Damn Comfortable Shave

[Seveneighth]

I have no idea exactly. I never get a completely BBS shave and don't even try anymore. I get very close sometimes, but it's random I think. I really don't know the standard nomenclature very well other than BBS and DFS.

None of my straight razor shaves are as close and smooth in their results as my best safety razor shaves. Few of those are completely BBS either unless I overdo things (too much, too many passes, too much pressure, excessive something).

My face tends to be closer and smoother than my neck regardless of razor.

Probably "quite good" is a mixture of some BBS and some DFS or perhaps a half smidgeon less good. That probably doesn't help or answer worth a flip. All my shaves are now Damn Comfortable Shaves or very very close to that standard.

Yes, I think the Torrey is just a bit less sharp than the Wade. It's not enough less perfect for me to feel like I must remedy it, but I will hone it a bit when I have time and it doesn't upset my wife (meaning she needs to be off quilting at her girlfriend's house where they sew and quilt and make beautiful things from cloth).

I was planning to hone tomorrow, and am finally feel recovered from my recent viral illnesses well enough to feel like it and have the energy to do so, but it won't work with all the Thanksgiving preparations and such.

Happy shaves,

Jim

My razors differ quite drastically dependent on honing technique used stone, and the steel and grind of razor.

I have a about 5 or 6 that were shave ready and I have maintained to that original finish. They are consistent but range from boring to scary level edges.

I have my razors that I have honed with a British natural progression. They are on the very sharp side of comfortable and are my favourites to shave with.

I have a couple of method edges.

Then I have my coticule edges, driven either by a need to make a harsh steel more comfortable or through laziness because I can't be bothered to get all the stones out and work through a progression.

The coticule edges can vary depending on whether it's a tricky stone to use. They can range from just shave ready to close to the British progression in terms of sharpness.

Generally, I get the closest shaves with a coticule edge even if they are less sharp than the other razors.

So for me there is:

Sharp edge - method
Favourite edge to shave with - British
Sharp Coticule - pleasant, easy shave
Middling coticule
Just shave ready coticule - challenging but generally still a good shave, unless I really messed it up.

There is probably more varieties I just can't remember them right now.

I wonder if you categorise similarly?

I find a good edge can mean so many things.

What is your stropping routine these days. Would love to hear more about that in your journal entries please.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My stropping routine is very routine, but not entirely so always.

After honing a razor I immediately strop it. About 50 to 70 round trips on leather.

The leather strop I use (pictured at the beach last summer) is Jarrod's horse shell. It's almost 3.5 inches wide. On its rear side is a separate but attached at both ends strop which is made of denim.

Always before each shave I strop my razor on the horse shell, about 50 round trips (yes, I count 'em, but sometimes I lose count). If that doesn't "feel right" I do more, maybe 20 more.

Immediately after I shave, after I dry the razor with toilet paper (avoiding the edge of the edge entirely, but just barely) I strop the razor. Then, I strop in a certain sequence.

• First on my 2.5 inches wide Tony Miller linen strop, only 6 round trips.
• Then, 6 round trips on the horse shell.
• Next, 6 round trips on the linen.
• Finally, about 15 or 20 round trips on the horse shell.

When stropping on leather I vary the pressure. Some of my laps are pretty hard (a lot of pressure). Usually about six of the laps are pretty hard. I don't mean extreme pressure, but a good bit more than the other laps. None of my laps are terribly light other than the drying laps on the denim which are more wipes than strops.

This photo shows the linen strop on the right and the denim side of the horse shell strop on the left. It's hanging on the side of a bookshelf next to my closet in my dressing and tv room a few feet from the shave den.



Here the horse is affixed to my much more secure D Ring attachment point. However, I never find a need to use the D Ring. The two hooks work fine.

The razor has to be at a 45 degree angle on the linen because the linen is narrow, and I use a 30 to 45 degree angle on the wide strops as well. On the wide strops my X strokes also move the razor from one side of the strop to the other so the razor is moving in two directions throughout the stroke. Probably I don't do that two directions motion very well or particularly consistently. I'm recently making some effort to improve the two direction movement and be more consistent with it.

