Open combs

Yes, blade exposure is part of what makes a razor feel smooth on the skin, but I have become convinced that the shape of the safety bar or the combs is also a large part of what we interpret as smooth. 
So, if the comb tips are pointy, the razor will not feel smooth even if blade exposure is neutral. If they are rounded off so the part that touches your skin is curved, the razor will feel smooth.

I like OC bases because they allow more lather to flow through. With SB plates many times the razor would skip (stick) when I would go over the same spot without re-lathering. The OC really helped in that regard.

snip

in regards to skipping, wouldn't you attribute that to less surface area making contact with the skin instead of lather making it through the combs as the razor blade is removing everything regardless of design?

OC aggressive vs CC mild is false myth. 

So does a ‘false myth’ make it true? 
The old double-negative... ;-)

Surfboat you make a good point, but in part I think we are saying the same thing. With an open comb there is indeed less surface area making contact with the skin. The surface area not making contact with the skin are the gaps in the comb which allow the lather through.

Where I differ with you is I don't believe that with the correct angle the blade is removing everything. I think the correct angle has the blade cutting and not scraping and removing everything. The more lather that is left after the comb passes over the skin allows more lather to remain after the blade passes with the correct angle. You can really see those lather lines when riding the cap a little too much. 

Just my opinion.

The answer is:

PICKING AN OPEN COMB OR A SOLID BAR PLATE

SB plates are less aggressive than OC plates because the SB plate's unbroken barrier provides more protection to the user's skin (this is the 'safety' in safety razor).
[font=Roboto, sans-serif]Two of the advantages of an OC plate are that they allow more lather to make it to the blade during shaving and they are better at lifting hair, which can result in a closer shave.

Also, for a given blade geometry configuration, an OC plate will be more aggressive and provide more feedback to the user than an SB plate.[/font]
So...it ultimately comes down to personal preference. An OC plate has a distinct feel and performs a little differently than an SB plate, which some wet shavers prefer.

Although they can be used for daily shaving, an OC plate also tends to be better at dealing with longer growth that comes from longer periods between shaves.

Due to the increased aggressiveness over an SB plate, an OC plate will require more attention to use, but this will come naturally to most experienced wet shavers. Beginners can manage an OC plate as well - it will just require a little more care.


https://karveshaving.com/pages/plate-selection