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Aggressive or non aggressive?

What is the meaning when people talk about aggressive and non aggressive razor head? adjustable i know there is a setting from 1-10 what would someone use for beginners if i got an adjustable like a vintage gillette slim.
 
Aggressiveness is mostly determined by the blade exposure. Razors with more blade exposure are more aggressive.

If you have an adjustable, starting with lower settings is usually the best thing to do.
 
I'm pretty new to wet shaving and about a month ago I took the plunge and bought my first slant bar ( Merkur 39c ) I remember while waiting for it in the mail thinking "this is going to be way too aggressive" turns out its my favorite razor and gives me the smoothest irritation free shave with just 2 passes ... I guess my point is don't be afraid to try what some consider an aggressive razor, and remember .. Using an aggressive razor and getting a near BBS with just 2 passes is going to leave a lot less irritation to your skin than using a less aggressive razor and doing 3-4 passes
... again as with all razors, soaps, creams, blades, brushes, aftershaves etc -----> Y M M V
 
Technique and prep are the key to it all. I started with a relatively mild razor (34c) for awhile, then went with a '55 Super Speed which is still pretty mild. I got my ATT and went with the M1 plate which is mild also. The last month I've begun using progressively more aggressive heads on my ATT and have had no problem. It's all about technique. I'm now using an aggressive head on my ATT and enjoying some outstanding close shaves with no irritation. I wouldn't recommend starting where I am now, but once you get your technique down it's no problem.

A mild razor can give a great shave. I do think that in some cases too many passes with a mild razor (to achieve BBS for example) could well give you more grief and irritation than a more aggressive razor with two passes.
 
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So the blade gap is the distance from the edge of the blade to the guard. The large the blade gap = more blade exposure = more aggressive razor.

The adjustable should be fine for a beginner, but like said above, start with the lower setting and work your way up from there.
 
I currently have a Merkur 34C and have been contemplating getting a more aggressive razor, however, I have no idea whatsoever which razors are more aggressive or less aggressive. Is there any kind of a matrix or list out there that ranks least aggressive to most aggressive razors?
 
I'm pretty new to wet shaving and about a month ago I took the plunge and bought my first slant bar ( Merkur 39c ) I remember while waiting for it in the mail thinking "this is going to be way too aggressive" turns out its my favorite razor and gives me the smoothest irritation free shave with just 2 passes ... I guess my point is don't be afraid to try what some consider an aggressive razor, and remember .. Using an aggressive razor and getting a near BBS with just 2 passes is going to leave a lot less irritation to your skin than using a less aggressive razor and doing 3-4 passes
... again as with all razors, soaps, creams, blades, brushes, aftershaves etc -----> Y M M V

Very true! There are other factors also: age, confidence, patience, respect (for the razor) and fearlessness. Like you stated in this post - don't be afraid, but don't be an idiot either. If you feel you need guidance and are unsure, get the guidance first! Maturity!

Good post!

Peace!
 
I currently have a Merkur 34C and have been contemplating getting a more aggressive razor, however, I have no idea whatsoever which razors are more aggressive or less aggressive. Is there any kind of a matrix or list out there that ranks least aggressive to most aggressive razors?
As for the matrix you are looking for, there is a table here at B&B, and a fairly recent one, that ranks various razors on an aggressiveness scale of 1-10.
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Modern_Double-Edged_Safety_Razors_Ranked_by_Aggressiveness
Generally open-comb razors are associated with aggressiveness but the correlation is not 100%. In my heretofore-limited experience of just under three months, I took the plunge and got a Mühle R41 to supplement my milder R106, though I am pleased to have started with the R106 and will likely rotate back to it. It was recommended that I try a more aggressive razor/blade combination, the R41 with a Feather, in a post where I said I was getting the same shaves from every brand of razor.
Right-away, the aggressive razor felt different. It was something like not even having a razor, but instead just holding the blade unfettered against the skin. I could definitely feel the greater blade exposure. From the first touch, it commanded respect. Though I had mastered DE technique to nearly cut-free, I had to be more careful with the R41 and I still sported some cuts, especially on the chin. In terms of results, it still required several passes and touch-ups to get BBS with an aggressive razor though there was a small marginal improvement. Maybe it took only a few less seconds of buffing in the trouble spots. I chalked that up to there being a closeness limitation with DE when you do not have the supposed hysteresis effect (one blade pulls, the next cuts) of some cartridges. As for blades, I had a similar R41 experience with a fresh Derby as with a Feather.
One thing that many people can agree on is that a sharp blade and an aggressive razor is hard to beat for cutting two to several days of growth. It would also be of particular benefit for men with naturally heavy daily stubble. For the rest of us, it is something to step-up to if only for the experience of adding variety to this unusual hobby.
 
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