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Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Magic
Shhhh...it's a secret.
Magic
I need nothing!
It's the want I fight with. Especially now that Connaught is carrying RR razors! I could actually buy a Hawk V2 and Prolines at the same store! Seems I missed the boat on the NSS Signature soaps though. He who hesitates...
What's next? Selling Grooming Dept soap?
They have room now they no longer carry NSS haha. Mention that to Mo.
Light box arrived today.
Bit on the small side, but useable.
Still, it convinced me it was a good idea to get out my DSLR and tripod with one of my favourite lenses.
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Need to play around a bit more with settings and maybe try another lens. Just wish it was a little bigger though.
Not at all Jim, I only have myself to blame for not checking sizes.I hope I didn't steer you to the wrong box for you, Doug.
I normaly use my phone as well, just thought it would be nice to try with my DSLR. I can download pictures from my camera directly to anything with WiFi - including phones and tablets.I usually take pictures with my phone. I get lazy to take them with my camera!
But the cool thing is when I do use my camera I can download them directly to my phone so no need to use the laptop.
I think Mo reads B&B. Either that or he is very telepathic.
I see you found your signature animal Doug. A Highland Bull. Brilliant!
Swiped from the wife's cabinet where she keeps all sorts.I see you found your signature animal Doug. A Highland Bull. Brilliant!
Said hello to this one on Iona last summer.
Never really thought to double check.
The bulls' horns are a bit thicker than the cows' and grow out horizontally, whereas the cows' horns curl upwards at the ends. So the one you said hello to would be a bull, with a cow in the background (to the left). (Or so I've been told.)
Swiped from the wife's cabinet where she keeps all sorts.
Not convinced it's a bull though, the cows have horns as well.
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Said hello to this one on Iona last summer.
Sounds idyllic Jim. Are you due to go there this summer again?Doug, you go to the coolest places.
Where I live we have what are called barrier islands all along the coast. They are narrow, very close to the mainland, very low in elevation, and seem to be made of sand. Many of them, probably almost all of them, are now developed. Most are connected to the mainland by a bridge. Hilton Head is the best known I think.
One of our barrier islands is largely undeveloped, Cumberland Island, and accessible only by boat. There are a few residences and a national park and a few ruins, but mostly wild horses and such. I've been there only once but fell in love with it very quickly.
Your islands off the coast of Scotland are so beautiful and unspoiled.
In the summer we generally go to one of our barrier islands. Mostly our choice is Holden Beach off the coast of North Carolina (far south in the state). It's a very narrow island and very residential, but not too developed or too crowded as they go. Anyway, one of the requirements of visitors and residents who use the beach is that all umbrellas and beach chairs and such are removed from the beach at the day's end. It would be very convenient to not have to do that according to me! However, the reason for clearing the beach is known to me (and not to everyone). At night deer run on the beach. Stuff must be cleared to protect them.
I've not seen deer running but my daughter and her friend went for a walk on the beach one night a few years ago. When they returned to our (rental) house their way home was blocked by a number of deer occupying the dunes between the house and the beach. They found an alternative route but were very impressed with the deer.
Unfortunately I have no pictures.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Sounds idyllic Jim. Are you due to go there this summer again?
You need to take pictures this time.
Had some time to myself today, so thought I would do something useful for a change.
As you've been buying up Jarrod's stock of concave arks, Jim, and the price to get one to the UK is too much for me, time to try and make my own ark concave.
Not going to go into a great deal of detail as to how I did this, needless to say I spent several hard hours and used a pile of sandpaper on it today.
Not sure if it's exactly accurate, but the stone definately has a peak running up it and a small dome in the middle.
I'd forgotten how hard these stones are. One thing is for sure, I won't be doing this again any time soon.
I can understand why Jarrod doesn't want to start a production line for these, even although he has a useable template to make them.
Smoothed it out a bit with 400g w&d after taking this pic.
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Think I've made headway with the Scottish razor, using sewing machine oil.
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Definately seems sharper than it was. My hard black ark is pretty slow, probably why I never used it much.
But if it makes a big difference to my razors, i'll be using it more often from now on.
Going to try my Tanifuji and Fili 13 on it now.
Will do a test shave with either of those two later tonight, assuming all went well.
I watched a few of Jarrod's videos about them and he did say in one that it doesn't matter if the peak isn't exactly down the centre. Once you start using it you'll get a feel of the stones shape.Super interesting, Doug.
I would have zero idea how to go about making a convex stone and admire you and Jarrod for figuring it out.
Actually I can imagine the broad outlines of a device of my devise which might do a good job of it and be easy enough to use. Building such an item would be a major undertaking. Worse, various links in the chain would have to be tested. In other words, just working it all out and building a prototype would cost a small fortune and take a ton of time.
Besides that, I have no idea how to get the exact amount of curve.
I have a friend who is a very practical guy. He can fix anything. To him it's all easy. Anyway, he's also a mechanical engineer. I'll see if he's interested in discussing this.
Obviously we're just playing with this, but I also have a friend who is a computer engineer. He designs automated industrial tasks. Some he's described to me have looked to be very very complex. Automating the grinding/lapping of a convex stone should be easy for him. I just have to come up with a million bucks or two for testing, prototypes, salaries, etc.
I'm pretty sold on convex stones.
You must be fairly or more than fairly confident you've done it right and made a good convex stone. Otherwise I wouldn't think you'd trust your good blades to your new stone.
I know Jarrod and others say the convex stone is fast. I assume they mean fast for an Ark. My convex experience isn't extensive but I've not noticed my convex stone's speed.
Well, it's faster than molasses I guess.
Happy shaves,
Jim