What's new

global_dev straight journal

I spent a couple minutes friday in an AOS store, handles their goods, got some samples, but didn't buy anything. I have a 1/3 tub of their lemon shave cream my brother gave me. fondled their stainless steel and horn scaled TIs.

anyway, back to the shave
I got a GEO F Trumper sampler in the mail and after much deliberation, i went with coconut oil shave cream and coral skin food, with some DIY preshave oil...

10PM went with the 6/8 GD, stropped on leather 40x, and it was pretty nice, but I always seem to get irritation on my lower right portion of my neck. tried to remember pressure and used my non-dom. hand no issue... 2x WTG

decent, but i cut a small beauty mark.... a little redness/irritation on that neck area when I touch, a bit of sensitivity everywhere else, but okay... but fast forward to morn on sunday and irritation seems to be gone... I think the razorock increases the redness of whatever i have have slightly irritated...
 
around 1PM, i decided to see how touching up the original GD I have would be...

I perm. markered the razor edge, taped up the spine and honed a bit on a DMT 1000, next on a ardennes stone, followed by some leather stropping and hht, it popped a bit and it felt smooth on my nail and cut arm hair pretty well...

i probably should keep better notes, but i'd never get anything done if i did that...

went back to VDH deluxe with a co bigelow best badger ( i have been using this brush a lot lately) but i think I dropped a bit down on my lathering technique...

the edge was very comfortable, smooth, didn't feel as sharp as seraphim's edge, but there was no pulling or tugging... i was able to do 3 passes and the only irritation I got was in that same area.... I followed up with some of the Shea Moisture After Shave and then decided to use Weleda calendula baby oil.

an hour later and everything feels great, i'd rate this afternoon's shave as DFS. It makes me wonder what a vintage blade (or non-chinese) would feel like...
 
Nice work dude...touching up your own blades makes it feel even better when you can get a decent shave off something you created!
 
i agree, i was pretty nervous, expecting to feel a pretty bad case of pulling and was surprised... i did notice that the regular GD s bevel is significantly smaller than seraphim's. seems it could be a factor of different sizes, spines, angles created by the previous two?
 

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
i agree, i was pretty nervous, expecting to feel a pretty bad case of pulling and was surprised... i did notice that the regular GD s bevel is significantly smaller than seraphim's. seems it could be a factor of different sizes, spines, angles created by the previous two?

That would be a yes!

Good work! :thumbup1:
 
i agree, i was pretty nervous, expecting to feel a pretty bad case of pulling and was surprised... i did notice that the regular GD s bevel is significantly smaller than seraphim's. seems it could be a factor of different sizes, spines, angles created by the previous two?


That may be because you taped the spine on the one you honed, which would increase the angle, and therefore decrease the bevel width.

Keep it up, honing your own gives great satisfaction, and allows for best fine tuning for your preferences, and how you like an edge to feel:thumbup1:.
 
Shaves 13 and 14 were interesting. 13 can't remember which razor, i think my origami GD with Shick Hydro gel (just experimenting, works ok for DEs, didn't work all that great for straights) , but i only did my face with 2 WTG passes. I mused on the result which was DFS and then proceed to go over it with a Schick Hydro 5 to allow my neck to heal a bit from some of the abuse... 14 was with a vintage sheffield i just got with miserably warped scales (a scale replacement project for me). I think I used Mama Bears DIT. It was pretty nice CCS to DFS... I think i could feel the edge difference. it definitely shaved my wrist hair off in quick effect.

Shave 15 was really good. almost 99% BBS. I noticed some changes i had made. I used my touched up GD108 and I actually decided to use my hot Gillette Foamy machine to make sure that i had plenty of warm lather to keep throughout the shave. I haven't used this machine in a couple of months and it performed satisfactorily. I also tried to do some better skin stretching. The skin stretching helped significantly. before i had been lightly stretching with some face movement techniques and a bit of skin manipulation.

I did about 4 light pressure passes and came away with a really smooth shave almost BBS everywhere ( i seem to do a poor job around my adam's apple). no nicks, no real irritation, but i always get a light slice around pass 3 or 4 in my mustache and chin area after a great initial 2 passes. although 4 passes seems a bit much to me... I wanted to stop again after 2, but my initial goal was to do three passes and go for technique and only stop i f some hurt was present. I came out of this shave pretty unscathed and the shallow slices stopped bleeding after a splash of aftershave toning cologne.

I also have been conditioning my star shaving strop and noticed the difference before and after. It had been drying out (i think my bedroom and closet may be a bit dry and the tallow soap leftover lather wasn't working so quickly. I used some leather conditioner and some mink oil and the movement of the leather changed significantly.

I think I am getting there, but i'd like to do 1 or 2 passes and be done with something in between DFS and BBS. 4 passes seems a bit too much...

I have a second EJ strop that i got a while ago that looks a lot like the DOVO strop. I haven't used it yet and it has a canvas backing to the leather face, maybe i'll give that a shot soon.
 