On occasion I will do more and sometimes harder stropping on linen.



I have another very excellent strop, Classic Edge's Professional Strop, which has two different leathers, both very nice indeed, which I used to use all the time. I like it very much, too, but I seem to be only using Jarrod's horse shell now for no particular reason that I know of. The three leathers differ a good bit in how they feel and in their draw. Probably the horse shell is the heaviest draw (the slowest). The horse is also a quite thick leather and a very heavy strop. The tan strop is the fastest and lightest feeling of my strops.

Thanks for asking about this, @Seveneighth.

If I left out something important or worth talking about let me know please. Also let me know of any suggestions on how I can improve anything.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My razors differ quite drastically dependent on honing technique used stone, and the steel and grind of razor...

I find a good edge can mean so many things.

You've done a much better job of keeping up with it all than me.

All of my records, fortunately or unfortunately, are within this thread so they're somewhere but not always terribly easy to find. It's not within my easy grasp to figure out what I've done over time with my various edges but mostly I've moved most all of them over to convexed Ark edges. This might have been a mistake. Some are still Zulu Grey or coticule or flat Ark edges maybe, but I'm not entirely sure.

I do have at least four Japanese razors which were honed on jnats + diamond + CBN. This honing was done by the vendor and the razors arrived certainly shave ready. I've been disinclined to touch the edges other than stropping. However, I'd say the edges are no sharper than my Wade and probably not quite as comfortable. They shave just a tad harshly I think, but still very well. I enjoy using them on occasion.

My first Dorko was factory honed and still sharp (it was purchased NOS and in mint condition). I have after a number of shaves taken it to my green and red and black pasted strops to touch it up (not sure this added all that much). I have not decided what to do with its edge. It is still sharp but not 100% to my liking. I find it just a tad harsh and it's not as sharp as my Wade.

I have a newer second Dorko and another NOS German razor (a Sears brand, but a fine razor). I have used neither but believe they're both very sharp from the original factory hone.

Other vendor honed edges have been very unimpressive to me.

As you know, I have a lot of straight razors. I've not counted in a long time, but I certainly have more than 50, probably more than 60. Only a few are what I think of as junk and bad buys. One or two are razors I've given up on (problem children and not worth my time and trouble). A few others not already mentioned were purchased NOS; some of these were really great but NOS means very little to some vendors; one had a chip (not visible to naked eye but still that's not "new" to me and I let the vendor know not that he cared at all). Most needed to be honed and have been but not to my current requirements and standards.

Some of my razors are sitting in mugs in the cabinet where I keep my stones. I have very little idea what state they're in. Some of those have never been touched by me (not shaved with, not honed). Others were put there for now forgotten reasons usually involving a need for better honing.

Most of the other razors meaning most of my razors are carefully stored in Jarrod's roll up rust preventing sleeves each of which hold seven razors. I think I have five or six or seven of these. I also use Jarrod's one-razor ugly sleeves and have a few razors in these. All of these razors have been honed; a few are not honed anywhere near well enough, but most a what I'd call close but no cigar.

Most are shave ready to a degree but the Wade gets the cigar.

I agree with you about coticule edges. I have used only one coticule (from Superior Shave) and gotten interesting edges. They don't seem sharp but they shave much sharper than I'd expect (as is typical of coticule edges from what I've read). I like the edges, but I like others better.

I have only a set of synthetics (from 320 to at least 10K or 12K but a hodgepodge of brands) and a few naturals.

The naturals include the rectangular coticule (and a never yet used bout), a very nice Zulu Grey, several Arkansas finishing stones (flat), a Washita, and a couple of convex Arks. Other than the coticule all are 8X3.

The Zulu Grey gives a very good edge and so do the flat Arks but I believe the best of my edges are from the Double Convex Ark 8X3 and the convexed 8X3 translucent white Norton I got from Jarrod. I like the DCA best I think.

For a number of reasons all my honing plans have been derailed for a number of months but my overall long term plan is to take all my edges to the same level as my Wade if that's possible.

