How Many Shaves?

[Steve56]

Geez you guys are killing me!

Here ya go, and yes the heel should be slightly relieved.

 

[Steve56]

For every smiling blade, no matter how slight, you have to lift the toe to get the heel and lift the heel to get the toe. That’s a rolling X stroke.

The only question is how much, and that depends on the particular blade. On the Wosty above, it’s quite a lot, but the honing technique isn’t any different than any other smiling blade, just more exaggerated as is this blade.

And you could not straighten the edge without ruining the razor, lol.

When I got the Wosty, near new, the last third of the edge at the heel was not sharpened. Glen Mercurio thinks that’s because ‘bald faced’ men didn’t need toes and heels to trim around facial hair. I kind of like that idea. But if you want the last 1” of that Wosty heel to cut, you’re going to have to lift the toe.

 

[dabrock]

They don't ring any bells at a particular count, no. But there are still important boundaries, at least there were for me. Three, I think.

1. Being mostly done with bleeding. Not done, but mostly done. Around 10-11 shaves for me. The first 5-7 shaves were a blood sport.
2. I've got a lot to learn, but I think I've basically got this. Somewhere in the mid-20s for me
3. Why did I ever shave any other way? Maybe 35 shaves in.

After that it has been gradual improvement, with occasional epiphanies along the way.

I'll be happy when I don't know the paramedics by name.

I'm planning on doing a bit of a backstep as well. I've decided to spend a couple shaves using the AC again but using Kai Pinks instead of Pro Guards. I'll concentrate more on my technique without the worry of handling a real straight with a delicate edge. I also want to work with a smaller more agile blade for a bit and then move back to the larger Bismark.

 

[Herrenberg]

For every smiling blade, no matter how slight, you have to lift the toe to get the heel and lift the heel to get the toe. That’s a rolling X stroke.

If that's the norm, then it's the norm. I don't have to like it, of course. I have three razors now whose smiles can be reached without lifting anything, just honing with the toe/heel forward, without lifting from the honing guide.

But only one of the three, a Butch Harner, came that way. The others I forced into that configuration when I decided the smile was too pronounced to remove entirely. I'm not a fan of smiles (speaking as a honer, not a shaver), and the razor whose picture you posted will likely give me a couple of days of nightmares. My hat is off to you for calmly honing that thing.

 

[dabrock]

For every smiling blade, no matter how slight, you have to lift the toe to get the heel and lift the heel to get the toe. That’s a rolling X stroke.

The only question is how much, and that depends on the particular blade. On the Wosty above, it’s quite a lot, but the honing technique isn’t any different than any other smiling blade, just more exaggerated as is this blade.

And you could not straighten the edge without ruining the razor, lol.

When I got the Wosty, near new, the last third of the edge at the heel was not sharpened. Glen Mercurio thinks that’s because ‘bald faced’ men didn’t need toes and heels to trim around facial hair. I kind of like that idea. But if you want the last 1” of that Wosty heel to cut, you’re going to have to lift the toe.

Looks like a technique I'll have to learn.

 

[Steve56]

If that's the norm, then it's the norm. I don't have to like it, of course. I have three razors now whose smiles can be reached without lifting anything, just honing with the toe/heel forward, without lifting from the honing guide.

But only one of the three, a Butch Harner, came that way. The others I forced into that configuration when I decided the smile was too pronounced to remove entirely. I'm not a fan of smiles (speaking as a honer, not a shaver), and the razor whose picture you posted will likely give me a couple of days of nightmares. My hat is off to you for calmly honing that thing.

You might be misunderstanding what I’m saying - I’m not at any time lifting the spine off the stone. The toe/heel can be up in the air without the spine above the section being honed being off the stone.

 

[Tomo]

1-10 Survival
10-30 Glimpses of light at the end of the tunnel
30-50 Wow. I can actually do this!
50-100 Don’t get cocky…
100-200 Smooth sailing. Little tweaks
200-300 Adding some flare. Getting better
300-500 Getting faster. Faster works better
500+ Autopilot and subconscious refinement. Zen.

