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Damn Comfortable Shave

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Saturday's shave was good.

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Today's razor, my black Devo, was honed today, to my satisfaction, with the Double Convex Arkansas 8x3 hone.

Why this blade?

The Dovo is a modern 6/8" razor with a very nice blade. I acquired it in trade for my legendary Thater Premium Boar (re-knotted by Thater in two band). The member from whom I received the Devo bought it new a few years back. He told me the blade was very straight and free of rust, and that the razor was able to hold its edge pretty good. It arrived sharp and shave ready. He'd honed it with tape.

It didn't need to be honed today but I wanted to try on the DCA a razor I knew for sure wasn't wonky.

The bevel was reset on the Chosera 1K without tape, and then honed on the Double Convex Ark. I used both sides and then used both sides again. It's not an easy stone for me yet in the sense that I don't know when I'm finished, but I decided it was likely sharp.

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According to the shave test which is the only thing that matters the edge is plenty sharp and quite comfortable. I'm very pleased. This is the first razor's edge I've been happy with off the DCA.

I took my time and might have spent more time than a more experienced honer would have, but that's okay.

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Good kit. Good shave.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim
 
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Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I want to again go through all my straight razors just to have in one post the status of all fourteen in my rotation. There are a few razors without scales not in the rotation, but they don't count for this project.

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  • The black Devo and the red Devo came to me shave ready.
  • The black Devo was honed today on the DCA and is sharp, comfortable, and shave ready.
  • The red Devo is still sharp but was honed with tape.
  • The Pipe Razor (front) is exactly to my liking off the Norton Arkansas + the pasted strops. I'll leave it alone until it really needs work.

3-18-19-geneva-coticle-nn-arkx300-640-jpg.964516

  • The Geneva razor is currently off the DCA and not really a satisfactory edge.

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These six razors have edges off the coticule. Top to bottom - Boker Red Injun, wide Torrey, Kukri, 350, narrow Torrey, Dubl Duck Shorty - they've all been shave tested with one exception.
  • The Kukri is off the Norton + pasted strops and is shave ready. I would not say its edge is gloriously wonderful but it will do. The edge was better a week ago, but I've messed with it to its slight disadvantage. At one time it was better off the Zulu Grey.
  • The Dubl Duck Shorty off the coticule with oil is very sharp and comfortable.
  • The "Wide Torrey" is off the coticule with oil and is sharp and comfortable.
  • The "350" off the DCA is not shave ready.
  • The "Narrow Torrey" seemed very nice when I last used it, off the coticule.
  • Same with the Red Injun.

offtheark-4-razors-3-24-19-640-jpg.966129


This last group are off the Ark. Top to bottom they're as follows: Boots, Boker Tree, Real/Best German Hollow Ground, Geo.Felix. As I recall they're pretty sharp, but it's been awhile.

Anyway, they're all organized and sorted giving me an idea what I've got.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
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I want to again go through all my straight razors just to have in one post the status of all fourteen in my rotation. There are a few razors without scales not in the rotation, but they don't count for this project.

piperazor-devored-devoblack-640-3-24-19-jpg.966113


  • The black Devo and the red Devo came to me shave ready.
  • The black Devo was honed today on the DCA and is sharp, comfortable, and shave ready.
  • The red Devo is still sharp but was honed with tape.
  • The Pipe Razor (front) is exactly to my liking off the Norton Arkansas + the pasted strops. I'll leave it alone until it really needs work.

3-18-19-geneva-coticle-nn-arkx300-640-jpg.964516

  • The Geneva razor is currently off the DCA and not really a satisfactory edge.

6razors-coticule-sharpened-by-640-3-24-19-jpg.966128


These six razors have edges off the coticule. Top to bottom - Boker Red Injun, wide Torrey, Kukri, 350, narrow Torrey, Dubl Duck Shorty - they've all been shave tested with one exception.
  • The Kukri is off the Norton + pasted strops and is shave ready. I would not say its edge is gloriously wonderful but it will do. The edge was better a week ago, but I've messed with it to its slight disadvantage. At one time it was better off the Zulu Grey.
  • The Dubl Duck Shorty off the coticule with oil is very sharp and comfortable.
  • The "Wide Torrey" is off the coticule with oil and is sharp and comfortable.
  • The "350" off the DCA is not shave ready.
  • The "Narrow Torrey" seemed very nice when I last used it, off the coticule.
  • Same with the Red Injun.

offtheark-4-razors-3-24-19-640-jpg.966129


This last group are off the Ark. Top to bottom they're as follows: Boots, Boker Tree, Real/Best German Hollow Ground, Geo.Felix. As I recall they're pretty sharp, but it's been awhile.

