Cartridge to R41 to Cut-Throat

[Namkcakram]

Shave 299 and 6 on the Gold Dollar (B)
Lathered with Sterling Margaritas in the Arctic and a boar.
It was a cold day in England today and my choice of soap and aftershave couldn’t have been much worse in that respect. I finished a good but not brilliant shave with the Gold Dollar B but each pass under the mentholated soap left my face colder and colder. Next I did a icy cold water rinse which seriously chilled my face and hands followed by a big palmful of Fine Snakebite which is also full of menthol. This last splash really tipped me over the edge. My hands and face were absolutely freezing now and I left the bathroom shivering. It was early morning so I didn’t have the living room heat on so by the time I was dressed I was freezing. I put a big coat on and headed to the car but the cold air and wind seemed to reactivate the menthol in the soap and aftershave and my face and hands felt so cold they actually hurt. The car was slow to warm up and I was at my destination before it got warm so I was cold all morning. I’m not using those products again until next summer now.

I have to say it’s comical to read the bulk of this forum where everyone rates every single shave they ever have as “9/10” or “10/10”, and then I come here and find great products mixed with terrible experience... it’s refreshing actually!

I don’t post everytime I try a soap sample and my wife laughs at how bad I smell, but maybe I should!

 

[Jakebullet]

I have to say it’s comical to read the bulk of this forum where everyone rates every single shave they ever have as “9/10” or “10/10”, and then I come here and find great products mixed with terrible experience... it’s refreshing actually!

I don’t post everytime I try a soap sample and my wife laughs at how bad I smell, but maybe I should!

Yes it’s funny how So few people ever have a rough shave or a poor lather or a bad cut or buy an aftershave that smells of old men’s undies. I suppose that as we get more experience under our belts the rough experiences and cuts etc become more scarce but I myself prefer a warts and all approach to my shaving log.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 300 and 3 on the Bengal.
I lathered with Tabac and a boar brush.
Lovely performance from the Tabac it’s great stuff.
Again, the Bengal felt terrible and tuggy on pass one, better on pass two and an absolute dream on pass 3 and 4 with a brilliant post shave feel.
This was my 300th shave since I started 6th December 2018.
I’ve learned a hell of a lot about shaving in these shaves, I’ve tried to push boundaries, to experiment and and I’ve spilled my share of blood (a little today actually). But I’ve also had tons of brilliant shaves and learned a lot about how to keep the razors sharp and well maintained. Earlier I read my first straight razor post and I smiled as I recalled the concern I had and the tension involved. I remember my left arm cramping up as I tried a couple of passes with it. I remember the good old fashioned fear as i glanced at it from behind the shower curtain and I remember the fast improvements in those early days on a road paved with blood. I remember the help I got from all the people who replied to my posts and the feeling I wS not alone in this slightly crazy persuit. It’s not as simple as buying a razor and away you go. There’s the crazy danger of the shave, then the learning of the left hand, the learning of the shave, how to adjust angles and pressure to get truly close, then learning to strop and to eventually hone the beast. Films or stones or ***? Then you see that everything you just learned means nothing as you buy another razor and start from scratch again. It it my technique? Or my razor? Or my lather? Or my stropping? Or my products? Or my honing? Or my stones Or all 6? or maybe something I haven’t thought of? Little by little the light appears and the road seems a tiny bit clearer. Bit by bit certain variables become constant and the problems become less perplexing. All the time you’re spilling blood, or roughing up your face or nicking your ear or freezing up your cheeks and hands. But I have to say that crazy as it may seem to an outsider, this problem solving is a lot of fun and the stakes are pretty high as it’s a dangerous occupation no question as one tiny slip can mean a trip to the hospital. I never intended to even try a straight razor as a daily driver but now I’d never use anything else. Still a lot more learning to go but I’m happy where I am and looking forward to the journey.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 301 and 4 on the ELSINE.
Used TOBS Eton College and a boar.
This ELSINE has a great smooth feel to it, it almost doesn’t feel like steel running down your face. As I get better at using these things I notice more and more about the differences between my razors. On every pass today I could feel an efficiency, a brilliance that’s ever so slightly lacking
in the other razors I use. I finished up with a cold rinse and a smile, then a splash of Brut. This is cheap stuff but my face loves it and what a great post shave feel today.
I prefer a weaker, fast fading scent to my aftershaves so I can have my choice of cologne afterwards. I no longer use my Proraso Red splash as it’s oily and my face didn’t like it, I’ve ran out of my Speick and Proraso Green. The only unscented one I’ve got left is Fine Snakebite but it’s too cold for that crazy firewater so I’ve ordered a new bottle of Proraso Green which for £6 is great stuff with a fine but fast fading scent.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 302 and 5 on the ELSINE.
Lathered with Norse Sandalwood Soap and a boar.
I was a bit preoccupied this morning and so forgot to do my xtg pass so ended up with a good but not brilliant shave. But shaving with a straight preoccupied can have much worse consequences as we all know. I think I got off lightly. A nice splash of Floid Vigaroso sealed the deal.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 303 and 50 on the Friodur.
Lathered with Proraso Red and a boar.
I wasn’t sure whether or not to use this razor today as although it’s still been delivering great close shaves with no pulling it’s just felt a little harsh but no worse than my other razors. So today I gave it 50 quick laps on linen then the same on leather to see if this would make a difference. Well wow what a difference!
I’ve had 50 shaves with this since I last honed it and the degradation has been barely noticeable, but today Immediately I could feel the improvement. I’d forgotten how great this thing is. Maybe it’s just because I haven’t honed it for so long but today it feels like the sharpest and smoothest razor I’ve ever used. It made absolute mincemeat of everything it touched on every pass. Even wtg on my top lip I could feel it removing hair that would only normally be removed on the atg passes. When I got to my atg passes everything just felt so easy. I did a cold rinse then splashed on some Fine Snakebite. This is the best shave I’ve ever had, absolutely bbs without any irritation and a brilliant toned smooth feeling to my face. I’ve never had a shave like it and I want that type of edge every day. I’m a bit mystified as to where it came from as I’m honing and using freshly honed razors all the time but this today was sharp and smooth like I’ve never had and all from a strop on a bit of linen.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 304 and 51 on the Friodur.
Lathered with Proraso Red and a boar brush.
The Proraso Red and Green (though I’ve run out of the latter) are brilliant soaps for me for straight razor shaving. I was keen to shave again with the Friodur this morning after yesterday’s great shave and today was just as good.
I think yesterday I made a little technical breakthrough on my top lip. I’ve always had to work hard to get it smooth there, but yesterday with a smooth sharp blade I was able to focus and clear more than usual there on the wtg pass which had the effect of making the subsequent passes easier especially the atg passes and today this worked beautifully again. Another really great shave today. I’m shaving better now that I was just a few days ago I can feel it.

