Blood makes poor lather

[Dzaw]

Shave #64:
Date: 12/31/2018
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Arko
Brush: Omega Boar
Razor: Shell “Real German” 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

I’ve got to get better about posting these when they happen. As I recall, Sunday’s shave was quite adequate. No blood, no burn, no irritation, and pretty close to boot. Not bbs, but I hear that will come with time. As always, Arko came through with a smooth, slick lather, and the end result was a shave that hit the line between CCS and DFS.

Posting this up now (finally) b/c i am about to shave this morning, and I didn’t want to just skip a post - this journaling helps keep me on task with the learning curve.

 

[Dzaw]

Shave #65:
Date: 01/02/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Tabac
Brush: SOC boar
Razor: J&R dodge Judicatory 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

Just didn’t come together today. Probably the worst straight razor shave I’ve had in a couple of months.

Tugging and pulling, two nicks. End result after two passes was a Socially Accaptable Shave, but only just. Ah. Well, not every shave is going to fall into place, and everyone in my house seems to be having an off day.

I can still shave tomorrow!

 

[MilkCrate]

Shave #65:
Date: 01/02/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Tabac
Brush: SOC boar
Razor: J&R dodge Judicatory 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

Just didn’t come together today. Probably the worst straight razor shave I’ve had in a couple of months.

Tugging and pulling, two nicks. End result after two passes was a Socially Accaptable Shave, but only just. Ah. Well, not every shave is going to fall into place, and everyone in my house seems to be having an off day.

I can still shave tomorrow!

I just put a few “off shaves” behind me as well. At least you can shave tomorrow.

 

[Clay S]

Shave #65:
Date: 01/02/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Tabac
Brush: SOC boar
Razor: J&R dodge Judicatory 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

Just didn’t come together today. Probably the worst straight razor shave I’ve had in a couple of months.

Tugging and pulling, two nicks. End result after two passes was a Socially Accaptable Shave, but only just. Ah. Well, not every shave is going to fall into place, and everyone in my house seems to be having an off day.

I can still shave tomorrow!

Shake it off!
Some days just seem to go awry. I'll be starting back up once my slim blade dulls.

 

[rockviper]

Blood makes poor lather, eh?
According to our tried and true B&B philosophy, the solution is to use more product blood.

 

[Dzaw]

Shave #66:
Date: 01/07/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Tabac
Brush: Omega boar
Razor: Shell “real German” 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

Much happier with today’s shave. While five days of growth did present a solid front, and the razor did give me a little hesitation starting in a new place, once I had a shave edge established, it was smooth sailing.

I did make a dumb cut on my lower lip trying to shave with a new grip in my left hand, but that’s not entirely unexpected for what it was.

Two passes with the grain, second one cross handed, and one cleanup pass mostly against the grain. I am learning that this last against the grain pass really does benefit a lot from having made two passes prior, it just goes much more smoothly that way, with so much less stalling, irritation, and bleeding.

@rockviper - more blood never seems to work, the lather just gets stickier and stickier the more I add.

 

[Dzaw]

Shave #67:
Date: 01/08/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Wholly Kaw King of Oud
Brush: SOC boar
Razor: J&R Dodge Judicato "Prussian Army" 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

This is the second shave in a row that this razor has left me burned and bleeding. I will give it one more stropping and shaving chance to not, then it's back to the films if it keeps this up. The other razor sure didn't treat me this way.

I am wondering if I may have rolled the edge in stropping, except it shaves hair too easily. I am beginning to wonder if it isn't a foil edge maybe? The first couple of shaves after its most recent honing were really good ones, but then it went south real quick.

End result is a barely SAS with burn and cuts. Not fun this shave.

 

[rockviper]

That very well could be a foil edge. I had one once; the first few shaves were great, then it quickly went south. You will need to reset the bevel if that's the case.

 

[Dzaw]

All the way back to 1000 it is then.

Thanks for the perspective, sometimes being too close to the problem and frustrated really gets in the way.