Anyway, they're all organized and sorted giving me an idea what I've got.

Happy shaves,

Jim
This is the post I have been waiting for. Now I can follow along better - thank you!!
 
Jim,

Super glad to see that rock providing a satisfying experience for you. I was beginning to wonder if maybe it just wasn't a finish you were going to like. Glad it turned out to be a good match for at least one of your razors!
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Jim,

Super glad to see that rock providing a satisfying experience for you. I was beginning to wonder if maybe it just wasn't a finish you were going to like. Glad it turned out to be a good match for at least one of your razors!

Thank you, sir. I, too, am very happy with the result. I was beginning to doubt my capacity to interact successfully with the DCA.

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I've enjoyed a couple of hours just reading random threads and new posts and jumping around seeing what's out there in B&B land. What I see more than anything else besides gentlemanly behavior and the sharing of information is a bunch of highly skilled semi-professional level enablers.

If your various and sundry acquisition disorders should miraculously go into remission and you already know how to shave you should shoot your computer and just read books and watch television.

Yes. If. Good luck with that.

Just saying...

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
LOL Jim, you probably have a point.

The other night, I was describing why I bought my new black Ark to the missus. She commented "Wow, shaving isn't only expensive, it's complicated!".

I had to explain that no, I could cheaply get by with just sort of waving a razor around at my face and making the hair stop being there. I'm hunting the very best shave I can get. That may not be the same hardware or software or technique that provides someone else the best shave that they can get, but that's my goal. I want that supremely comfortable, self pampering, ultra clean and smooth shave, and I want to be able to reproduce it every day. Getting there - that's complicated and expensive!
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
LOL Jim, you probably have a point.

The other night, I was describing why I bought my new black Ark to the missus. She commented "Wow, shaving isn't only expensive, it's complicated!".

I had to explain that no, I could cheaply get by with just sort of waving a razor around at my face and making the hair stop being there. I'm hunting the very best shave I can get. That may not be the same hardware or software or technique that provides someone else the best shave that they can get, but that's my goal. I want that supremely comfortable, self pampering, ultra clean and smooth shave, and I want to be able to reproduce it every day. Getting there - that's complicated and expensive!

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Good thing my wife's hobby (currently) is quilting. She pretends it's inexpensive. Yesterday she saw a machine which was regularly $20K but, because it's a floor model, offered at only $9K. Just the thing she said.

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The store has a convenient sign, but my wife refused to bite. I know she was tempted. She admits that 20% of all the fabric sold is purchased by quilters. She is doing her share.

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It doesn't stop her from complaining about how I only waste my time ("everything shaving related is a waste of time once you have one good razor, one brush, and one soap in a mug") but her argument falls on deaf ears. All I have to do is think of the fabric she and her girlfriend have stashed away at her girlfriend's house.

Her girlfriend can afford some really expensive machines and buys them. They've not even figured out how to actually use a couple of them.

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Reminds me of stones except stones are much less expensive.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
My Sunday shave was very nice.

5-19-19.WideTorrey.Kit.640.Valencia.Manchurian.JPG


This wide Torrey off the coticule (with oil) is perhaps not quite as sharp as yesterday's black Devo off the Double Convex Ark, but the difference is I think insignificant in the shave. Both shaves were comfortable but the coticule edge might have the very slight edge.

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There was as close to zero alum sting as alum sting can be. I wondered if the alum had been replaced by a Pod Soap while it was sleeping.

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I'll use this splash today. It's scent seems perfect these days. It's not subtle, but it's a definite "Islands" beach scent. Maybe it's the coconut scent. Anyway I really like it. Always like it, but like it more recently. I'll need to replace it pretty soon along with my 888 splash.

There are only a handful of splashes I like enough to keep at home. The rest went to the office (which is Siberia for splashes).