The Wade was a favorite of mine from the get go but I had big problems with its original and broken scales and failed in several attempt to make new scales. Finally it is scaled (not nicely but cheaply) and very workable. The razor was also chipped by me several times (once immediately after I'd honed it to perfection). It has received far too much time on coarse stones by necessity, but it now has the best edge of all my razors. If a better edge exists I've not experienced it.

Very close is the Wide Torrey and also the ERN, but I think the Wade is a tad more perfect. The other two may just need more time on the DCA.

Frankly I don't know where exactly any of my other razors stand. Mostly I've forgotten. I could and will look each of them up in this thread at some point and I will hone them, etc.

My objectives are firmly in mind in that sense.

However, I'm derailed and distracted and have been sick for a couple of months maybe. Now I'm well, but lazy, etc. Also I like to shave more than I like to hone.

Goals? Yes, I actually have goals believe it or not. All of these involve improving or trying to improve edges to the Wade's level of shave readiness.

• I want to first improve the wide Torrey and the ERN.
• I want to improve my 136 Torrey razors, at least one of them
• I want to improve my best American razors.
• The three Japanese razor I've honed are shave ready but not to the Wade's level.
• I'd like to have all seven of my Japanese razors truly shave ready; I won't bother the ones the vendor honed until they become dull.
• I'd like to have a group of seven razors including the Wade at a perfectly shave ready level and then put them aside for a long time knowing they are in readiness.
• Then I'd like to make another group into functional duplicates, another group of seven.
• Every thing else is just an expansion on that theme until they're all great edges.

Does that mean all my edges will end up as DCA edges? Maybe. However, I can also see a place for Zulu Grey and coticule and flat Ark edges. However, if the DCA works why not stick with it? Of course I don't know that it always will work.

As I have a lot of really quite nice (for eBay razors) straights I have many to work with. I have only Japanese and Americans and a very few British (not enough of those) and German razors. I think I have a Swedish razor but it turned out to look not very great and maybe too worn out (although it could be fine once honed; I've not approached it).

I've actually done very well indeed with almost all of my purchases. A very few were expensive (like near the $100 level). Only two exceed $200 (the Dorkos). The Japs were a bit more than most but still most on bargain side as Japanese razors go. Many were cheap (like under $25). A few have been very cheap (under $10 or $15). Several were given to me, too.

I have maybe seven or so NOS razors. I have no custom razors. About five or six of my razors came for the BST. The rest are from eBay mostly. I was smart enough to carefully study what Keith @Gamma published on buying from eBay, and other similar material, and avoided too many errors. I've been screwed a couple of times by vendors, but mostly they've been very good people.

As you can obviously see I'm not organized or systematic worth a hoot. I'm also very content with the Wade. If all I had was the Wade I'd be more content maybe.

From several points of view I've learned a lot and done a rather lousy job of approaching all this straight razor honing stuff, as well as straight razor acquisition stuff, but there it is. I've only been doing it a year or so and it's been both frustrating and fun like most things worth doing.



I don't plan to buy more stones anytime soon, maybe never, nor more razors (unless they are very special in my view of them and good deals).

I know this has been a lengthy but also terrible and disorganized answer to your question. It reflects where I am in my journey pretty accurately and well. There's a lot more I could say but this is already way too lengthy.

Wonder if my wife might allow me to use the dining room honing table this morning. I think I'll ask her.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Esox]

By this time Jim, I'm sure you can follow that 'pathway' in the dark, blind lol.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

By this time Jim, I'm sure you can follow that 'pathway' in the dark, blind lol.

If I can't all I have to do is follow along. It's a busy and well traveled road superhighway.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[dundak]

....I don't plan to buy more stones anytime soon, maybe never, nor more razors (unless they are very special in my view of them and good deals).

Just stop...you'll always rationalize a good deal. Trust me I have tooooo many examples of that lying around gathering dust

 

[Esox]

If I can't all I have to do is follow along. It's a busy and well traveled road superhighway.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Dont follow me or you'll bump into the MMOC wall like I did lol.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Dont follow me or you'll bump into the MMOC wall like I did lol.

Isn't that a device to hold a little piece of a straight razor?

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Just stop...you'll always rationalize a good deal. Trust me I have tooooo many examples of that lying around gathering dust

I surely get your meaning and thank your for saying what should be obvious to me, but isn't.

