- Thread starter
- #41
Brrrrrr....Good stuff, Eric! The resto looks great!
Thanks Brent! I just now saw this post while checking over the pics I had posted lol
Sliding Down the Razor Blade of Life with Smattayu
- Thread starter Smattayu
- Start date
Thanks Brent! I just now saw this post while checking over the pics I had posted lol
...What did not feel great was going the bathroom immediately after without washing the heavily mentholated AS off my hands. Wow..just...wow
After the shock wore off and I came to my senses, I reached for some TTFFC Play it Again, Sam. I love this scent. The profile is ginger, lime, and tobacco, and while I don't catch the individual notes, they blend to create a very classy, masculine smell.
Feeling great almost everywhere(I don't recommend menthol on the man parts), it's time to enjoy the evening.
...
That is some funny stuff, smattayu! I will take that under advisement if I ever do a big menthol shave! I always worry about that when I put icy hot on my wife, but I never really thought about it when shaving.
BTW... your restoration is looking nice!
Nice job Eric. I like the detail myself - I know how difficult it can be waiting for the mail truck to arrive with shave goodies. Hopefully the Genco will arrive tomorrow.
Nice work on the scales. I need to look into doing that some day.
Way to avoid the protrusion - smart move and something that can be a little difficult with a face loaded with shave lather.
Have a good night!
Sent via Tapatalk from phone
Nice work on the scales. I need to look into doing that some day.
Way to avoid the protrusion - smart move and something that can be a little difficult with a face loaded with shave lather.
Have a good night!
Sent via Tapatalk from phone
- Thread starter
- #44
Thanks guys! According to USPS tracking I should have 3 items arriving by Friday. The Genco, an Ever-Ready 1914, and another straight that I found on the bay. It has a nice smile, and said Sheffield steel forged in Glasgow. Carrick and Craig, which I haven't found much info on, but for $14 it looked like a great project.
The restoration is done! Cosmetically speaking anyway. I expect it to take me a month to get a shaving edge on it(I'm being optimistic here lol), but I finished with the wedge and got it pinned and peened, and I'm pretty happy with it. I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow. After I finished I was more interested in getting a shower and shave in than trying to get a decent pic of it.
Razor: GEM 1912
Blade: GEM PTFE(1st shave)
Brush: Omega pro 49
Soap: i coloniali
Post shave: Thayer's cucumber
Aftershave: Fine AB
Just looking for a pretty quick shave, I loaded a new blade in the 1912 and got to it. I used the last blade for about 11 shaves and didn't realize how much more keen the fresh one would be. I got a few nicks under the chin and on the neck without even feeling them, but no irritation. The i coloniali is another amazing soap, and performed wonderfully.
I have to be up a little early for a conference in Lansing tomorrow, so I'm going to check out some other journals and call it a night.
Have a great evening!
The restoration is done! Cosmetically speaking anyway. I expect it to take me a month to get a shaving edge on it(I'm being optimistic here lol), but I finished with the wedge and got it pinned and peened, and I'm pretty happy with it. I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow. After I finished I was more interested in getting a shower and shave in than trying to get a decent pic of it.
Razor: GEM 1912
Blade: GEM PTFE(1st shave)
Brush: Omega pro 49
Soap: i coloniali
Post shave: Thayer's cucumber
Aftershave: Fine AB
Just looking for a pretty quick shave, I loaded a new blade in the 1912 and got to it. I used the last blade for about 11 shaves and didn't realize how much more keen the fresh one would be. I got a few nicks under the chin and on the neck without even feeling them, but no irritation. The i coloniali is another amazing soap, and performed wonderfully.
I have to be up a little early for a conference in Lansing tomorrow, so I'm going to check out some other journals and call it a night.
Have a great evening!
- Thread starter
- #45
Just came off of a 15 hour work day on about 2 hours of sleep. No shave tonight. Good night all!
Which Genco did you get? Awesome blades!
