Cartridge to R41 to Cut-Throat

[Jakebullet]

Shave 463 and 5 on the Friodur lathered with Hawkins & Brimble cream and Yaqi Badger.

I haven’t used this cream for ages but it’s got a nice old barbershop scent and worked brilliantly for me today, I used plenty and it was very slick very rich.
I did some beard mapping last night before I went to bed and used my findings during today’s shave. It surprises me that after all this time I’m still finding things out about the growth pattern of my beard.
The technical work I’ve been doing going atg on my top lip lately really paid off today. it’s such a difficult area, like a whole face unto itself with areas growing in all different direction plus the hair there is very tough and one wrong move means a nasty cut and I’ve had a couple of those during the last few days.
Today I think I made improvements everywhere. At first I thought the shave was taking me longer because I was shaving badly today but I think I was just taking a step forward in my ability and learning. I thought I had this routine down by now but I’m definitely still learning, and today’s shave is brilliant absolutely everywhere.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 464 and 7 on the Welsh slate edged Gold Dollar B Tobs Sandalwood and Yaqi Badger.

My rock is 500 million years old. it was formed as deep water mudstone on an ancient ocean floor on the young planet Earth long before it had a name, long before even the first vertebrates evolved in the sea, long before a single organism existed on dry land, not a blade of grass not a cell of algae. The northern and southern parts of Britain were yet to collide. When the dinosaurs came along 250 million years later this rock was already deeply ancient. It was there when life crawled out from the sea, rule the land, rose, then fell. It felt the shudder of the meteorites that caused mass extinctions.
182 trillion 500 million sunrises later crazy tectonic forces have ripped it up from its seabed bringing it closer and closer to the surface. Eventually human miners have found it and cut it into the small slab I hold in my hand. This is what this ape descendant uses to sharpen the steel for my morning shave. The geological time scale of this rock finding its way to me just blows my mind.
These thoughts were in my mind this morning as I pulled the slate edged steel across my face. Got a great shave too.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 476 and about 10 or so on the slate edged Gold Dollar B Lathered with Tobs Jermyn Street and Yaqi Silvertip.
I like the Jermyn st, I like the scent and when I get it right like I did today the lather allows for a great old shave.
I like how close the straight razor gets, I like how comfortable it is to use, I like how it gets the tricky bit right under the nose, I like that I can really work tough areas like atg on my chin and top lip without getting razor burn or weepers, I like the balance and usability of the thing, I like learning how to use it to its maximum potential, I like that I’m the only person I know who uses one, I like sharpening it, I like the variety and beauty of the razors out there, I like the historic factor, I like the meditative focus it takes at the start of each day, I like the result, the post shave, the development, the setbacks, the great shaves. Today was very good but I think I might’ve noticed a slight dulling of the edge so I’m going to re hone it on the Welsh Slate tonight for a nice fresh edge in the morning.

 

[thombrogan]

I’ve been riveted by your travels and woefully inspired. Already have the lapping films for kitchen cutlery (chef knife falling through a thick, raw potato is a rush) and inherited my Grandpa’s straights (one stainless and one pile of rust), but have no hanging strop.

Thanks so much for sharing

 

[Jakebullet]

I’ve been riveted by your travels and woefully inspired. Already have the lapping films for kitchen cutlery (chef knife falling through a thick, raw potato is a rush) and inherited my Grandpa’s straights (one stainless and one pile of rust), but have no hanging strop.

Thanks so much for sharing

Hi thanks for the message and glad you enjoyed the reads! Great that you have y IR Grandpa’s razors Have you tried one yet?

 

[thombrogan]

Not yet. Still not able to get BBS with DE or SE razors without burn or weepers

 

[Jakebullet]

My advice is not to wait, learn the straight the DE and SE is very different from the straight anyway

 

[rbscebu]

My advice is not to wait, learn the straight the DE and SE is very different from the straight anyway

I agree. One of the missed opportunities in my life was not first starting with a SR.

