The Straight-Eight Shavette Pass.

[ladykate]

Received the package today. Man the blade exposure is impressive! It also smells like we have some Tabac Fans in the passaround crew .

Not Tabac... B.O....

I found that stropping the blade makes it much milder - sort of like a moderate GD. I did 13 shaves on one blade but I stropped it regularly after about shave 3 or 4. I prefer the sharper blade. The 13 shaves was just to prove to myself that I could keep it going. Went back to a Feather yesterday and realize I love uber sharp steel.

These are really nice shavers, though and the blades are cheap enough. I think they are an excellent starter for a new straight user.

 

[TheVez2]

All in all 2 thumbs up!

Great review, Kent. Glad you like it. I'm definitely curious to see how your shaves progress as you strop with paste. I've never done any stropping of these blades. I was always worried the corner would scrape and dig into my strop.

 

[Kentos]

Great review, Kent. Glad you like it. I'm definitely curious to see how your shaves progress as you strop with paste. I've never done any stropping of these blades. I was always worried the corner would scrape and dig into my strop.

It actually strops quite nicely- the best of any replaceastraight yet. I have high hopes that I can refine and maintain the edge for a long time on my sprays.

 

[TheVez2]

OK, here's one for you guys. Ever heard of Pro-Mate blades?

I was watching this video from a couple years ago, and this barber recommends the Pro-Mate blade over Personna. He says the Personna blade is too flimsy, which I do not understand.

I was able to find Pro-Mate blades on eBay (Seller lisko1 from Cleveland):
10 blades BIN $8 shipped http://www.ebay.com/itm/PROMATE-PLA...608?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5644287930
60 blades BIN $23 shipped http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRO-MATE-PL...988?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item416f526cac

What I'm hesitant about is the little grooves on the side of the blade. I don't see those grooves on the blade in the video. Would those interfere with shaving? Is this a new Hair Shaper only blade?

 

[Kentos]

I would pass on those grooved blades myself unless you can get some cheap to experiment

I would send a pm to that barber and let him know about wecks. He might get addicted to them!

 

[ladykate]

OK, here's one for you guys. Ever heard of Pro-Mate blades?

I was watching this video from a couple years ago, and this barber recommends the Pro-Mate blade over Personna. He says the Personna blade is too flimsy, which I do not understand.

Interesting video.

What I'm hesitant about is the little grooves on the side of the blade. I don't see those grooves on the blade in the video. Would those interfere with shaving? Is this a new Hair Shaper only blade?

I looked at that for several minutes. I searched the web and found Pro-Mate without grooves but they were at a wholesaler and it looked hard to order them (no prices).

I'm probably seeing things but it looks like there is a smooth edge on them - the grooves look like they start up the blade a hair or two. They are definitely not scalloped like the other hair shapers. Amazon has them and calls them razor blades (not hair shapers). One way to find out...

 

[Kentos]

It's called, "taking one for the team" .

 

[ladykate]

It's called, "taking one for the team" .

I ordered a pack. I haven't purchased anything for a few weeks so I'll go for it. These things are too cheap so my Spidey sense says to be careful If they are cheap, there is usually a reason.

 

[TheVez2]

You have Spidey sense too?!?!

 

[wherndon]

It actually strops quite nicely- the best of any replaceastraight yet. I have high hopes that I can refine and maintain the edge for a long time on my sprays.

Hey Vez, you notice that Kent may have come up with the term you were looking for in your recent "replaceable" thread.
Sorry, I don't mean to derail this thread. Just an observation.
Bil

 

[TheVez2]

Yes, I took note of that.

 

[Ollie4ISU]

To: TheVez2

Your pass around thread is working. It stoked my interest. I had been thinking about straights and/or replaceable blade Shavette style razors, but wasn't real keen on all the gear involved in real straights nor was I very excited about the half DE options. I hadn't really ever heard of Weck razors prior to stumbling upon this thread. This thread piqued my interest and started me on a search for a Weck. Today I found a pristine hair shaper model for $5 and figured that was a good place to start. A stop at Sally for a five pack of blades and I am ready to give this a whirl. Thanks for starting what is likely going to become yet another AD....

