Damn Comfortable Shave

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Friday's shave was very good.

The edge on my Kinfolks #1 is now very good indeed. Is it maxed out? Don't know yet, but almost don't care.




Next up will be this ^ razor, my Kinfolks #2. See the difference in the scales?

Good kit. Good shave.

I wish I had one two band MS brush to replace one of my two MS silvertips, just to try the two band. I really like the huge 30 mm MS silvertips though so it's all good. With my calipers they measure 33 mm. Huge knots, but not too huge. A dense wall of badger, soft as a cloud, but with good backbone (not Manchurian backbone, but good).

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My Saturday shave was quite good.

Of the three razors I honed on New Year's Day I like the first shave of this razor, my Kinfolks #2, the best. It may not be the smoothest, but it's smooth, and it's the sharpest of the edges. I have no idea why. The blade on this razor is not pretty, but it's always seemed like a good shaver. Perhaps it's been treated better over the decades than appearance would suggest.



I've been kinda on a badger kick, but it's nice to use this great boar. Good kit in general.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

This afternoon I honed a little.

This Boker Tree Extra Hollow Ground with a barber's notch has been, when I used it before, a very very good edge. It might be I should have left well enough alone, but experience teaches me that my standards continue to increase.

At any rate, it's a done deal now.



I used the kit I've been using most recently, the convex coticule and the DCA. I began on the convex coticule. Then I moved to the soft side of the Double Convex Ark 8x3.

After that I went to the coticule again. From there I alternated between the finishing side of the DCA and the coticule. The last good many laps were on the the DCA's black (finishing) side.

We'll see how the edge is when I get around to the shave test.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Just a photo of my sink set up and how I use the stuff.

• The empty copper/tin cup is for water into which I dip my brush during the shave.
• The green rubber Marvy mug is for soaking my brush while I'm in the shower. It holds heat fairly well.
• The stypic pencil is for cuts and nicks which I deem bad enough to need it. I rarely need it, but always have it handy as I'll use it right through lather and/or put lather over areas to which it's been applied.
• The alum bar is mostly to make my fingers sticky for skin stretching. I also use it on minor cuts, nicks, and weepers, none of which I get much at all.
• Soap is Dragonsbeard (1st iteration). I like it.
• The razor. Well it's just for looks. I shave by magic. This one is a Boker Tree newly honed.
• The small Moss scuttle is a brush warmer during the shave. I wish it were a bit smaller in diameter and taller in height but it works well enough. Sorry for chopping off the spout of the scuttle.
• The empty container is for my alum bar (Parker).
• Yes, I have both hot and cold running water and use both during the shave.

The perspective distorts relative sizes a lot. The scuttle is pretty large for a "small" scuttle.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My Sunday shave was very nice.

This is the Boker Tree Extra Hollow Ground razor I honed yesterday. What about its edge?

• It's not maxed out. At least I don't think it is.
• It's not as sharp as the razor I shaved with yesterday.
• Still, it is a very comfortable and good shaving edge. Very nice indeed.

I used my usual Dragonsbeard Soap and hyaluronic acid to the great benefit of my skin.

Good kit. Good shave.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Assessing a shave?

Wait a bit to judge...here's why shaves should not be assessed right after the shave...one of my favorite posts on B&B...the hysteresis effect!

Today's shave would be a good example of how that hysteresis effect works as the shave seems much better now (maybe half an hour after the shave) than it did immediately post shave.

I've certainly had shaves which felt better after the first pass than today's shave felt after several passes. Even some where the shave was probably better after the first pass than my shave is now, but so what?

I've noticed and I'd bet you have too that one of the behaviors which gets us into trouble is overdoing things. That includes overdoing trying to get a great shave. Just let it happen and don't judge too harshly how you're doing. Go for comfort first! Allow the hysteresis effect to help you out, which is another way of saying let nature take its course before you beat yourself up for a lousy shave or a half good shave. It might be a lot better than you think.

Oh, and buy yourself a bottle of hyaluronic acid!

Applied to damp skin after each shave this stuff is a game changer a skin changer and a comfort increaser. Just a couple of drops is plenty. It spreads amazingly well. Follow it in a couple of minutes with a splash or a balm or a moisturizer if you feel like it.

Happy shaves are the best shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Decided to play with the stones.