 

[Jakebullet]

I had a one pass wtg shave with my R41 and a feather blade yesterday and it was a good old one pass shave. I did the same this morning but thought I’d do a wtg then atg.
wow I’ve really lost my touch with this razor. I could see I’d cut my face everywhere, no big nicks but tiny red spots of blood everywhere like I’d been shot to bits by tiny toy soldiers. I rinsed and hit my face with an alum block which burned good. It might be that i went atg with no xtg pass, it might be the blade, those Feathers really are sharp and have done this to my face before, it might be that I’m out of practice with the R41.
Whatever it is I’m looking forward to a nice smooth Saturday shave tomorrow with a lovely smooth straight razor. Using a DE really makes you appreciate how good a straight is, if you’re ever getting tired of the extra time a straight takes I recommend a couple of days with a DE.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 477 and 7 on the Friodur lathered with Tobs Jermyn st and Yaqi Badger.

I’ve used a DE the last 2 days and
the second this touched my face today I thought ‘ ah that’s more like it’. Super sharp good quality steel, there’s no touch like it. No comparison with the DE. With time on my hands I did four lovely passes. I knew the shave would be great by my face feel after just pass two. Got a lovely cold rinse, a splash of Floid and what a great shave and excellent post shave smoothness, not a rough patch anywhere. Good steel with a good edge, good soap and aftershave there’s nothing like it.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 478 and 3 on the Bengal near wedge with a slate edge. Lathered with Norse Sandalwood and Yaqi Badger.

Great lather from the Norse soap. With my jar of Tabac gone this is probably my best soap. Very comfortable edge on the Bengal and fun to use. I almost wish I could get it perfect in fewer passes but I can’t. 1 pass, socially acceptable, fine in a hurry, 2 passes, like one but better, 3 passes very good shave just short of total bbs, four passes = Bbs everywhere and pretty much perfection and a smile on my face. Continuing with the Sandalwood theme I did a nice splash of Proraso Red which I haven’t used for a while, then a spray or two of Penhaligon’s English Fern.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 479 and about 11 on the slate edged Gold Dollar B.
Lathered with Maca Root cream from the Bodyshop and Yaqi Badger.
Nice slick soap the Maca Root, I used it for my very first DE shave about 2 1/2 years ago and the smell still takes me back. I was fiddling a little atg on my top lip when I lost concentration and the razor slipped and bounced into my lip. I stood stock still expecting the lower part of my Cupid’s bow to drop off into the sink but was relieved to see just a thin cut across the area. Using the razor daily and so smoothly can make you forget how crazily dangerous the thing really is. It’s like a pet tiger that licks your face or lets you tickle its belly for months but at any moment, if upset or not treated properly could rip your face clean off with one lazy slash of its paw.
After my lucky escape I proceeded more carefully and got a brilliant shave. I had a splash of Floid Vigoroso to finish. I’m loving these slate edges at the minute.

 

[Jakebullet]

I gave my Gold Dollar B a refresh on my Welsh Slate stone today so thought I’d share what in the box as far as honing goes. It’s very basic, beginner level so don’t expect much But it’s enough to maintain and repair my small group of razors.

The box came from eBay for around £15. I cut up some 3mm thick plywood and made a few compartments.

In the plastic wallet taped to the lid are various sheets of lapping films from around 1k through to 0.3u. I’ve put a note on the packet to tell me which colour is which grit etc.

In the left compartment is my acrylic block which is 3 inch x 12 and gives me my flat base for films. In the second compartment is my Naniwa 12k in white,

my Welsh slate stone with its slurry stone, my loupe and there’s a little bag of decent green CrOx in there which I never use.

