The 30° Myth

[matt321]

Seems like two schools of thought on this subject:

1. Keep the angle low and raise the spine just enough to shave hair. (As the razor dulls a higher angle is required.)

2. The most effective angle will be constant to the hair shaft but will vary relative to the skin surface.

[Seraphim]

The total angle for a straight let's say is an average of 18 degrees.

So, the half angle, with one side laying flat against a hone or a face is 9 degrees.

If you then lift the spine off the face by the with of the spine (again, total angle being 18 degrees), you have 9+18=27 degrees.

Violla! The actual way to the fabled 30 degrees is actually only a spine width off the skin.

[brothers]

Hi Seraphim. It's good to see you posting here at SMF!

[matt321]

Matt,
Definitely approve of the Rae Dawn Chong avatar - good movie too.
Chris

Thanks. I find it interesting how bizarre makeup looks so good on the beautiful and so bad on the average.

Another example: Pris

[drmoss_ca]

Ah, Blade Runner. The movie rather missed out on PKD's intention that Harrison Ford's character was almost certainly a replicant himself, although the director's cut had a dream sequence that hinted strongly at it (Deckard dreams of a unicorn, and PDK's most famous title was "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?")
I rather preferred Quest for Fire on the whole. Ever read Anthony Burgess's essay on how he created the caveman language for the movie? He might have been an amateur linguist, but was he ever inspired!

Chris

[loueedacat1]

Ah, Blade Runner. The movie rather missed out on PKD's intention that Harrison Ford's character was almost certainly a replicant himself,
Chris

\

OK I totally whiffed that when I read the book. Damn, do I have to read it again?? Has PKD said that was his interp?

[Sando]

Gents,
I have always told learners that if their razor pulls it either needs honing or they should lower the spine. I'm finding out, after all these years, that I don't think 30° is the proper angle for a straight razor at all. The story used to be that if the angle of attack was too great, the razor would cut you, and if it was too low, it would pull the hairs out rather than cutting them, or simply skip over them. But there are old barber manuals and instructions that came with razors that mention keeping the blade flat on the skin, so it can't have been an absolute prohibition. I think that if the razor is sharp enough, it will cut the hair it meets, even at a lower angle of incidence, and the increased comfort during the shave and the reduction of irritation afterwards is really remarkable. As always, keep the skin stretched to flatten the terrain (as the purple-prose monger describes it). Try it out and let me know if you agree!

Chris

I definitely agree. I credit this post for almost all my recent success with a straight. My previous attempt was a failure - poorly honed razor, bad technique. I kept thinking about straights, got a good razor, properly honed, had some so-so shaves but kept with it. This technique really clicked for me and whammo got my best shave today. Smooth, comfortable and just the right amount of post-shave Aqua Velva sizzle. I'm hooked.

...Ray

[adjustme69]

I normally tell new guys to use a 30 degree or less when starting out. I find that the hand tends to naturally open up the angle of the blade and some new guys jump in at 45-90 degrees and this is really prevalent when they start on the chin. Interesting sometimes that the individual razors seems to dictate it's favorite angle for the best shave. I have always had a more flat approach on the XTG or ATG passes. Bart did a nice pictorial on this a while back.

Lynn

[Blue As A Jewel]

I've been trying this with my Feather, dropping the spine a little, and have to say I've noticed an increase in the comfort level and ease of shaving. I still really have to be aware of what I'm doing as its quite easy to let the angle slip - especially on the neck, and chin, and across the grain, and against the grain.... and.... and....

[brothers]

Keeping it nearly flat, and going across the grain, especially in the difficult areas always seems to work best for me. That, and using a lot of short strokes instead of just a few long ones, like the guys in the Gillette Fusion ads.