- Thread starter
- #47
pre-shave: Ach Brito glyce lime
Razor(s): Genco 5/8 Head Barber/Ralf Aust 5/8
Brush: Omega pro 49
Soap: Barrister & Mann Latha Limon
Post shave: Thayer's cucumber
Aftershave: PAA Al Fin
Cologne: TTFFC Play it Again, Sam
Feeling much better after some actual sleep! I started to read a little bit after I logged off last night, and think I got half a paragraph in. I blinked and it was 7 hours later lol.
I decided to give the Genco a try this morning. being a little paranoid, and not having procured any Barbicide yet, it got a nice soak in 90% isopropyl alcohol, and a shot of scrubbing bubbles to boot last night. So I loaded up the 49 and got it rolling. A note on the Latha line: It is a fantastic soap, and takes almost no loading time to get great lather from. Having forgotten that, I loaded as long as I usually do for my other soaps, and had to add water 4 times to get it wet enough. Needless to say, there was a great deal of lather coming off this large brush lol.
I put steel to cheek and did a first pass on my right cheek and neck. Now, I only have experience with 2 shave shave ready straights up to this point. My Ralf Aust, which I purchased from SRD which was honed by Lynn Abrams(who is another true gentleman, and a pleasure to deal with, almost on par with Tony Miller IMO), and my GD 208, which I bought from Anthony Esposito. Both have served me very well, and the Aust has retained a great edge throughout the 4 or so months since I bought it. The GD has also kept a great edge, but I've only had it for a month or so, and it is currently on loan to a friend. I could tell in the first run down my cheek that the Genco was certainly not shave ready by my standards, so I switched to the Aust to finish up the shave.
As is my habit lately when I have the time, I went through the first 2 passes fairly quickly and without incident, and spent more time on the 3rd pass trying to work on my technique in my trouble spots. I've been able to get BBS above the jawline since about my 5th straight razor shave, so that goes quickly. My jawline still takes a bit more time, but I've been able to get consistent results on that as well. I've figured out in the last few shaves how to get at least a DFS from my jawline, and just under my chin to my real trouble spot, which is the inch or so above my adam's apple and runs from 2-3 inches to the left and right of it. It is the shape of a hairy smile, and has caused me frustration at times, but knowing that shaving with a straight is a work in progress, I've gotten to the point of enjoying the whole shave and being happy with what progress I make.
I finished up everything except that area, and spent a little extra time on it. So far the best results I've gotten involve a 3rd pass with left hand on the right side of my neck, and vise versa, while pulling the skin at a downward diagonal angle from my neck, then a clean up with my right hand on right side etc, while pulling up from my jawline and cheek. I did a better job than previously on the left side and under my jaw, and pretty good on the right side. I can catch some stubble-scrape there when I run my hand over it, but......it's still progress, so I'm happy with it. The usual Thayer's, and I felt like a little extra menthol, so I reached for the Al Fin and followed it up with what is really becoming a favorite, some TTFFC Play it again, Sam. Now for my first attempt at an SOTD lol.
And on to the(mostly)completed restoration. Still needs a honing, and the scales need a final polish, but I'm happy with it my first attempt.
This is the Genco. I really like the look of the scales, and will clean them up a bit. I'm very happy with it, especially for $23
View attachment 668227
And this is one that I bid on, but was not really expecting to get. It says Sheffield steel forged in Germany, and from what little I've been able to find out about Carrick and Craig, they are a metalworking company from Glasgow, Scotland. Scotland by way of Germany and England, who could resist this $13 dollar beauty?!? I really like the look of it, and though it has more corrosion up near the spine on the other side, and some rust where the tang meets the handle, that is easily taken care of.
So, now that I've put in my bid for the longest post ever, I'll let you get back to your regularly scheduled programming. Have a great day!
