Adjustable Razor Caution

**OldSaw** · 07-09-2007, 03:57 PM

CAUTION, extremely gross picture attached. Do not go any further if a bloody face wigs you out.

Just to make sure I wasn’t smoking something funny, I thought I’d try adjusting up with my 1962 Gillette slim adjustable, for each successive pass, as discussed in this thread. All I can say is, “AWFUL”!

It was one of the worst shaves ever. I am no novice and was using extreme caution. The result is what you see in the picture. I know YMMV always applies, but this is extreme. I would never recommend dialing up to anyone, especially a beginner. In fact, I would suggest starting on the lowest setting and try the higher settings as you learn how to use this versatile tool

I started my WTG pass at the lowest setting of 1. For the XTG pass I dialed up to 5 and for the final ATG pass I went to the highest setting of 9. I usually start at 9 for WTG on the easy parts and dial down to 3 for chin and Adam's apple area. Then I continue down for XTG and finally end up at 1 for ATG and any buffing if necessary.

Set up was T&H PSO and luxury shave soap, AOS pure badger brush and 1962 Slim. Shave prep was the usual and I added the PSO just to be safe even though there is not any need for it with a good shave prep.

I am putting the picture at the end to give people a chance to read without looking at the result.

dial-up shave.jpg

**Wil** · 07-09-2007, 04:04 PM

too late!!!

**norman931** · 07-09-2007, 04:21 PM

Well, most of us who dial up don't end up like that!

Actually, I seldom get a nick from the FB, starting at 3 or 4, and working up to 9 for the last pass. I do experiment with different settings from time to time, and I think that dialing down can work equally well.
But this does illustrate that a newbie probably should hold off on the adjustables for a while!

Norm

**polod** · 07-09-2007, 04:36 PM

I too dial it up, no problem. I usually start on 5 for first pass, then 7 second and third 9 and touch-up. I never get nicks or cuts. I do keep my face wet and soaked in lather. I've been shaving with a Gillette adjustable for only two months. I quickly adapted my technique with the razor and I find the Gillette adjustable a very easy razor to shave with. In fact I love this razor a lot, probably get buried with mine just in case I need a shave before entering the pearly gates.

**RJSquirell** · 07-09-2007, 04:41 PM

hey Old Saw,

WOW

are you sure you weren't sing an old saw? That makes me hurt!
When I dial up it is from 5 to 6 and know more and extra attention to preasure
Man,..OW! I'm so sorry. Guess I won't even think of 7 to 9.

**Zeni** · 07-09-2007, 05:22 PM

I dial down with my Progress, even then I get sometimes get a nick or 2 on '1'.

**fritz** · 07-09-2007, 05:39 PM

Hmmm, looks to me like your lather may have been a little dry, Dennis.

That's a Slim? I do hope you don't own a Fat Boy...
Do you need to order a new alum block?

I guess my real question is, why didn't you stop after the first 18 cuts?

OK, seriously, here's hoping that a little laughter really is the best medicine. No? Well, tell us where to donate blood....

**dj88onmc** · 07-09-2007, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by fritz

OK, seriously, here's hoping that a little laughter really is the best medicine. No? Well, tell us where to donate blood....

Judging from the pic, it's probably going to hurt like the dickens if he does laugh!

**fritz** · 07-09-2007, 05:55 PM

Well, after a little thought... I think your problem came from the extremes. In other words, 5-6-8 might have worked just fine. Here's the reasoning: at setting 1, the WTG pass removed almost no stubble. So the XTG pass at 5 was really the first pass. Therefore, when you went ATG with setting 9 the stubble was still way too long to have that be a good idea.

The whole idea behind dialing up is as the stubble gets shorter, you need more blade exposed to get to it. Another school of thought is that you set a certain blade exposure (as you must if you're using a non-adjustable) and control the amount of stubble removed each pass by changing the angle ever so slightly on each pass. There's a similar explanation for dial-it-down, which is usually better for people whose beard "lies flat". Constant exposure/vary angle OR dial-it-up is good for people whose beard sticks mostly straight out.

Man, I'm going to have to go put on some ASB; hurts just to look at that!

**OldSaw** · 07-09-2007, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by fritz

Hmmm, looks to me like your lather may have been a little dry, Dennis.

That's a Slim? I do hope you don't own a Fat Boy...
Do you need to order a new alum block?

I guess my real question is, why didn't you stop after the first 18 cuts?

OK, seriously, here's hoping that a little laughter really is the best medicine. No? Well, tell us where to donate blood....

The dry lather appearance is only because by the time I found the camera and got a decent picture my face was pretty dry. Actually the only one that hurt was the one on my neck near the jugular and that one was mostly due to putting a #9 setting razor near an area of loose thin skin.

The reason why I didn't stop was because I wanted to complete the entire shave using this technique and thought perhaps I might figure out just the right technique to make it work for me. I was using very light short strokes and most of the wounds are just superficial little weepers. It looks much worse than it was. That was last Friday just before I headed up to my cottage for the weekend and by Sunday I got one of the best shaves which I posted here.

I actually really like this razor and use it almost daily, but of course I dial down. My whiskers do lie pretty flat, so maybe that's why dial down works best for me.

**copperhead** · 07-09-2007, 07:19 PM

Inspite of all that blood, you get your camera and take a picture to post it here.
As Fritzer said "I guess my real question is, why didn't you stop after the first 18 cuts?" You should stop when things dont go smoothly, which is an understatement in this case. Dude take it easy.

**D'Brie** · 07-09-2007, 09:53 PM

Ow!

Man that hurts! Take a day (or two) off. So sorry.

**KenS** · 07-09-2007, 09:59 PM

Oh Mannn; I can just feel the burn as you slap on the Proraso Splash or Clubman Bay Rum!!!

**Roman414** · 07-09-2007, 10:59 PM

I haven't looked like that since I tried to give a cat a bath.

VR6ofpain · 07-09-2007, 11:04 PM

I usually do the following:

WTG @ 3
XTG @ 3
XTG again @ 4
ATG & touchup @ 1 or 2

Works great. Since it is dialed down for the final pass, there is no ATG aggressiveness and no cuts.

**OldSaw** · 07-10-2007, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by KenS

Oh Mannn; I can just feel the burn as you slap on the Proraso Splash or Clubman Bay Rum!!!

I found the AOS lemon ASB to be very comforting and quite healing.

**FloppyShoes** · 07-10-2007, 04:28 PM

was it BBS at least? LOL

**digitldlnkwnt** · 07-10-2007, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by Roman414

I haven't looked like that since I tried to give a cat a bath.

....yep...been there!

**paydepst** · 07-11-2007, 02:21 AM

ATG at 9?!? You shaving or skinning?

**Justme-** · 07-11-2007, 02:13 PM

Wow. It's hard to think of just what to say...I can bet that hurts....

This is definatly a YMMV, and with everything in threads on this board reguarding how aggressive #9 is, how important it is to know your own face and work up in stages, and how different everything is to everyone, there's alot to consider before making such a leap with those extremes. (you definatly won't do that again

;)
If you normally shave on 3 (for example- being the norm), why drop back to 1? Why not 3-4-5....3-5-7....2-4-6...... then move from there. .

I don't use an adjustible (have one, but never used) and everything I've read tells me 9 is a baad thing for my face.