What makes a smooth shaver smooth?

Sherbet66

Sherbet66

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104
Location
Glasgow
I had a few runs with my new Wilkinson Sword TTO stocking filler, I found it to be mild to medium aggressiveness but not really a smooth razor. Switching back to the Gamechanger .84 and the Rockwell 6S (on the 4) was noticeably smoother and more aggressive. Blades, soap etc were all the same.

This got me thinking, is there any particular attribute that makes a shaver smooth? Possibly the plate angles, the coating, balance or maybe there isn't a single attribute that works.

Any thoughts?
 
I think blade presentation has a lot to do with it - that's the amount the blade sticks out from the cap, rather than gap. Too much and you get chatter and fluttering, which leads to irritation; too little and you feel like you need to press harder, again leading to irritation. Too little torsion as well is probably a factor which has everything to do with the geometry of the razor - both the plate and the cap.

The other thing that is often overlooked it blade alignment - whether it's actually in straight and whether it is perfectly centred. There are razors that you need to do a lot of fiddling with to get the blade in straight and centered, others you just drop the blade onto the upside down top cap, assemble, give it a little jiggle and nip it up. If I start a shave and it feels a bit rough, it's almost certainly blade alignment ... which is easily fixed.

So, consider your shaves ...

Was the Wilko vocal? Could you hear the blade rasping away? I'm guessing, but it's likely the blade had some slop and wasn't well torsioned by the razor. In the Game Changer and the Rockwell, likely completely the opposite - well aligned, little play, good torsion and nipped up nice.
 
For me beard preperation; no oil or debris on the face, softened stubble makes for a smooth shave. I noted a huge difference when I started DE shaving, especially after lathering up with propper soap and a brush (no gunk from a can). One day I used a cart but with the same level of prep for the DE shave and the difference was notable.

I also notice a difference if I am in a hurry and/or get lazy with a DE shave and I don't give the beard a good soak in water to soften the stubble and/or I use cream/soap e.g. Kiehl's which is applied by fingers rather than a brush.

As ever in wet shaving, I appreciate YMMV.

Chris
 
I've been really impressed by how smooth the Fatip Piccolo is. Consensus seems to be this is due to the way the head clamps the blade down tight, resulting in less chatter. I can really feel a difference between this and my Merkur open-comb.

The Merkur 45 bakelite razor also seems to have a reputation for a well-clamped blade and a smooth shave. Thicker AC blades in a SE razor could be worth exploring too.
 
Sherbet66 said:
I had a few runs with my new Wilkinson Sword TTO stocking filler, I found it to be mild to medium aggressiveness but not really a smooth razor. Switching back to the Gamechanger .84 and the Rockwell 6S (on the 4) was noticeably smoother and more aggressive. Blades, soap etc were all the same.

This got me thinking, is there any particular attribute that makes a shaver smooth? Possibly the plate angles, the coating, balance or maybe there isn't a single attribute that works.

Any thoughts?
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Hey Sherbet66. I'd recommend changing your viewpoint with all due respect. Its more about how your skin reacts, and how efficiently your beard is cut... Verses how often you shave and what your expectations are.

You own a good adjustable (I own the Rockwell 6C, and shave on R6). Once you find a nice blade combo (nice to skin, efficiently cut beard) on your R4, a good brush, good shave soap/croap and technique will elevate your shave to the next level.
 
I've said it again and again, but cold water prep, razor rinse, and finishing off all with cold (yes, even in this weather) was revelatory for me. The skin contracts, making the bristles more prominent. Plus, less is more in terms of products. Zero irritation. There also is still a tendency of those starting out to use every oil, pre-shave cream and post-shave unguents. The result is quite often a face like an Aberdeen policeman and they wonder why.
 
+1 on @Scotshave

Preparation, preparation and.......... preparation

You have to just find out for yourself what razor and what blades work for you.

I know someone mentioned aggression etc is not solely down to blade gap. A plus there as well. The Ikon B1 is on the high end of the nasty scale but the gap is small. However there is a lot of Blade on show and the angle rather leads towards a very efficient shave.

There are a lot of factors in play and most important is what works on a personal scale.
 
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