Razor(s): Genco 5/8 Head Barber/Ralf Aust 5/8
Brush: Omega pro 49
Soap: Barrister & Mann Latha Limon
Post shave: Thayer's cucumber
Aftershave: PAA Al Fin
Cologne: TTFFC Play it Again, Sam
Feeling much better after some actual sleep! I started to read a little bit after I logged off last night, and think I got half a paragraph in. I blinked and it was 7 hours later lol.
I decided to give the Genco a try this morning. being a little paranoid, and not having procured any Barbicide yet, it got a nice soak in 90% isopropyl alcohol, and a shot of scrubbing bubbles to boot last night. So I loaded up the 49 and got it rolling. A note on the Latha line: It is a fantastic soap, and takes almost no loading time to get great lather from. Having forgotten that, I loaded as long as I usually do for my other soaps, and had to add water 4 times to get it wet enough. Needless to say, there was a great deal of lather coming off this large brush lol.
I put steel to cheek and did a first pass on my right cheek and neck. Now, I only have experience with 2 shave shave ready straights up to this point. My Ralf Aust, which I purchased from SRD which was honed by Lynn Abrams(who is another true gentleman, and a pleasure to deal with, almost on par with Tony Miller IMO), and my GD 208, which I bought from Anthony Esposito. Both have served me very well, and the Aust has retained a great edge throughout the 4 or so months since I bought it. The GD has also kept a great edge, but I've only had it for a month or so, and it is currently on loan to a friend. I could tell in the first run down my cheek that the Genco was certainly not shave ready by my standards, so I switched to the Aust to finish up the shave.
As is my habit lately when I have the time, I went through the first 2 passes fairly quickly and without incident, and spent more time on the 3rd pass trying to work on my technique in my trouble spots. I've been able to get BBS above the jawline since about my 5th straight razor shave, so that goes quickly. My jawline still takes a bit more time, but I've been able to get consistent results on that as well. I've figured out in the last few shaves how to get at least a DFS from my jawline, and just under my chin to my real trouble spot, which is the inch or so above my adam's apple and runs from 2-3 inches to the left and right of it. It is the shape of a hairy smile, and has caused me frustration at times, but knowing that shaving with a straight is a work in progress, I've gotten to the point of enjoying the whole shave and being happy with what progress I make.
I finished up everything except that area, and spent a little extra time on it. So far the best results I've gotten involve a 3rd pass with left hand on the right side of my neck, and vise versa, while pulling the skin at a downward diagonal angle from my neck, then a clean up with my right hand on right side etc, while pulling up from my jawline and cheek. I did a better job than previously on the left side and under my jaw, and pretty good on the right side. I can catch some stubble-scrape there when I run my hand over it, but......it's still progress, so I'm happy with it. The usual Thayer's, and I felt like a little extra menthol, so I reached for the Al Fin and followed it up with what is really becoming a favorite, some TTFFC Play it again, Sam. Now for my first attempt at an SOTD lol.
And on to the(mostly)completed restoration. Still needs a honing, and the scales need a final polish, but I'm happy with it my first attempt.
This is the Genco. I really like the look of the scales, and will clean them up a bit. I'm very happy with it, especially for $23
View attachment 668227
And this is one that I bid on, but was not really expecting to get. It says Sheffield steel forged in Germany, and from what little I've been able to find out about Carrick and Craig, they are a metalworking company from Glasgow, Scotland. Scotland by way of Germany and England, who could resist this $13 dollar beauty?!? I really like the look of it, and though it has more corrosion up near the spine on the other side, and some rust where the tang meets the handle, that is easily taken care of.
So, now that I've put in my bid for the longest post ever, I'll let you get back to your regularly scheduled programming. Have a great day!
Those are beautiful! Funny. Up until this week I thought all straights look the same and are boring (except the gd mod thread). Now that I've used one, they look amazing!
- Thread starter
- #49
I know lol. You start noticing more details, like the shoulder design, jimps or no, how it will feel in your hand, weight. I still get out my Heljestrand just to look at it. It seems much more delicate than my other straights, and I can't wait to get it honed up and see how it shaves. I might actually pay to have that one honed, since I don't want to wait until I get good enough.
