Back in Town

[SparkyLB]

I've been away on business at Michigan for the last 7 days. I knew I'd be pressed for time, so only brought my Merkur DE and some Wood & Lather Sandalwood balm. I shaved in the shower with no mirror using hand soap like I had for the decades before I found Badger & Blade. I can't describe how nice is it is to be back home.

I just had a proper shave. I took what I knew was a great shaver, and "finished" it on a La Lune stone, which I found made no marked improvement over my regular 5-stage Nagura progression, but I had to try. My notes reflect I won't be doing that again, but it was still a very good shave. A few passes, new soap (@FarmerTan thanks for the unspoken recommendation--) I bought some Arko while in Michigan and was it waiting for me when I got home.

What a pampering! A proper shave, great soap, "The Camel" (I call it) razor--the Imperial I posted some shots of a few posts back a couple of weeks ago, after being cleaned up with 400/600/800/1000 wet/dry paper in the direction of a wine cork (looks much better). Alum, and for balm I used some Stirling Soap Co. Varen (thank you @Darth Scandalous!). My face feels like I just busted out of a phone booth after ripping my button-down shirt off and losing the glasses!

It is so great to be back to B&B, back home, back to SR shaving, and just--BACK!! My heart feels like it's beating more slowly.

 

[Eric_75]

Did you listen to any of the master's work on your trip?

 

[Alum of Potash]

Welcome back. Perhaps you need to start thinking about a travel set-up? I find what works for me best in terms of space is a Focus 21 shavette, a Lord half-blade, a Simpson Classic 1 synth brush with travel tube, an Arko shaving stick, and some sort of post-shave balm in a small tube, like Arko Classic. Shaves are nice, although a bit spartan as to scent pampering.

Ergonomics and feel of the Focus 21 are similar to a straight, although the blade length is far shorter. For me, the blades feel a bit smoother in it than fully metal shavettes I've tried. My sense is that this may have to do with the plastic housing that holds the blade. Perhaps there is more flex there as it is less rigid than a metal housing. Thinking this, I recently acquired a true Dovo Shavette with the plastic housing to hold DE half-blades. Loaded with a made-in-Turkey (not Egypt) Lord blade snapped in half, the feeling of smoothness is as close to a straight as I've experienced. One can even apply a little bit of pressure at times, normally a big no-no with shavettes! I have yet to nick myself or extract a weeper after around half a dozen shaves now. Only drawback there is that the Dovo with the half-blade is somewhat nimble. Sort of like shaving with a 4/8 or even a 3/8 compared to the Focus which is more like a 5/8.

Of course the purist will insist that one travel with a straight, and I've done that as well. But given the vagaries of where I may be staying, I find shavettes with plastic housings like these to be a better alternative for limited space and less-than ideal-shaving environments.

Also, in sticking to one limited set-up in travelling from place to place, I've noticed that varying water quality is a significant factor as to the quality of the shave can vary.

 

[Frank Shaves]

Not sure how much you have used your La Lune, but my experience is it takes time to get to know a new stone.

I got new Thuringian and Coticule hones in March and April, and it took me many sessions to consistently get good edges from each. Using both stones now seems intuitive, but it sure didn't seem intuitive when I got the stones. Weird, right?

BTW, I do not own a La Lune.

 

[FarmerTan]

Well I just started my vacation today my friend. It has been difficult doing both our jobs in your absence. (Mostly because I have no idea what my job description is, let alone yours!)

So you can take over now. Good to have you back. Picking on @Mike M is hard werk, and don't pay well!

 

[Steve56]

Welcome back!

 

[SparkyLB]

Did you listen to any of the master's work on your trip?

Matter of fact I listened to a quick You Tube video of Jokerman.

 

[SparkyLB]

Welcome back. Perhaps you need to start thinking about a travel set-up? I find what works for me best in terms of space is a Focus 21 shavette, a Lord half-blade, a Simpson Classic 1 synth brush with travel tube, an Arko shaving stick, and some sort of post-shave balm in a small tube, like Arko Classic. Shaves are nice, although a bit spartan as to scent pampering.