I have 7 razors, a 7/8ths Henckels Friodur, 5/8ths Bengal near wedge, 5/8th Thomas Turner & Co, 6/8ths ELSINE, 5/8ths Suredge and two identical gold dollars which I label A and B plus a couple of packets of silica gel in there too. The box goes on a shelf in my bathroom.
As I said I don’t have much but I have what I need and it’s all in one place and if you’re starting out there’s everything in there you’re going to need to get going plus a couple of extras to try.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 480 and 1 on Gold Dollar B after honing on Welsh slate. Lathered with Tobs Sandalwood and Yaqi Badger.
I’d given this razor 60 lightening laps on the stone yesterday, but even as I was doing it I thought that maybe I should’ve stopped at say 10 laps as the razor was sharp and only really needed the slightest touch up.
As soon as I started shaving with it this morning I could tell it wasn’t quite as good as before. It had lost a little of its sharpness and smoothness so it looks like I’ve overdone it. The only thing I can think of is to take it to the linen for a while and see if I can smooth the edge a little, if not I’ll take it back to coarser grit films and bring it back up with the Welsh Slate.
the shave was good enough so I’m hopeful I can bring it back with linen it’s just not perfect.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 482 and 2 on the slate edged Gold Dollar B. Lathered with Sterling Margaritas and Yaqi Silvertip Badger.
I hadn’t been impressed with this edge for shave one so I gave it 30 more laps on linen then 50 on leather before this mornings shave.
As soon as I started cutting I could feel much improvement. It feels smooth again and nice and sharp. So smooth I was able to really go closer than usual with each pass. Happy to report the edge is back to its best and gave me a great shave. I had a crazy splash of Fine Snakebite to finish which went from red hot coals down to glacial permafrost in about 10 seconds. It’s good stuff and I like that it has no real scent. I had a spray or two of Geo F Trumpers Sandalwood Cologne to finish.

 

[Jakebullet]

shave 483 and about 3 on the film edged ELSINE. Lathered with Sterling Margaritas and Yaqi Badger.

Good shave from my ELSINE today which is coming up for its 100th birthday in a few years. I found it in an old antique shop, bought it for £10, cut a new bevel and honed it up. I really had it nice but after recently Re honing it on films I’m finding the post shave a little stingy and it’s missing a little of the smoothness it had. But then I do find that a newly cut edge can often have a feel that’s a little too sharp and it takes 4-7 shaves to settle to how I like it. For some reason I picked up a few cuts this week. On my top lip the other day, a sideways 1cm cut on my cheek Wednesday and a vertical cut on my bottom lip today. Not sure what’s wrong with me I haven’t cut myself in months. I had a nice cold rinse and a splash of Fine Snakebite to finish up. Good shave.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 484 and 4 on the Bengal near wedge with a slate edge, lathered with TOBS Sandalwood and Yaqi Badger.
I gave my face a rest yesterday after a week of a few cuts and a couple of roughish shaves, so today my stubble was very coarse like a scrubbing brush.

As soon as I started cutting I felt the razor pulling a bit. It was removing the hair but I was having to work at it and it was definitely ‘pulley’. I considered changing the razor but couldn’t be bothered stropping another and I know this Bengal behaves this way sometimes, getting sharper and smoother feeling with each pass.
well pass two was a lot more comfortable and by pass 3 I was smiling again as the blade was smooth and gliding on the soap like it should.
I did a touch up pass which really put a nice smooth feeling to my face, had a cold rinse then had a little rub of TOBS aftershave gel. I’ve had this for years but never liked the feeling on my skin but today with just a little dab it felt really good, zero sting and smells great too.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 485 and 9 on the Friodur lathered with Palmolive shave stick and Yaqi Silvertip. I got a great lather from this soap today and as early as the rinse on pass 2 I could feel it was going to be super smooth. I’ve been very careful the last 2 shaves and have been rewarded with close smooth shaves and no cuts or nicks. Again today I left the splash in favour of a dab of TOBS Sandalwood gel.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 486 and 3 on the film edged Suredge lathered with Palmolive shave stick and Yaqi Silvertip.
I’ve got a really nice edge on this razor, it’s very thin and very sharp and makes a great gravelly sound as it cuts. Another very careful shave today and another real smooth one.
Nice splash of Proraso Green to finish.

 

[Jakebullet]

Shave 487 and 11ish on my Gold Dollar A with a Naniwa 12k edge.
lathered with Hawkins and Brimble shaving cream, it’s nice slick stuff and smells good.
As I hone more and try different edges I’m starting to feel the differences in my edges. A slate edge is smooth and fresh feeling, a film edge is a little harder feeling but very sharp and this Naniwa 12k edge feels somewhere between the two. It’s very sharp but comfortable with it plus it’s very easy to use just spray and go.
I had to be quick today but wouldn’t use a DE I got a great 4 pass shave from my straight. It took 25 mins, I’ve done it in 20 but that’s about the quickest I can do it and still have a killer shave. I had a great slick cold rinse and a splash of Proraso Green which has a great short lived scent and away I went.