Does more aggressive equal a closer shave?

[Brutus]

Being equally comfortable with straight and safety razors, an injury made me shave [again] with safety razors for the last few weeks.

Using some of my vintage Gillette adjustables, I got smooth and close shaves with fairly low settings (about ⅓ to ½ of the available aggressiveness scale).
Higher settings did not necessarily mean noticeable closer shaves, something I learnt years back from my Merkur Futur.

I took this to extremes by shaving with a mild Mühle R 89 closed comb and then switching the (sold separately by Mühle) head to make it a Mühle R41 open comb razor that has a well established reputation for aggressiveness.
Some people [not me] are even fond to call this razor "The Beast" which implies that it takes some special skills, talent or bravery to master it, but for me it is at the end of the day just another safety razor.

As a believer in the Law of Diminishing Returns, I always figured that there was a tradeoff between aggressiveness and closeness and that beyond a certain point the shave would not get significantly closer no matter how aggressive the razor was set.
What surprised me was that this point appears to be so low and that an aggressive open cmb R41 does not necessarily provide better shaves than a mild closed comb Mühle R89.

There may be a purpose (e.g. several days' growth) for the open comb R41, but does anyone agree with me that the mild version (or adjustable razors at low settings) may provide an equally (or nearly as) close and smooth shave?



B.

[Squire]

Mild mannered razors work just as well for me and are easier to use. I think part of razor design is those who make them jazz up things occasionally to keep sales figures up.

[BeatlesFan]

My main point of reference is my Gillette Red Tip compared to my black-handled Super Adjustable.

Just had a great shave - close, very comfortable, DFS - with my adjustable set on "2". So, no doubt, mild razors can get the job done beautifully.

OTOH ... my Red Tip can achieve similar or (just maybe even a wee bit) better closeness, with many fewer strokes. And I don't find it at all harsh, even if perhaps not quite so mild-mannered as a #2 setting on my adjustable.

Bottom line for me: more aggressive does not equal closer, but there are different characteristics, pros/cons, etc. when comparing milder vs. more aggressive razors.

[Squire]

I agree and think razor design has a lot to do with it. My Futur is aggressive yet it shaves beautifully without a hint of harshness. The much milder Krona does an equally good job with much less weight and blade exposure.

For me balance relative to weight is what works.

[ShadowsDad]

I get many more hours of BBS face from an aggressive razor as opposed to not so aggressive. I think there's more to it than just razor design. We all utilize our razors differently. Taking non-aggressive to extremes, for instance with a Tech, the number of hours of BBS shave is substantially reduced and in fact I barely get a BBS at all with a Tech, so I shim it to get something similar to what I want. But as with everything shaving, YMMV.

[Squire]

Of course the most aggressive of all is a straight razor which is infinitely adjustable.

[brothers]

Of course the most aggressive of all is a straight razor which is infinitely adjustable.

There was a time when I was absolutely in agreement with this statement. Then I got hold of one of the Feather AC "shavette" family of straight razors that use replaceable Feather/Kai/Kamasori single edge blades. Far more dangerous than the sharpest straight edge open razor. I paid in blood for that bit of unwanted new knowledge. IF one defines aggressive as flesh-tearing slashing carnage.

[Squire]

I would define that as a pack or wolves, or third graders, take your pick.

[BPman]

I agree and think razor design has a lot to do with it. My Futur is aggressive yet it shaves beautifully without a hint of harshness. The much milder Krona does an equally good job with much less weight and blade exposure.

For me balance relative to weight is what works.

I agree. Too many people treat each shave as if they absolutely positively must have a BBS shave. The hair will be back tomorrow regardless.

[Squire]

Yep, can't walk out the door while a single whisker remains standing.

[brothers]

Following this morning's leisurely and quite comfortable shave, we were driving down the highway when I happened to rub my upper lip and jaw. Hold on! BBS alert! Maybe if it grows back again tomorrow, I can do that again? Yes! Let's see, what shaving cream or soap did I use? Which razor and blade was it? Made me smile.