 

[Jakebullet]

Today for a change I used my 1920’s Gillette Old Type safety razor.
I haven’t used it in over a year, I’ve never really found it to cut as close as I like, I always found it a bit mild. But I keep it as I like it’s little gold case and blade box and I like that’s it’s about the same age as my grandad would be.
I took a lot of care with it today using the stretching and mapping techniques that my straight razor has taught me and guess what? A great shave. Not the equal of my Straight by a good way but if I score my best ever straight shave at a 10 then this was a 7. Mostly bbs but not quite and it grew back a lot quicker, plus the post shave feel isn’t bad but it’s nowhere near the silky smooth feeling after a straight razor shave. A new bottle of Proraso Green arrived in the post. This is my first re-buy and I’m glad I did, it’s got a great fresh scent a soothing wet quality and a nice touch of menthol too.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 305 and 52 on the Friodur.
Lathered with Speick Shave Stick and a badger brush.
id forgotten how much water a badger holds. Today’s shave was smooth and close as usual with the Friodur, and the shave stick made a great wet lather. I’m off to London today, just a quick overnight stay so I stropped and packed the Friodur, a boar brush, Palmolive Shave Stick and a bottle of Proraso Green.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 306 and 53 on the Friodur.
I’m away with work so woke up early in my hotel room to have a straight shave before breakfast at 8am.
Got a big blast of hot water from the immense power shower then lathered up a Palmolive Shave Stick with a boar brush. I don’t know if it’s just me but I always seem to get the shave done faster when I’m away, plus having a shave somewhere new is a nice change. The blade was smooth and luxurious as always and cut close. I had a nice cold rinse and a big splash of Proraso Green and left the bathroom for breakfast and the return journey feeling very refreshed.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 307 and 4 on the Bengal near wedge. I lathered with Norse Sandalwood Soap and a boar brush.
I had a bit more growth than usual after a one pass DE shave I had yesterday.
As usual the wedge felt really tuggy on pass one, then quite a lot better on pass 2 then a miraculous buttery smoothness appeared on passes 3 and 4 leaving me with a silky smooth all over bbs with a great post shave feel.
Why does this particular razor behave like this? Who knows? During my first pass I’m always convinced it needs honing and during my final pass I’m always convinced that it doesn’t. A nice big splash of Proraso Green brought no sting and I was out into the cold morning air.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 308 and 2 on the Thomas Turner & Co.
Lathered with Norse Sandalwood Soap and a boar.
I noticed a bit of pitting on this razor a while back on the blade face and on the edge so I completely reset the bevel on films and took it through a progression back down to 0.3u.
I had a shave with it a while back but suspected it may need further attention. After shaving with it today I’m thinking that this suspicion was correct. It felt ok smooth wise I suppose but afterwards I was unsurprised to see quite a bit of redness and rashing on my cheeks.
I looked at the edge through a loup and it still wasn’t exactly smooth. Unsure whether to take it all the way back to the heaviest grits and work upwards or just to go halfway back. I suppose I’ll have to play it by ear and see. I’d like to have this razor smooth again as it was my first one and always gave me a great shave.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 309 and 54 on the Friodur.
Lathered with Tabac and a boar.
Despite the Tabac being one of the easiest soaps to use I think maybe today wasn’t my absolute best lather with it. I just felt it could use more water. I completed a nice 4 pass shave and got excellent results but I got a few weepers on the edge of my top lip and it took an hour for my face to feel completely smooth.
I was out at an antique store today and looked at 3 straights they had there. One was a local razor made in Liverpool which I’ve never seen before and the others were made in Germany. None really caught my eye as they all had a little damage to the scales, except the Liverpool one but what do I need with another 5/8ths hollow ground razor with a few bits of devils spit on the spine. As I was speaking to the 70 year old seller he said ‘dyou believe how people used to shave with something like that?’ I grinned and told him I shave with one every Single morning. Well he laughed aloud, ‘Really?’ And gave me a big pat on the back. ‘Great to see someone keeping the old methods alive!’ He asked me what was wrong with one of the razors I declined. I told him it was decent enough but had a frown to it and while some people could hone that out with little effort it would be a bit of a big project for someone like me, who could sharpen up a razor no problem but wouldn’t really be that confident in restoring one. Well the old boy was genuinely fascinated that a relatively young man in the 21st century was still using these things for his daily shaves. I wished him good luck and as my girl and child and I walked away my girl laughed at the chat she’d just heard me having with the old guy. it was a nice encounter and a cool reminder of how mad we all are.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 310 and 55 on the Friodur.
Lathered with Proraso Red and a boar.
Yesterday I gave this razor 40 laps on linen and 50 on leather following a few weepers yesterday.
The Friodur as always remains very smooth and all my passes were great and close so I’m not close to re-honing it yet I don’t think. I wonder how far it will go. I used the new Proraso green aftershave which is to me at least, the same great stuff as always.