 

[Dzaw]

Shave #68:
Date: 01/11/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Tabac
Brush: Omega boar
Razor: Shell "Real German" 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

Great shave this morning.

This razor is quite kind, but todays shave makes me wonder. I had another breakthrough in technique, similar in scale (if a bit smaller) to the original at shave 31. I watched that video of Naomi Harris shaving a balloon, and some videos here of barbers shaving clients, and I was like "Look at the quick light swipes - my shave is more like a slow plowing motion..." So I decided to try some quick light swipes.

Two passes with some touchup and I can honestly say I've never had a better shave. The only blood I lost was from a feather light touch on the outside of a nostril with the tip of the toe, no other bleeders or weepers. Not a spot of irritation. I've had closer shaves, but not many, and none were this smooth and soft feeling for my facial skin.

A Damn Fine Shave indeed! What a win - right when I needed one too.

I'mma try that quick light swipe technique on Monday with the other razor. Hopefully it's just too sharp for the slower plowing motion, and it loves the lessons I'm learning. If not, I'll hone it up again.

100 shaves to learn to properly use a straight - it might take me 200 at this pace.

 

[rockviper]

When I used a straight, there were a lot of 1/2" long mini-buffing strokes. Long stokes just didn't seem natural to me.

 

[MilkCrate]

Shave #68:
Date: 01/11/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Tabac
Brush: Omega boar
Razor: Shell "Real German" 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

Great shave this morning.

This razor is quite kind, but todays shave makes me wonder. I had another breakthrough in technique, similar in scale (if a bit smaller) to the original at shave 31. I watched that video of Naomi Harris shaving a balloon, and some videos here of barbers shaving clients, and I was like "Look at the quick light swipes - my shave is more like a slow plowing motion..." So I decided to try some quick light swipes.

Two passes with some touchup and I can honestly say I've never had a better shave. The only blood I lost was from a feather light touch on the outside of a nostril with the tip of the toe, no other bleeders or weepers. Not a spot of irritation. I've had closer shaves, but not many, and none were this smooth and soft feeling for my facial skin.

A Damn Fine Shave indeed! What a win - right when I needed one too.

I'mma try that quick light swipe technique on Monday with the other razor. Hopefully it's just too sharp for the slower plowing motion, and it loves the lessons I'm learning. If not, I'll hone it up again.

100 shaves to learn to properly use a straight - it might take me 200 at this pace.

That’s it right there, great shave! All those breakthroughs add up. I had seen that interview with Naomi a while back also. No pressure, but she learned that in 6 weeks

Keep at it, you got this!

 

[Dzaw]

Shave #69:<giggity>
Date: 01/14/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Arko
Brush: Omega boar
Razor: J&R Dodge Judicato 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

So, yeah, I will probably need to touch this razor up. The new breakthrough in technique really did help, and with it, and a LOT of patience, I was able to eek out a solid win. I am not sure if I would call it a Damn Fine Shave, but it's not far off. Bloodless and pretty darned comfortable, but not as close as I would prefer in some areas. Especially the trouble zone along the bottom of my neck which still looks a couple of shades darker than most of the rest.

The down side is I had to really work to make this razor do this. The other one just kind of glided along, this one I had to change angle a lot, even going to a pretty steep (for me) angle in some areas just to make it shave. Lots of stalling, or patiently waiting while the razor didn't move forward for a second before suddenly breaking through the initial resistance and shaving. Weird things like that, and constantly with this aggressive sensation on the edge like it was asking for me to apply some level of pressure to make it shave, just so it could bite me for it.

So back to the films I think.

 

[Dzaw]

Shave #70:
Date: 01/15/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Wholly Kaw King of Oud
Brush: SOC boar
Razor: Shell "Real German" 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

Well, they can't all be the best shave ever. Todays shave is adequate - Not a disappointment, but not up to Friday's standards either. It's been a long while since I can remember the alum being this unhappy, but after I rinsed that off and put on the lucky tiger, almost all of it has calmed away, with only a faint tingling in two small spots where there were little weepers.

