flare tip

Let's talk about single and double edged razors and the blades that they use.
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nicodemus38

flare tip

Post by nicodemus38 »

just how do you make it more kinder to the face?
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Straight Arrow
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Re: flare tip

Post by Straight Arrow »

Can't go wrong with a SuperSpeed. Make it kinder? Find the blade that complements both the razor and your face. Then refine the technique.
Rich
CMur12
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Re: flare tip

Post by CMur12 »

A Super Speed is normally pretty mild and face-friendly, but I'm speaking from experience with flair-tips from the 1950s. Still, I don't think I have ever heard anyone accuse these razors of being unkind to the face. The main susceptibility of Gillette TTO razors is a fall onto a hard surface that can occasionally torque the razor head out of alignment. In my early years here, when a lot of us bought used Gillettes, we were warned to watch for this.

- Murray
nicodemus38

Re: flare tip

Post by nicodemus38 »

this one is immaculate in the bars, doors, the entire head is perfectly lined up. The finish is faded, but five seconds in a nickel plate tank and youd think it was never used.

I used my 65 k1 flare tip again today. Really went careful with it. Really light. Used a family dollar blade. Either the least expensive gillete or dorco blade made in Vietnam. either way the blades aren't bad at all. and have been better quality then german wilkinsons ive found made in the first month of 2015.

I even did the "only let the silo door and blade touch the face. keep the safety bar in the air". That helped a bit. but I still got burn when my other razors wouldn't. It is aggressive. I only needed to do a third pass for touchup. Kept skimming over some spots.
ironically I cut myself on places that I don't shave. perhaps getting it lined up.

I started with a weishi. that's supposedly the mildest thing around.
CMur12
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Re: flare tip

Post by CMur12 »

The Weishi is indeed mild - definitely milder than a Super Speed, except for maybe a Blue Tip (which I haven't tried).

I haven't used a 1960s Super Speed, myself. Have you used any other than the one you have? It really doesn't sound typical of the line. It's possible that it was even defective from the factory.

Like you, I favor mild razors. Many consider the Edwin Jagger/Muehle razors mild, but they are too aggressive for me to use on a regular basis. My 1950s flair-tip Super Speeds are definitely milder than an EJ/Muehle and I could use them on a regular basis.

- Murray
nicodemus38

Re: flare tip

Post by nicodemus38 »

ive tried to 60s era slims with less then pleasant results. Id like to get this super speed functional, its not damaged in anyway.
I haven't tried another flare tip or regular super speed. I haven't tried a blue tip, although I would love to. My 69 super adjustable is lovely, but id like something less complicated. don't use it much.

any time ive bidded on a pre flare, its always sold for massive prices.
CMur12
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Re: flare tip

Post by CMur12 »

From what I've read, the pre-flair Super Speeds are supposed to be a little more aggressive than the 1950s flair-tip Super Speeds.

I know that the SS razor head was given a lower/flatter profile some time in the '60s. Some have said that they shaved differently from their predecessors, but again yours sounds inconsistent with the general reputation of the Super Speed.

Gillette Adjustables can be very mild at low settings. I have used a 1960 Fatboy and liked it set at 4 or 5. I had a Super Adjustable, but that one tended to bite me. I couldn't see anything visibly wrong with it and just assumed it was an incompatibility with some aspect of my micro-technique, as I have never heard anyone with the same complaint about the Super Adjustable. Most consider the Super Adjustable the best of the Adjustables, but mine didn't seem so.

- Murray
nicodemus38

Re: flare tip

Post by nicodemus38 »

the super adjustables keep a constant contact of the blade to the enterior of the silo doors. my slims don't.

the flare tip is aggressive for me. my OLD TYPE is almost as smooth and mild as my 66 travel tech.
notthesharpest
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Re: flare tip

Post by notthesharpest »

I have had a similar experience with some Gillettes. That is, even though they appeared mild, there was something about the way they were built (head geometry? I don't know) that made them scrape me. I didn't get the same scraping effect from other razors, especially not the ones that people usually think of as "aggressive". As long as I didn't play the fool and cut myself, a Merkur Futur gave me a more comfortable "friendly" shave than some of the old Gillettes (all of which were in good condition, not broken or worn out).

In fact, come to think of it, it was precisely those Gillettes with the "extra mild" reputations that scraped me the worst. Probably something about my technique is to blame, but since I'm happy with the razors I have now, it doesn't matter that much to me anymore.
nicodemus38

Re: flare tip

Post by nicodemus38 »

the regular flare is aggressive. its the "same" aggressiveness as my super adjustable on 5. which according to all current literature, is how it should be.

if you get the soap done the way I do, it seems to be good for a one pass shave, second pass is merely buffing.

but ironically it can be deadly if the lather is too slick.
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