Best Str8 shave yet

[zerocover]

So I had my first really good straight razor shave. It’s really all about the equipment and I’m finally well prepared to shave.

I used my fully hollow Solingen, honed up on a DMT8EE for 10 laps, then onto a Chinese water stone (that I spent the last hour lapping with sandpaper then finishing on the DMT to smooth them both out) for 60 laps. With the Chinese I made a thick slurry at first then watered it down gradually to get a nice edge(was that right?).

I find honing with 2 pieces of tape makes the edge way sharper, it might not be the same for everyone but it works well for me.

After all that honing I went right to my strop for 100 passes. I find stropping much more effective since I’ve started rubbing it down with unused lather after each shave. Although I feel it might be dulling the blade slightly while making it smoother.

For the actual shave I used proraso pre/post shave, and lathered up with my art of shaving brush and KMF keylime (yum). Then more proraso to finish followed by some aqua velva aftershave the best part was no burn!

It certainly wasn’t HHT sharp, so I had to angle the cutting edge to make up for that, but the shave was smooth as butter. No tugging and very enjoyable.

My next purchase must be a scuttle.

 

[RF1963]

I'm not expert enough to comment on the honing technique.

Sounds like a really enjoyable shave. I've managed one or two like that straights and there's no feeling in the world like it!

Congratulations.

 

[LarryAndro]

...After all that honing I went right to my strop for 100 passes. I find stropping much more effective since I’ve started rubbing it down with unused lather after each shave. Although I feel it might be dulling the blade slightly while making it smoother...

Yes. And, I think that is why oftentimes the best shave isn't the first shave after honing.

 

[Defend Tacoma]

Great job, man! I'm looking forward to getting into honing my own razors as well. I'm a sucker for good shaving stories!

 

[johnmrson]

Yes. And, I think that is why oftentimes the best shave isn't the first shave after honing.

I'm glad I'm not the only one to think that. I find I get a better shave about 3 or 4 shaves after a razor has been honed. It seems like it needs to have a couple of uses and stroppings to get that real smooth finish to the edge.

 

[sanfranciscian]

thanks for mentioning that larry and jonmrson i was wondering what kind of tricks my mind was playing with me this time as i have found this to be almost always the case. i was also speculating that it was effect of a couple of good stroppings at play here?