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Question to all you adjustable shavers...

How do yous shave with your adjustable?

  • I stick to one setting all passes and the whole shave through.

  • I start with a more agressive setting for the first passes. Then turn it down.

  • I start with a milder setting for the first passes. Then turn it up.


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I do too which begs the question of why I bought an adjustable in the first place...

As a followup to my prior statement, I've noticed that as my technique has improved, I tend to dial up my adjustables. Now I'm at 9 on Gillettes, 5 on my Mergress, and when I took my R41 for its first test drive, I wasn't put off by its "appressiveness" at all.
 
ackvil said:
I usually do my first pass at 5, my second at 7, and my third and fourth at 8 and 9 - except for my neck which never goes above 7 or if I feel the need, an 8. I am willing to do an extra pass so I get a smooth shave rather use a more aggressive setting for every pass and risk irritation even though with one less pass. This is the same method (although not the settings) Mantic 59 uses.

The reason I increase my settings is that the first pass gets the bulk of the stubble without any irritation. The subsequent passes are for more beard reduction and that is accomplished with a higher setting.

+1 on following Jim's technique. When I first started using an adjustable razor, I started at a more aggressive (higher) setting and then worked my way down. Then, on Jim's recommendation, I tried it the other way (starting lower and working my way up on subsequent passes), and I found it to work much better for me too. I then had the chance to ask the same question of Mark Herro (Mantic59) when he was at the Great Shave Event in Chicago last November. He uses the adjustable Merkur Progress and also follows the lower to higher technique for the closest, most comfortable shaves. Admittedly, a lot has to do with your personal technique. Find what works for you and stick with it; there is no right or wrong. In the end, it doesn't matter what technique you use so long as you can get consistently smooth, irritation free shaves.
 
To me, the point of adjustment is to pinpoint the best setting for a blade, not for a particular moment of a shave. I can't adjust most DE razors, and yet I figure out how to shave with them from start to finish. I tinker and take notes on my adjustables as I go primarily to figure out what setting each brand of blade needs for best results. Once I know that, I set it and stick with it.
 
I set it more aggressive on the sides of my face and neck. but I have to turn it right down for my chin and round my mouth or I get really bad rash and ingrowing hairs.
 
I just got my fatboy yesterday, first shave today. One stroke on 6, one on a 2, then I went to nine and was hooked!
 
I recently acquired a Fatboy. I used it this a.m. with a fresh Astra SP. Set and left at 7. wtg/atg+Cella = my first BBS!
 
I usually stick with one setting for the entire shave but... I do change the setting based on how many days between shaves... If go an entire weekend with out shaving I'll open it up on Monday morning.
 
i shave on one setting and don't use them as much as I did when I played with different settings. I use nonadjustables mostly.
 
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