Thread: To Open Comb or Not To

Gentlemen:

This morning I shaved with an open comb double edge razor and felt as if I were dragging a rake across my Hollywood face. The shave was good and without nicks or razor burn, sure, but I disliked the way the teeth felt on my skin. No wonder I soured on the open comb double edge razors a long time ago.

The last time I used the open comb was when I lived in San Francisco, in the 1960s, and just before going to Vietnam. At the time I had no idea about the proper shaving technique with the double edge. On the morning I gave up the double edge and bought an electric razor my face held a toilet paper exhibit of cuts and nicks. I must have looked like a mob hit man with a skin rash.

The electric razor experience lasted a few weeks — even that was too long.

After that I went through several different plastic razors, none of which I recall, and with Vietnam came and more plastic razors. By then the double edge had disappeared and the plastic razor hype was in full bloom. The years passed with complaints about worthless plastic razors and expensive blades. Then one day I landed a double edge, a Merkur 34C, if I recall, and little by little became a gentleman shaver, although I had continued to use the brush except for the time in Vietnam.

My Merkur was a closed comb. So were all the other double edge razors I bought in subsequent years. The only open comb double edge razor I have is the Weck, produced some years back by Merkur, and I bought it not long ago in an antique store. It's a good looking razor, in perfect shape, but I have retired it after one shave — because I prefer my face caressed and not raked.

So gentlemen, what is your preference, to open comb or not to?

Regards,

Obie

I love my open comb Merkur. Nice smooth shave and no irritation.

I've never used an open comb so I don't know.

I got an open comb Merkur 38C a couple of months ago. It's great, very smooth. No scratching from the comb teeth or the blade. Maybe you just got a bad one?

Originally Posted by MinATX

I got an open comb Merkur 38C a couple of months ago. It's great, very smooth. No scratching from the comb teeth or the blade. Maybe you just got a bad one?

Hello, MinATX:

No, my Weck razor is in perfect shape — the Weck is no longer made. What's more, the teeth in the razor did not scratch me. No, not at all. For me, it's a question of how the razor feels on the face. I had a perfect shave with this one, but I just didn't like the feel of the teeth against my skin. I remember I didn't like that feel even in the old days. I just prefer the closed comb razors.

Stay well.

Regards,

Obie

Hi Obie,

I'm with you on this one. I've tried one open comb razor and I wasn't really a fan. I wasn't keen on how it felt on the skin. I just have he one closed comb DE now, fir times when I don't have time to use a straight razor.

All the best,

Stuart

I recently started using a DE, so closed comb was the best choice for me I felt. In fairness though I have never used the open comb style, at least yet.

Obie, is your Weck a long tooth razor? My favorite safety razor is a 30's new open comb with a feather. For me, nothing comes closer to the straight razor as that one. My shaves are more comfortable with it than say, a superspeed with a feather, even with the comb being a more aggressive shaver. I have never paid attention to how the teeth feel against my skin, I wish I would have read this earlier as I just finished a shave with said razor about 45 minutes ago. I will try and perceive how it feels next shave but I don't think it would bother me seeing I have not ever noticed anything before. Happy shaves Obie!

Hello, Jeremy:

My Weck is the standard open comb. I would say the teeth seem less pronounced than those on the beautiful French-made Joris. I might add my shave was close and comfortable, with no nicks, cuts or anything. Nor am I intimidated by the open comb. No, not at all. For me, I think, it's a question of feel more than anything else: the raking feeling on my skin is what I don't like. Like anything else in the world of traditional shaving, I think it boils down to preference.

Say well.

Obie

Originally Posted by cessnabird

Obie, is your Weck a long tooth razor? My favorite safety razor is a 30's new open comb with a feather. For me, nothing comes closer to the straight razor as that one. My shaves are more comfortable with it than say, a superspeed with a feather, even with the comb being a more aggressive shaver. I have never paid attention to how the teeth feel against my skin, I wish I would have read this earlier as I just finished a shave with said razor about 45 minutes ago. I will try and perceive how it feels next shave but I don't think it would bother me seeing I have not ever noticed anything before. Happy shaves Obie!

If your feeling the combs,or seeing rake marks in the lather,your angle is wrong.