Shim and Shave! Will Your Razor Shave Closer?

[@bhupendraparekh6225]

Geo's the kind of guy if lost in a desert and finally finding water, whips out a badger brush, Tobs and a straight. Shaves and only then drinks. Nice tip there Geo.

[@geofatboy]

Classic! Love it ❤️ Thanks!

[@GreenAndWhiteCity]

Bonus Trick: Use your wife's credit card for the shim, that way you'll save a lot more than the D.E economical costs.

[@frankliera4762]

Lol that's a good one 👏👏👏

[@nathanieldaiken1064]

If you use a credit card you will shave some dollars off of the bill!🤔😁

[@geofatboy]

CLASSIC!

[@GreenAndWhiteCity]

@@geofatboy Wife: Bought this new han-- Geo: TIME TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE A GOOD LATHER!

[@merrillquintrell8133]

Yep, I put a shim in my R41 on top of a fresh Feather Blade....I just got back from the Emergency Room. Doc says the stitches should come out in about a week. :-)

[@stanborg1545]

You should start drinking AFTER the be shave.

[@chevyguy6961]

Alway's a comfortable bbs shave after installing two blade shims on my 1955 A-4 Red Tip Superspeed.

[@starlodear2987]

Spoiler alert: Geo managed to make some nice lather.

[@brenthooton3412]

But was it good for several passes?

[@geofatboy]

😂Ha Ha! You're killin' me Smalls!

[@geofatboy]

@@brenthooton3412 I see👀 what you did there!

[@ernstbrubaker]

Before I throw an old blade away I always make sure it is really dull by passing its cutting edges a few times against the edges of my (ceramic) lathering bowl. This should be done especially to a blade intended to be used as a shim, so that the cutting edges would be really harmless after they are cut out.

[@daniellong8665]

Thanks for the tip Geo! I just tried this and switched thelcation of the shim. Shim on top is more aggressive, and shim on bottom is a little smoother. Both improve the shave of the 34c!

[@Kennygrooms]

An extremely clear and detailed explanation of shims! Thank you.

[@old-fashionedcoughypot]

I got a shim in my Lord L5 tech clone. Works pretty good and there is no bloodshed involved with shaving with it.

[@georgepavlidis430]

Hello! I start shimming about 2 weeks ago, because my Muhle R89 was very mild even for every day shaving. Now it is again my everyday shaving razor and I enjoy it very much!

[@michaeldietzen8613]

Thanks for making this video. Tried 2 shims on my karve with the b plate. Such a better shave. Now I don't need to order a different plate.

[@joshbowman9481]

This is the way. I recently got my hands on a King C Gillette double-edge, and as much as I love it, it’s such a tame razor. That shim just changed the whole entire game. Damn near perfect level of aggression. Much love and appreciation!

[@bronsonstrundson313]

You only use one or two shim under the blade?

[@ulstervillan]

Just got a king c. My first de safety razor. Found first shave extremely tame. Gonna try this 🤞🏻

[@gendale9992]

I am using it with 2 shims, its great that way. Without any shim, even with feather is too mild and cant get bbs in some places

[@kimgray7172]

Ha! Yep lady shaver here ! Thank you for the shout out and pink bowl today !

[@LauraKnotek]

So am I. I'll have to do a comparison between a shim in my 38c and just a blade in my R41 to see if the shim makes the 38c as aggressive as the R41. I typically use Gillette Nacet, Astra SS, or Voskhod blades.

[@jeffreytobin4424]

Shimmed! Big difference. I was quite surprised. Will keep it up until I get my more aggressive razor. But actually, I may not need it now! Thanks, Geo.

[@stephenyanacek1763]

Geo...I shimmed my razor and it was amazingly more aggressive....thanks for the tip. So cool of an adjustment to any razor

[@edwardjassin782]

"...let's see if we can mix a lather"...success again! Perfect record! Tune in next time when Geo will "try again" ;)

[@geofatboy]

Nice! Thanks Edward.

[@1988mally]

Can you do a face lather video or put one in your next video link?

