What's new

Gilette Tech VS. New

I currently use a tech, and have never even come close to cutting myself. The New however, is quite a bit more aggressive. It is open comb, and I have found it to be quite a bit more aggressive than my merkur HD open comb. It is an awesome razor, but only if your face can handle it. It cut way too close for me, but the tech is the only I have found to be gentle enough.
I am sure there are more aggressive, but for me, it cut quite close.
If I put a merkur hd 34C (safety bar) as a 5 out of 10 on the aggressive scale, I would put the New at around 7.5. Keep in mind I haven't tried any notoriously aggressive razors.
 
Last edited:
My experience was somewhat different. I started with a Tech and gradually built up my technique (started last June). About three months ago, I felt that I had plateaued and decided to seek out a more aggressive razor. A little looking and horse trading allowed me to wind up with a '30's New and '59 Fatboy. I found that both (with a bit of practice and suitable blade - Iridium in my case) allowed me to get a 2-pass BBS. But the New was far more comfortable for me. Even though it seems to be able to mow down more stubble than the Tech it does so in a way that seems every bit as gentle as my old Tech.

Bottom Line: If you can find one, give it a try. You may find as I did that you got both more aggression and more comfort. That's a pretty good deal to find in one razor.
 
I personally cannot get a descent shave with a Tech, in under four passes. The British Long Comb New is just right for my beard.

This image I took shows some of the different New heads:

proxy.php
 
I have never found a New to be aggressive. That being said, I have never liked Tech razors. They just don't like me for some reason.
 
NEWs can be blade sensitive and quite aggressive with a blade like the Feather.
I personally only use Feathers in adjustable razor so I can dial them down.
I like Derbys with my NEWs.
 
Just last week Chester graciously sold me a fat handled Tech and a "Frankenrazor" that combines the head of a long comb New with, as he describes it, a solid-bar ball-end handle that would normally go on a tech head in the same era (30s and 40s). So not exactly a New, but except for balance, the same.

Both are new to me (no pun intended). I'm just now getting used to the Tech, which is very mild, forgiving, and an utter delight. I'll post my observations about them as I go along.
 
Top Bottom