I was very unhappy with three passes having left so much dirty looking stubble along the trouble zone, so I ended up engaging in "The Stupid Thing" (TM) for the first time in weeks. Got that area cleaned up, but have a bit of redness there to show for it.

Ah, well, maybe my skin just wasn't meant to shave every day. I'm skipping tomorrow, which is when I will probably hone up the other razor to re-debut on Thurs.

 

[Clay S]

Shave #70:
Date: 01/15/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Wholly Kaw King of Oud
Brush: SOC boar
Razor: Shell "Real German" 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Lucky Tiger

Well, they can't all be the best shave ever. Todays shave is adequate - Not a disappointment, but not up to Friday's standards either. It's been a long while since I can remember the alum being this unhappy, but after I rinsed that off and put on the lucky tiger, almost all of it has calmed away, with only a faint tingling in two small spots where there were little weepers.

I was very unhappy with three passes having left so much dirty looking stubble along the trouble zone, so I ended up engaging in "The Stupid Thing" (TM) for the first time in weeks. Got that area cleaned up, but have a bit of redness there to show for it.

Ah, well, maybe my skin just wasn't meant to shave every day. I'm skipping tomorrow, which is when I will probably hone up the other razor to re-debut on Thurs.

Grasshopper, when you can snatch the . . .
Woah, wait up. When I can do that I have to brand myself by doing what!?!?
Keep your pebble.

Keep at it SRs take skill, so having off days do and will happen. Might note how you feel before shaving and choosing a DE if not to the right par. Just a thought from my over-pushing myself.

 

[Dzaw]

I gotta say, Clay, you make sense today.

Off days are a reality in any pursuit. Like I said in the post, not every shave can be the best shave ever.

I still wonder if maybe I am expecting too much from my skin, shaving every day, and shaving three passes each shave. Maybe I should do one or the other?

 

[Clay S]

I gotta say, Clay, you make sense today.

Off days are a reality in any pursuit. Like I said in the post, not every shave can be the best shave ever.

I still wonder if maybe I am expecting too much from my skin, shaving every day, and shaving three passes each shave. Maybe I should do one or the other?

Something I always recommend to try. Alternate 2 and 3 pass shaves. It might give your skin just enough of a break to rebound.

 

[Dzaw]

Time and opportunity, business and a bit of drama, all conflated with being somewhat discouraged at the prospect of honing this razor yet again have all conspired together.

For too long now I’ve been shaving with my trusty DE89 to just get it done. Mow the whiskers quick like, and move on.

Today I return to the straight process, and am giving this razor one more shot to impress before it goes back to the films. I just finished carefully stropping, paying attention to the feel of the blade on the leather. It smoothed out at around 6 laps, so I have it a dozen, but very careful like. On to prep and shave...

 

[Dzaw]

Shave #71:
Date: 01/29/2019
Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Arko
Brush: Omega boar
Razor: J&R Dodge Judicato "Prussian Army" 5/8”
Post: alum followed by Thayers
A/S: Nivea sensitive cooling AS balm

Two weeks to the day. Surely some of todays shave can be blamed on "Rusty Technique", though, to be honest, I was a bit surprised by how familiar and comfortable it was to hold and swipe with the straight again. Muscle memory felt intact and such.

Nonetheless, this shave went as I feared, not as I hoped. When all was said and done, I managed to ride the lightning through two with the grain passes and force this razor to give me a face I can call shaved, if not particularly close.

Then, it was time to suffer the wrath of the alum block. Closing a dozen and a half or so tiny little weepers and smoothing over a face full of burn. The Thayers witch hazel was a welcome sigh of relief after that.

So yes, I really do need to hone this razor up. Ah, well, I guess learning to make an edge that lasts is part and parcel of the learning curve.

 

[MilkCrate]

One of my straights has biten me the last two shaves. What are you using to keep your edges maintained?