[@PaulLeMay3218]

Thank you for sharing. I have enjoyed shimming my razors for a few years now. Yes I can tell a difference. 🇨🇦😎

[@markdavid3076]

Excellent video Geo. Will definitely try this out on my 34C. It currently shaves perfectly for me. Let's see if it possible to make it even better. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe!

[@juda-one]

Man that nice drop about going to the barber is exactly the way it was. Yeah I remembered that cause I got some after shave that reminded me of that as well. Thanks for the videos Geo.

[@rahulripu]

Today, I did shimming and It worked like R41. Thank you Geofatboy!

[@mr-sam-jax]

Hey Geo ! the only Challenge you have left , Is to Grow your beard for between 5-8 weeks and then shave it off completely with Muhle R41 ! it's gonna be a perfect video ! please do it !

[@rajeshsweet194]

Hasn't he done it in a very old video?

[@mr-sam-jax]

@@rajeshsweet194 Nope sir ! never !

[@geofatboy]

Hmmm, I'll get back to you in 2 months! My face is itching already...

[@mr-sam-jax]

@@geofatboy Really 😍 ? Are you gonna do this ? sir you're a great man !

[@asm1]

@@geofatboy A Shimmed R41..... :D

[@muchasgracias6976]

Another great video, Geo! Please can you do an instructional video on how to use a shaving stick as I'm sure there's quite a few folk who have never used one and who would appreciate it. Thanks man.

[@hawkeye924]

Thanks for the video Geo! Yes, October is Women's Cancer Awareness month, BUT, lest we not forget that November, also known as Movember is Mens Prostate Cancer Awareness month. It seems as if alot of Gents forget or want to forget the Prostate check by our friendly neighborhood Doctor. That's where us men must experience the old bend over and Crack a smile pose. Guys, Trust Me!! I am a Prostate Cancer Survivor because we caught it in time. I have now been Cancer free for Six Years. Sorry about the aside Geo but I thought that it needed to be said. GOD Bless!!

[@mikeh9701]

Hi Geo- Great shimming technique and shave; thank you! Enjoy the weekend. Take good care and be safe and be well. Best regards, as always, Geo!

[@terrym1065]

Geo👍👍 Thanks for this video and honoring a request, well done. You can cultivate some serious facial hair quicker than most people I know😁 Nice shave💈💈 The Merkur 34 is a perfect razor for this demo, not too mild or aggressive. Glad you could tell the difference, maybe this will help some folks out. I tried this "hack" with a DE89 Edwin Jagger and it really made the razor shave nice for me. A class act as always, great videos. Stay safe. Enjoy!

[@67spankadelik]

This is great and address my only complaint about that razor. Thanks for sharing. I will definitely give it a try.

[@geofatboy]

Excellent!

[@daviderojas]

Thanks for the tip... I will try this hack today.. hope this works...

[@nunika1975]

Just did this with my Gillete Safety Razor as well as my Wilkinson Sword TTO. Amazing difference.

[@geofatboy]

Great!

[@Shaverboy516]

Great tip Geo! I guess the plastic shim would be even more aggressive.

[@dadadadave100]

Im really glad I found your site brother 🤙

[@geofatboy]

Thanks David!

[@kronomarine]

Great info! I just shimmed my Gillette Heritage and loaded it with a Gillette Nacet blade. Noticably more aggressive, I may try a second shim next time. My razor of choice is a 1959 Gillette FatBoy on setting 9 using Nacet blades. 👍

[@stephenyanacek1763]

Geo....awesome video...love your channel...love your vids....and am looking forward to recieving my parker heavy duty stainless shavette..im definitely gonna try out that shim truck though...lol and I'll see what it does on my Rockwell 2c razor. I usually use plate setting 3 which is pretty aggressive but I wanted to go to like a 4 setting but don't have the other plate. Now that lil trick will def be a huge difference. Loved seein you use the old clubman aftershave. I do use that one once in awhile and yes without a doubt that scent takes me back to the 60s and 70s. ....whoops I just dated myself. HOHOHO...have a great weekend buddy....i gotta get my vulcan 900 all ready to store away for the winter ...Thanks for all you do for us shavers that appreciate a real shave and not the cartridge 5 blade items out there

[@jf4572]

Excellent video, thanks 👍

[@valleyshaverjohn2821]

Hey Geo. This was an excellent video. I as well many of your other viewers are going to try this I'm sure. thanks for another great tip. Enjoy your day and be safe.

