ANSWER: There is little difference in feel with the plates of the same blade gap. The O.C. is meant for a few days growth. The SB is meant for everyday with little hair, and the SCL is meant as an in between. Some guys just buy the master kit (I know it is costly) but this gives you the chance to see and use all of the items and compare. Most customers end up purchasing all of the base plates over time anyway because they are curious as to how they differ.
Our customers are about 50/50 as to which blade gap they prefer. The .68 offers a smooth mild shave while the .95 offers a smooth close shave. Those with sensitive skin tend to go for the mild .68. My opinion is that the mild .68 needs more passes and strokes to get BBS which could lead to irritation. I like the .95 because it gets the job done quickly and efficiently.
SOLID BAR: If you shave everyday and or have just a little growth
SCALLOPED: if you shave every 2-3 days and or have medium growth
OPEN COMB: if you shave every 3-4 days or more and or have a lot of growth
The 0.95 is a MEDIUM AGGRESSIVE blade gap. It is very efficient, but not overly aggressive. The 0.68 is a MILD blade gap that takes a couple more passes to get the job done, but has a VERY SMOOTH feel on the face.
The difference in the base plates is that the O.C. is probably the most aggressive but VERY efficient. The solid bar is VERY SMOOTH on the face and the Scalloped Base is somewhere in between the two. The solid bar and scalloped base plate both give excellent audio feedback. The O.C. is a little less noticeable to the ear.
RECOMMENDATIONS: If you have sensitive skin and not a lot of hair, we would suggest the 0.68 mm blade gap Solid Bar base plate. If you have a full beard by 10:00 a.m. we would suggest a 0.95 O.C. base plate.
