Damn Comfortable Shave

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thursday's shave was good.

My kit was simple enough.

• Grooming Dept Preshave
• MAOL Grooming & Grooming Dept FrankinLime
• Zenith Manchurian
• Dorko
• Grooming Dept Serum

Plus a splash.

This is a nice splash and goes well enough with the scent of the soap (although they're not exactly the same).

Good shave, good edge, good kit.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Esox]

Thanks. I'm always looking for really good movies. I'm picky. Know you are, too, Mike.

I dont know if its on Netflix, again, or not lol.

Is 'The Shining' available to watch on Netflix in America? - NewOnNetflixUSA

Its an all time favorite movie of mine.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Friday's shave was excellent.

This is my newest Boker. It was sold as unused. Damascus Magnetic Steel. Off the DCA (no pasted strops used). Sharp and comfortable and smart.

Also used the Veg, GD Preshave, GD Serum.

Good kit. Excellent shave.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Cal]

Friday's shave was excellent.

Wow Jim!

I believe that's the first time you've used that adjective to describe your shave (if memory serves me right).

Congratulations!

---

This (of course) may mean that I NEED a DCA.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Wow Jim!

View attachment 994633

I believe that's the first time you've used that adjective to describe your shave (if memory serves me right).

Congratulations!

---

This (of course) may mean that I NEED a DCA.

Better get one before Jarrod raises the prices.

It really was a good shave, as in good meaning excellent. Not in the league (in terms of closeness and smoothness) with the best of my E-2 shaves, but I really don't care. SR shaves are so much more comfortable and they're getting better over time in terms of the other parameters.

One thing I notice is how easy some of the razors - like today's Boker - with very thin spines are to get very sharp. Might just be me. I also love the edge on my Fredericks and it's not a thin spine, so maybe I'm full of it.

Happy shaves, Cal, and everybody,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Today's shave was an excellent learning experience.

This new razor is a vintage Japanese Feon 1880 Pure Steel, 6/8" (19.5mm) with a nice shoulder-less design. I stropped the blade and then soaked it in Barbercide. It came to me shave ready.

What did I learn?

• The razor was honed and finished by the vendor like this - 1k, 2k, uchi, 5k, jnat prefinisher, jnat finish, .25 micron diamond, .125 micron cbn, then clean linen and leather strop - so I experienced what that sort of edge can feel like.
• It is a very very good to excellent edge. Sharp and smooth and comfortable.
• It is in about the same league with my more recent, better edges off the DCA.
• Compared to my edges? It could be a bit better, but I think not. It could also be a bit worse, but I think not.
• More time with this edge will allow me to learn more, but this razor came shave ready. Nice bonus!

It would be very much impossible for me to tell you why I have this impression, but this felt like a superior piece of steel to me. I really enjoyed shaving with it.

My shave - #240 SR - was very minimal in that I did as close to one pass as I ever do. In other words it was two lathered passes on my neck + a bit of unlathered ATG on my lower lip. Everything else, including my upper lip and most of my chin was pretty much one pass.

The best shave available wasn't required today, but this was an excellent shave considering how little work I did. I like this razor! I have another shave ready Japanese razor from the same transaction.

Also used GD Preshave and Serum.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I built a few snowmen. Must have been good for my developing brain.

 

[Somerled]

It would be very much impossible for me to tell you why I have this impression, but this felt like a superior piece of steel to me. I really enjoyed shaving with it.

There is something different with Japanese steel, even if it's imported (for example Swedish steel).
It will be interesting to see how well one of them shaves from your DCA.

The razor I bought from the Romanian vendor was supposedly shave ready. Not sure why, but I didn't try it before I honed it myself.
I always end up honing any razor that arrives myself anyway.

I like that razor stand Jim. I was going to buy some a while ago, but never got around to it. They are pretty expensive though.

 

[Cal]

I like that razor stand Jim. I was going to buy some a while ago, but never got around to it. They are pretty expensive though.

What about printing your own with a 3D Printer, Doug?

For €219, it's a lot cheaper than many SRs. More info on the mini model.

 

[Somerled]

What about printing your own with a 3D Printer, Doug?
View attachment 994903
For €219, it's a lot cheaper than many SRs. More info on the mini model.

I had thought about one of them to make scales.
Interesting that they make very small machines now.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Cool. Something else to look forward to. Printing all sorts of goodies.

The razor holder/display could be better. The spine that goes between the razor should be more tapered (smaller at the top). The tab which touches the blade could be cork or silicon or something soft. Not saying it isn't useful, but it could be better.