[@dukamrgud1934]

I put 3 Gilette

[@nevillefilar5245]

Really informative video. Many thanks.

[@mattilindholm1941]

Nice video as usual Geo 👍👍 You rock. 🤘😃🤘

[@TheLokiBiz]

Thanks for this info. I happen to be transgender, and as such I absolutely hate having any kind of stubble. Your channel has been a godsend.

[@shaveclassy9986]

Well done Geo Thanks I often wondered if there was a way to improve my razor

[@DanielMazahreh]

Will definitely try this with the R89 twist, which is your favorite if I recall. I’m not happy with the results of that razor, but will definitely try it with a feather blade first before adding the shim. Currently tried Derby and Muhl blades thus far & the results were really bad with R89. R41 with any blade gave me the closest shave ever, though. 😃

[@geofatboy]

That sounds about right regarding the R41...

[@DanielMazahreh]

@@geofatboy Yes indeed. But due to how sensitive my skin is especially the neck area, I am always getting razor burns with the R41. The razor burns have reduced on my second attempt one week later, which means I am improving my shave routine and using almost no pressure. Takes time to learn, but enjoying my shave experimentation and a proud collector of beautiful razors. Thank you guys at Shave Nation. Fantastic products & will continue supporting. Wish you all the best. For those with super sensitive skin like mine, I highly recommend Merkur Futur Adjustable. It's one of my favorites. 1-1.5 is enough to mow down a few days of thick hair growth.

[@mansoreaa]

Hi geo .... In the old days I remember my father putting a match stick to give more aggressiveness.

[@andrewhawkins6454]

Hey Geo. Great video as usual. You could try the Muhle R41 with 10 shims. And you still wouldn't cut yourself. 🤘

[@nikosloumos3021]

Thanks for sharing Geo. Stay safe.

[@rajansharmaadv]

🙏🙏🙏 Nice idea 👍👍

[@loweaguirre454]

I bought My Merkur 34C from Shave Nation a while back. And I got a nice white Shave Nation towel with it. I Will have to try the shim deal with the Merkur 34C now :)

[@michaelmclelland8440]

Geo many people have found it difficult to find the angel of safety razors and single edge I don’t know it all but I been wet shaving all my life and my secret is when I fill the top cap and razor together when I’m shaving that’s the angle for me

[@gaetanpilon7993]

I will try it....thanks.

[@Gcbyvr666]

Interesting. I’ve only had my 34C for about 2 months, but even with a Feather blade, I just found it too mild for my typical 3-4 day growth. I decided to order a RazoRock GC .84, and man, that bad boy is definitely more aggressive than my Merkur 34C. Got a BBS shave after only 2 passes, but had a few weepers being I polished a few areas too much. I’ll give the shim a go in my 34C to see how it compares shimmed. I always enjoy your videos as they are the best on YT, IMO. I’m thinking now of ordering a GC .68 and GC .76 base plate to do further experimentation. Love my new RazoRock razer, but now I need to dial in the right blade gap.

[@gendale9992]

How is it doing

[@jrmunroe4024]

wow good video thank you

[@DamianNoctem]

Been having trouble with spots after even 3 passes with a feather blade. Maybe I'll give this a try tmrw. I have some cheap derbys i can sacrifice.

[@Valantir]

Gonna try this today

[@adelebrahim7234]

Thanks geo

[@xXturbo86Xx]

Just when i was thinking that my razor is not aggressive enough....this video pops up right in my face.

[@chrisjhart]

I've had an idea for a video I'd love to see... Could you please show the difference in approach/technique when using a straight razor compared to a shavette? Do your angles need to be different? Also have you tried the focus Al shavette? A lot of people are saying very good things about them. Thanks, always love your videos!

[@janbenda5322]

I used a pad for the Mercur 34c for some time, later I replaced the Mercur 37c and I am satisfied.

[@nawafalrashidi4774]

Nice thanks Geo 👍👍👍👍👍

[@DerekJS82]

nice haircut Geo!