I killed what edge there was on the Genco on my Norton 4k, and might be working on it tonight.
- Thread starter
- #50
My Ever-Ready 1914 showed up today, and I realized that this is the first day in over a month that I don't have something in the mail! I need to get ordering.
Those days are the hardest. I'm sure you'll pull through
- Thread starter
- #52
Pre-shave: Ach Brito glyce lime
Razor: Ever-Ready 1914/GEM PTFE(2)
Brush: Shave Revolution 24mm HMW
Soap: Haslinger shafmilch
Post shave: Thayer's cucumber
Aftershave: Speick
Cologne: Imaginary Authors Mosaic
I figured today would be a good day to put the 1914 through its paces. A pretty quick, laid back shave. The angle was not quite as intuitive for me as the 1912, and there was a little scraping and irritation from that, but it faded quickly, and I got a great shave out of it with 2 passes and a cleanup. Thayer's and a splash of Speick does wonders for my face. The Speick is a great AS, and I really like the short-lived scent. Today's software basically leaves me with a blank slate, scent-wise, so I could pick any cologne I want without having to think about pairing it up or having the scents collide or muddle each other. Imaginary Authors Mosaic was the first one that popped into my head. It matches the weather nicely, and stays close to the skin.
And on to the honing section of today's show. I spent about 3 hours last night(the time really flew by) working on a couple of razors, trying to get a feel for how the blade lays on the stone, and attempting to let it "talk" to me. I started with the Genco, pulled out the Norton 4k/8k combo and, after soaking and lapping it, got down to business. After about 40 minutes of struggling to set the bevel, I figured I'd take to the next stone, just to try to get a better sense of things. I played around with the 8k for about 15 minutes, and, just for kicks, decided to give the coticule bout a try. Being painfully new to all this, I'm not expecting any decent results for a while, but I do want to experiment a little, and it's easier to see where I went wrong in hindsight than it is doing endless reps on the 4k.
Now, if honing on the Norton feels like work, then honing on the coti feels like a fishing trip. I seriously don't know what it is about this stone, but I even like the smell of it. I held it in my hand under running water, and I think I just zoned out a little. Another half an hour went by before I realized it, and the blade started sticking to the stone. I think I read somewhere about "stiction" on a coticule, and this is what it felt like. Feeling pretty excited, I checked the edge, and found that it would treetop leg hair with almost no sound....except for the last 1/4" or so at the toe lol. Looks like I need to go back to bevel-setting school.
So I pulled out the Carrick and Craig, and just for kicks, decided to see how it would feel from start to finish. I haven't measured it, but compared to my other shavers it looks like a 6/8, and has a little smile to it. Oddly enough, it felt more intuitive on the Norton, and I took it up to the coti just to see how it would turn out.. I didn't spend much time with it compared to the Genco, but long enough to know that I like the feel of this razor in my hand. It turned out ok, and at about that time my lower back got my attention and told me that it was time to get some rest.
So I made some progress. Towards what, I'm not sure lol. But it was a strangely enjoyable time, and I hope to improve. I am completely open to comments, critique, and advice from any experienced honers out there. I'm itching to learn and become proficient at this. I know it will take plenty of time, but it is something that I'm not afraid to chip away at for as long as it takes.
And away we go. Have a great Saturday all!
Razor: Ever-Ready 1914/GEM PTFE(2)
Brush: Shave Revolution 24mm HMW
Soap: Haslinger shafmilch
Post shave: Thayer's cucumber
Aftershave: Speick
Cologne: Imaginary Authors Mosaic
I figured today would be a good day to put the 1914 through its paces. A pretty quick, laid back shave. The angle was not quite as intuitive for me as the 1912, and there was a little scraping and irritation from that, but it faded quickly, and I got a great shave out of it with 2 passes and a cleanup. Thayer's and a splash of Speick does wonders for my face. The Speick is a great AS, and I really like the short-lived scent. Today's software basically leaves me with a blank slate, scent-wise, so I could pick any cologne I want without having to think about pairing it up or having the scents collide or muddle each other. Imaginary Authors Mosaic was the first one that popped into my head. It matches the weather nicely, and stays close to the skin.