Ergonomics and feel of the Focus 21 are similar to a straight, although the blade length is far shorter. For me, the blades feel a bit smoother in it than fully metal shavettes I've tried. My sense is that this may have to do with the plastic housing that holds the blade. Perhaps there is more flex there as it is less rigid than a metal housing. Thinking this, I recently acquired a true Dovo Shavette with the plastic housing to hold DE half-blades. Loaded with a made-in-Turkey (not Egypt) Lord blade snapped in half, the feeling of smoothness is as close to a straight as I've experienced. One can even apply a little bit of pressure at times, normally a big no-no with shavettes! I have yet to nick myself or extract a weeper after around half a dozen shaves now. Only drawback there is that the Dovo with the half-blade is somewhat nimble. Sort of like shaving with a 4/8 or even a 3/8 compared to the Focus which is more like a 5/8.

Of course the purist will insist that one travel with a straight, and I've done that as well. But given the vagaries of where I may be staying, I find shavettes with plastic housings like these to be a better alternative for limited space and less-than ideal-shaving environments.

Also, in sticking to one limited set-up in travelling from place to place, I've noticed that varying water quality is a significant factor as to the quality of the shave can vary.

This is going to sound a bit like an excuse, but on these weekly trips I take annually, It's all I can do to get back to the hotel room, work on HW for an hour or two, shower and repeat. It might just take a bit more time to SR shave, but I'm not ready to devote that time just yet. Maybe in a year I can SR shave in a few minutes, only then would I consider it. The paradoxical other side of that coin is that SR shaving is ME time. I like to take my time and enjoy the experience. It would seem to rushed if I tried it at this stage of the game.

I do have a shavette that I've used a few times, doesn't shave any faster than a straight. It requires the same amount of concentration. I think for the time being, my yearly, one-week travels will tote a DE.

 

[SparkyLB]

Welcome back. Perhaps you need to start thinking about a travel set-up? I find what works for me best in terms of space is a Focus 21 shavette, a Lord half-blade, a Simpson Classic 1 synth brush with travel tube, an Arko shaving stick, and some sort of post-shave balm in a small tube, like Arko Classic. Shaves are nice, although a bit spartan as to scent pampering.

Ergonomics and feel of the Focus 21 are similar to a straight, although the blade length is far shorter. For me, the blades feel a bit smoother in it than fully metal shavettes I've tried. My sense is that this may have to do with the plastic housing that holds the blade. Perhaps there is more flex there as it is less rigid than a metal housing. Thinking this, I recently acquired a true Dovo Shavette with the plastic housing to hold DE half-blades. Loaded with a made-in-Turkey (not Egypt) Lord blade snapped in half, the feeling of smoothness is as close to a straight as I've experienced. One can even apply a little bit of pressure at times, normally a big no-no with shavettes! I have yet to nick myself or extract a weeper after around half a dozen shaves now. Only drawback there is that the Dovo with the half-blade is somewhat nimble. Sort of like shaving with a 4/8 or even a 3/8 compared to the Focus which is more like a 5/8.

Of course the purist will insist that one travel with a straight, and I've done that as well. But given the vagaries of where I may be staying, I find shavettes with plastic housings like these to be a better alternative for limited space and less-than ideal-shaving environments.

Also, in sticking to one limited set-up in travelling from place to place, I've noticed that varying water quality is a significant factor as to the quality of the shave can vary.

This is going to sound a bit like an excuse, but on these weekly trips I take annually, It's all I can do to get back to the hotel room, work on HW for an hour or two, shower and repeat. It might just take a bit more time to SR shave, but I'm not ready to devote that time just yet. Maybe in a year I can SR shave in a few minutes, only then would I consider it. The paradoxical other side of that coin is that SR shaving is ME time. I like to take my time and enjoy the experience. It would seem to rushed if I tried it at this stage of the game.

I do have a shavette that I've used a few times, doesn't shave any faster than a straight. It requires the same amount of concentration. I think for the time being, my yearly, one-week travels will tote a DE.

 

[SparkyLB]

Well I just started my vacation today my friend. It has been difficult doing both our jobs in your absence. (Mostly because I have no idea what my job description is, let alone yours!)

So you can take over now. Good to have you back. Picking on @Mike M is hard werk, and don't pay well!

I will work diligently in your stead whilst you're otherwise occupied. You can count on me.

Welcome back!

Thanks, Steve!

 

[SparkyLB]

Not sure how much you have used your La Lune, but my experience is it takes time to get to know a new stone.

I got new Thuringian and Coticule hones in March and April, and it took me many sessions to consistently get good edges from each. Using both stones now seems intuitive, but it sure didn't seem intuitive when I got the stones. Weird, right?

