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Less irritating=Aggressive razor vs. gentle razor

Opinion: Which do you feel causes more irritation, many passes with a gentle razor (combo) or fewer passes with a more aggressive razor (combo)?

I need five passes via Tech and Feather blades for BBS. Still haven't tried an "aggressive" razor.
 
In my Opinion... with only limited experience thus far...

I would say even with more passes of a gentle razor it would not cause the same irritation than a more aggressive razor.

I've gotten irratation before in just one pass.

On the same token, my futur set at 1 seems like it can do me no harm!
 
With sound technique, neither razor should cause irritation. That said, the more passes (regardless of aggression) usually causes irritation.
 
I found a lot more irritation using my Super Speed than my Slim cranked to 6, but mainly because I'd subconsciously over angle the SS to get the stubble and revisit it obsessively.

Ironically enough, it was my first try of an SE Gem that showed me the light. The SE made it so much easier to detect when the angle was right that even with its agressiveness I was finding that my throat was smooth and free of irritation at the end of the shave. After that, the Super Speed felt dead and unresponsive, so I moved the DE blade to my slim, starting at 3 and upping the setting one at a time to where I am now.

[edit] Executive summary: For me, I get less irritation using a more agressive razor, as I can reduce the effective number of passes.

- Chris
 
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More passes means more irritation and a more aggressive razor can cause irritation faster than a mild razor. You can keep the irritation down by using good prep along with a lather that provides you with adequate cushioning between the blade and your beard.
 
Yea, that's true, I'm just wondering between the two which is easier on the face for you all. I'm still real hesitant to use a Red Tip et al but wondering if more passes is better. ??
 
I was an avid two pass shaver, until yesterday. I found that by adding a second N-S pass reduced my stubble enough that the S-N pass was a lot smoother, and much less irritating to my skin. Of course I've only tried this with my Slant, but I expect similar results from each of my different razors.

YMMV and all standard disclaimers apply...
 
I found the source of the limited irritation I've experienced to be blades rather than razor. I read a lot of stuff about "aggressive" razors, so I started with a HD and avoided a slant for awhile. Looking back, I wish I'd gone with a slant from the beginning. Its true that, for a newbie, a "standard" DE may be easier to learn with, but I didn't find that I had much trouble making the leap to a slant-bar.
Of course, hindsight is always 20/20. I still think a lot of irritation could be avoided by the new shaver by using a blade other than a Merkur in their new razor.
 
Some people like an aggressive razor but with a smoother blades that means less passes, and a blade not so sharp or "rough" to cause any irritation like an astra rather than a feather.

The question isn't always 'what razor', but it's what blade with what razor. That's why many of us have mulitple blades and razors and why the BST is getting so many post.

Everyone had slightly different techniques, prep, soaps, ambient climates, water and just simple preferences.

I'd say if you don't get a good result with a tech and a feather, either your technique is lacking or you need a more aggressive razor. Whether the feather blade will work FOR YOU in whatever more aggressive razor remains to be seen by you just trying it.
If it doesn't work, try a razor inbetween the tech and red tip for aggressiveness, or a different blade in the red tip like an astra.

edit: I'm agreeing with what was said before, the less passes the better mostly. I like feathers, but I like them because in my razors they do the job fast. I don't see the point in dragging a feather over your face 5 times just because it's in a mild razor. I think 5 passes is too much, it's bound to irritate, some people get cut up after one pass for some reason! Anyway, five passes is wasting your time any probably blunting those blades faster, they aren't the cheapest ones either. I normally do 3 plus touch ups but I'd prefer to get it down to 2 plus touch ups. Get a razor aggressive enough to make that happen, get the blades that do the job with that particular razor. It may not be your current favourite blades.
 
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I was an avid two pass shaver, until yesterday. I found that by adding a second N-S pass reduced my stubble enough that the S-N pass was a lot smoother, and much less irritating to my skin. Of course I've only tried this with my Slant, but I expect similar results from each of my different razors.

YMMV and all standard disclaimers apply...

Avid two pass shaver here.

No matter what razor or blade or combo I use I can only handle a two pass shave. My skin is so sensitive that anything more will result in my face being on fire!

First pass is WTG as in North/South direction. Second pass XTG on the face and ATG on my neck. The result is a DFS or BBS depending on the razor and blade combo etc.

As always YMMV.
 
Personally I go with- more passes with a less agressive razor BUT a Feather.

My face is sensitive to physical damage as opposed to chemical (mostly), I find a feather pulls less which is good, less agressive scapes less also good.
For me, however, I find that a Feather will do the job in 2 passes anyway.

C
 
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