And on to the honing section of today's show. I spent about 3 hours last night(the time really flew by) working on a couple of razors, trying to get a feel for how the blade lays on the stone, and attempting to let it "talk" to me. I started with the Genco, pulled out the Norton 4k/8k combo and, after soaking and lapping it, got down to business. After about 40 minutes of struggling to set the bevel, I figured I'd take to the next stone, just to try to get a better sense of things. I played around with the 8k for about 15 minutes, and, just for kicks, decided to give the coticule bout a try. Being painfully new to all this, I'm not expecting any decent results for a while, but I do want to experiment a little, and it's easier to see where I went wrong in hindsight than it is doing endless reps on the 4k.
Now, if honing on the Norton feels like work, then honing on the coti feels like a fishing trip. I seriously don't know what it is about this stone, but I even like the smell of it. I held it in my hand under running water, and I think I just zoned out a little. Another half an hour went by before I realized it, and the blade started sticking to the stone. I think I read somewhere about "stiction" on a coticule, and this is what it felt like. Feeling pretty excited, I checked the edge, and found that it would treetop leg hair with almost no sound....except for the last 1/4" or so at the toe lol. Looks like I need to go back to bevel-setting school.
So I pulled out the Carrick and Craig, and just for kicks, decided to see how it would feel from start to finish. I haven't measured it, but compared to my other shavers it looks like a 6/8, and has a little smile to it. Oddly enough, it felt more intuitive on the Norton, and I took it up to the coti just to see how it would turn out.. I didn't spend much time with it compared to the Genco, but long enough to know that I like the feel of this razor in my hand. It turned out ok, and at about that time my lower back got my attention and told me that it was time to get some rest.
So I made some progress. Towards what, I'm not sure lol. But it was a strangely enjoyable time, and I hope to improve. I am completely open to comments, critique, and advice from any experienced honers out there. I'm itching to learn and become proficient at this. I know it will take plenty of time, but it is something that I'm not afraid to chip away at for as long as it takes.
And away we go. Have a great Saturday all!
- Thread starter
- #53
Pre-shave: Ach Brito glyce lime
Razor: Ralf Aust
Brush: Omega pro 49
Soap: Barrister & Mann Seville
Post shave: Thayer's cucumber
Aftershave: Fine Platinum
Been coming down with something the last couple days, and woke up just not feeling it, but I pushed myself out of bed and went for it anyway. First whiff of Seville was just what I needed to clear the got-plenty-of-sleep-but-it-wasn't-restful-at-all fog a bit. Now, my normal pre-shave is a bit more involved than just the glyce lime. For some time, I'll lightly load the brush and lather up my face, leaving it there while I strop, then hold a warm washcloth over it for about 30 seconds. Combined with the pre-shave soap, it has done a great job of softening up my whiskers. Doing that with the scent of Seville in my nose while stropping lifted my mood and energy level considerably.
I went through the first 2 passes as usual, getting the usual good results on my cheek and jawline. On the 3rd pass, the blade caught the skin on my left jaw, but displaying heretofore unknown cat-like reflexes, I stopped before it did any real damage. Amazingly, there was not even any blood. I can see it in the mirror as a half inch long light red stripe on my jaw, but nothing more than that. I went through the 3rd pass a bit more quickly than usual, and am very pleased with the progress I've made thus far. BBS on cheek and jawline without any real difficulty.
Clean up on the neck was easily the best yet. This is the closest I've gotten to BBS without cleaning up with a DE or SE. I can feel a barely-there hint of stubble on the trouble spot, and am extremely pleased with the results. I've decided that unless I just don't have time, I will not clean up with a safety razor again. I think that not leaving myself a safety net(seriously, no pun intended there) will push me to become more proficient with the straight.