I really think a seven day set is probably overkill. As my wife reminds me often enough her grandfather had one SR, one brush, one strop, one mug his entire life.

He was a cheap and mean SOB and everybody knew it, but she's still right.

I wonder what happened to his kit. Probably was chucked into the trash bin. If what my wife remembers is right I think he had an ivory brush handle (maybe). If he did, somebody gave it to him.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Seveneighth]

You've done a much better job of keeping up with it all than me.

All of my records, fortunately or unfortunately, are within this thread so they're somewhere but not always terribly easy to find. It's not within my easy grasp to figure out what I've done over time with my various edges but mostly I've moved most all of them over to convexed Ark edges. This might have been a mistake. Some are still Zulu Grey or coticule or flat Ark edges maybe, but I'm not entirely sure.

I do have at least four Japanese razors which were honed on jnats + diamond + CBN. This honing was done by the vendor and the razors arrived certainly shave ready. I've been disinclined to touch the edges other than stropping. However, I'd say the edges are no sharper than my Wade and probably not quite as comfortable. They shave just a tad harshly I think, but still very well. I enjoy using them on occasion.

My first Dorko was factory honed and still sharp (it was purchased NOS and in mint condition). I have after a number of shaves taken it to my green and red and black pasted strops to touch it up (not sure this added all that much). I have not decided what to do with its edge. It is still sharp but not 100% to my liking. I find it just a tad harsh and it's not as sharp as my Wade.

I have a newer second Dorko and another NOS German razor (a Sears brand, but a fine razor). I have used neither but believe they're both very sharp from the original factory hone.

Other vendor honed edges have been very unimpressive to me.

As you know, I have a lot of straight razors. I've not counted in a long time, but I certainly have more than 50, probably more than 60. Only a few are what I think of as junk and bad buys. One or two are razors I've given up on (problem children and not worth my time and trouble). A few others not already mentioned were purchased NOS; some of these were really great but NOS means very little to some vendors; one had a chip (not visible to naked eye but still that's not "new" to me and I let the vendor know not that he cared at all). Most needed to be honed and have been but not to my current requirements and standards.

Some of my razors are sitting in mugs in the cabinet where I keep my stones. I have very little idea what state they're in. Some of those have never been touched by me (not shaved with, not honed). Others were put there for now forgotten reasons usually involving a need for better honing.

View attachment 1038596

Most of the other razors meaning most of my razors are carefully stored in Jarrod's roll up rust preventing sleeves each of which hold seven razors. I think I have five or six or seven of these. I also use Jarrod's one-razor ugly sleeves and have a few razors in these. All of these razors have been honed; a few are not honed anywhere near well enough, but most a what I'd call close but no cigar.

Most are shave ready to a degree but the Wade gets the cigar.

I agree with you about coticule edges. I have used only one coticule (from Superior Shave) and gotten interesting edges. They don't seem sharp but they shave much sharper than I'd expect (as is typical of coticule edges from what I've read). I like the edges, but I like others better.

I have only a set of synthetics (from 320 to at least 10K or 12K but a hodgepodge of brands) and a few naturals.

The naturals include the rectangular coticule (and a never yet used bout), a very nice Zulu Grey, several Arkansas finishing stones (flat), a Washita, and a couple of convex Arks. Other than the coticule all are 8X3.

The Zulu Grey gives a very good edge and so do the flat Arks but I believe the best of my edges are from the Double Convex Ark 8X3 and the convexed 8X3 translucent white Norton I got from Jarrod. I like the DCA best I think.

For a number of reasons all my honing plans have been derailed for a number of months but my overall long term plan is to take all my edges to the same level as my Wade if that's possible.

The Wade was a favorite of mine from the get go but I had big problems with its original and broken scales and failed in several attempt to make new scales. Finally it is scaled (not nicely but cheaply) and very workable. The razor was also chipped by me several times (once immediately after I'd honed it to perfection). It has received far too much time on coarse stones by necessity, but it now has the best edge of all my razors. If a better edge exists I've not experienced it.

