Satin finish v Polished

[Errol]

I have been using a stainless steel razor with a satin finish and for the purpose of comparison would rate it an 8/ 10 for the way the razor glides over the face. If I were to purchase the exact same razor in a polished version could I expect the rating for glide to go up to say 8.5 or even better?

 

[lerenau]

I have wondered the same thing...
Interested to know the answer.

 

[alfredus]

I really don't think so - it depends on the actual craftsmanship.

I have polished (Wolfman, BBS-1) and mate finished (Guerilla) razors from James and they all fly over my face very similarly.

I suspect cast and/or injected heads that have not been polished, will not be as smooth...

 

[Errol]

The razor in question is a Blackbird, and the reason for the question is that I am having a custom made handle made. I know that if I were to purchase an ATT R1 head it would be perfect for me but I already have a custom ATT and was looking for something else. The Blackbird is nearly there but just seems to lack in the glide department.

 

[alfredus]

If it is the black one, it might be the anodising material? Else the head design itself? Never tried it myself...

BUT (if I may humbly suggest): if you really think the R1 is perfect for you, why waste your time/money/shaves on anything else?

 

[Errol]

I think it has something to do with not accepting the best and extending the limits

 

[RustyBlade]

Personally prefer grooved head designs first then matt and polished last.
The Double open design from PAA left lather lines behind on my face which allowed buffing or further strokes like it was the first past.
PAA Prismatic (scalloped) left a lather film behind that allowed more passes and kept the skin from drying out before the end of the shave.
Find smooth caps don't glide as easily and if also doing a second stroke on the same pass feel resistance, more noticeable on my standard Merkur head. And as you know are mirror finished in chrome and feel like a suction cap in comparison.
But again IMHO.

So.. for this I'm hunting a charcoal goods head one day soon. As most reviews have mentioned that the grooved surface leaves a lather film behind.

For the Guerrilla, matt finished but as with Wolfman pedigree he has finished it smooth as so again second stroke I get alittle resistance. And no I'm not riding the top cap as a get BBS with that piece of art in two passes with some chin buffing.

Strongly believe every SE & DE should have a grooved cap. Less relathering, buffing allowed, keeps the face from drying out in winter and reduces time.

Imagine if Wolfman grooved the cap. Less polish time would be required.

Another thing against polished heads is once the cap is marked it is more noticeable.

YMMV

 

[Errol]

My beard growth is very slow and not very thick so I felt I did not require a grooved or open head. However, what you say makes sense. A razor blade is roughly 42mm wide and then there would be 42mm of contact path for a closed razor on the face. On an open head there would be about 24mm of contact with the face. It has to reduce significantly the drag and then there is the lubrication factor produced by the shave lather squeezing through the gap.