I always assumed that was a typo (1.65 kg)?
He also gives recommendations about the time you spend on each nagura. I have always just looked at it as a base line.
My First Natural Finish
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He also gives recommendations about the time you spend on each nagura. I have always just looked at it as a base line.
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rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
Initially the point of this exercise was to see if I could dispense with the use of lapping films between my synthetic stones and pasted balsa strops.
My synthetics consist of 400, 1k, 3k, 8k and 10k. I have never really like using the 10k. It just doesn't seem to cut it for me. I would normally go from the 8k to lapping films and the balsa.
Balsa is known to not make a bad edge good but only to make a good shave-ready edge even better. I therefore needed a stone that would produce a good shave-ready edge from the 8k synthetic. I hunted around with a limited budget and found the "13k" Adaee Cnat.
I have only had two attempts at getting a shave-ready edge off the Cnat. So far I have failed. I am not looking for a more comfortable edge off the Cnat. The edges off my pasted balsa with short X strokes are plenty comfortable for my shaving technique.
If I eventually fail with this Cnat, I can always return to using the lapping films and not have extended myself financially.
After a decade of using JNATS, I tried the pasted balsa strop for awhile just to see what all the hub-bub is about. I treated several of my own personally honed JNAT edges on the balsa and shaved with them. Sharp? Yes. JNAT mellow and smooth? Nope. To the contrary, I found them to be in a word "mechanical" feeling. Don't ask me to define mechanical in relation to what I was feeling on my face. But that is what I get.
And so, all of the those edges went back to the stone either at Koma, Tomo Nagura of my choosing or simply on water and "Voila!" So, the "reverse combination" that you described in my opinion is a valid one from my experience.
I'm not disparaging the "pasted balsa method" or whatever people call it. All I can say is that I personally spent the money, bought the supplies, made my own pasted balsa strops and experimented with it.
I would recommend other "Stoners" do the same and play around with them a little to see if they get the same results.
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- #44
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
And that's how it should be. Trying different approach with an open mind and no preconceived ill-founded opinions.
Now, all I have to do is build up the courage to shave again with a "safety" razor.
I have also tried the pasted balsa after a jnat. I had the same experience as you describe. The edge did not improve at all.
What i do not understand is why i got better results if i moved to a pasted balsa after a synthetic progression. Maybe it is just inconsistencies in my honing, or something i don't quite understand.
12k synthetic to 5-10 strokes on balsa have actually been quite good, but maybe a little as you say "mechanical".
Years ago, I exhaustively experimented (years)with film, paste and substrates, and got some smoking, keen edges. CBN beats Diamond in my book.
I also own or have honed on most all natural stones.
But nothing compares with Jnats and Arks for keen, crisp comfortable edges.
When honing, I often strop,20-30 laps on Chrome Oxide, hanging Sail Cloth, (Polyester Canvas) strop or Pellon/ CBN, .50 or .25 on a Jnat finished edge and then return to the Jnat and re- finish on a misty Tomo slurry.
I strop between stones on Flax Firehose.
The La Lune did not improve a Jnat edge for me, new and vintage… now a properly set up vintage Surgical Black or Translucent Ark is another story. Though the edges are a bit different, they are very similar in shaving, the Arks a bit crisper.
I also own or have honed on most all natural stones.
But nothing compares with Jnats and Arks for keen, crisp comfortable edges.
When honing, I often strop,20-30 laps on Chrome Oxide, hanging Sail Cloth, (Polyester Canvas) strop or Pellon/ CBN, .50 or .25 on a Jnat finished edge and then return to the Jnat and re- finish on a misty Tomo slurry.
I strop between stones on Flax Firehose.
The La Lune did not improve a Jnat edge for me, new and vintage… now a properly set up vintage Surgical Black or Translucent Ark is another story. Though the edges are a bit different, they are very similar in shaving, the Arks a bit crisper.
Ah... it's always nice (albeit surprising) to learn that my random hunches are rooted in some kind of valid thinking
.I actually have the kit for pasted balsa stropping already, very kindly given to me by another member, so I guess I really should now get around to learning it properly! I got sidetracked a bit because I discovered that diamond pasted balsa is also absolutely kickass for knife polishing:
For knives and edge tools, planes, chisels and Axes, Diamonds are a whole other world.
What makes Diamonds a less then stellar option for razors is what makes it great for edge tools.