This razor, my Bismarck, seemed pretty sharp, so I was going to just touch it up a bit with the convex stones. However, as I got into it and checked the edge with the loupe I found a chip (thanks, vendor).

After a considerable amount of work I finally got back to the convex coticule and the the Double Convex Ark 8x3. However, I'm not entirely convinced I did a good job with this edge.

Shave Test Pending...

Don't know when, but soon enough.

The Bismarck looks like it's going to be a very nice razor, but we'll see won't we. Looks aren't everything.

Also worked on a couple of other razors. One is a serious problem child. The other is probably a joke razor (the joke being on me for buying it) because it is super thin; I've not measured it but maybe 3/8? Its a Sheffield and kinda cute. Can't say I got very far with either of these razors but maybe progress was made. Neither are remotely ready for a shave test.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

 

[steveclarkus]

Decided to play with the stones.

View attachment 1050049

This razor, my Bismarck, seemed pretty sharp, so I was going to just touch it up a bit with the convex stones. However, as I got into it and checked the edge with the loupe I found a chip (thanks, vendor).

After a considerable amount of work I finally got back to the convex coticule and the the Double Convex Ark 8x3. However, I'm not entirely convinced I did a good job with this edge.

Shave Test Pending...

Don't know when, but soon enough.

The Bismarck looks like it's going to be a very nice razor, but we'll see won't we. Looks aren't everything.

Also worked on a couple of other razors. One is a serious problem child. The other is probably a joke razor (the joke being on me for buying it) because it is super thin; I've not measured it but maybe 3/8? Its a Sheffield and kinda cute. Can't say I got very far with either of these razors but maybe progress was made. Neither are remotely ready for a shave test.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

Hey Jim, I have a 9/16 Bismarck and it is an exceptional blade - one I treasure. Hope you come to appreciate yours as I do mine.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Hey Jim, I have a 9/16 Bismarck and it is an exceptional blade - one I treasure. Hope you come to appreciate yours as I do mine.

I suspect I will, Steve. Mine might have had a chip, but it's in otherwise excellent shape (I think, but of course it's not be shaved with yet so I don't know if it will take and hold a great edge).

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Monday's shave was very good.

Certainly better than the first shave after honing with this Extra Hollow Ground Boker Tree.

Very good kit and shave.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

What Time Is It?

I'm talking here of my need to improve my technique. I'm thinking here of my chin and lower lip. Both have improved considerably, but neither are quite at the mark yet. Nor is my neck.

My chin and lower lip are my priorities.

I kinda think the neck will take awhile, on the one hand, because huge improvement will mean learning to shave E-W, or as E-W as possible. I think, too, at least sometimes, that my neck will continue to gradually improve as I improve as a honer and get better with the straight razor, neglecting here the application of focused attention and without making my neck a priority. If that makes sense...

My idea here is a combination of the effort of bird flying (which appears to be no effort) and something else.

I know it's going to take some doing, but I also know it can be done. More and more, I see the way. I see the way to approach those pesky chin whiskers better and I'm improving at lower lip buffing (which is the only way that worked with a safety razor, too).

It would be easier if my whiskers (the ones I'm missing) weren't the same color as the lather (at least that sounds like the best excuse I can come up with at the moment).

Mind you, I'm only about 400 shaves into the straight razor so I'm a beginner.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Raven Koenes]

What Time Is It?

View attachment 1050250

I'm talking here of my need to improve my technique. I'm thinking here of my chin and lower lip. Both have improved considerably, but neither are quite at the mark yet. Nor is my neck.

View attachment 1050251

My chin and lower lip are my priorities.

I kinda think the neck will take awhile, on the one hand, because huge improvement will mean learning to shave E-W, or as E-W as possible. I think, too, at least sometimes, that my neck will continue to gradually improve as I improve as a honer and get better with the straight razor, neglecting here the application of focused attention and without making my neck a priority. If that makes sense...

View attachment 1050254

My idea here is a combination of the effort of bird flying (which appears to be no effort) and something else.

View attachment 1050255

I know it's going to take some doing, but I also know it can be done. More and more, I see the way. I see the way to approach those pesky chin whiskers better and I'm improving at lower lip buffing (which is the only way that worked with a safety razor, too).

It would be easier if my whiskers (the ones I'm missing) weren't the same color as the lather (at least that sounds like the best excuse I can come up with at the moment).

