Damn Comfortable Shave

[Clay S]

It looks it.

View attachment 936248

Try a dusting of Oregano and/or Basil on it as soon as it comes out. Those flakes absorb the juices and really make the flavours pop.

I heard a big "DOH!" at the mention of vegetarian.

Looks good enough to at least try though!

 

[Seveneighth]

The slate I bought (from AJ) was the purple which seveneigth seemed to think was more like 8-10k.
So, that slots in nicely between the synthetics.
To be honest, I was just looking for an excuse to use it.

Lapping it was harder than the Ark for some reason. Didn't realise how hard this slate could be.
I bought one of these Naniwa Extra Large Flattening Stone |The Invisible Edge along with my set of Naniwa stones. Turns out to be just the thing for lapping naturals. Once the stone is flat, I just lay a sheet of 600 grit W&D on top and lap some more.

Sure, I'll do a comparison honing this way with the Ark. There's nothing to stop switching back and forth with different finishers. Just polish the edge with the 12k and move onto a natural.

I may at some point buy a tri set from AJ, or just buy the other 2 I don't have.
Also looking for a vintage yellow lake in a red box.

One thing is for sure, all stones need to be lapped. It really does makes a difference.

I have the the large Naniwa lapping stone - great stone - make sure you lap it on wet n dry from time to time because it dishes easily.

Agree with you about lapping them.

Grit ratings are hard to judge on the stones. DON'T LISTEN TO ME - I have nothing scientific to base it on - just the kind of results I get.

The dragons tongue had a big range for me. The first time I used it with two other stones:

Dalmore Blue - set the bevel
Dragons Tongue
Charnley Forest
CrOx paste

So I estimate:

Dalmore Blue 2k - 5k
Dragons Tongue 4k - 8k
Charnley Forest 15k ? With oil higher? possibly towards 20?
CrOx 0.5 micron

So from that I think you can be push the slates over quite a wide grit range if you start with heavy slurry and dilute, lighten your strokes consistently.

But this is all feel. Another honer might disagree with me.

 

[Esox]

Good idea.

The pizza had basil in it, but no oregano because we were out of oregano (how can that happen?).

Dusting it at the end is something I will try next time if I don't forget.

I learned that from the sons that now run this pizza shop.

Frank & Gus Pizza Restaurant | Pizza Delivery London | Home

That shop is run by a Sicilian family and the third generation is in training now.

Dough made fresh every day. Sauce is made Tuesdays and they wont share the recipe lol.

The last time I was in there I was talking to one brother and told him he needs to slow down. He works Thurs - Sun. He opens at 4pm and closes at 4am. They're so busy and get so many orders that Friday and Saturday he usually doesnt leave until 7am. Its just him and a delivery driver working after 8pm. His kids are there learning 4-8 and sometimes 10pm.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I learned that from the sons that now run this pizza shop.

Frank & Gus Pizza Restaurant | Pizza Delivery London | Home

That shop is run by a Sicilian family and the third generation is in training now.

View attachment 936515

Dough made fresh every day. Sauce is made Tuesdays and they wont share the recipe lol.

The last time I was in there I was talking to one brother and told him he needs to slow down. He works Thurs - Sun. He opens at 4pm and closes at 4am. They're so busy and get so many orders that Friday and Saturday he usually doesn't leave until 7am. Its just him and a delivery driver working after 8pm. His kids are there learning 4-8 and sometimes 10pm.

Sounds and looks like the perfect pizza joint. Lucky you.

I'm surprised they stay open so late, but if they have the business...

 

[Esox]

I'm surprised they stay open so late, but if they have the business...

To use one sons words "All those drunk university students cant get enough and at 4am I'm the only game in town." Last call at the bars here is 2:30am. The University of Western Ontario is pretty big.

At $23.90 for a medium pepperoni, onion and green pepper I cant say I blame him making it while he can, but its still too many hours. Good thing he and his brother have 6 or 8 kids between them.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Wednesday's shave was good enough.

I have a few more learning shaves to go.

Fifty three to be exact. If I continue to improve at the rate I'm going I'll be a pretty decent straight razor shaver by then.

My SR shaves aren't as good as my shaves with the E-2, and they're not in the league of being as easy, carefree, or fast, but I didn't expect the straight's learning curve to be easily or rapidly climbed and there are few razors which can be thrown about with reckless abandon; the E-2 at least my E-2 is one of those razors. I seriously doubt anybody throws a straight razor around with reckless abandon twice.