I use Diamond strops daily to refresh my edge tool, the edge that they produce and the speed that they can refresh an edge is awesome.
Wood, leather, vegies and meat do not complain about a harsh micro toothy edge.
What makes Diamonds a less then stellar option for razors is what makes it great for edge tools.
I use Diamond strops daily to refresh my edge tool, the edge that they produce and the speed that they can refresh an edge is awesome.
Wood, leather, vegies and meat do not complain about a harsh micro toothy edge.
BTW I make paddle strops from bamboo cutting boards that I buy damaged from a local kitchen outlet for a few dollars.
6MM thickness is tough and thin enough that I can hang a few on a peg on the wall and have a ready assortment of grits, strop widths and different paste.
I glue thin suede leather or buckskin to them with wood glue. Makes great durable strops that hold paste well. Automotive metal polish also works well but not as toothy as Diamond.
6MM thickness is tough and thin enough that I can hang a few on a peg on the wall and have a ready assortment of grits, strop widths and different paste.
I glue thin suede leather or buckskin to them with wood glue. Makes great durable strops that hold paste well. Automotive metal polish also works well but not as toothy as Diamond.
Wouldn't mind seeing a few pictures of these. Great idea!
Here are a few I made a while back. The cutting boards are about 8mm just under 3/8 in.
I used to make them from ½ in MDF, the Bamboo is thinner, lighter and stronger, looks good too.
I glued leather and pasted both side. I bought a suede leather skirt for $5, from a thrift store and made a bunch of paddle strops from it and lined the drawers of toolboxes with it also.
I do not use a paddle for razors, only for tools and knives. Great for EDC knives exacto and utility knives.
for EDC knives exacto and utility knives.
I used to make them from ½ in MDF, the Bamboo is thinner, lighter and stronger, looks good too.
I glued leather and pasted both side. I bought a suede leather skirt for $5, from a thrift store and made a bunch of paddle strops from it and lined the drawers of toolboxes with it also.
I do not use a paddle for razors, only for tools and knives. Great for EDC knives exacto and utility knives.
I'm not especially surprised that the Cnat can't compete with the balsa edge, but I'd be kind of curious how it compares to a 1 micron film edge.
I know the feeling, and I've been VERY happy after having switched to DE safety razors for my daily shaves. I still use my straights, but I'm much slower with those shaves. I can now DE shave as fast as when I used a disposable.
I picked up 9-10 different brands of DE blades from the internet, and have been trying them out. My face doesn't like all of the brands, but that is to be expected. I find it is very helpful to adjust my Gillette fat boy for the variations I've come across in the different brands, just so I can give each blade brand a decent evaluation.
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- #56
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
You are a braver man than I am. Ever since I sat on a Gen razor at about 6 years old (I still have the scar to show for it), I have been extremely hesitate to shave with a "safety" razor where I cannot see the edge on my skin. Carts, electric and straight razors present no fear for me.
I am now fully addicted to SR shaving. All my normal friends have ostracised me. The only friends that I have now are the SR shavers on B&B. I have searched for a SR rehab facility but none found.
I tried a DE for a little while before using SRs, and cut myself quite a lot - far more in one month than I've ever done since.
Probably a combination of poor technique and I assume a slightly crappy DE. But actually now that you mention - perhaps also something to do with not being able to see it. I personally find straights much easier anyway.
You are prepared for the 'not seeing the edge' part of DE shaving because of your experiences with the straight razors. You've seen the angle of attack with your straights MANY times. You know what that looks like. Forget the shape of the safety razor and look at the safety razor while thinking how do I put this DE edge at the same angle of attack? That visualization is what I did when I took my best guess.
You got me laughing pretty good when I read, "All my normal friends have ostracised me". I think I'm safe in saying that all of us abnormal folks here at B&B are happy to be friends with you.
Forget about rehab. Embrace the shave.
I am surprised by the number of colleagues at work who use a safety razor - seems to appeal to the tech-diy type. But still no straight razor users. The safety razor users seem to appreciate my interest. For the rest, probably best to keep it to myself
.
I'm getting ready to move in a month or two (USA to Germany). If shipping is not terribly I will hone up some of your razors for free and give you a coticule/arkansas/thuri/and jnat edge. My coticule and ark edges are really nice. My thuri is good I think but i don't normally use it. My jnat edge is good for me but I know there are a lot better jnat edges out there.
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