[BiffBuff]

Oh, I don't know -- I certainly can't promote one point of view over the other, certainly not on any scientific level, but I find that a sharp blade in a Mühle R41 gives me a shave that lasts longer than shaves with some milder razors. How much of that is real, objective fact, and how much of it is something else, I don't know. I do know that if I shave carefully with an R41 at 5:30 am, when I'm ready for bed that night my face still feels smooth -- almost like I'd just shaved in my years using multi-blades only.

I really don't think it's fair to blame it all on the equipment -- the real problem was that those multi-blade razors allow anyone to shave without the least need for any skill. I shaved in the shower for years (mostly by feel) because only the smallest amount of care is needed to do an acceptably good job almost effortlessly. On the other hand, the considered care and skill required to shave with a straight or shavette, or even an unforgiving double edge device like the R41 is light-years more interesting than a Mach III.

If I went back to multi-blades tomorrow, I'd still get better shaves because of what I learned using more challenging equipment -- also, what I've discovered about soaps and brushes and all the fascinating paraphernalia that goes along with wet shaving.

All the same, if I want to look my best and I know I won't get a chance to shave for more than 24 hours, it's the Mühle with something wicked sharp in it.

[Squire]

24 hours without shaving, I can't imagine . . .

[BPman]

24 hours without shaving, I can't imagine . . .

You bum.

[BeatlesFan]

FWIW, I find that part of my technique for getting a great shave at a low setting involves more skin-stretching than is typical for me.

Just today, I used my Super Adjustable at "1" and got a truly outstanding shave. (Great prep, of course, is also key.) But in one pass plus touch up, using a very flat angle on stretched skin and taking my time ... Wow. Absolute comfort. No irritation or damage. And the shave was plenty close.

The thing with the skin-stretching is that, with such a mild setting, the razor inflicts no damage, which it surely would using a higher setting with my face stretched so taut.

Anyone interested in a close shave from a very dialed-down razor might find it worthwhile to experiment with this. I've had very successful results.

[Gene]

I don't think aggressive razors provide closer shaves, but that's just my opinion. My red tip is more aggressive, but does not shave me any better -or closer- than the D89L that is my current go-to razor.

Others, of course, will have a different experience than I...YMMV and all that.

[BPman]

I don't think aggressive razors provide closer shaves, but that's just my opinion...

I respectfully disagree. Shave one cheek with an old OC razor and then the other using the same blade in a Gillette Tech. One can clearly feel that the whiskers are cropped closer by the more aggressive OC razor. Blade gap/exposure are greater in the former. Now certainly one may go over the cheek with the Tech more times and use different approaches & angles to get a closer shave, but that's bending the rules, so to speak. As for me, I simply cannot shave comfortably around my mouth & chin with an aggressive razor. I have to go slower and the risks of cuts/scrapes are far higher which outweigh any possible benefits.

[Rufust445]

Early Saturday morning I did a quick 2-pass touch up after shaving late Friday afternoon. I used a Bic single blade disposable to minimize irritation and a good quality (Godrej) lather. I was amazed how that close touch-up lasted during the day while on a 400 mile round trip to another state to help celebrate a relative's birthday. Good technique and lather can work surprisingly well even with a cheap disposable.

[BPman]

...Good technique and lather can work surprisingly well even with a cheap disposable.

Yes, but it requires more pressure than with a DE and inevitably I receive ingrown hairs as a result.

[gwsmallwood]

I don't find as much difference in my face shaves, but for my head shaves it makes a huge difference. I just can't seem to get the same quality of shave from a mild razor on my head. I just went back to my NEW LC (with 5 shims) for OCtober and even after 15 months of DE shaving and developing great technique, I still can't get the same results with it as I do from a wide open adjustable or my R41. I think it comes down to your hair, skin, and shaving style.