This would not be a good comment from the lady in my life. If my wife notices my scent she's not saying. I'm not asking either. I know my secretary likes the scent.

That's the bay rum scent (this bay rum). Nobody ever mentions liking or disliking it other than my secretary. Not that I'm all that close to all that many women in the course of the day.

CrOx helped.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Seveneighth]

Wednesday's shave was good enough.

View attachment 936597

I have a few more learning shaves to go.

Fifty three to be exact. If I continue to improve at the rate I'm going I'll be a pretty decent straight razor shaver by then.

My SR shaves aren't as good as my shaves with the E-2, and they're not in the league of being as easy, carefree, or fast, but I didn't expect the straight's learning curve to be easily or rapidly climbed and there are few razors which can be thrown about with reckless abandon; the E-2 at least my E-2 is one of those razors. I seriously doubt anybody throws a straight razor around with reckless abandon twice.

This would not be a good comment from the lady in my life. If my wife notices my scent she's not saying. I'm not asking either. I know my secretary likes the scent.

View attachment 936599

That's the bay rum scent (this bay rum). Nobody ever mentions liking or disliking it other than my secretary. Not that I'm all that close to all that many women in the course of the day.

CrOx helped.

Happy shaves,

Jim

If you like the CrOx, try these afterwards:

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Interesting product. Thanks.

If you like the CrOx, try these afterwards:

I read the reviews on the UK Amazon site, and can't quite tell how to use this stuff.

Do you use a dedicated strop side for each of these two pastes? From what I read the red is coarser (but I supposed not as coarse as CrOx is what you're saying), the blue is finer and more of a finish polisher?

Some people seem to put both on one surface, but that seems strange to me (not that I know anything).

I know Gamma and other shave products (pastes and such) similar to this product, but I don't have much idea at all what the pastes are all about other than in theory. I don't even have the theory down pat.

The CrOx definitely made a difference my razor improved off that green stuff for sure.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Seveneighth]

I use them directly on leather. A different strop surface for each. I don't like rough suede but prefer a soft napped leather. Just my preference.

You rub the crayon across the leather one time. They are tiny but go a long way.

CrOx
Red paste
Black paste (In the blue wrapper)

Clean the blade after stropping on each paste.

I really like them, though they don't seem so popular across the other side of the Atlantic from here. The black crayon is particularly nice to finish on. If you have everything right up to that point you get a nice soft sharp edge.

Back in the day - before I knew you could get shaving supplies or before I knew about these I would go up to Hatton Garden in London to the Jewellers supply companies there and buy different grades of Jeweller's rouge and use them the same way.

To be honest, I was pretty cavalier about keeping the strops clean of different pastes. You can't get away with that using diamond pastes but these seem more forgiving.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I use them directly on leather. A different strop surface for each. I don't like rough suede but prefer a soft napped leather. Just my preference.

You rub the crayon across the leather one time. They are tiny but go a long way.

CrOx
Red paste
Black paste (In the blue wrapper)

Clean the blade after stropping on each paste.

I really like them, though they don't seem so popular across the other side of the Atlantic from here. The black crayon is particularly nice to finish on. If you have everything right up to that point you get a nice soft sharp edge.

Back in the day - before I knew you could get shaving supplies or before I knew about these I would go up to Hatton Garden in London to the Jewellers supply companies there and buy different grades of Jeweller's rouge and use them the same way.

To be honest, I was pretty cavalier about keeping the strops clean of different pastes. You can't get away with that using diamond pastes but these seem more forgiving.

Thanks.

I agree it might be just the ticket. I'm mostly learning and exploring options. There really are a whole lot of options in the post stone world of pastes and such, as I'm sure you already know.

These look simple and your endorsement of them as products you use and like means a lot to me.

I've not found a US vendor yet but I'm sure I could find a vendor I can buy from. One available vendor is this one on eBay. Link.

Ah, here's a US vendor + the price is a bit better. Link. I'm going to buy this. I'll find a way to use it with existing materials. I can afford the small price of this especially if it adds just a touch more sharpness to my kit which it might very well do.