Did the usual Thayer's thing, and a hefty splash of Fine Platinum, and the burn and fantastic scent drove away what little fog remained. A great shave to start the day and I'm ready to get moving!
Have a great day all!
The shave took about 25 minutes from start to finish, which is pretty good time for me, since I usually spend a few minutes just looking at my neck and thinking of different ways to make it better lol.
Razor: Ralf Aust
Brush: Omega pro 49
Soap: Barrister & Mann Seville
Post shave: Thayer's cucumber
Aftershave: Fine Platinum
Been coming down with something the last couple days, and woke up just not feeling it, but I pushed myself out of bed and went for it anyway. First whiff of Seville was just what I needed to clear the got-plenty-of-sleep-but-it-wasn't-restful-at-all fog a bit. Now, my normal pre-shave is a bit more involved than just the glyce lime. For some time, I'll lightly load the brush and lather up my face, leaving it there while I strop, then hold a warm washcloth over it for about 30 seconds. Combined with the pre-shave soap, it has done a great job of softening up my whiskers. Doing that with the scent of Seville in my nose while stropping lifted my mood and energy level considerably.
I went through the first 2 passes as usual, getting the usual good results on my cheek and jawline. On the 3rd pass, the blade caught the skin on my left jaw, but displaying heretofore unknown cat-like reflexes, I stopped before it did any real damage. Amazingly, there was not even any blood. I can see it in the mirror as a half inch long light red stripe on my jaw, but nothing more than that. I went through the 3rd pass a bit more quickly than usual, and am very pleased with the progress I've made thus far. BBS on cheek and jawline without any real difficulty.
Clean up on the neck was easily the best yet. This is the closest I've gotten to BBS without cleaning up with a DE or SE. I can feel a barely-there hint of stubble on the trouble spot, and am extremely pleased with the results. I've decided that unless I just don't have time, I will not clean up with a safety razor again. I think that not leaving myself a safety net(seriously, no pun intended there) will push me to become more proficient with the straight.
Did the usual Thayer's thing, and a hefty splash of Fine Platinum, and the burn and fantastic scent drove away what little fog remained. A great shave to start the day and I'm ready to get moving!
Have a great day all!
The shave took about 25 minutes from start to finish, which is pretty good time for me, since I usually spend a few minutes just looking at my neck and thinking of different ways to make it better lol.
Excellent shave! Haven't tried B&M yet (Latha is on my line up though) but I've heard some great things.
- Thread starter
- #55
I've got B&M in the white label, Latha, and his newer glissant base. They are all great, but the glissant is so good that once he switches over all his soaps to it, I might PIF my current Seville and get the glissant version.
The Latha beats out any other soap I've used yet in terms of easy lathering. A few swirls, a little water, and lather explodes out of the brush.
What?! What?! "Inconceivable!!" As President of the CEC, I cannot, in good conscience, allow this to continue. Please PM your mailing address so I can correct this.
Eric, what stone are you using for bevel set? Is it the Norton 4K?
- Thread starter
- #58
It is. I picked up the combination stone set from Amazon(220/1k, 4k/8k, flattening stone), and have been messing around with it a bit. If the last couple days have taught me anything, it's that I've got a long way to go lol.
- Thread starter
- #59
OK, so.....I spent a couple hours on the hones today, and decided to give the Genco a test shave. I mean, why not, right? Anything that has spent that much time on a hone has ​to be sharp. Ok, seriously, I was under no illusions that it would be a good shave, but there really is no better way that I could think of to check my progress. The razor did not pass the HHT, but it sliced through arm and leg hair easily, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Onward, brave reader, for the results.
