple passes in themselves are the cause of irritation in a number of shavers, and certainly in my case. A very light touch is easier with an efficient razor - with a mild razor that's increasingly unlikely to get you to a smooth face without either going over the same areas again and again or applying more pressure. And both of these can cause irritation. Some of this depends on the lather, of course, which is always a factor.

I generally agree, but a razor can be fairly mild and efficient at the same time. The Parker 24C/26C, iKon 101, iKon 103 and some other ones are pretty mild, clamp the blade tightly and can easily take a week or two of growth and get me to a DFS in two passes.
Individual mileage may vary, but considering I have lobster sensitive skin and pretty tough facial growth (of medium density, by my estimate), I reckon it's mostly a matter of technique, what software is deployed and how.

 

[slapo]

@BJS: Just wondering, have you experimented with lather density, thickness and oil-only/water-only shaves?

 

[BJS]

I've not tried oil, but I have tried various lather density.
I've now got my hands on a couple of OC razors and my early thoughts are that I believe the problem is now resolved.
I appreciate all of you input steering in the right direction.
Thanks guys...

 

[R181]

I'm one of the guys who thinks the opposite of this. You try to get as much as possible done in one ATG pass with a very efficient razor with a very sharp and rigid (SE) or rigidly held (DE) blade, so you have the minimum of cleanups. Multiple passes in themselves are the cause of irritation in a number of shavers, and certainly in my case. A very light touch is easier with an efficient razor - with a mild razor that's increasingly unlikely to get you to a smooth face without either going over the same areas again and again or applying more pressure. And both of these can cause irritation. Some of this depends on the lather, of course, which is always a factor.

I do use a very efficient razor with a very sharp and rigid blade, straight razor most days, or something like my Gillette Fat Boy @9 with a GSB blade if a DE. Both are pretty efficient/aggressive, take your pick. Yes, using a very light touch and proper angle too. I don't think multiple passes with the proper shave technique and lather in themselves are the cause of irritation unless of course you have very sensitive skin.

I do think experience or rather the lack of it is a contributing factor to getting irritation from shaving too. Traditional wet shaving and I would exclude carts from that, is getting more popular with people who have little to no experience of it. There is a learning curve to overcome and bad habits learned if you shaved with a cart before.

I have been wet shaving for about 50 years with DEs and carts. I did not learn proper technique or it's importance till I learned to shave with a straight razor. Prior to that I could not do a 4 pass shave, my daily shave now, without irritation. Using a Gillette Fat Boy at anything above a 6 setting was inviting trouble/irritation with even a 2 or 3 pass shave then. The only thing that has changed is having to get my shaving and lathering technique dialed in properly to allow multi pass shaving without irritation.

That said, it is whatever works for an individual to get a shave they are satisfied with. I just disagree on multi pass shaving being a cause of irritation if done properly.

Bob