 

[dabrock]

1-10 Survival
10-30 Glimpses of light at the end of the tunnel
30-50 Wow. I can actually do this!
50-100 Don’t get cocky…
100-200 Smooth sailing. Little tweaks
200-300 Adding some flare. Getting better
300-500 Getting faster. Faster works better
500+ Autopilot and subconscious refinement. Zen.

I'm definitely still in survival!

 

[Herrenberg]

You might be misunderstanding what I’m saying - I’m not at any time lifting the spine off the stone. The toe/heel can be up in the air without the spine above the section being honed being off the stone.

Yes, I was misunderstanding. I guess you were actually talking talking about the moment when you have moved the higher bevel sections off of the stone, to the side, so that they no longer hold a lower heel/toe up away from the stone. Is that correct?

 

[Steve56]

Yes, I was misunderstanding. I guess you were actually talking talking about the moment when you have moved the higher bevel sections off of the stone, to the side, so that they no longer hold a lower heel/toe up away from the stone. Is that correct?

This is not a very good image but shows an exaggerated rolling x - the heel (and the spine above it) is on the stone while the toe is not. If the toe, and the spine above it, were in contact with the stone the heel would not be.

 

[Herrenberg]

This is not a very good image but shows an exaggerated rolling x - the heel (and the spine above it) is on the stone while the toe is not. If the toe, and the spine above it, were in contact with the stone the heel would not be.

Oh! That is what I had originally understood. The picture really helps, thanks..

 

[Steve56]

YW sir!

 

[dabrock]

Very interesting to see some of those honing techniques.

Today was a good day and I didn't see any blood so that was good! I did go back to the AC but got rid of the Pro Guard in favour of a Kai Pink that would be more a more accurate representation of my straights. I concentrated on angle, pressure, and keeping the blade moving in short strokes so it was always in motion while touching the skin. All of these factors, plus going slower, really helped and I'm feeling more confident that I can avoid bloodshed in the future.

My 5/8 Dovo Best should arrive today or tomorrow so I'll use it on Wednesday and see how well my technique translates to a real straight once again.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Good video on rolling x-strokes:

Honing A Smiling Straight Razor Blade - YouTube

 

[dabrock]

Good video on rolling x-strokes:

Honing A Smiling Straight Razor Blade - YouTube

Thanks!

 

[bluesman 7]

I'm in the neighborhood of 2800 shaves in, and I cut myself last Friday. Whoda thunk it. The wound was not bad and was completely healed 3 days later without a scar, but it did surprise me.

 

[2bit_collie]

Geez you guys are killing me!

Here ya go, and yes the heel should be slightly relieved.

View attachment 1277879

I have a Wostenholm just like that, slightly less smile. After working through several Sheffields I am finally getting comfortable with rolling X strokes. Not all techniques that work for straight-edge razors will work on a smiling edge. I have stopped doing 1/2 strokes and switched to circle strokes as the precursor to the rolling X-strokes. In some cases only do rolling X-strokes

 

[Steve56]

I'm in the neighborhood of 2800 shaves in, and I cut myself last Friday. Whoda thunk it. The wound was not bad and was completely healed 3 days later without a scar, but it did surprise me.

Maybe I shouldn’t have ‘liked’ your post Victor, and the same thing happened to me yesterday actually, but very minor. Minor enough to shave with no problems today. I was trying novel lathering techniques on the apparently unlatherable new C&S soap and got something a bit tacky or sticky, never good with a straight razor. Dry or sticky lather makes them want to ‘dig in’. Keep your lather wet gentlemen.

 

[dabrock]

I'm in the neighborhood of 2800 shaves in, and I cut myself last Friday. Whoda thunk it. The wound was not bad and was completely healed 3 days later without a scar, but it did surprise me.

Yeah, even professional barbers cut themselves occasionally! I still do once in a while with my DEs and I've been shaving with them for years, and it's harder to cut yourself with a DE.

 

[Steve56]

Yeah, even professional barbers cut themselves occasionally! I still do once in a while with my DEs and I've been shaving with them for years, and it's harder to cut yourself with a DE.

I think that when you’re truly comfortable shaving and honing your SR, you’ll find that you don’t nick yourself any more that anything else, maybe less. Unless you’re like me and try all sorts of different things, lol.