Very close is the Wide Torrey and also the ERN, but I think the Wade is a tad more perfect. The other two may just need more time on the DCA.

Frankly I don't know where exactly any of my other razors stand. Mostly I've forgotten. I could and will look each of them up in this thread at some point and I will hone them, etc.

My objectives are firmly in mind in that sense.

However, I'm derailed and distracted and have been sick for a couple of months maybe. Now I'm well, but lazy, etc. Also I like to shave more than I like to hone.

Goals? Yes, I actually have goals believe it or not. All of these involve improving or trying to improve edges to the Wade's level of shave readiness.

• I want to first improve the wide Torrey and the ERN.
• I want to improve my 136 Torrey razors, at least one of them
• I want to improve my best American razors.
• The three Japanese razor I've honed are shave ready but not to the Wade's level.
• I'd like to have all seven of my Japanese razors truly shave ready; I won't bother the ones the vendor honed until they become dull.
• I'd like to have a group of seven razors including the Wade at a perfectly shave ready level and then put them aside for a long time knowing they are in readiness.
• Then I'd like to make another group into functional duplicates, another group of seven.
• Every thing else is just an expansion on that theme until they're all great edges.

Does that mean all my edges will end up as DCA edges? Maybe. However, I can also see a place for Zulu Grey and coticule and flat Ark edges. However, if the DCA works why not stick with it? Of course I don't know that it always will work.

View attachment 1038602

As I have a lot of really quite nice (for eBay razors) straights I have many to work with. I have only Japanese and Americans and a very few British (not enough of those) and German razors. I think I have a Swedish razor but it turned out to look not very great and maybe too worn out (although it could be fine once honed; I've not approached it).

I've actually done very well indeed with almost all of my purchases. A very few were expensive (like near the $100 level). Only two exceed $200 (the Dorkos). The Japs were a bit more than most but still most on bargain side as Japanese razors go. Many were cheap (like under $25). A few have been very cheap (under $10 or $15). Several were given to me, too.

I have maybe seven or so NOS razors. I have no custom razors. About five or six of my razors came for the BST. The rest are from eBay mostly. I was smart enough to carefully study what Keith @Gamma published on buying from eBay, and other similar material, and avoided too many errors. I've been screwed a couple of times by vendors, but mostly they've been very good people.

As you can obviously see I'm not organized or systematic worth a hoot. I'm also very content with the Wade. If all I had was the Wade I'd be more content maybe.

From several points of view I've learned a lot and done a rather lousy job of approaching all this straight razor honing stuff, as well as straight razor acquisition stuff, but there it is. I've only been doing it a year or so and it's been both frustrating and fun like most things worth doing.

View attachment 1038605

I don't plan to buy more stones anytime soon, maybe never, nor more razors (unless they are very special in my view of them and good deals).

I know this has been a lengthy but also terrible and disorganized answer to your question. It reflects where I am in my journey pretty accurately and well. There's a lot more I could say but this is already way too lengthy.

Wonder if my wife might allow me to use the dining room honing table this morning. I think I'll ask her.

Happy shaves,

Jim

A most entertaining and interesting read. I am humbled by your collection. It's a pity you don't live in the UK. I would happily organise a honing party for few of us to work our way through your collection with you. We would just need someone to keep us in line and make sure we catalogue what we are doing.

Alternatively, could you perhaps pick two a month and just shave with them, honing them until they are good?

 

[Esox]

Isn't that a device to hold a little piece of a straight razor?

Yessir.

A sort of T handle straight lol.

We would just need someone to keep us in line and make sure we catalogue what we are doing.

That sounds like a job for me. I'll bring my knives

 

[Seveneighth]

Yessir.

A sort of T handle straight lol.




That sounds like a job for me. I'll bring my knives

that's serious motivation for keeping us in order!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

A most entertaining and interesting read. I am humbled by your collection. It's a pity you don't live in the UK. I would happily organise a honing party for few of us to work our way through your collection with you. We would just need someone to keep us in line and make sure we catalogue what we are doing.

Alternatively, could you perhaps pick two a month and just shave with them, honing them until they are good?

That's kinda what I have in mind. Something of that sort. Work on a small group until it's either all great or some items have been declared problem children.