Mind you, I'm only about 400 shaves into the straight razor so I'm a beginner.

Happy shaves,

Jim

I always feel like a beginner. Where I need improvement is along my right jaw line. I had acne there, and there are a couple of pot holes. It's really easy to get irritation there due to it being uneven. I wish I listened to my step-fathers advice and to have left them alone. The funny thing is they didn't appear to show up until later in life. It's hardly noticeable, or I'm fooling myself, but it does make a difference in shaving. It seems to go better if I don't insist on bbs.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I always feel like a beginner. Where I need improvement is along my right jaw line. I had acne there, and there are a couple of pot holes. It's really easy to get irritation there due to it being uneven. I wish I listened to my step-fathers advice and to have left them alone. The funny thing is they didn't appear to show up until later in life. It's hardly noticeable, or I'm fooling myself, but it does make a difference in shaving. It seems to go better if I don't insist on bbs.

SWB Forever!

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Seveneighth]

My boar has off-days too. Sometimes that means it's getting ready for a shampoo. If I get two or three "gummy" days in a row, I'll give it a wash with Vosene. I don't tend to use shampoo on my hair these days, but it's great for deep cleaning a shaving brush.

I use @Cal 's trick to keep mine clean ever since he shared it and it works well.

 

[Seveneighth]

This afternoon I honed a little.

View attachment 1049699

This Boker Tree Extra Hollow Ground with a barber's notch has been, when I used it before, a very very good edge. It might be I should have left well enough alone, but experience teaches me that my standards continue to increase.

At any rate, it's a done deal now.

View attachment 1049701

I used the kit I've been using most recently, the convex coticule and the DCA. I began on the convex coticule. Then I moved to the soft side of the Double Convex Ark 8x3.

View attachment 1049702

After that I went to the coticule again. From there I alternated between the finishing side of the DCA and the coticule. The last good many laps were on the the DCA's black (finishing) side.

We'll see how the edge is when I get around to the shave test.

Happy shaves,

Jim

It sounds like the convex coticule is working out? Makes me wonder about getting a convex ark.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

It sounds like the convex coticule is working out? Makes me wonder about getting a convex ark.

I'm not convinced the convex coticule adds a whole lot relative to the combination of a flat coticule & a convexed Ark.



It's early days with the convexed coticule.

I'm also not saying the convexed coticule is without value to me. On the contrary I like being able to go back and forth between the stones - back and forth between the convexed Ark and the convexed coticule - it's fun and there's the possibility using both is improving the results (the results are defined as a combination of comfort, smoothness of the edge, and sharpness according to me).

However, that doesn't mean the same combination can't be achieved by first honing on the flat coticule and then moving to the Double Convex Ark 8x3. I really don't know that.

It's early days...

How anyone manages without some good Arks is beyond me...

Or jnats. Maybe. Maybe my ZG would also be just as great if I gave it a chance. Maybe the Welsh stones are great, too. Then there's the ILR (about which few talk at all). So many stones, but these Arks are mine.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I use @Cal 's trick to keep mine clean ever since he shared it and it works well.

Refresh my memory...

I'm not sure I've heard of Cal's trick so maybe I have no memory to refresh. That's the trouble with memory.

Happy shaves in any case,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Tuesday's shave. Kinfolks#1.

A good edge. Good shave. Kinfolks #2 is better I think, but #1 is good.

Usual post shave software. All good.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Raven Koenes]

SWB Forever!

View attachment 1050298

Happy shaves,

Jim

SWB forever! I do like that you have it in your signature line as well!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

By mid to late morning my skin was feeling a bit "overdone." That tells me something about today's edge or today's technique. Probably the edge.

My conclusion about my shaves in general so far with the straight razor is there is a sweet spot - a combination of technique and in the smoothness & sharpness of the edge - which works great. If I'm off in the sharpness or any other component my shaves aren't as good.

Although my shave seemed fine this morning, it wasn't top drawer either in the post shave comfort department (a crucial component of the Damn Comfortable Shave) or in the closeness of the shave itself in terms of whisker removal.

I'm sure the issue is this: The edge is not really sharp enough.



I've dampened my skin and opened and used a bit of my reserve bottle of hyaluronic acid. I will apply Cremo Moisturizer in a few minutes. That should help.

Back to the hones, hopefully today or tomorrow.

Happy shaves,

Jim