Crazy idea: increase aggressivenes & blade exposure... by adding extra blades

**mistervee123** · 08-18-2012, 01:01 PM

This is probably an idea that somebody already had, but I did a search and didn't find it, so here goes. I have a Muhle R107 razor that I like, but as my "skill" has progressed, it was dropped from the rotation because it seemed so mild. A while back, I saw a thread about using a shim to make vintage Gillette Techs more aggressive, but there wasn't a mention of what was used for the shim. So I started looking for thin materials that would make a durable shim. Then I thought, why not use old DE blades and just cut off the edges? So I did.

I used some old Feather blades. I trimmed off the blade edges with a scissors, then used sandpaper to smooth any rough edges. Multiple blade shims allowed me to experiment with finding the blade exposure that I would prefer. Three of these shims give about .5 mm of additional blade exposure.

The results seem good so far. Hey, it's something to try, and it has put my Muhle 107 back into the rotation again after many months of storage on a shelf.

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**Dennard** · 08-18-2012, 01:16 PM

Good luck! It will be interesting to hear the results.

**Dr Roadrash** · 08-18-2012, 01:26 PM

Yup thats exactly how most people shim but usually they only cut off the very edge of the cutting edge that way the cutting blade is stiffer. Why not try extending the shim a little and report back.

Aaron

**HoosierTrooper** · 08-18-2012, 01:32 PM

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/306256-Razor-Blade-Shims-For-Older-Razors
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/sh...&cutoffdate=10
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...Fun-With-Shims
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...ing-with-shims
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...-3-piece-razor
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...Aggressiveness
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...ld-Type-Razors

**celestino** · 08-18-2012, 03:19 PM

Three shims! Wow, you are brave! i have used two in my Tech and it was a bit uncomfortable. One seems to do the trick and also works excellently in my Muhle R101 2010. It has become my best shaver, i think!

**JeffOlson** · 08-18-2012, 03:33 PM

I've been doing that recently with my Feather AS-D1, using as many as three shims made as wide as possible and stacked beneath a Feather blade. It really helps to give the blade more bite!

**rxonmymind** · 08-18-2012, 08:47 PM

Just get a Futur!

**KcHighLife** · 08-18-2012, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by HoosierTrooper

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/306256-Razor-Blade-Shims-For-Older-Razors
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/sh...&cutoffdate=10
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...Fun-With-Shims
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...ing-with-shims
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...-3-piece-razor
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...Aggressiveness
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...ld-Type-Razors

Thanks Tom! I've been wanting read more ideas as well as results.

**Vickers** · 08-18-2012, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by rxonmymind

Just get a Futur!

Or a ~~1975~~ ~~1974~~ early 70s Black Beauty!

**Searlands** · 08-19-2012, 01:53 AM

Originally Posted by rxonmymind

Just get a Futur!

+ 1

**Paddan1000** · 08-19-2012, 03:00 AM

From the title I thought you were making an improvised multiblade DE razor. Would that be possible, by for instance adding a blade, a couple of shims and then another blade?

**lli** · 08-19-2012, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by Paddan1000

From the title I thought you were making an improvised multiblade DE razor. Would that be possible, by for instance adding a blade, a couple of shims and then another blade?

That would be interesting. Who dares to try this?
I think you would need a somewhat smaller blade to get the curve right.

**Sledgehammer39** · 08-19-2012, 05:27 AM

Shimming does make a razor more aggressive, good luck!

**Paddan1000** · 08-19-2012, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by IIi

That would be interesting. Who dares to try this?
I think you would need a somewhat smaller blade to get the curve right.

Do all blades have exactly the same measurements, or are there any brands that are a fraction wider or narrower than the average?

**syngent** · 08-19-2012, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by lli

That would be interesting. Who dares to try this?
I think you would need a somewhat smaller blade to get the curve right.

Try it lol there are lots of people who do this on a regular basis, this and the 1/4 blade trick have been around almost as long as DE razors have, the two tricks are eventually what paved the way for adjustable razors to be developed its great for getting razors you love that you just ont get a great shave from another life in your rotation,

the blades dont have to be exact but i have found you should cut the shim so that when the head cap comes down they are even or extend beyond it in order to properly support the cutting blade, otherwise you may end up with some wavyness to the edge or get some blade chatter as you do your pass,... not all razors suffer from this but it is a good idea just in case

great post MisterVee

**rxonmymind** · 08-19-2012, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by vickers

or a ~~1975~~ ~~1974~~ early 70s black beauty!

ha!

**mistervee123** · 08-19-2012, 01:23 PM

The Muhle R107 is now back in the rotation! Three shims seemed a little much, so I dropped back to two shims, and the razor works great with just that tiny bit of added blade exposure. I also tried this Muhle head on my Weber Bulldog handle, and it is fantastic with the extra heft. It looks great too. I like that white handle, but it is rather light for a DE.

Thanks much for the links HoosierTrooper! I thought this idea had to be out there somewhere in past posts.

BTW, cutting back the blades further allowed the head to be tightened with about the same light torque as for holding a single blade in the correct arc when used without shims. When I left the blade/shim edges longer, I found that I had to tighten the head VERY hard to get the blade and the shims to arc the same amount. I cut the blades so that they are just about 1mm wider than the two ridges on the bottom plate that support the blade.

**mistervee123** · 08-19-2012, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by Paddan1000

From the title I thought you were making an improvised multiblade DE razor. Would that be possible, by for instance adding a blade, a couple of shims and then another blade?

I don't think the shim/blade/shim/blade thing would work like a multi-blade. On the MB's the blades are staggered, rather like stair steps. DE blades would all extend the exact same amount, forcing you to hold the razor at a really weird, and probably awkward, angle for for the cutting edges to work at the same time.

**DerStadtschutz** · 11-18-2012, 07:01 PM

So I tried this on my weishi, and it seemed to make it not cut the hair on my face right at all. That, and it felt like I was slicing skin off or something... Did I do something wrong? I cut the shim just as your picture above shows, and it seemed to mess with the blade angle or something to where it just irritated the living hell out of my skin. Any idea why it didn't work ?

**michiganlover** · 11-18-2012, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by DerStadtschutz

So I tried this on my weishi, and it seemed to make it not cut the hair on my face right at all. That, and it felt like I was slicing skin off or something... Did I do something wrong? I cut the shim just as your picture above shows, and it seemed to mess with the blade angle or something to where it just irritated the living hell out of my skin. Any idea why it didn't work ?

I don't know how well the shim idea works with TTO. A three piece razor still has enough clamping force with the shims in place to properly curve the blade, when the razor is tightened down.

If I had to guess, I would say the addition of the shims in the Weishi has changed the amount of curvature that can be applied to the blade, thus changing the cutting angle. Or perhaps the blade is no longer curved at all; the TTO mechanism certainly can't apply as much clamping force as a three piece razor can.