(Note: I'll come back later to fill in with photos.)
My first DE razor was a Merkur Classic open comb -- because that's what they had in stock at Tulsa Barber Supply. I remember sitting at my computer after my first shave feeling that my face had been planed down to unprecedented levels of closeness.
I soon moved on to vintage Gillettes before cycling back to current-production Merkur "safety bar" fixed heads, which have really remained my mainstay for a long time -- the HD, Classic, and 1904.
A couple of weeks ago, I bought a Merkur 1904 open-comb razor from Phil at BullGoose and have been getting used to the somewhat more aggressive action of this razor. Enjoyable shaves led me to clean up an old open-comb mystery razor that I've had hanging around for a while. A little research on the forums has revealed that this is a Gillette Model 102 -- the second model that Gillette introduced. The serial number on mine checks to 1911. It's far from pristine, but it's in perfectly usable shape for a century-old razor.
Both razors have been delivering remarkably close shaves, though I have to use more caution -- especially below the jawline, where I can easily give myself razor burn and weepers if I'm not paying attention. I think it's more critical with open-comb razors to think about the shaving angle, keep a light touch, and take your time.
By the way: Part of my technique is to go directly to an against-the-grain first pass on the cheeks (not the standard recommendation, but it works for me). Around the mouth and on the neck, I do a more standard W-X-A pattern. This is working well with the open combs.
If you haven't tried an open-comb design -- especially a "non-New" type design -- I recommend you give it a try. You'll discover it's a slightly different sort of beast, but you might get some good results to reward your efforts.