Pre-shave: Ach Brito glyce lime
Razor: GENCO 5/8 Head Barber
Brush: Omega pro 49
Soap: RazoRock Tuscan Oud
Post shave: Thayer's cucumber
Aftershave: RazoRock Tuscan Oud
With various first aid supplies at hand, and a clear case of "more balls than brains"(not something that I have been often accused of lol), I prepared myself mentally, physically and spiritually for a bloodletting.
1st pass: I went through it normally, except for checking the sponge when I wiped the blade to make sure it was actually removing hair. Amazingly, it was, so I continued.
2nd pass: More of the same. I was getting good feedback from the razor, but could tell that it was not cutting as cleanly as my Aust. The fact that it was cutting at all was encouraging enough to continue, so I kept at it.
3rd pass: there was a bit of tugging going on in my trouble spot, but the razor was still removing hair, so I soldiered on and finished up.
Clean up: Hah! I'm not crazy enough to even attempt it. I left it at 3 and was content.
Washed the remaining lather off my face and did a quick check. No DFS today, but a solid SAS, which was really more than I was expecting. One small nick under my chin, but that was it.
Now, I usually don't feel irritation from a shave while it's in progress for some reason, but when the aftershave hits, it lights right up. I was a little scared to splash the AS on, expecting the worst(there have been times when applying aftershave felt like a gasoline soaked belt sander going across my face). Safely ensconced in my shave den, where whimpers would go unheard, I threw caution to the wind and splashed a double dose of amazing smelling Tuscan Oud onto my face and neck, and......huh....not bad. There was certainly some burn, but not more than usual.
I can't call it a truly successful shave test, since I didn't get my usual results, but it was better than I had expected it to be. Would I shave with it again like this? No. But it didn't turn out to be the cautionary tale I was afraid of.
I'll keep at the stones, and will hopefully improve, but now I have a minimum standard from which to gauge future attempts.
Until next time!
Pre-shave: Ach Brito glyce lime
Razor: GENCO 5/8 Head Barber
Brush: Omega pro 49
Soap: RazoRock Tuscan Oud
Post shave: Thayer's cucumber
Aftershave: RazoRock Tuscan Oud
With various first aid supplies at hand, and a clear case of "more balls than brains"(not something that I have been often accused of lol), I prepared myself mentally, physically and spiritually for a bloodletting.
1st pass: I went through it normally, except for checking the sponge when I wiped the blade to make sure it was actually removing hair. Amazingly, it was, so I continued.
2nd pass: More of the same. I was getting good feedback from the razor, but could tell that it was not cutting as cleanly as my Aust. The fact that it was cutting at all was encouraging enough to continue, so I kept at it.
3rd pass: there was a bit of tugging going on in my trouble spot, but the razor was still removing hair, so I soldiered on and finished up.
Clean up: Hah! I'm not crazy enough to even attempt it. I left it at 3 and was content.
Washed the remaining lather off my face and did a quick check. No DFS today, but a solid SAS, which was really more than I was expecting. One small nick under my chin, but that was it.
Now, I usually don't feel irritation from a shave while it's in progress for some reason, but when the aftershave hits, it lights right up. I was a little scared to splash the AS on, expecting the worst(there have been times when applying aftershave felt like a gasoline soaked belt sander going across my face). Safely ensconced in my shave den, where whimpers would go unheard, I threw caution to the wind and splashed a double dose of amazing smelling Tuscan Oud onto my face and neck, and......huh....not bad. There was certainly some burn, but not more than usual.
I can't call it a truly successful shave test, since I didn't get my usual results, but it was better than I had expected it to be. Would I shave with it again like this? No. But it didn't turn out to be the cautionary tale I was afraid of.
I'll keep at the stones, and will hopefully improve, but now I have a minimum standard from which to gauge future attempts.
Until next time!
I would humbly suggest considering a courser grit stone for bevel setting (just my opinion, of course, and I'm no honemeister). I'm not sure that the Norton 4K is going to be sufficient for that task. Perhaps others that have used the Norton 4K for bevel setting can chime in. I've been using the Chosera 1K and have been quite pleased with it.
