open comb razors
- Thread starter Boab
- Start Date
- Joined
- Friday July 10, 2009
- Location
- Little Feckwittering-on-the-Moor
Generally speaking an open comb is more aggressive than a safety bar razor (a closed comb is a bar...) because if you look at the blade exposure, there is simply more blade exposed.
Funny that you should post this as i have just today received my first open comb razor ( Merkur 11c ).
Used it this Morning and had a fantastic shave.
It doesnt feel anymore aggresive than my Merkur 38c safety bar but has shaved every bit as close if not closer.
The main benefit is i have zero irritation at all, no reddness etc which i sometimes get with a Safety bar.
I feel that the main reason for this is that your shaving angle has to be spot on or a open comb will not cut anything due to no blade gap.
I have been DE shaving for many years and had seemingly developed a lazy tecnique.
So i am now a convert to the open comb and would recommend a 11c to everyone.
I got mine from a shop in Preston on the Web called MyShavingShop which i found were far cheaper than everywhere else.
Used it this Morning and had a fantastic shave.
It doesnt feel anymore aggresive than my Merkur 38c safety bar but has shaved every bit as close if not closer.
The main benefit is i have zero irritation at all, no reddness etc which i sometimes get with a Safety bar.
I feel that the main reason for this is that your shaving angle has to be spot on or a open comb will not cut anything due to no blade gap.
I have been DE shaving for many years and had seemingly developed a lazy tecnique.
So i am now a convert to the open comb and would recommend a 11c to everyone.
I got mine from a shop in Preston on the Web called MyShavingShop which i found were far cheaper than everywhere else.
I would say that the gap between the blade & the head of the razor would be the biggest contributing factor in making a razor aggresive or not.
It would be interesting to test a Merkur hd against a Merkur hd open comb. Or any other razors that only differ in bar style.
It would be interesting to test a Merkur hd against a Merkur hd open comb. Or any other razors that only differ in bar style.
Re: open comb razors
by fozz77 » Wed Sep 30, 2009 4:14 pm
I would say that the gap between the blade & the head of the razor would be the biggest contributing factor in making a razor aggresive or not.
It would be interesting to test a Merkur hd against a Merkur hd open comb. Or any other razors that only differ in bar style.
fozz77
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The gap between the head and the blade tends to contribute to aggresiveness but on a Open Comb there is no gap whatsoever. The top guard sits directly ontop of the blade and sandwiches it down. What i have noticed is that more of the blades cutting edge is visible on the open combs.
by fozz77 » Wed Sep 30, 2009 4:14 pm
I would say that the gap between the blade & the head of the razor would be the biggest contributing factor in making a razor aggresive or not.
It would be interesting to test a Merkur hd against a Merkur hd open comb. Or any other razors that only differ in bar style.
fozz77
***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
The gap between the head and the blade tends to contribute to aggresiveness but on a Open Comb there is no gap whatsoever. The top guard sits directly ontop of the blade and sandwiches it down. What i have noticed is that more of the blades cutting edge is visible on the open combs.
- Joined
- Wednesday September 2, 2009
I ordered my first open comb last week, a nicely replated New from safetyrazors.co.uk.
I was surprised by it as it's very different from the usal safety bar and slants.
It's not as aggressive as I expected and does an amazing job at removing stubble.
Two passes of the New is comparable in the stubble removing stakes to 3-4 passes
of my normal razors. However I can not get as close a shave with it, smooth yes, even yes
but just not as close as I like.
On a mission to find something slightly more aggressive I've ordered a couple more
Merkur and Muhle open combs and will try the New with a few more different blades.
I was surprised by it as it's very different from the usal safety bar and slants.
It's not as aggressive as I expected and does an amazing job at removing stubble.
Two passes of the New is comparable in the stubble removing stakes to 3-4 passes
of my normal razors. However I can not get as close a shave with it, smooth yes, even yes
but just not as close as I like.
On a mission to find something slightly more aggressive I've ordered a couple more
Merkur and Muhle open combs and will try the New with a few more different blades.