The sent me two holders. I guess they come in a set.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Today's shave bothers me a good bit.

My Herder 76, NOS and newly honed on my Double Convex Ark, was today's blade. The rest of the kit included GD Preshave and GD Serum. Maybe a splash later.

Why was this shave disturbing? The edge was sharp and during the shave it passed all my little shave tests. It was also comfortable and truly a joy to use.

However, shave #241 was not in the league with yesterday's shave. As yesterday went on it became very clear to me that shave #240 was superior. Considering that I did very little work yesterday and yet still got a superior shave it means one of three things.

• I was extremely on my game yesterday. I doubt this very much.
• The razor itself is superior to others I've used. This is possible. It was my first Japanese razor shave.
• The edge yesterday was sharper than other edges I've used.

My guess is the edge!

I know what the vendor reported, but can I achieve the same thing? His edge beats mine I believe.

It's bothersome in a way and disturbing, but it also opens the door to a learning curve I still need to climb if I can figure out how. I don't mind climbing, and I relish improvement. Going about it is another matter.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

 

[Somerled]

However, shave #241 was not in the league with yesterday's shave. As yesterday went on it became very clear to me that shave #240 was superior. Considering that I did very little work yesterday and yet still got a superior shave it means one of three things.

• I was extremely on my game yesterday. I doubt this very much.
• The razor itself is superior to others I've used. This is possible. It was my first Japanese razor shave.
• The edge yesterday was sharper than other edges I've used.

My guess is the edge!

This is what I was alluding to when I said to try one of the Japanese razors honed on your DCA. If you don't want to use any of the three that you have right now, then the one thats coming from Japan won't be shave ready. At least mine wasn't from the same vendor. So, you will have to hone it yourself.

I know that when I try to decide which of my razors to use to shave with, I find myself reaching for one of the Japanese ones.
There is something about them the other razors can't match. It's not that the others are bad, far from it.
Thats probably why, when I scour ebay for razors, I end up searching for Tanifuji.

 

[martym]

The key states "Overlook Hotel" which was central to this.

If you havent seen it, you should. Its one of Kubricks, and Nicholsons, best movies.

When I went to my oldest daughter’s high school graduation in New Hampshire I saw the Mount Washington Hotel. Didn’t get off the highway to drive up to it. It gave me the willies.
My wife laughed at me.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

This is what I was alluding to when I said to try one of the Japanese razors honed on your DCA. If you don't want to use any of the three that you have right now, then the one thats coming from Japan won't be shave ready. At least mine wasn't from the same vendor. So, you will have to hone it yourself.

I know that when I try to decide which of my razors to use to shave with, I find myself reaching for one of the Japanese ones.
There is something about them the other razors can't match. It's not that the others are bad, far from it.
Thats probably why, when I scour ebay for razors, I end up searching for Tanifuji.

I have three Japanese razors and at least three more on the way.

• Two of the ones I have in hand arrived honed (and honed very well, at least the first and only one I've used was).
• The other in hand was a freebie. It is not sharp. However, it was clearly messed with, and badly. It would take a ton of work to fix it. The grind is really really really messed up. I've never seen a more weird looking grind, and bet few of us have. Not that I won't get around to it someday.
• Two of the razors in transit are not shave ready (according to their vendors).
• One of the razors in transit is said to be shave ready but you know how that goes.

So, yes I will have some Japanese razors to hone. When they will arrive is a bit up in the air, Doug, but hopefully it won't be too long.

It will be interesting to see if I can achieve with the DCA what the vendor achieved.

Thanks for your suggestions, sir, and happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

This is what I was alluding to when I said to try one of the Japanese razors honed on your DCA. If you don't want to use any of the three that you have right now, then the one thats coming from Japan won't be shave ready. At least mine wasn't from the same vendor. So, you will have to hone it yourself.

I know that when I try to decide which of my razors to use to shave with, I find myself reaching for one of the Japanese ones.
There is something about them the other razors can't match. It's not that the others are bad, far from it.
Thats probably why, when I scour ebay for razors, I end up searching for Tanifuji.

Even though I absolutely get your meaning, I also think the Herder wasn't sufficiently honed. I honed it more today, but I'm still very unsure about its shave readiness.

 

[Somerled]

Even though I absolutely get your meaning, I also think the Herder wasn't sufficiently honed. I honed it more today, but I'm still very unsure about its shave readiness.