BTW, I do not own a La Lune.

No doubt. I have to learn my stones. That will take time. Today was an experiment to that end. IMO? Stone or man? It was definitely the man. That will change. I get a lot of great advice here.

 

[Tomo]

I know the feeling. This is why I put together a straight razor travel kit. I got tired of roughing it with a DE on holidays. A stainless steel razor works brilliantly for travel.

 

[SparkyLB]

@Tomo, why stainless over carbon for travel purposes?

 

[JPO]

I need to put together a travel kit with a straight razor. I have been using my Feather SS when i traveled this summer. There is definitely something missing.
I am currently on an offshore construction vessel, in the middle of the North Sea. Shaving with a shavette in 5 meter waves definitely adds a new dimension to the shave

I got a stainless Dovo intended to be used for travelling, but i really don't like the edge this takes. It is probably easier to take some oil with me to limit any corrosion.

The next time i travel i will only bring my SR..

 

[Alum of Potash]

This is going to sound a bit like an excuse, but on these weekly trips I take annually, It's all I can do to get back to the hotel room, work on HW for an hour or two, shower and repeat. It might just take a bit more time to SR shave, but I'm not ready to devote that time just yet. Maybe in a year I can SR shave in a few minutes, only then would I consider it. The paradoxical other side of that coin is that SR shaving is ME time. I like to take my time and enjoy the experience. It would seem to rushed if I tried it at this stage of the game.

I do have a shavette that I've used a few times, doesn't shave any faster than a straight. It requires the same amount of concentration. I think for the time being, my yearly, one-week travels will tote a DE.

I didn't think about how much time was required. But as I do a two pass plus touch-up shave with a DE, shavette, or straight, the time remains pretty much the same for me--around thirty minutes. One way I'll speed up things is to jump straight ahead to the second pass plus touch-ups, skipping the first pass. That usually brings it down to around twenty minutes. Guess I shave slow, though. I've seen videos of guys who make short work of three passes.

 

[SparkyLB]

I need to put together a travel kit with a straight razor. I have been using my Feather SS when i traveled this summer. There is definitely something missing.
I am currently on an offshore construction vessel, in the middle of the North Sea. Shaving with a shavette in 5 meter waves definitely adds a new dimension to the shave

I got a stainless Dovo intended to be used for travelling, but i really don't like the edge this takes. It is probably easier to take some oil with me to limit any corrosion.

The next time i travel i will only bring my SR..

Can I make the assumption you aren't talking about the difficulty to get an edge, but rather the edge--once established? What is it you're not fond of? I own no stainless but have heard what most everyone says, "It's rather difficult to take an edge, but once it's created, it lasts longer than a carbon steel edge.

What type of construction, if I may ask? I'm an electrician. Oil derrick, perhaps?

 

[SparkyLB]

I didn't think about how much time was required. But as I do a two pass plus touch-up shave with a DE, shavette, or straight, the time remains pretty much the same for me--around thirty minutes. One way I'll speed up things is to jump straight ahead to the second pass plus touch-ups, skipping the first pass. That usually brings it down to around twenty minutes. Guess I shave slow, though. I've seen videos of guys who make short work of three passes.

I hear you. I've been using my Merkur non-adjustable for nearly 30 years and with handsoap and no mirror, I'm done shaving in the shower in 90 seconds. Many years to get there, but the motions are automatic. Completely opposite for SR shaving--and that's what I love--that, "me" time.

 

[Tomo]

@Tomo, why stainless over carbon for travel purposes?

Stainless is low maintenance. I don’t want to worry about oil if I travel to a hot and humid climate.

 

[JPO]

Can I make the assumption you aren't talking about the difficulty to get an edge, but rather the edge--once established? What is it you're not fond of? I own no stainless but have heard what most everyone says, "It's rather difficult to take an edge, but once it's created, it lasts longer than a carbon steel edge.

What type of construction, if I may ask? I'm an electrician. Oil derrick, perhaps?

I just found it difficult to get a really good edge on this steel. I ended up with a 12k Naniwa, followed by balsa.

I do not work offshore on permanent rotation. I get few trips a year as a marine warranty surveyor, covering installation of sub sea equipment, top sides and jacket structures.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Stainless is not all created equal. I like my Friodur, though.