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Counting my shaves I am.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
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Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I googled "quilting machines" and I only see huge industrial sized robots in that price range. What sort of hobby is that... :lol1:

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Oh, there are many ways to do the quilting thing. I know a woman who does her quilts 100% by hand. Needle and thread. Nothing that's electric. No machines more fancy than scissors.

Locally, there are people who for hire do the actual quilting (with machines probably like the one you found). Also online vendors of that service, but there are many ways to do all the jobs, by hand being the traditional way.

The main part of it, or the fun part for my wife, is making the part of the quilt that turns out so pretty. My wife is a university trained artist (not by vocation, but by schooling, avocation, and inclination). Her stuff is nice indeed. She has a very good eye.

Her sewing is coming along kinda like my honing is coming along.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Been honing. Double Convex Ark 8x3.

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The top razor is my black Devo with which I was so pleased yesterday. It's shave test went well. I did nothing to it today except to admire my work and take its picture.

The bottom razor is my "350" mystery blade. It's been a PIA to hone. Previous efforts on the Double Convex Ark resulted in unsatisfactory results and lousy shaves.

As far as I can tell the "350" should be sharp now, but it's fooled me before. It will receive a shave test within the next several days.

5-19-19.WideTorrey.Kit.640.Valencia.Manchurian.JPG

Mostly I'm planning to use the "Wide Torrey" for a while as a daily shaver, today for instance, but I will occasionally perform shave tests on other razors I hone.

This honing felt right, but one never knows with some blades. This mystery blade is one of those? Maybe it is.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Monday's shave was a shave test.

5-19-19.blackDevo."350".off-DCA..JPG

A test to compare these edges, both off the Double Convex Ark. The black Devo was previously shave tested and passed with flying colors. The wonky "350" has long been a problem blade, but how did it do on the latest attempt with the DCA?

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The edge on the "350" is definitely better but still not very good at all. It's enough improved that I'm not yet giving up on it, but the shave was not close to the shave of either the above mentioned Devo or my usual Wide Torrey (off the coticule). Still, the shave today was not really bad and it was comfortable. Definitely improved, too, compared to its last shave.

Cremo.Serum.Preshave.480.3-9-19.JPG PAA.Beach@Holden.480.2018 (2).JPG

I really like the scent of PAA Beach. It's said to have some menthol, but I don't notice any at all.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Today's was a milestone shave.

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Yes, I've been counting, and today marks the completion of my first two hundred straight razor shaves!

New book in the mail today.

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Looks interesting, but not as great as I hoped it would be. Not much on what I hoped it might have as major subject matter, and way too much on stuff I could care less about.

My Tuesday shave - SR shave #200 - was good.

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I love the comfortable and deceptively sharp edge on this Torrey. Honed on a coticule it is.

The Stirling brush is a favorite. Very soft, but with enough scrub. Excellent soap, too; one of my favorite Grooming Dept soaps. Very, very creamy. Stellar soap.

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Good skin stuff.

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Great scent.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
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Today's was a milestone shave.

View attachment 982632

Yes, I've been counting, and today marks the completion of my first two hundred straight razor shaves!

New book in the mail today.

View attachment 982626

Looks interesting, but not as great as I hoped it would be. Not much on what I hoped it might have as major subject matter, and way too much on stuff I could care less about.

My Tuesday shave - SR shave #200 - was good.

View attachment 982627

I love the comfortable and deceptively sharp edge on this Torrey. Honed on a coticule it is.

The Stirling brush is a favorite. Very soft, but with enough scrub. Excellent soap, too; one of my favorite Grooming Dept soaps. Very, very creamy. Stellar soap.

View attachment 982629

Good skin stuff.

View attachment 982630

Great scent.

Happy shaves,

Jim
Congratulations on 200!

Anything of interest in that book, once you skip the boring bits?
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
:laugh: I guess you're more interested in shaving yourself than other people.

Why would you make that assumption?

Not saying your assumption is wrong.

Quite the contrary. My interests align with yours.

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Thank you, everybody, for the congratulatory messages. I'm fixing to enter the third hundred SR shaves and may or may not continue counting. Probably not. I'll go surfing instead! Actually, I don't know what this guy's doing. He has something pulling him along I think.

Learning the SR has far from max'd out. I've got a long way to go, but I'm very amazed I've gotten this far. I remember thinking I would never attempt the straight even though I knew it might give me the best shave.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim
 
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