I've been trying out different ways to get my edges keener without loosing the smoothness that a coticule gives.
If I keep the stone wet (not under running water) and lap a razor very lightly for about 10-15 minutes it seems to refine the edge somewhat. Even although it doesn't feel like anything is happening. Using a loupe I can see the haze on the bevel gets more evenly distributed. The more I do this, the better it gets and it looks cleaner (less scratches).

All the razors I shave with I've honed myself pretty much the same way and they all feel different.

 

[Esox]

When I went to my oldest daughter’s high school graduation in New Hampshire I saw the Mount Washington Hotel. Didn’t get off the highway to drive up to it. It gave me the willies.
My wife laughed at me.

Some places just make your hair stand up.

The first time we went fishing in far northern Ontario we came by Stirland Lake knowing nothing about it. We thought it was just another lake. That was September 1993. It turned out that its the site of a 'Residential School' that had closed in 1990, one of the last ones to close. Everyone there just walked away leaving things as they sat.

Give this a look if you find the time.

The Windigo Lake ride.

 

[Esox]

If I keep the stone wet (not under running water) and lap a razor very lightly for about 10-15 minutes it seems to refine the edge somewhat. Even although it doesn't feel like anything is happening. Using a loupe I can see the haze on the bevel gets more evenly distributed. The more I do this, the better it gets and it looks cleaner (less scratches).

Thats polishing the edge. I do the same when sharpening a knife. My finishing takes place with very light pressure on a wet stone. My last 100 strokes per side are often done with less pressure than the weight of the knife itself. 100 strokes, flip the blade and 100 strokes. Back to the starting side and 99 strokes, flip and 99 strokes. Continuing that process until I'm down to one stroke per side. My edges are done at that point and if I used a strop thats the only thing I'd work them on after that and the blades wouldnt see a stone again until the edge needed resetting.

This is something thats been on my mind lately. Theres much talk of honing on stones and what not and much less talk of stropping. Maybe it works differently on a blade meant for shaving, but wouldnt stropping polish the edge more, while giving it a finer edge at the same time, make for a more polished, smoother and sharper edge?

Working on a stone sets the edge and bevel angle but the best edge, I would think, would come from working on a stop to polish that edge as much as possible. Thats the process as I understand it to sharpening anything. Start coarse to work the steel faster progressing to finer and finer stones or materials until the edge is where you want it. Maintain it on that finishing piece until the edge deteriorates enough it needs to go back on a stone.

I see stropping as important as using stones but maybe I'm thinking about it the wrong way.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thats polishing the edge. I do the same when sharpening a knife. My finishing takes place with very light pressure on a wet stone. My last 100 strokes per side are often done with less pressure than the weight of the knife itself. 100 strokes, flip the blade and 100 strokes. Back to the starting side and 99 strokes, flip and 99 strokes. Continuing that process until I'm down to one stroke per side. My edges are done at that point and if I used a strop thats the only thing I'd work them on after that and the blades wouldnt see a stone again until the edge needed resetting.

This is something thats been on my mind lately. Theres much talk of honing on stones and what not and much less talk of stropping. Maybe it works differently on a blade meant for shaving, but wouldnt stropping polish the edge more, while giving it a finer edge at the same time, make for a more polished, smoother and sharper edge?

Working on a stone sets the edge and bevel angle but the best edge, I would think, would come from working on a stop to polish that edge as much as possible. Thats the process as I understand it to sharpening anything. Start coarse to work the steel faster progressing to finer and finer stones or materials until the edge is where you want it. Maintain it on that finishing piece until the edge deteriorates enough it needs to go back on a stone.

I see stropping as important as using stones but maybe I'm thinking about it the wrong way.

Mike, I'm sure stropping is even more important than honing. However, razors have to be much sharper and much more refined on stones than knives. A knife honed until the bevel is set is essentially ready for polishing. A razor honed until the bevel is set would probably shave you but you would hate the shave. Unless the bevel is set getting a sharp edge is hopeless, but setting the bevel does not do it in terms of a comfortable shave. The edge must be refined by finer hones.

At least that's my understanding of things and my experience (not that I've tried to shave with a razor off the Chosera 1K, a razor with just a good bevel).

I think maybe the Graham-Field didn't even have its bevel set. I know you know what I mean.

Many of the old shaving texts talk about stropping as the Queen. They almost assumed guys could hone and/or assumed gentlemen had access to a barber glad for the business or a sharpening tradesman (I know there's a name for them but the noun escapes me).

Honing is so important for most of us partially because if we don't do it who will. It's also a hobby and, well, let's be honest, an obsession and a huge rabbit hole.

Not that strops aren't for some gentlemen a huge rabbit hole.

Happy shaves,

Jim