 

[Jakebullet]

It’s been about 2 years since I last used a cartridge razor. Since my first day of proper shaving I’ve never gone back. But today I looked out of the window and saw a torrential downpour outside as my 4 year old and my heavily pregnant girl got ready for their walk to school. I really needed to shave this morning and if I wanted to drive them in to school had 10 mins for a close shave. I thought on a whim I’d grab the Neglected cartridge on my shelf and give it a go.
I had no canned foam so made a quick lather with TOBS Eton College and got going. I was wondering how this would go after a 2 year break but 30 years of muscle memory came instantly flooding back. It was an unusual sensation, all that memory but now capped by a greatly increased knowledge of my beard mapping and how to shave and stretch etc. But I couldn’t give it a fair comparison as I had to be so quick. I did a 2 pass shave 1 down one up. My first thought was how easy this shave was, the head automatically adjusting to every curve and the safety of it, the almost impossibility of a cut or scrape, plus the multiple blades felt so shado on my beard. I did a quick splash of Tabac aftershave and our we went. I was initially quite impressed with the shave but after a few mins it became clear that my face felt nowhere near as smooth as normal, the hair wasn’t cut anywhere near as closely as normal and now mid afternoon it’s grown back so much quicker. Plus my face has had a funny feeling to it all day. Still it was fun to try it but I won’t be going back.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 311 and 6 on the ELSINE.
Lathered with Norse Sandalwood and a boar brush. Quite a lot of stubble to get through after yesterday’s quick cartridge shave but the smooth old ELSINE went through it brilliantly.
What a difference between yesterday’s shave and today’s. Here 6 hours after the shave it’s still completely bbs with a great smooth silky feel.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 314 and 56 on the Friodur.
A new brush arrived in the mail yesterday, a Yaqi 26mm 2 band badger. First impressions were it’s a much bigger brush than any of the ones I’ve got, with a nice big knot of springy badger hair and a big chunky handle. This is it next to my Omega 40033 boar brush which I use every day.

