Our fourth member interview is member Wid, aka Rick. Wid's no nonsense advice regarding honing and razor care helped me immensely as I started to hone my own razors. Wid has also been known to offer Newbie straight shavers touchups, and even some personal honing tips whenever he had the time to spare. I always drooled over his various postings in the "what straight did you use today" thread, and has brought me to the verge of picking up a Hart 7/8ths, only to end up getting caught up in Kamisori.
If you have any additional questions or comments, please post in this thread. Once I can figure out how to update the Wiki, all interviews will be posted there for posterity.
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Who are you? / Where are you located?
My name is Rick and I live in Wilmington IL.
What is the significance of your Screen Name and Avatar?
My screen name is part of my last name and this is what my buds called me when I was in the Navy, it stuck. My avatar is part of my biggest obsession, audio. I have Axiom speakers powered by a Rotel amp.
What beverage do you start your day with?
Coffee with just cream.
What happened that made you start Wet Shaving?, or if the chicken came before the egg, how did you find B&B?
While on an audio forum there was a thread that was about shaving. The poster was talking about shaving brushes and soaps and how much better it is than the canned goo. Well, I hated shaving at that time so I figured it was worth a look and found Badger and Blade.
What was it that held your interest?
This is a hard one, I really can't put my finger on it. Believe me the wife has asked me the same thing and I tell her the same thing, I really have no answer.
How did you get started with Straight Razors? What did you start with?
When at my Dads house (he's 85) we were taking about shaving, he loves the DE. I had asked him if he had ever used a straight razor and his reply was; "heck no, I'm afraid of those things". So I figured what the heck, I'll give it a try.
My first razor was a Griffen X that I got from Larry @ Whippddog.
Shave Cream & Soaps? What did you find that worked well from those initial trials?
I only use soaps. I started with Proraso green but never really got to liking it a whole lot. The first soap I liked was Cella, after that experience I was hooked on soaps. Once I tried MWF and Tabac it was all over, these are my go to soaps without exception.
Determination is key when shaving, how did you push through the Month + of sub par shaves? Did you know there was a light at the end of the tunnel?
Straight shaving was one thing I really wanted to get good at. So no matter the sub par shaves or cuts I was determined to stick with it. I really want to be able to tell the ol man I had done it.
How did your first Honing attempt go? Was it successful?
As I recall I did get the razor honed but it took many frustrating hours to do so and the poor razor suffered some serious hone wear to boot.
Could you describe you "go to" honing progression?
Lets see, it goes like this.
Chosera 1K to set the bevel.
Coti (La Veinette) to do all the intermediate work using the diluticot method. I also stop there with some razors, the Coticule is able to put a nice edge on a razor. Strop on a TM strop 60/60 linen/leather
From there I go to a Jnat for most razors, it's an Ozuku Asagi LV5+. I build up a slurry using a tomo nagura and do circle strokes till almost dry. Then I do a diluticot then water (100 x strokes).
Now my favorite question... if you were stranded on a desert island and could only choose:
1 razor: Wacker 6/8 1/4 grind. It's really closer to half hollow.
1 strop: TM Notovan with genuine linen.
1 brush: Omgea 31025
1 soap: MWF
1 cream: Don't use them unless P160 or Cella can be classified as creams.
What is your blade preference? Hollows, Half Hollows, Kamisori, Disposables?
Full Hollows. I did say the Wacker 1/4 was my favorite but I tell ya this is not a 1/4 grind, 1/2 hollow at best. I just picked up a Feather AC SS but I don't have enough shaves with it to pass final judgement, so far so good though.
Are you currently reading a book? or perhaps even better; what book will you be reading next?
Not much into books
Favorite Movie or two?
"Sling Blade" is my very favorite movie of all time.
With what fictional/historical character do you most identify?
None I can think of.
Do you have any motto's, sayings, or quotes to live by?
Can't say I do.
What has been the best advice you've gotten from a member at B&B?
It's all about the bevel, nothing else after that will matter if ya don't get the bevel right.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone new at this, what would it be?
Go slow and stick with it.
If you have any additional questions or comments, please post in this thread. Once I can figure out how to update the Wiki, all interviews will be posted there for posterity.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who are you? / Where are you located?
My name is Rick and I live in Wilmington IL.
What is the significance of your Screen Name and Avatar?
My screen name is part of my last name and this is what my buds called me when I was in the Navy, it stuck. My avatar is part of my biggest obsession, audio. I have Axiom speakers powered by a Rotel amp.
What beverage do you start your day with?
Coffee with just cream.
What happened that made you start Wet Shaving?, or if the chicken came before the egg, how did you find B&B?
While on an audio forum there was a thread that was about shaving. The poster was talking about shaving brushes and soaps and how much better it is than the canned goo. Well, I hated shaving at that time so I figured it was worth a look and found Badger and Blade.
What was it that held your interest?
This is a hard one, I really can't put my finger on it. Believe me the wife has asked me the same thing and I tell her the same thing, I really have no answer.
How did you get started with Straight Razors? What did you start with?
When at my Dads house (he's 85) we were taking about shaving, he loves the DE. I had asked him if he had ever used a straight razor and his reply was; "heck no, I'm afraid of those things". So I figured what the heck, I'll give it a try.
My first razor was a Griffen X that I got from Larry @ Whippddog.
Shave Cream & Soaps? What did you find that worked well from those initial trials?
I only use soaps. I started with Proraso green but never really got to liking it a whole lot. The first soap I liked was Cella, after that experience I was hooked on soaps. Once I tried MWF and Tabac it was all over, these are my go to soaps without exception.
Determination is key when shaving, how did you push through the Month + of sub par shaves? Did you know there was a light at the end of the tunnel?
Straight shaving was one thing I really wanted to get good at. So no matter the sub par shaves or cuts I was determined to stick with it. I really want to be able to tell the ol man I had done it.
How did your first Honing attempt go? Was it successful?
As I recall I did get the razor honed but it took many frustrating hours to do so and the poor razor suffered some serious hone wear to boot.
Could you describe you "go to" honing progression?
Lets see, it goes like this.
Chosera 1K to set the bevel.
Coti (La Veinette) to do all the intermediate work using the diluticot method. I also stop there with some razors, the Coticule is able to put a nice edge on a razor. Strop on a TM strop 60/60 linen/leather
From there I go to a Jnat for most razors, it's an Ozuku Asagi LV5+. I build up a slurry using a tomo nagura and do circle strokes till almost dry. Then I do a diluticot then water (100 x strokes).
Now my favorite question... if you were stranded on a desert island and could only choose:
1 razor: Wacker 6/8 1/4 grind. It's really closer to half hollow.
1 strop: TM Notovan with genuine linen.
1 brush: Omgea 31025
1 soap: MWF
1 cream: Don't use them unless P160 or Cella can be classified as creams.
What is your blade preference? Hollows, Half Hollows, Kamisori, Disposables?
Full Hollows. I did say the Wacker 1/4 was my favorite but I tell ya this is not a 1/4 grind, 1/2 hollow at best. I just picked up a Feather AC SS but I don't have enough shaves with it to pass final judgement, so far so good though.
Are you currently reading a book? or perhaps even better; what book will you be reading next?
Not much into books
Favorite Movie or two?
"Sling Blade" is my very favorite movie of all time.
With what fictional/historical character do you most identify?
None I can think of.
Do you have any motto's, sayings, or quotes to live by?
Can't say I do.
What has been the best advice you've gotten from a member at B&B?
It's all about the bevel, nothing else after that will matter if ya don't get the bevel right.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone new at this, what would it be?
Go slow and stick with it.
