Feather / SS Today / Corking?

[jrhudgins]

I had relegated the '53SS to the "gentle shaver" category, for use on days when my hands are more shaky, or when I am traveling and can't do my best preps. I used Derby, Personna Reds(best so far), and Gillette Yellow blades in it, had to use pressure, and still got a DFS results. I love the feel and balance of the razor, though.
So today, I put in a new Feather. Now, with a Feather, it is an ultrasharp instrument, requiring me to use minimal pressure during the first passes, and giving a BBS result. I couldn't get away with a Feather in my 38C without blood loss, and had put those blades away until today.

SO, I want to try using it with a corked blade to see if there is a big difference with those first passes. Can someone tell me how they cork a blade, namely how much pressure do you use, do you hold the edge perpendicular to the cork (eg. cutting into it), how many times do you do this, etc.?

Thanks

 

[David6Eagle]

There are multiple posts about corking--for, opposed, how-to, etc. Just use the search function.

 

[texbilly]

If you cork, be safe!

 

[jrhudgins]

There's always someone...
Rather than getting irritated by being told the obvious, namely to use the search function, maybe some clarification would help:

I was sharing my experience with this razor/blade combination, inviting comments and other's experience, and maybe their encouragement or advice about improving on this.
I was specifically asking about what technique the current corkers are using (though I may not have stated so clearly), esp. as the references to technique are 2 or more years old, often from people just starting to cork, and vary from one to five pulls through the cork, using different angles, and buried within pages and pages of other posts. I suppose that I could pm Luvmysuper or someone else who advocates corking rather than making a general post.

Hope that clarification helps. If this is too much of a redux, then I will move on.

JR

 

[JECIII]

I never really find what I am looking for when i search. Using google limited to this site usually works better for me.

I would like to hear about corking even if it is just a link to another thread.

 

[ProphetNoir]

SO, I want to try using it with a corked blade to see if there is a big difference with those first passes. Can someone tell me how they cork a blade, namely how much pressure do you use, do you hold the edge perpendicular to the cork (eg. cutting into it), how many times do you do this, etc.?

Thanks

I started corking and hand stropping my blades a few months ago. And it has become part of the routine for me now. I wish I could say that I had empirical proof that these things improve the shaves I get, but I just do them and believe that they help in some way.
As to how to cork a blade. I do use a wine cork and lightly pull the edge of the blade through twice per side. It doesn't take much pressure to cut into the cork and the object is not to slice the cork so much, just to theoretically smooth any burr on the new edge. I give it one pull in each direction. This is only done before the very first shave with a new blade. As I am using NOS Gillette "Swedes", I also start each new blade with a quick swish in ethyl alcohol to remove the oil film that they have coming out of the dispenser.

I also did a search and found several threads on blade corking, this one is fairly recent and has the highest number of replies.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20396&highlight=corking

I hope this helps.

 

[jrhudgins]

Thank you, ProphetNoir. That does help a lot.
I guess that I'll have to finish off that bottle of Dalwhinnie single malt so that I have the cork to use.
Now off to follow that thread link.

 

[jrhudgins]

I had read through the first 8 pages of that referenced thread before I posted the OP here. I just read the remainder of the posts, finding no reference to the best way to cork, only "a correctly corked blade should...", as well as the expected innumerable tangents that can be expected in a conversation.
There were over 300 posts in that thread, and if anyone reads through it, as I just did, you will find out why I asked for a straightforward "how to" for some experiential guidelines for me to start with. Since I know that I can guess wrong, I didn't want to be doing something stupid like trying to cut through the cork, or trying to strop with a cork, or shaving with corks up my nostrils, or trying to get the blade drunk on good whiskey to get it corked...

So, I understand if those of you who have been around through those long threads don't want to get that started again.

Thanks

 

[texbilly]

I guess that I'll have to finish off that bottle of Dalwhinnie single malt so that I have the cork to use.

Just don't cork immediately after consuming said beverage!

P.S. I've read most of the aforementioned references but I've never tried corking. So I'd interested to see how it works out for you.

 

[luvmysuper]

I cork like this;

Hold the cork between thumb and forefinger.
Holding the blade in your prominent hand, draw it across the cork 90 degrees from its length - meaning across the curve, rather than from top to bottom.
The blade only needs to go in as deep as the bevel of the sharpened edge. The idea being not so much to cut the cork as to use the blade and dull it slightly.
Cutting too deep gets you into denser cork due to mass and you could get it much duller than you like.
I do it twice on each blade edge and load it up.

If there is something I have not mentioned, please let me know, and I'll try to answer.

If you ask a question in a thread, and you get the "Use the search function" answer, just let it fly by. Sooner or later someone who loves to answer questions will be along to accomodate you.

 

[Mr. Scruffy]

Great answer Phil.

I have corked my blades before and can't really tell if it makes a difference. YMMV.

 

[jrhudgins]

Thank you for the info, Phil. And thanks for the cautionary words to keep my fingers out of the ER, texbilly. I'm working on the scotch now, and will wait to cork until tomorrow morning.
I admit that I am not great at letting things fly by, but I really do appreciate the opportunity to practice. Thanks for the words of wisdom.

JR

 

[luvmysuper]

Thank you for the info, Phil. And thanks for the cautionary words to keep my fingers out of the ER, texbilly. I'm working on the scotch now, and will wait to cork until tomorrow morning.
I admit that I am not great at letting things fly by, but I really do appreciate the opportunity to practice. Thanks for the words of wisdom.

JR

Just as an aside, in agreement texbilly - that's another reason to just go as deep as the bevel on the blade edge.
If you cut too deeply on the cork, it can hang up, and fingers slipping over a stuck blade is never a good thing!! LOL