I had a feeling it would swallow the first lather i made with it so I gave it a couple of break in palm latherings, first with TOBS Sandalwwod Soap then Tabac Soap. It swallowed the first lather but did much better on the second.
I soaked it in a mug this morning while I had a shower then opted for the Tabac soap again as it seemed to lather well yesterday. I wasn’t holding out a ton of hope to be honest as the badger brushes I’d tried before had been a bit hopeless at face lathering being too floppy.
As soon as I started building a lather on my face I was pretty much blown away. The big knot felt so dense and springy and soft as anything but with tons of backbone. Just what I wanted. My boar brush which I’d always been extremely happy with just feels thin and week compared to his luxurious feeling beast.
It made a massive amount of thick creamy lather and covered my whole cheek when I splayed it. There was enough lather in that big brush for about 6 passes.
The big Friodur just sailed through this dense lather cutting close and smooth as always. Great and sharp wtg, smooth and easy xtg and close and deadly atg leaving my whole face, especially my chin and top lip as smooth as marble. A big splash of Proraso Green to finish and away I went.
The new brush performed brilliantly and is a big step up for me in terms of feel and performance and luxury and it seemed to get more out of the soap. The lather just seemed much better.
The shave is brilliant today soft and silky smooth and surgically close.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 315 and 8 on the ELSINE.
Lathered with Proraso Red and the big Yaqi badger brush.
I soaked the brush while in the shower as it still has a slight animal scent to it having only been used for one shave.
I got started with the ELSINE, pass one not bad. I relathered but the lather was thinner as the brush seemed to absorb much of it. Pass 2 not bad. There wasn’t enough lather lather for pass 3 so I went into the Tabac and made another face lather, this was more like it, full creamy and thick. As I’m doing an ok atg passes three I was thinking I need to touch up the razor on the stone. I finished the shave and got an extremely close shave but a splash of the normally mild Proraso Red aftershave burnt like fire. I cleaned the razor and took it to the linen strop when I realised that is completely forgotten to strop it before the shave. This was why the ELSINE was lacking it’s usual sparkling performance. What a difference that old piece of leather makes to a straight razor shave.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 316 and 9 on the ELSINE.
I lathered with Norse Sandalwood Soap and the Yaqi badger brush. This soap lathered brilliantly today with this brush, so much better than yesterday’s Proraso which just got swallowed up. I made a massive amount of brilliant lather with the big soft brush massaging my face, a great start to the shave. The Norse is the best soap I’ve ever used. If you can get it it’s well worth a try.
I’d forgotten to strop the ELSINE yesterday so I stropped it after the shave and gave it another 50 laps before the shave this morning just to be sure.
It was a Sunday morning, the winter sun was shining, I had time and the house to myself and was enjoying my shave.
The old 1920’s ELSINE with the 2019 edge was back to its best and smoothly reduced everything on pass one. There’s was plenty for it still to do on my xtg pass 2 as the razor sang along humming its metallic tune, then I re-lathered for pass three atg. Much smoother today as I did my cheeks, neck, chin and top lip beautifully if I do say so myself.
To go atg on my top lip I start opposite hands at the corners of my mouth, skin stretched and work up toward my nose. Then I cut straight upwards from my Cupid’s bow up to my septum then directly up as I move outwards back to the corners. This is why I need the lather slick and the razor sharp. Then on my touch up pass I re-lather then I have to use same hand same side and starting at the Cupid’s bow cut upwards and outwards diagonally . It was this final bit that took me a while to perfect and was what I needed to complete the bbs there. It takes me 4 passes in total because the hair seems to grow in many directions there and it’s tough like wire but with the straight I can now get it absolutely smooth as glass there in a way I never could with a cartridge or even my Muhle R41. I had a nice long cold rinse then a splash of Proraso Green to complete a great Sunday shave.

 

[Jakebullet]

Last week I dropped my Bengal near wedge. It was open at the time and landed flush on the square point into the wooden floor in my kitchen. Ouch! Even to the naked eye I could see the edge near the point was pretty wrecked. Under close inspection it had a nice big chip out of the blade and the edge was pretty banged up. I’ve never tried to repair anything like this so I i gave it a go. I got the roughest film I have which is green 30 micron though I’ve used the piece about 5 times to reset bevels. I worked on the side which was worst affected first. I tried 100 laps, the chip was still there. Another 100 on the same side, the chip was reduced but still there. Another 100 same side almost gone.
I turned it around and gave it 300 laps on the other side then did alternating laps for another 100 or so. Then I took it through a progression down to 0.3u. I finished up and looked through the loup. It was so hard to see at first at catching the light just on the edge with the loup in the right place at the right time is tricky to say the least, but I was disappointed to see the tiny remnants of the chip still there. I’m going to shave with it on the morning and see if I have to take it all the way back to the coarse grit or if I’ve got it small enough not to be an issue. My gut tells me it’s the former but I’m hopeful for the latter. While I had the films out I also gave my Turner & Co 50-60 laps on 1u and about 100 on 0.3u as this razor hadn’t felt good recently. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.