Razors come is all shapes and sizes but in DE fall, more often than not into 3 types. Bar, Open Comb & Slant. Slants are supposed to work more efficiently because of a perceived guillotine action (this is complete nonsense as the blade is horizontal and not vertical) and the distortion of the blade causes the beard reduction (known as shaving) unevenly cut. The result is all SLANTS cause rough, sharp edged regrowth. Basically slants suck and making them more aggressive does not solve the problem and i base this on using the
37C,
iKon 102 and
ATT-S2 (open comb/slant combo).
Next is the BAR. It can be the most smooth of shaves but unless built or given a more aggressive gap takes work to get smooth and often results in irritation. I base this on use of
EJ89,
34C, the ajustable
fusion and
iKon 101 (comb OC/Bar). Bar razors have decent hair reduction and regrowth is often smooth. Its not easy to get BSS and the more aggressive the BAR the bigger risk of cuts and irritation. I hate irritation, as i loath the feeling of unshaven stubble ~ the solution next!
Lastly the OPENCOMB DE RAZOR. Opencomb falls into 2 camps, LONG COMB and SHORT. The SHORTER the comb the more aggressive it is because the closer the blade is to the skin. The longer, the smoother it feels. The other thing about the OC is that some of the shaving soap remains on the face after each swipe. Allowing for several repeated passes for beard/hair reduction. The mildest OC is by FAR the
PhoenixDOC (double open comb). For some (depending on when, how and what you shave) might be the only razor you will need. For me its just too mild for passes1/2, so I use a more aggressive razor, but pass 3 and clean up i was swapping to the DOC and got easy BBS with no irritation (which i am very prone to on the neck). The
R41 (2103) version is about as aggressive a (short comb) razor as i would be game to try and its great for passes 1&2 but more than that and its a poor razor to pick for pass 3 and clean up unless you have a face made of old cow hide! Mine gets a fire that lasts for hours and i say if youve got this, then something is wrong! The
2011 R41 and some of the
ATT/WOLFMAN/S6 KickStarterEd offerings fall somewhere between the two. Whats nice about the
iKon 101 is that you can have both the OC for quick slash of wiskers for pass one and two, and the bar for a more gentle clean up.
So, whats better? Well in 2014 Parker launched their OC the
Parker 24C/26C (same head, different handle). The
26C is amazing. It does the beard reduction thats expected of an OC, but it does buffering like the
PhoenixDOC. Now why all the shaving videos show shavers using only one razor throughout i am most perplexed. I cant be the only one to find different razors better fot different parts of a shave, or beard condition. I also notice NONE mention beard growth after 18-24hrs. Like ive said, SLANTS regrowth sucks moneys balls IMO! Great for 3+ days growth for pass 1 and/or 2 but not for a daily shaver thats for sure. Regularity is another thing, with the
26C i can shave daily baby smooth, no cuts or irritation. Regrowth (beause its such an effective hair length reducer) a shave is good for 18hours, with minimal, soft stubble after 24. if it wasn't for a morning shower to plump up my face hair, i could go 36hrs easy. But i like to wake up with a shower daily in the AM, so i shave daily too. The
iKon 101 & R41 remain on standby but the slants are used only when i need to mow down some more serious face rug hair!
YMMV, things that may vary it is the state of your face, skin, hair direction and growth and sensitivity to both shaing, soaps, balms ect... After a shave
- rince with a good cloth
- Alum (wetted) your face & avoid the eyes, its stings)
- wichazel to spruce up your skin
- shaving balm (spf is good)
- (optional, depending on balm) aftershave or cologne!
Next, Razor and Bush care! The reason is both longevity and hygiene. Bacteria & gunk off your face is a breeding ground of rust and skin irrttation!
- take DE apart, rince and let dry before assembly. WIPE the edge of the DE blade, remove scum before reuse and DONT CUT YOURSELF (ITS EASY DONE)
- RINCE THE BRUSH WITH WATER, GENTLE SQUEEZE AND WIPE DRY ON TOWL, GENTLY. Now keep in the LIGHT to dry. I keep mine in an empty toilet roll centre to absorb excess water and keep the brush shape. This is especially the case for badger brushes.
So my pick. The 24C or 26C from parker. If i had just one brush, this would be it. I can get a week from a single blade (astras sp for now) and my trust parker best badger. Got the rest, this is the best BY FAR.... here endth the lesson