[@gorachand1235]

Great shave Geo and nice haircut you got there looking sharp all you need is a suit and that's all

[@danieldomgall]

Today I have shim my Edwin Jagger DE89 with my old Whilkinson blade just for fun and I have use Astra SP Green and the shave was brilliant. My corse whiskers was removed by two passes. I will be do the same with my Muhle R41 and I give my thoughts how it was. If you want go and try it by yourself with your safety razor and skip the level a little bit further. Greetings from Poland

[@MrG0CE]

HI ! DOES IT WORK ON A BUTTERFLY OPENING DE SAFETY RAZOR ??

[@grayman4239]

Shimy shimy coco pop man that's old school..alright lol.

[@geofatboy]

Mos Def-Some of the youngsters didn't catch that one...

[@zxcvbnmasdew1021]

Nice haircut man

[@carstenkjller6680]

Hello Geo. Where do You emty the safety box for used blades?

[@geofatboy]

Wrap them safely in foil or other, then dispose of in the trash.

[@davesheppard8797]

Hi Geo, Would this work on my Feather AS-D2? Thanks, Dave.

[@The_Spectre.]

Great video, Geo. Shimming will help to make mild razors more aggressive. If you want a very aggressive shave, buy a Yaqi Knight Helmet razor head. No shims required. ;) Cheers!

[@lostson1st]

I wonder it will work with butterfly razor?

[@shawnrodgers2180]

Can I shim the blade using a butterfly head safety razor

[@runthenumbers9698]

Oh wow... that works great I'm a shavette guy myself, but I haven't been able to get that baby's butt smooth shave with any blade. If I use a feather in my shavette, it's a close shave, but it irritates my skin a lot, and if I use a smoother blade in my shavette like a Derby, it doesn't irritate my skin no matter how deep I dig in (in my problem spots) and it gives me a BSS shave only in the easy parts. Can't get baby smooth in my problem areas without a feather, but I need something that isn't going to bleed me. I think what I'm going to do is do my 3 passes with a shavette with a Derby razor blade, and then do my touchups with a feather with a shim or 2 in my safety razor. I just might be able to go BSS every day :D

[@Spitfireua]

Thanks Geo 👍. Great lifehack.

[@valueink]

Nice g-shock Geo :) Which model is that?

[@tripleg1686]

Although I do not own a 34c I heard that the 34c has a .73 blade gap on it so by using a shim blade in that 34c what would be in your estimate the blade gap in the 34c.

[@gorachand1235]

I need to go for a 3 pass shave to have the bbs feel

[@patrickleonard5129]

Good video. Fine.

[@HanlonRazor]

Now I must shim my R41 and see how it goes. I use aggressive razors because I have stupid coarse whiskers.

[@andrewdrinkwater1986]

Hay Geo do that wity the R41 🤣 i want to see that video

[@ETLAPESTE]

why not tried both shim possibilities? one side with the shim on top and the other side with the shim in the bottom. we already saw you shaved with the 34C so you can't see the real difference.

[@geofatboy]

That's a lot of shimming!

[@ETLAPESTE]

@@geofatboy no, it is only 2. i mean 1)one razor(always with the same if possible) with the shim on top like i said and 2)the other with the shim on the bottom. if you can you could 3)put a shim on top, put the blade then another shim in the bottom.

[@ianmayer2951]

Geo, do you think you could turn a cheaper Astro or perhaps Voskhod blade into a Feather blade with that shim trick for costs purposes?

[@geofatboy]

I think that's something that could be done.

[@ianmayer2951]

@@geofatboy I've seen your top 10 safety razor blades video.... Astra came second.... is it in terms of sharpness ? Because these blades are like 2 to 3 times cheaper for a 100 pack than the Feather ones. With a shim it would be a killer deal don't you think ?

[@Jose-Ribeiro]

And, what about the Palmolive Sensitive shave cream? Please, do a comparison between Palmolive Classic and Palmolive Sensitive.

[@nelsonduarte2355]

Same product.... but the scent is different ....

[@RSS_754]

What do you think about aftershave lotions and balms from Nivea,Gillette??

[@m40mclean9]

Can a tto be shimmed too ?

