Couldn’t Wait

[Twelvefret]

Lewis Stenger Venus was amazing this AM. Just VDH Luxury and a PAA Atomic Rocket brush. I did an initial ATG neck shave followed by WTG on my face and neck. I decided to do a South to North on my neck extending up to an ATG on my cheeks. The chin and under the nose was mostly WTG. The chin got cleaned up as well as any GEM MMOC.

 

[Dzaw]

Sounds like a great shave. Good deal!

 

[Twelvefret]

Used this razor today. Nothing new to add. This was the first razor I honed.

 

[Twelvefret]

Sometimes you just feel like using a wedge! So, applied the tape and touched it up on the MMTT Thuringian for Sunday.

 

[Basil]

View attachment 974177 Sometimes you just feel like using a wedge! So, applied the tape and touched it up on the MMTT Thuringian for Sunday.

Awesome. I really need to find a wedge razor.

 

[ScottChapin]

I need a wedge. Hard to find new.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Twelvefret]

1920’s Salamander up for Monday!!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

View attachment 974357 1920’s Salamander up for Monday!!

I'd pick either the straight razor or the rapids, but, hey, live dangerously.

 

[Twelvefret]

I'd pick either the straight razor or the rapids, but, hey, live dangerously.

Never did one that tall. Here is me in the ‘80’s on the Tellico’s Baby Falls 15”

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Never did one that tall. Here is me in the ‘80’s on the Tellico’s Baby Falls 15”

I can't see what kind of razor you're using. Looks really fun! Nice photo.

 

[Twelvefret]

What I am learning is to go over those areas that matter most to me until they are smooth. The Salamander has a Coticule edge which feels not as smooth as the Thuringian, but can still produce a good result, just different it out it feels getting there, so to speak.

The areas that are important to me in the middle face including just under the chin and around the nostrils. Also, the corners and all rounded areas need to be smooth. Whether my cheeks or neck is totally smooth is less of a concern although not something I neglect.

 

[global_dev]

I've been following along as you experiment with that "much maligned" Thuringian of yours. You've probably already said what size it is and all that but could you run that stuff again? I'd like to look into them, but only fully informed.

Interesting all the myths and misinformation out there isn't it. I've read that the Zulu Grey and the Arkansas stones won't put a sharp edge on a razor, too. Maybe some won't. Maybe some of it is technique. Really I don't know and I'm not knocking what anyone reports, thinks, or concludes.

According to my shave tests my rectangular coticule and my Zulu Grey and my flat Arkansas finishers are all fully capable.

My MMTT (much maligned Timber Tools) Thuringian is 8"x2". Plenty of stone to do what I need. The recent thread that go locked says a lot about how myths get started and how to what extent some will go to preserve.

As we both say, there are more than one way to skin a cat. If I can sharpen and maintain a razor with a fake rock, what conclusion can I make. Can I say if I had a real rock my shaves would be better? Who can reasonably say?

Hey guys, it's fantastic that the stones you have are working for you. It's always a little thrill to see the improvements using a natural stone to hone..

There is always a "little" bit of something that goes on in the natural hones discussion. A lot of it is trying to maintain provenance and keep vendors from manipulating the market and selling something that isn't quite what it is, even it's a just a TM. I think you are doing it right by calling what yo have a Timber Tools Thuringian. I have a some Thuringians of unknown provenance but they work great. I remember when a bunch of mullers were found and be sold. They were never said (at that time) to to be fake Eschers or Thuringian, but something different, but they worked, just slightly differently. see Müller Wasserabziehstein (200 x 50 x 16mm) for an interesting evaluation of the stones they tried.

I'm not sure I've ever heard someone say that the appropriate Arks were not capable, if anything just the opposite, very nice, but very slow (and therefore vulnerable to a mis-hone based on the number of strokes needed), maybe the convex stones are changing that reputation though.

The Zulu Greys are a whole 'nother game. I have one. I've tried it a handful of times with different finishes from 600 to super fine, on water, on its slurry stone, on diamond (green dmt) slurry. It might be my specific stone, but the edge refinement effect was not as easy to detect as the Thuringian's effect. At least not yet, it may be i'm not using it at the right place in my setup yet for my particular stones abilities.

12fret you've found some really nice blades for pretty cheap, nice job! Sounds like you've put some pretty nice edges on them too!

 

[global_dev]

The Salamander has a Coticule edge which feels not as smooth as the Thuringian, but can still produce a good result, just different it out it feels getting there

My coticules all produce a different edge. Some are bang-on ridiculous, both after easy session on specific cotis, some are a bit more tedious to get to that same place on others, and some just to be at a different place.

 

[Twelvefret]

My coticules all produce a different edge. Some are bang-on ridiculous, both after easy session on specific cotis, some are a bit more tedious to get to that same place on others, and some just to be at a different place.

Good to know, sir!!

 

[Twelvefret]

Hey guys, it's fantastic that the stones you have are working for you. It's always a little thrill to see the improvements using a natural stone to hone..

There is always a "little" bit of something that goes on in the natural hones discussion. A lot of it is trying to maintain provenance and keep vendors from manipulating the market and selling something that isn't quite what it is, even it's a just a TM. I think you are doing it right by calling what yo have a Timber Tools Thuringian. I have a some Thuringians of unknown provenance but they work great. I remember when a bunch of mullers were found and be sold. They were never said (at that time) to to be fake Eschers or Thuringian, but something different, but they worked, just slightly differently. see Müller Wasserabziehstein (200 x 50 x 16mm) for an interesting evaluation of the stones they tried.

I'm not sure I've ever heard someone say that the appropriate Arks were not capable, if anything just the opposite, very nice, but very slow (and therefore vulnerable to a mis-hone based on the number of strokes needed), maybe the convex stones are changing that reputation though.

The Zulu Greys are a whole 'nother game. I have one. I've tried it a handful of times with different finishes from 600 to super fine, on water, on its slurry stone, on diamond (green dmt) slurry. It might be my specific stone, but the edge refinement effect was not as easy to detect as the Thuringian's effect. At least not yet, it may be i'm not using it at the right place in my setup yet for my particular stones abilities.

12fret you've found some really nice blades for pretty cheap, nice job! Sounds like you've put some pretty nice edges on them too!

Thank you again for your advice and comments.

I must have been fortunate in my finds because lately the prices of even razors I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole are high priced.

Yes, the MMTT Thuringian serves me well. It’s provenance was never a concern. I’ve learned a lot from some videos honing with dripping or a small stream of water.

 

[Basil]

I agree with what was said about the coticule edges. They tend to be very smooth but sometimes not as sharp as other finishers. You can experiment with other ways to finish like running water, lather or even oil.

I really enjoy my coti edges but I wanted to experiment with a jnat. So far I’ve been getting sharper edges that feel just as smooth to me. We’ll see if I can keep up the success.

 

[Twelvefret]

I agree with what was said about the coticule edges. They tend to be very smooth but sometimes not as sharp as other finishers. You can experiment with other ways to finish like running water, lather or even oil.

I really enjoy my coti edges but I wanted to experiment with a jnat. So far I’ve been getting sharper edges that feel just as smooth to me. We’ll see if I can keep up the success.

Hope your success continues, brotherman!!!

I tend to use the MMTT Thuringian most of the time. I need to experiment more with the Coticule. I might tonight.

 

[Basil]

Hope your success continues, brotherman!!!

I tend to use the MMTT Thuringian most of the time. I need to experiment more with the Coticule. I might tonight.

Thanks! I hope we all have honing success.

When I use the coti I sometimes do plain water and go until it’s dry.

 

[Twelvefret]

Thanks! I hope we all have honing success.

When I use the coti I sometimes do plain water and go until it’s dry.

Okay, thank you for the advice.

 

[Twelvefret]

Shaved with the Salamander again. Last night I did 100 x strokes on the Coticule. @Gamma made an interesting post saying that before he could obtain a sharp enough edge using a Coticule he went to chromium oxide. That may be an option I should explore.

Essentially, I made the razor work this working. I obtained a good shave. The edge was smooth, but I don't think it cut as well as when I use the MMTT Thuringian. Perhaps the razor needs to be rehoned. That's an option. One thing that I consistently hear from the more advanced here is that they experimented.