Steep shaving

[wintoid]

Steep = handle vertical
Shallow = handle horizontal

It seems you never stop learning with this hobby.

I've been a relatively shallow shaver for as long as I've used DEs. Somehow, shallow shaving makes sense to me. I imagine the blade, slicing the hair, hardly touching the skin. After all, isn't this how straight razors work?

In contrast, steep shaving has always seemed a bit crazy to me. Surely it scrapes. There's no way that could glide. My face is going to get aggravated. And so on.

Or then there's the posse who would say the right angle is the right angle. Listen to the feedback. Feel the blade. Adjust accordingly. That's usually what I'm aiming for, starting from a shallow perspective, but I'm affected by how much feedback the razor gives.

Well I've been reading about steep shaving, and being a scientific person (!?), I thought I should try it. It doesn't feel the same. It feels more like scraping. The things I have enjoyed about shallow shaving are different... not so much glide... I'm not so sure that I'm being efficient because there's less feedback.

But... no irritation. Close. Comfortable if awkward-feeling. I have to say very nice.

So far I tried it with my CG L3 OC, and my regular-handle Blackbird Jet SB. I would say that steep has transformed the shave of both. The Blackbird, I struggle with the regular handle, but there were no long-handled Jets made. With steep shaving, the regular handle seems just fine. Lovely shave.

Now I have to re-evaluate every razor I have, which is going to take me months! It really doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[DamianJ]

I can't say I've particularly tried either extreme, I tend to just go about half way with the angle.

I've heard of people saying they ride the cap, I assume this would be a shallow angle? Although the particular angle of the blade would change with head design wouldn't it?

 

[Holyzeus]

The first time this really hit home was like you, the Charcoals.
The difference in angle between Lvls 2 & 3 was hugely notable

 

[wintoid]

I've heard of people saying they ride the cap, I assume this would be a shallow angle? Although the particular angle of the blade would change with head design wouldn't it?

Yes riding the cap = shallow, riding the guard = steep.

I agree the angle should change. I guess another way of saying this is that you either start from a steep angle and get shallower, or start from a shallow angle and get steeper.

 

[wintoid]

The first time this really hit home was like you, the Charcoals.
The difference in angle between Lvls 2 & 3 was hugely notable

I have 4 CG plates at the moment. I've obviously got some reevaluation to do, but I would have characterised them like this:

2SB - very efficient and smooth
3SB - no more efficient than 2SB, less smooth
2OC - haven't mastered this!
3OC - wonderfully efficient, but I have to be careful

Of those, I've only just tried the 3OC in steep mode, and my assessment changes to:

3OC steep - wonderfully efficient and I don't have to be that careful!

 

[SweeneyTodd]

I find that many of my razors are quite forgiving when it comes to angle, although I do try to remember which is best at what, and occasionally experiment. One of my criteria for considering a razor pleasant to use is its ability to more or less find its best angle "instinctively", which, in new (not vintage) razors, Standards, Progress and some Ikons seem to do well.

The ones that spring to mind where I think angle is absolutely critical are the the Blackland Dart, Pils and Hone. With the Dart, wrong angle equals cuts and sore face, but the other two just don't shave a hair if it's not spot-on.

 

[Chris]

My theory with steep angle shaving is that you're lifting the blade slightly using the bar as a fulcrum and effectively making the razor milder. I've noticed since I've been using the PILS and Feather, both of which require a shallow angle, that if I try using one of my others at a similar angle it feels very aggressive.

 

[wintoid]

This is definitely an epiphany for me. I used my Blackland Vector today, which is a razor I've not bonded with until now. Shaving steep has transformed it, and I had a frankly incredible shave with it this morning.

 

[wintoid]

Razors so far that have been dramatically improved by starting steep:

Blackland Blackbird Jet SB regular handle
Charcoal Level 3 OC
Blackland Vector
Timeless 0.95 SS scalloped
Blackland Dart
Timeless 0.95 Ti OC

Razors that haven't been improved much if at all:

Asylum Evolution model T
Gillette old type

I'll obviously go back to the more troublesome razors and try again, because I am gradually acquiring a steep muscle memory here.

The real standout for me has been the Timeless razors. I always found them efficient, but rather harsh. I never understood how people could call them smooth. Holy moley, I understand now. Quite incredible.

I'm saving my Ikon SB for the weekend, as that's the scariest razor I've got when shaving shallow. Very optimistic about it, but not 100% confident I won't end up looking like pizza.

 

[Chris]

I've had a similar epiphany since I've had Nishy's Tatara, only in my case it's not really steep angle, it's going back to the conventional 30 degrees or so instead of the shallow angle the PILS likes.

I even tried my Fatip again at what seemed to me like a steep angle and it went back to being smooth instead of trying to eat my face.

 

[RussellR5555]

This is very interesting I find with my Karve it doesn't like a flat Angle, it seems much smoother is I go a little bit steeper, so I guess from what Chris is saying I am making it shave a little Milder. I just got a Blackland Dart , which I haven't tried yet I see people post that steep angles work for them on these.

Thank you for the informative thread.

 

[sev-8]

I even tried my Fatip again at what seemed to me like a steep angle and it went back to being smooth instead of trying to eat my face.

I definitely found that the Piccolo benefited from a steep angle. First razor I've tried it with, so felt quite strange but good

 

[wintoid]

I'm saving my Ikon SB for the weekend, as that's the scariest razor I've got when shaving shallow. Very optimistic about it, but not 100% confident I won't end up looking like pizza.

Shave complete. No drama. This definitely can be turned into a kitten by shaving steep. A very, very close shave, but I think the Timeless is smoother (never thought I'd say that!).