I have a very small leather strop I don't use at all that should work with this stuff. It's the strop on the bottom in the photo. I haven't looked at the off side, but assuming it's not totally garbage looking I will probably put the red on it and the black on the black side. Make sense? The other option would be to put the red on the small board strop but I'd much prefer not to do that.

How much do you apply to the strop? How do you clean the razor between the three strops? I'm assuming the order is this.

1. Strop with CrOx.
2. Clean razor.
3. Strop with red paste.
4. Clean razor.
5. Strop with black paste.
6. Clean razor.
7. Strop on clean leather as usual.

How many times do you strop on each of the pasted strops? I've been doing about 20 laps on my linen strop (one side of my linen strop is lightly coated with some CrOx), but the linen strop is full sized and these red and black pastes will be put on a significantly smaller leather strop I think.

I have not been using the CrOx except as needed. After the stones. When the razor feels like it needs a minor tune up. Is that how you use the CrOx + these pastes?

I have so much to learn. I appreciate your help and everyone else's.

I'm buying as little as possible, but I can spring for $15. If it makes the shave better it will be a bit of money well spent.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thursday I got up a few minutes early to use the straight.

I really enjoyed this SV Flying Mango soap, too.

The razor looks better in person than in this photo. I'm not so good at cleaning it after I use it. I clean it but not to the degree a pretty picture requires. Main thing is the shave, right.

I'm approaching the learning curve's halfway point. My guess: The learning curve doesn't end when the countdown from a hundred hits zero.

This morning I didn't shower before shaving so all I've done after the shave was splash on the witch.

After my shower I have plans.

Plans like work.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Twelvefret]

So, our friend @steveclarkus was bragging about New York steel and JR echoed similar sentiments. I wanted a Geneva, one from the 1902-1935 time before the merger. Steve and I were going back and forth on a rainy last Saturday and I found a buy it now 6/8 for $18 free shipping. It looked near perfect....always a concern that something that appear to good to be true usually is not true. In this case it was true. Hard to believe a razor 80 years and older could be this unused.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

So, our friend @steveclarkus was bragging about New York steel and JR echoed similar sentiments. I wanted a Geneva, one from the 1902-1935 time before the merger. Steve and I were going back and forth on a rainy last Saturday and I found a buy it now 6/8 for $18 free shipping. It looked near perfect....always a concern that something that appear to good to be true usually is not true. In this case it was true. Hard to believe a razor 80 years and older could be this unused.

New York Steel is a SR brand?

 

[Twelvefret]

New York Steel is a SR brand?

No sir. Just steel from that state. Steve has caused me to look to US steel and American razor makers. I have one from Fremont, Ohio that's probably a Claussen.

 

[steveclarkus]

Interesting product. Thanks.



I read the reviews on the UK Amazon site, and can't quite tell how to use this stuff.

Do you use a dedicated strop side for each of these two pastes? From what I read the red is coarser (but I supposed not as coarse as CrOx is what you're saying), the blue is finer and more of a finish polisher?

Some people seem to put both on one surface, but that seems strange to me (not that I know anything).

I know Gamma and other shave products (pastes and such) similar to this product, but I don't have much idea at all what the pastes are all about other than in theory. I don't even have the theory down pat.

The CrOx definitely made a difference my razor improved off that green stuff for sure.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Yes, separate strops for each. Green is CrOx .5u. Red is FeOx .1u. Do not contaminate your leather strop with either. Clean your razor before going to your leather strop.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Yes, separate strops for each. Green is CrOx .5u. Red is FeOx .1u. Do not contaminate your leather strop with either. Clean your razor before going to your leather strop.

Thank you, sir.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

No sir. Just steel from that state. Steve has caused me to look to US steel and American razor makers. I have one from Fremont, Ohio that's probably a Claussen.

I believe I have some American steel, too.

 

[steveclarkus]

Thank you, sir.

By the way, diamond cuts much much faster.

 

[Somerled]

I now have another finishing stone to play with (when it arrives)

Charnley Forrest.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

By the way, diamond cuts much much faster.

Oh, I'm sure it does. I may try it down the road. My wish list at present vastly exceeds my budget. Good thing I have the basics already.

I now have another finishing stone to play with (when it arrives)

View attachment 937064

Charnley Forrest.

I've read good things about them. If it works as well as it looks you're in for a treat.

Happy shaves, gentlemen,

Jim