Thread: A DE Razor Pondering...

I am just looking through at some DE's as I am thinking of getting one for my travels coming up. I have been pondering this for a while since I remember seeing my grandfather's sitting in the soap dish at his place. Here it is:

Why do some DE Razors have metal teeth? I always thought it would be for thinning out a beard if you didn't want to shave it bare, though I don't know if the blade even goes under the teeth part of the razor.

If someone could answer this it would be nice to know. Also, it will relax me and keep me busy today on a Friday while I wait for the work day to be over (and I can get to the cottage with my friends tonight )

Also, I have seen some info on the evolution of the DE Blade, pretty cool.
http://www.geocities.com/safetyrazor...EBladePage.htm

I'm not completely sure why some razors have a bar and others have teeth, but I read that the teeth are better because they leave more lather on your face, rather than the bar wiping most away and leaving a thin layer. I sure haven't been able to notice much of a difference.

Sure those are called open comb razors - the other type has what is commonly called a safety bar instead. Razors with safety bars are probably a lot more common than open tooth razors, but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them. The prevailing wisdom is that the open comb is for heavy beards, but really anyone can shave with it. The design of most DE razors, from top to bottom, is the curved head, the razor blade, the bottom plate (which would include the safety bar or open comb) and the handle. The curved cap puts the bend in the blade and helps set the angle for your face. The gap (which determines, in part, the aggressiveness) is between the bent blade and the bar or comb. This is the "safety" part of a safety razor in that it does not allow you directly slam an open DE blade against your face. You can get an idea of how the comb types would feel different by taking a hair comb and running the backside along your arm, then flipping it over and running the comb side.

I think it is cool when guys get the grandfather's or dad's razors. I don't know what happened to mine. Hit is with some Scrubbing Bubbles and toothbrush followed by some Maas if you want to polish it up.

Dennis

Originally Posted by Dennis

Sure those are called open comb razors - the other type has what is commonly called a safety bar instead. Razors with safety bars are probably a lot more common than open tooth razors, but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them. The prevailing wisdom is that the open comb is for heavy beards, but really anyone can shave with it. The design of most DE razors, from top to bottom, is the curved head, the razor blade, the bottom plate (which would include the safety bar or open comb) and the handle. The curved cap puts the bend in the blade and helps set the angle for your face. The gap (which determines, in part, the aggressiveness) is between the bent blade and the bar or comb. This is the "safety" part of a safety razor in that it does not allow you directly slam an open DE blade against your face. You can get an idea of how the comb types would feel different by taking a hair comb and running the backside along your arm, then flipping it over and running the comb side.

I think it is cool when guys get the grandfather's or dad's razors. I don't know what happened to mine. Hit is with some Scrubbing Bubbles and toothbrush followed by some Maas if you want to polish it up.

Dennis

Thanks for the great info, though i am not using my grandpa's razor. It is still on the soap bar and holder at his place. My grandma keeps it there in the bathroom as a remembrance, though I don't know if he actually did use it. I am getting a DE from a member just so i can have it for travel purposes. As I was thinking of not shaving for 2 weeks instead, but I was suggested to pick up a DE. Though I went straight (hehe) to a straight from Electric/Mach3 I never went into the DE fashion.

Actually it will be exactly 1 yr next Friday (on my birthday) that I got the straight razors from my barber around the corner.

I started my wetshaving journey with DEs and still use mine occasionally as they also can provide exceptional shaves.

The explanation you received regarding the open-comb versus the straight safety bar is accurate. Since you have been using a straight razor for some time the open-comb will probably "feel" a little more natural to you as you won't feel (or shouldn't) much of the blade on a solid safety bar DE. Either way, remember that DEs don't like pressure much at all and to pay attention to the blade angle so as not to scrape your face, much the same as with a straight but you won't have the same feedback.

Good luck.

Thanks Jeff.

How do you get the angle for the DE though? Am I lying the bottom plate on my skin then changing the angle and having the top plate decide the angle to my skin? I read the classicshaving.com on DE razors and understand most of it.

Sean,

Go to badgerandblade.com and look for a sticky called "What works for me." I think it's in the Shave Clinic forum. That will tell you just about everything you need to know about DE shaving.

You have most of the theory down from using straights; it's just a slightly different application with a different tool. Actually, you have quite a leg up on the process.

One thing that was pretty funny was watching the DE guys trying to wrap their brains around the idea of blade angle. They all wanted to think about the angle of the handle of the razor relative to the floor. Of course, it's the angle of the blade to your skin that matters, but that was a hard concept for them to grasp.

Josh

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

Sean,

Go to badgerandblade.com and look for a sticky called "What works for me." I think it's in the Shave Clinic forum. That will tell you just about everything you need to know about DE shaving.

You have most of the theory down from using straights; it's just a slightly different application with a different tool. Actually, you have quite a leg up on the process.

One thing that was pretty funny was watching the DE guys trying to wrap their brains around the idea of blade angle. They all wanted to think about the angle of the handle of the razor relative to the floor. Of course, it's the angle of the blade to your skin that matters, but that was a hard concept for them to grasp.

Josh

You crack me up man.. Thanks for the info there, I will check it out later this weekend. And I have always been a head of the pack usually, so going backwards should not be much trouble with trying out the DE. All I need to know is light touch I don't want to wreck this damn good looking face for the ladies when I go traveling.

I picked up a Merker Futur DE not long ago for the same reason as you Sean. I do a bit of traveling by air and I really don't want to pack my straight and a strop in my checked baggage and I can't carry it on board either. With the DE, I can throw the blades in my check on and the razor in my carry on so long as there is no blade in it. I also use it on almost a daily bases to shave my mellon however, I have been contemplateing trying a straight on the ol' baren pate at some point soon.

Have fun with your DE endevours!

Josh, if you can't see the blade, how are you supposed to
guage the angle?

Of course, it all comes down to `feel' -- but with so much
insulating your hand from the blade it can be hard to tell
sometimes with the DEs.

- Scott