 

[TheVez2]

Great, hope you like it!

 

[Kentos]

Ok, so my last shave pulled a bit and I had some irritation here and there, so I took my normal Saturday off day. So prior to tonight's shave I taped up the spine on the Weck and gave it a few laps on my jnat with Koma slurry, then a few laps on water, then some laps on my sprays. I did notice that the blade wasn't entirely flat on the hone, so I gave it a few rusty rolling x's for good measure.

The shave was very nice. Smooth near BBS and no witch hazel tingle. I think if someone wanted to they could reset the bevel and tailor the edge on a coti, synths, anything. Of course honing a Weck is like washing your disposable picnic plates, but hey, it's fun and it keeps me out of trouble on a Saturday night.
Ill try resetting the bevel before sending it out to the next lucky shaver.

 

[ladykate]

Ok, so my last shave pulled a bit and I had some irritation here and there, so I took my normal Saturday off day. So prior to tonight's shave I taped up the spine on the Weck and gave it a few laps on my jnat with Koma slurry, then a few laps on water, then some laps on my sprays. I did notice that the blade wasn't entirely flat on the hone, so I gave it a few rusty rolling x's for good measure.

The shave was very nice. Smooth near BBS and no witch hazel tingle. I think if someone wanted to they could reset the bevel and tailor the edge on a coti, synths, anything. Of course honing a Weck is like washing your disposable picnic plates, but hey, it's fun and it keeps me out of trouble on a Saturday night.
Ill try resetting the bevel before sending it out to the next lucky shaver.

I noticed tug during the last of my third shave and started stropping on the fourth. Stropping was immediately effective although it didn't bring it back to its former glory - but it was still useful. The 'Washing the disposable plates" comment is funny and probably more than half true - but I can see where knowing how to strop them would help on trips/camping/ or just mellowing them out for that first shave.

 

[wherndon]

...but I can see where knowing how to strop them would help on trips/camping/ or just mellowing them out for that first shave.

I've taken to stropping my Fromm blades right off the bat, mellows them a bit. At the moment I am only using the Weck for detail, and clean-up (as you can see from my profile pic I have a shaped beard and moustache), but it works really well for trimming, and I have done complete shaves with it.


sorry for the fugley pic...
Bil

 

[Firewalker]

Well, that about does it. Two Wecks and a box of blades on their way to try out. Ladykate, thanks for the tips on making the non folders.

Crap, now I need a strop...

 

[Hentzikov]

After a disastrous first outing several weeks back mostly due to bad technique, I've gone back to my Weck w/Personna blades this week. My first shave back, I accomplished no nicks or cuts on a two-pass, with the grain shave. I didn't want to risk against the grain just yet and I was satisfied with the with the grain shave. Yesterday I did one pass with the grain and one across the grain. For fun I tried against the grain and immediately stopped because of a small cut.

Speaking from personal experience, anyone have any pointers on how to handle your against the grain passes with a straight?

 

[ladykate]

atg with a straight usually comes after a bit of practice. There is a consensus that it takes quite a while to become really proficient in straight razor shaving so take it easy - don't be afraid to take baby steps at first. Some say it takes as many as 100 shaves to get good at it. If you are doing wtg and xtg all over your face, then you are doing quite a bit for your first few outings. Start atg on the sides of your face after you have done wtg and xtg. Do only the easy parts first. After you become proficient (or get the nerve) then do a little more (say on the neck or chin). Creep up on it over several shaving sessions. In some cases, atg may not be possible. I cannot do a good atg on my lips or chin and usually am satisfied with a two pass wtg then xtg - I can get BBS that way. If I try to do atg, I must go so slowly that it is nerve wracking. Some folks can't do it at all.

 

[Kentos]

For me the stubble needs to be as short as it can possibly get prior to the ATG pass. I also need to use a very low angle, light pressure, and a slicing/sliding stroke if the blade isn't laser beam sharp.

I puff my upper lip out to further expose the whiskers to the WTG pass. If you can still cut the whiskers on the WTG it's not short enough for an easy ATG.

YMMV.