Boab said:
Boab, I read through your review for the Muehle R41 last night. Interesting stuff. I don't know that much about Open-Combs and always presumed they were used on slightly longer growth (maybe the comb reminded me of the clippers barbers use). So I thought I'd do a bit of digging. I read somewhere that the new-style '(Coat) Hanger' OC has the advantage over the standard safety-bar razors because the comb removes much less lather from the face before the blade reaches the hairs - unlike the safety bar, which 'wipes' away the lather before the blade gets to where it needs to be. To me, this kinda makes sense. If this is indeed the case (I'm sure someone will put me right if it's not), then surely we should all be using OCs? I'm aware that Open-Combs are generally perceived as agressive bits of kit, but there are many users who state the opposite.
On a separate note, I'm sure I read somewhere that the Muehle R41 head is actually manufactured by Merkur. Is this correct?
- Joined
- Wednesday August 26, 2009
- Location
- New Forest, England.
I am interested in this too. This week a friend gave me his father's shaving gear. It included what has turned out to be a Gillette Single Ring made in 1918. It has an open comb and really looks just like the R41. I had a superb shave with it and will look forward to using it again. The money we can spend! Fish around and you need to spend next to nothing on an old razor that will see you and your successors out! Doesn't diminish my enthusiasm for new stuff but it's good to remember that there is incredible value in the old.
Now that hedge needs to be cut.
Now that hedge needs to be cut.
OP
- Joined
- Friday July 10, 2009
- Thread Starter
- #13
open comb hedge cutter?
I really liked the open comb razor and haven't picked anything else up since I first tried it!
I find it doesn't remove all the soap so maybe this helps with lubrication, hadn't thought about that to be honest.I would like to try a vintage open comb and compare with the Muehle.
Saying that it didn't stop me from purchasing a Slim from Erwin, can't wait til that arrives.
I really liked the open comb razor and haven't picked anything else up since I first tried it!I find it doesn't remove all the soap so maybe this helps with lubrication, hadn't thought about that to be honest.I would like to try a vintage open comb and compare with the Muehle.
Saying that it didn't stop me from purchasing a Slim from Erwin, can't wait til that arrives.
In your opinion, Boab, is the R41oc better suited to more experienced DE shavers, who've already perfected their technique? I was thinking that being slightly 'head heavy' (so I've read), it might be a bit trickier to master.
Out of interest, the R41 in the image below has ridges rather than the machine-stamped knurl-effect yours has. Does this mean it's an earlier/later model or something?
Out of interest, the R41
in the image below has ridges rather than the machine-stamped knurl-effect yours has. Does this mean it's an earlier/later model or something?
- Joined
- Tuesday September 8, 2009
Can I dive into this one too, NApe, please...?
It is a dream to use and easier to drive than the heavier HD (for instance) and so smooth it is scary. Your CC technique ought to serve you well with this OC; just go carefully around your face, as usual. I dont have an unduly coarse beard and it works a treat for me.
The picture looks like either an Edwin Jagger lined handle (like the EJ 89L CC) or it may indeed be an earlier version but the latter opinion is beyond my experience.
BS
It is a dream to use and easier to drive than the heavier HD (for instance) and so smooth it is scary. Your CC technique ought to serve you well with this OC; just go carefully around your face, as usual. I dont have an unduly coarse beard and it works a treat for me.
The picture looks like either an Edwin Jagger lined handle (like the EJ 89L CC) or it may indeed be an earlier version but the latter opinion is beyond my experience.
BS
OP
- Joined
- Friday July 10, 2009
- Thread Starter
- #16
I believe that is the earlier model, Audioloab has both and describes them in this post. <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=583&p=6247&hilit=muhle#p6247" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">viewtopic.php?f=4&t=583&p=6247&hilit=muhle#p6247</a><!-- l -->
The open comb is described as being more aggressive but I didn't find any problems using it.As I said in my initial review I could hardly feel the blade on my skin.The new version is lighter from what I can gather but is well balanced with the longer handle.
The open comb is described as being more aggressive but I didn't find any problems using it.As I said in my initial review I could hardly feel the blade on my skin.The new version is lighter from what I can gather but is well balanced with the longer handle.