my musings about Open Comb vs Bar DE razors

[wetbadger]

The "Old Style" open comb was designed to take early generation thicker razor blades, the "New Style" open comb was designed to to take the modern thinner blade, if you use modern razor blades in a "Old Style" razor you will have to shim the blade to attain a more/less aggressive cutting angle, well thats what I have been able to glean from the bits and pieces of info available on the net.

I find it interesting that open comb razors progressed to a safety bar, popular opinion has it that gillette wanted to cut manufacturing costs, hence the solid bar of later designs, it appears that the Open Comb design was the best design for shaving, later designs have nothing to do with "being the best", but more the the inevitable march towards cost cutting, with marketing and advertising providing the improvements.
What is peculiar is that no-one to my knowledge has copied Gillettes open comb design, not even merkur who still manufactures DE razors, my only guess is that it might be a patent issue which prevented and prevents anyone from copying the Open Comb design.

[FaPat5]

From what I have heard, Merkur's design does nevertheless work. I reallyenjoy the old Gillette open-combs, but I also like normal blade guard razors. They both work equally well.

[Dharion]

Well Merkur and at least one other German company are selling open comb razors if that's what you mean. But I assume you're talking about the so called old style open comb design. I think these companies didn't even consider manufactering these because only few men nowadays shave with a DE and fewer want an open comb razor.

[wetbadger]

I eagerly await my gillette "New" open comb razor, I want to see for myself what the difference in shaving is between my progress and New Open Comb.