What a difference a shim makes

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Wow! Yesterday I had my ATT M1 plate for sale on the BST I thought I'd off load it for what I paid for it as I struggled to get a decent shave out of it without excessive passes which led to irritation. I had a brainwave, not like me, to try it with a shim. The difference is night and day. I took an old blade and carefully cut both edges off it with scissors, then used this between the blade and bottom plate (for anyone who doesn't know what a shim is or what to do with one)
Anyway it has as Fly said probably turned it into a M 1.5 plate and it is still smooth and less aggressive than the R2 and it gave a wonderful shave. I had it on BST for nearly a full day but with no takers and boy am I glad now. If you have a mild razor why not try a shim you have nothing to lose and it may just put a razor back into your rotation.
 
Is there a shim to make an R41 go from 10 to 7.5?
If you use a shim only, the R41 will go from 10 to 0 :p
SCNR

My tip: a short, very light handle (e.g. from an aluminium Tech) makes it easier to use NO PRESSURE with the R41. Any pressure will be punished by the R41. It needs the very lightest of touches... and a good bit of concentration...
 
Wow! Yesterday I had my ATT M1 plate for sale on the BST I thought I'd off load it for what I paid for it as I struggled to get a decent shave out of it without excessive passes which led to irritation. I had a brainwave, not like me, to try it with a shim. The difference is night and day. I took an old blade and carefully cut both edges off it with scissors, then used this between the blade and bottom plate (for anyone who doesn't know what a shim is or what to do with one)
Anyway it has as Fly said probably turned it into a M 1.5 plate and it is still smooth and less aggressive than the R2 and it gave a wonderful shave. I had it on BST for nearly a full day but with no takers and boy am I glad now. If you have a mild razor why not try a shim you have nothing to lose and it may just put a razor back into your rotation.
Good job!
 
I was never a proponent of fiddle farting around with shims as it always appeared a pain in the butt. However, out of curiosity, boredom and just for giggles & grins I did this with a pre-war Tech using one trimmed down blade as the shim and was rewarded with a superb shave. It seemed as if there was more rigidity in the blade feel and also to shave a tad closer, but without leaving the "sweet spot" that the Tech inherently possesses. I need to explore this some more. o_O
 
Well, I "explored" some more by buying a simple (and far more practical) thin plastic washer that slips over the center post easily and merely falls off when turned upside down as opposed to a small neoprene O-ring that was too snug and a SOB to get back off past the threads. :rolleyes: When tightened down with a blade I feeler gauged it at 0.026", a mere approx. 0.001" increase in blade gap. Nonetheless, it seems to give a slightly better & closer shave. Not by much, but just enough to make the "sweet spot" a little sweeter. It seems to fall between a Tech and the more aggressive Lord Tech clone as regards aggression for those who have used both and that suits me right down to the ground. That's about as perfect as I could ask for........as regards my beard.

I do want to add that in the name of scientific objectivity that this may be purely confirmation bias on my part as 0.001" is a very slight difference. Opinions & feedback greatly appreciated.
 
I like a mild razor. If I had to do some aftermarket tweak to make a razor usable, I'd get rid of the razor. This shimming thing must be a recent trend as I don't recall discussions about having to shim a razor a few years ago.
 
I like a mild razor. If I had to do some aftermarket tweak to make a razor usable, I'd get rid of the razor. This shimming thing must be a recent trend as I don't recall discussions about having to shim a razor a few years ago.

No, not all. Gillette recommended to unscrew the handle 1/16th of a turn for the same effect.
 
Of course you need to shim a DE razor!
Once.
So you can say 'Oh, I see - that's how it works. Interesting. Well, I never..'
Then you pick the DE razor that suit you best, a Tech, an R41 or anything in-between... or an adjustable.
Vintage razors are a different story. You might have to shim a blade, trim a blade, find a blade that almost fits and do weird things to it, like punch extra holes into it. That's because you're weird and refuse to use a DE you don't have to shim.
 
No, not all. Gillette recommended to unscrew the handle 1/16th of a turn for the same effect.
Can you show where they said that and for what razor/s?
Not they, but he. From King Camp Gillette's first razor patent:
King Camp Gillette said:
When the handle is unscrewed, the edges of the blade will spring away from the edges of the guard as fast as such movement is permitted, and thus in a very simple manner I provide an adjustment for the edges of the blade toward and from the guard for varying the space between them to provide for light or heavy growths of beard or to suit the skill or custom of the user.
 
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