Today I was able to hone some.

I touched up the Wade a little bit not that it needed it, on the black side of the DCA.

I worked more on the wide Torrey and the ERN, on the black side of the DCA.

The white Tanifuji on magnification showed a dent near the heel. I took it to the 320 and then the 1k Chosera and the 3K SS. After that it went on the Washita and then to both sides of the DCA for a lot of work.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Wednesday's shave was okay.

I don't know that the edge was any better, but I can work on it.

Otherwise the shave was okay. Not terribly close but okay. Not as comfortable as I like but okay.



This will help and I smell great.

I am disappointed the edge wasn't much better though.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Had a chance to hone a little bit this morning and took it.

This is the same Tanifuji I honed yesterday, and shaved with, and wasn't totally pleased with.



It went back to the black side of the Double Convex Ark 8x3 this morning.



How many round trips on the DCA? Somewhere in the range of 150 - 250. I counted (kinda sorta) but I can't remember now.

Probably I'll shave with this razor tomorrow. I'm not at all sure it's where I want it yet but the shave test will clear up any uncertainty.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My Thanksgiving shave was very nice.

My ERN was honed yesterday on the black finishing side of the DCA. The edge is much improved. I will reserve an opinion concerning how it now compares with the Wade's edge but I know for sure the ERN edge is better after yesterday's efforts (and it was good before).

I am interested in the ERN having as perfect an edge as the Wade if that's possible.

Good kit and good shave. Zero complaints.

I have a great deal to be thankful for including my friends here on B&B.

Happy Thanksgiving, gentlemen, and happy shaves always,

Jim

 

[JoWolf]

Since August I've been using warm water and a warm brush to shave. I believe it is because I've become much better at shaving and taking care of my skin, but that could be totally wrong.

I suspect I will still sometimes do totally cold water shaves. I know for sure from my experience that cold shaving is a great way to go for some people.

It's really about trying things to see what works and realizing things change as we change.

At least that's my viewpoint today.

View attachment 1038442

Try a couple of tiny "drops" of this stuff on your damp skin after shaving. It spreads very well and very easily and has really made a difference to me in recent weeks.

I've tried all sorts of things to help with the easily irritated, easily chapped skin of my face and neck.

When it becomes available again which won't be long I think Dragonsbeard Skin Food and Splash (or something similar from Frank @Dragonsbeard) is also terrific for the skin (mine for sure). And, as you said, the soap you use is of great importance.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[JoWolf]

Since August I've been using warm water and a warm brush to shave. I believe it is because I've become much better at shaving and taking care of my skin, but that could be totally wrong.

I suspect I will still sometimes do totally cold water shaves. I know for sure from my experience that cold shaving is a great way to go for some people.

It's really about trying things to see what works and realizing things change as we change.

At least that's my viewpoint today.

View attachment 1038442

Try a couple of tiny "drops" of this stuff on your damp skin after shaving. It spreads very well and very easily and has really made a difference to me in recent weeks.

I've tried all sorts of things to help with the easily irritated, easily chapped skin of my face and neck.

When it becomes available again which won't be long I think Dragonsbeard Skin Food and Splash (or something similar from Frank @Dragonsbeard) is also terrific for the skin (mine for sure). And, as you said, the soap you use is of great importance.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Thanks for the acid tip I just set it up on Amazon for tomorrows purchases.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thanks for the acid tip I just set it up on Amazon for tomorrows purchases.

It's amazing how little I've settled on using. I think you'll like it.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Friday my shave was very nice indeed.

In recent days this Tanifuji razor was first taken to the stones for some serious work, then it was shave tested. The shave test was not to my satisfaction so it was returned yesterday to the finishing side of the DCA for more finish work.

Based on today's shave I can happily report a real quantum leap in performance compared to the before all this recent work. The edge was very nice indeed this morning. The convex Ark did a very fine job on this Japanese razor's edge!

It is possible I can improve it even further. One never knows when the edge is maxed out unless efforts towards that goal of edge perfection have been made. Perhaps I'll hone it more, but maybe not. The edge was very pleasing this morning.



Today's shave was very nice indeed.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim