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Damn Comfortable Shave

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Today I shaved with my newest razor.

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This is the Dorko I mentioned recently.

It was factory honed and very very carefully stropped by me this morning. The shave was much as usual with my sharp off the Double Convex Arkansas 8x3 blades. I didn't notice this Dorko to be sharper or less sharp. The edge felt just about (or exactly like maybe) most of my recent nicely honed edges.

The shave was good, but, frankly, except for the impressive novelty and excitement of shaving with a beautiful, new, heavy, wide, and very expensive new Dorko, the shave was pretty ordinary.

That's no knock on the Dorko razor. I have a bunch of very good razors. This is now one of them. I like it very very much and am glad I acquired it, but it's not more of a razor than the others when it comes to shaving.

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My kit was otherwise much as it often is. The alum was for fingers only.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
How many SR shaves have I done now?

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Today's SR shave was #231 (in case Cal @Cal is counting). I'm counting, but sometimes days go by without me remembering to post about the count (and sometimes I forget the count and have to figure it out again).

There are a number of areas where my SR shaves need to improve. Comfort, fortunately, is not one of them!
 
Today I shaved with my newest razor.

View attachment 992651

This is the Dorko I mentioned recently.

It was factory honed and very very carefully stropped by me this morning. The shave was much as usual with my sharp off the Double Convex Arkansas 8x3 blades. I didn't notice this Dorko to be sharper or less sharp. The edge felt just about (or exactly like maybe) most of my recent nicely honed edges.

The shave was good, but, frankly, except for the impressive novelty and excitement of shaving with a beautiful, new, heavy, wide, and very expensive new Dorko, the shave was pretty ordinary.

That's no knock on the Dorko razor. I have a bunch of very good razors. This is now one of them. I like it very very much and am glad I acquired it, but it's not more of a razor than the others when it comes to shaving.

View attachment 992652

My kit was otherwise much as it often is. The alum was for fingers only.

Happy shaves,

Jim
Awesome stuff. Really great that it came shaving sharp still. Should make it easy to maintain with just the convex ark then. Possibly further refine it.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Awesome stuff. Really great that it came shaving sharp still. Should make it easy to maintain with just the convex ark then. Possibly further refine it.

I wonder if it was originally honed on a convex stone?

Jarrod has not said anything specific about exactly which German razors are/were honed on the convex stones but he seems pretty certain razors he's not mentioning are.

I could run it on the DCA a few laps or put it to the pasted strops or just leave it alone.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Saturday I shaved with an old friend.

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This was, apparently, a shave worthy of heavenly songs.

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But, only because of its "Angel Number" whatever that is. Other than that it was a good shave, and enjoyable, but not a great shave.

Still, I am very very pleased to have my old Wade back in operation. Today it received new store bought scales, a gift from a member, and was pinned (by me). Finally, I pinned a razor to my satisfaction (more or less). It's not perfect, but you can probably hear angels singing in celebration if you listen very carefully.

My kit included what's pictured (yes, the brush is horse) + GD serum & preshave. I may use a splash and/or moisturizer later. Right now I'm enjoying the residual scent from the soap.

I might be able to get the razor a bit sharper, but I'm not sure it's worth going there. We'll see. It's certainly plenty sharp but you know how that goes.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Sunday's shave was very nice.

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Not knocking the factory honed edge on this Dorko, but it was factory honed in the 1950s. I decided it might need just a tiny bit of refreshing and/or polishing, but I also wanted to preserve the original edge for a while.

So, I took it to my three pasted strops (CrOx, Dovo Red, Dovo Black) for a quick refresh and polish.

According to how I experienced it today and according to my little shave tests of sharpness the edge is just a tad sharper and none the worse in any respect which is exactly the result I hoped to get.
  • Grooming Dept Mallard Fougère, Preshave, Serum.
Probably a splash and some moisturizer later, but none yet.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
It's been a busy day for me and very productive if finding and buying razors on eBay counts for anything. My collection of straights has improved dramatically in the last week or two which was my intent now that I feel like I have a handle on how to make the razors sharp enough.

I also know now that I have the ability to restore them, and to make scales, and to pin the razors so that the scales are properly installed. All that opens another avenue.

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There are a few razors I still want to find and buy, and I have bids on a couple more, but I'm ready to back off on the razor buying and plan to focus on learning the razors I have, and on honing them to my satisfaction, and on improving my skills as a straight razor shaver.

There are a few naked blades (at least two) which need new scales made or purchased. One, a shorty, will have to have scales custom made, a task I'm up for. Several need to be cleaned up and honed.

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My shaves can improve and they will.

That said, today's shave was certainly in the very top tier of all my straight razor shaves.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Monday's shave was okay, but not in the league with Sunday's.

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The edge on this Wade is certainly good, but it's not where I want it yet (and I honed it a bit more yesterday). I have a plan on how to approach it.

Mostly I'd say the edge is not as gloriously sharp as I want it (but it is quite sharp) + the edge seems just a tad harsh. I believe I cab improve it.

Not complaining as the shave really was okay (and my standards are high).

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Tuesday's shave was good.

Also, yesterday's shave held up well.

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Today's razor? My new white Torrey 136. Cleaned up a little after purchase, and honed, but not very much, on the DCA last week. It's sharp and comfortable. I might work it on the stone just a bit more (as an experiment) or not.

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I used no products not pictured. The soap is new. Its scent is certainly okay. Without the Preshave its performance is not as good as it will be tomorrow when I remember to use GD "shave enhancer," but that's not knocking this soap's performance at all.

My shave was good (by the highest of standards).

Happy shaves to you,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Beautiful razor!

Thank you, sir.

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I think maybe this photo is before I cleaned it up (or maybe not). Anyway the other razor is very hard to sharpen (and maybe impossible).

The 136 shaves very nicely, too. I like these shoulder-less Torrey razors with their thin spines. Honing it on the DCA was a breeze.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Who said you can only shave once a day?

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Counting SR shaves...

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Counting shaves today...

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This soap is much better when Grooming Dept Preshave is used, but what soap isn't.

Grooming Dept Serum followed the shave.

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As did a nice splash.

Oh, almost forgot to mention how great the edge on this Dorko is. Stropping it on pasted strops moved its edge from excellent to unworldly.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
My shave today was very nice.

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This Wade is finally where I want it - sharp, very sharp, comfortable, smart, without a trace of harshness - which is worth celebrating.

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I don't care about her dark roots or the cat. I also don't care that I had to hone the blade a bit more (on the DCA but only with Ballistol/water mix, not at the sink with running water). In addition, I took the edge to the three pasted strops. Whatever works for the blade is good, and the girl looks great so I'll say her roots look good on her. It's all good with her and with the Wade.

I used GD Serum and GD Preshave, not in that order.

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Shave #.

I'm very pleased with this Wade. The scales and pins and blade are finally where they should be. I ordered this razor October 21st, last year. This is the first time scales, pin, and blade have been right; all three at once.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
Last edited:

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
Mike, I really don't know the story or get the references. Probably shouldn't have posted the shave number as a hotel key.

The key states "Overlook Hotel" which was central to this.


If you havent seen it, you should. Its one of Kubricks, and Nicholsons, best movies.
 
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