Thread: Adjustable? No thanks.

A doubt pervades me every time I see recommending the Merkur Progress a neophyte.
Even worse with less balanced adjustable razor.

This doubt derives from my experience.
I had them, appreciated and sold them.
All, except the Merkur Futur that I don't use for its aggressiveness ... but I admire it as a design object.

At the beginning they are comfortable and bewitching.
You still don't know your preferences, maybe the technique is still unripe, the idea of having so many options, the undoubted charm of some vintage models (for me in descending order ... Gibbs Reglable # 17, Gillette Toggle, Fatboy , Black Beauty Super-109, Slim).

But over time, you understand that performance is related to geometry.
As the gap increases the arch should increase, and since it is impossible for now what increases is the exposure ... then the positive asset, that is the sensation (feedback) of the blade on the skin.

Not to mention the rigidity of the blade, produced only with fixed mechanisms (not movable) that support it strongly on both sides.
All at the expense of comfort.

The refinement of one's perceptions and preferences also plays an important role.
Today I know my ideal razor.
I'm not looking for alternatives that are too far away.

So personally I don't recommend an adjustable.
But above all I do not recommend it to a person with little experience.
I find it much more useful to concentrate one's efforts on a single razor, possibly balanced, for the time necessary (a few dozen shaves, better every day) to refine the technique and consistently achieve a good result.
Only then can you choose an alternative, in a more conscious way.


What is your experience about?
Here a poll to see how average of us use adjustable razor.
https://forms.gle/34cKfMM2kvw3TQFA7

Enjoy.

At the moment, on 103 votes more than 50% do NOT use adjustment.

I've always said adjustables don't give any better shave than fixed. With a fixed they can maximize all the good qualities of fixed and in many cases you can get them in differing configurations anyhow.

Originally Posted by ischiapp

A doubt pervades me every time I see recommending the Merkur Progress a neophyte.
Even worse with less balanced adjustable razor.

This doubt derives from my experience.
I had them, appreciated and sold them.
All, except the Merkur Futur that I don't use for its aggressiveness ... but I admire it as a design object.

At the beginning they are comfortable and bewitching.
You still don't know your preferences, maybe the technique is still unripe, the idea of having so many options, the undoubted charm of some vintage models (for me in descending order ... Gibbs Reglable # 17, Gillette Toggle, Fatboy , Black Beauty Super-109, Slim).

But over time, you understand that performance is related to geometry.
As the gap increases the arch should increase, and since it is impossible for now what increases is the exposure ... then the positive asset, that is the sensation (feedback) of the blade on the skin.

Not to mention the rigidity of the blade, produced only with fixed mechanisms (not movable) that support it strongly on both sides.
All at the expense of comfort.

The refinement of one's perceptions and preferences also plays an important role.
Today I know my ideal razor.
I'm not looking for alternatives that are too far away.

So personally I don't recommend an adjustable.
But above all I do not recommend it to a person with little experience.
I find it much more useful to concentrate one's efforts on a single razor, possibly balanced, for the time necessary (a few dozen shaves, better every day) to refine the technique and consistently achieve a good result.
Only then can you choose an alternative, in a more conscious way.


What is your experience about?
Here a poll to see how average of us use adjustable razor.
https://forms.gle/34cKfMM2kvw3TQFA7

Enjoy.

I went with fixed. But mine is really an uneducated opinion. I bought an Edwin Jagger razor early on. I liked it. I never saw a reason to use anything else. I spent more time finding the perfect blades for me and kept the same razor. I still have it and use it now and then.

I use adjustables regularly - probably most often a Shick Type M, followed by my Fatboy and Gibbs homage. I have a number of them. I've usually found a preferred setting that I seldom change, though on occasion I will tweak it on a given day. So for the poll I'm firmly in the Other camp ..

I have a Rockwell 6c that is adjustable but by changing the double sided plates, I have found number 4 with a feather works well and is comfortable
I have an ordinary razor that is just standard for if I'm recently shaved and I'm in a rush and i have a Philips open comb with a feather for if I haven't shaved for a few days.

Of course i use my straights usually.

Like Steve I do enjoy the 6c and find 5 to be to my liking. I have 3 other adjustables but find one position the best for each one. Not adjusting then for different passes. That never worked well for me.

My fat boy stays at 4 with shark blades.
If I go to a different blade I may change the angle, but per pass?
Nope thats what the pressure and hand angle takes care of.
Good question though.

My experience many years ago taught me differently.

To my way of thinking, an adjustable razor may be an ideal choice for a beginner.

One can start with a very forgiving setting and, as skills improve, move up to more aggressive settings.
In many cases one will reach a setting that is just a little bit too aggressive, then one can dial back, and use that lower setting for a while.
After a while, one might decide to revisit the higher setting to see whether now, with more experience under one’s belt, that setting might suit the shaver after all.

New DE shavers make sometimes a similar experience with blades. A different (e.g. brand) new blade feels harsh, too sharp and unforgiving, and is put aside, but as experience grows that blade may later turn out to be an excellent choice.

It’s all in the family of YMMV experiences, where growing experience defines how well a particular hardware suits a shaver.
Adjustable razors, may be exceptionally suited to accompany a novice DE shaver as his experience grows.

Ideally, during the learning process only one parameter should be changed at any time. If a novice changes too many parameters (razor setting, new kind of blade, and shaving soap/cream) it will be hard to pinpoint what works and what doesn’t. (e.g. If a shave feels worse, was that because of the higher setting on the razor or the different blade?)


Later, once one has found the ideal setting and knows the kind of blade exposure one likes, a non-adjustable razor may be the logical next choice.


B.

I purchased a Fat Boy in 1962 for $1.50 at my local pharmacy and used the same razor for over 50 years. It went with me on two tours in Viet Nam. I started using straights about 15 years ago, the quintessential adjustable razor. I rarely use my Fat Boy today, but I can still get an excellent shave with it.