[@Breeze700]

Would this work well on a twist to open razor? Would the shim work better on the top or bottom. Thanks

[@geofatboy]

Probably not but you could try it...

[@K3Flyguy]

Bear with me, I'm new. Could the shim be placed on the opposite side of the blade to make a razor milder? My skin is ultra sensitive, so i just ordered a Henson al13 mild razor. I hope I made the correct choice.

[@geofatboy]

With the mild Henson you likely won't have to worry about shimming the razor. It's going to be a nice mild shave as is!

[@markfbeyth56]

Just make certain the blade you trim is stainless feathers are but not all blades are done are carbon steel which will rust it may leave a mess

[@OlRickety]

Is Stetson cooling moisture after shave and Nivea men cooling post shave balm any good?

[@geofatboy]

I have not tried those so can't really comment on them...

[@RSS_754]

Hey, I just start watching your videos, and I realy like it, you are the best.. can you tell me witch razor is better, I know they are not top quality, QSHAVE Adjustable Safety Razor Double Edge Classic or FEATHER Hi-Stainless Double-edged Holder Razor Popular... I have been using razor blades with cartridges for 15 years, and your video made me change, and now I want to try double edging razors, so ai need your help... Thank you

[@TheRobby1971]

As always, very informative George. Thanks pal. Any opinions on the first pass being against the grain ? Pro's or cons?

[@andrewdrinkwater1986]

I did it once with my king c gillette wich is comparable with tye 34c and it was quite uncomfortable. Maby with a more aggressive /officiant razor like the murkur future or R41 it would be better 🤔

[@andrewdrinkwater1986]

If the shave i just had is anything to go by you can get a nice comfortable no irritation against the grain BBS on your second pass 👍

[@chrislitohoro391]

Hey Geo, based on your experience do you think a shim would work on an Edwin Jagger DE89?

[@ljp1942]

Would this work with the Feather AS-D2 ?

[@kf8575]

So would putting the shim into the top cap first, make the shave a bit smoother and less aggressive then?

[@geofatboy]

Some have said so. Try it yourself and see. It only take a minute.

[@BlGSac]

How do I deal with brushes that eat lather? I have a broken in Semogue Owners Club and it eats lather like crazy. Is there anything I can do to combat this

[@xvulture21gtav24]

My semogue does the same. It always does. Makes me never wanna come back to it

[@BartBuzz]

Interesting trick. But why not just use an adjustable razor to find the best aggression? BTW, wouldn't shimming from the top make the razor less aggressive? Nice shave as always. You make it look so easy.

[@robertdorstad6223]

Will this work with a butterfly saftey razor?

[@robertdorstad6223]

Just tried it works great!

[@leso204]

What product placement ....................

[@barrone10001]

If I'd known that trick sooner I might have saved some money on progressively more aggressive razors . . but on the other I wouldn't have a selection to choose from to suit the occasion . . tough call . . 🤣😂

[@cvandyke27]

Would shimming on top of the blade then make the razor more mild some how?

[@shaveclassy9986]

Maybe, give it a go

[@jayer-su3hu]

I gave up on my SE razor. I have super sensitive skin, I cut and knick so easily. The SE doesn't get baby smooth close like I can get with an allegedly garbage by comparison Gillett Mach 3 disposable. One would think that's impossible but I've tried everything I can find on KZbin to shave with a SE and get close and it just doesn't work. I just end up cut up and razor burned.

[@geofatboy]

DE or SE?

[@anakin1255]

Hey Geo I literally just got done with a 3 pass shimming up my R41 and using all snake bite. Goddamn you talk about a wake up call. Yes the beast is now totally badass. The shim trick works.

[@magnoliamike]

I used to shim my Ball End tech When I used to do it I would take too much off lol

[@DJViking775]

What are the top aggressive razors?

[@davesheppard8797]

I think the Muhle R41 is one of the most aggressive. A Parker variant on 5, a Merkur Futur on 6 and the Rockwell 6s on plate 6. Dave.

[@trunkerdixon]

Parker SRX is pretty mean! T

[@alexharris8500]

O to be young again. Wish I knew then what I know now😉