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
That's very quick to have an almost BBS shave. Good work! :thumbup1:
 
Thanks, i went slow and steady

tuesdays shave #16 (GD108, KMF Patchouli) went well except i keep making these not exactly-shaving slices in the same places and i did manage to nick my beauty marks, and i did have some strange skin irritation, but the shaved parts were great. some ice, styptic and some WH and you couldn't tell :thumbup: until wednesday when the cuts were healing :thumbup: i think i did 3 passes, perhaps... maybe.. can't exactly recall since all i can think of is when can i shave next.. the ice was great. very soothing and i wish i had a remembered for Wednesday's shave...

wednesdays shave #17 (GD108 & KMF Peach) went great. I did 2 WTG passes and managed to only get one slice cut and yesterdays healings are still in place and not re-cut... i think i have the pressure down, but also i see that sometimes not keeping the blade exactly parallel to the floor and doing a "gillette slide" makes it easier to shave. definitely a great shave, CCS to DFS style. I am wondering if i need to touch-up the GD again, i am stropping pretty well and I don't feel a tug or pull on my passes, so i think am going to hold off on touching up the edge, especially since i don't have the time exactly to do it.

i notice that i am making great progress in some areas, but losing technique in others. i'll have to check out some videos again. I also feel like I am getting these slice cuts in the same areas over and over. Just as i think i am paying attention to not getting cut, bam i get a slice-cut, ever so shallow, but long. mind you no gouges (knock on wood), but these suckers bleed a bit. I think my lathering skills have gotten pretty weak and i attribute it to not enough product and taking a bit of a long time to shave. the hot foamy was nice a couple shaves ago since it was easy and quick to keep the lather around...

I am actually shocked that I am straight shaving regularly and bewildered its only no.17. It feels like I have way more under my belt. I remember thinking i was going to cut my face off, but i really wanted to try it anyway, and at that time i didn't even own a straight and now i have 3. my wife doesn't even blink anymore when i shave or get some shave stuff. i don't think i could recommend this to any of my local friends. too much foreseeable cost and potential for blood loss. I; however, am enjoying the shaving, the DEs are getting dusty and the only thing that gets me is the slices. i can live with them for now, but i am definitely hoping that i'll figure out how not to do this to myself sooner rather than later.
 
Sounds like you are making great progress. The sliding motions are really great to get rid of those hairs that just will not quit.
 
Be careful as you gain confidence! I had another Str8 user give me that advice and its paid off...always be aware of the fact that you have a VERY sharp blade in your hand.

Once you're overly confident and then you lose focus...swish! There goes an ear!! :lol:

Also, WRT telling friends...thats a tough one and your call. Most of my attempts to talk about shaving with friends/collegues have failed. The best attempt is probably the Luvmysuper method which requires gifting some of your kit to start someone off!
 
heeding the recent advice, I decided to practice, with the GD108, on my WTG and XTG passes only for a while which has been going really well. my second pass WTG doesn't do much after my 1st pass WTG, so i feel i am doing really well on that first pass.

i wanted to give the straights a quick break last night. i picked up the Wilkinsons at Walmart (these are really the only reason i hit up Walmart (besides returning red-box DVDs) in my life) and some Adidas dynamic pulse AS. i always take a whiff of AV and OS when i am there and rub a bit on my back of hand but i don't think i like the smell...

the reason i say this, is that i haven't used the DE's for a while. i loaded up an EJ89L with the Wilkinson and shaving was like cutting butter with a warm knife. I think the straights have really helped with my DE technique. BTW the Walmart Wilkinsons are definitely nicer that than the ASRs.

I figure that the nice DE shave allows my face to rest a bit from the light abuse of the straight, so i can have a nice canvas to start again tonight...
 
I still do this...mostly at the end of the week (Fridays) when I:

A) want to give me face a break from the str8s
B) want to justify why I still have all those nice DEs :lol:

I mean...this is a hobby right so why commit to just one technique?
 
While I was giving my face a break (using Hydro 5 once and EJ89) from straights I snagged my first 'bay straight and just got it yesterday afternoon. In my opinion it was in so-so shape a bunch of oxidation, some pitting, and some weird hard black raised crust on the areas with the rust, oxidation and pitting.

A rattler grind Joseph Elliot Best Silver.
These were the 'bay images
proxy.php
proxy.php

My wife opened the box and bluntly questioned my smarts "you paid for this rusty ***?" I said "back off lady, look how good you look cleaned-up". she was less than thrilled with my retort... and left me alone for a bit and went and watched a fitting movie for the situation called "Penelope".

This was my first razor cleanup so I scoped out my supplies and I took out some Brasso and q-tips, dulled the edge on glass (could easily feel the rolled tip) and went too town. There appeared to be no hone wear or /rustr pitting near the cutting edge.

these were my pre-cleanup images

proxy.php
proxy.php
proxy.php
proxy.php

When my wife came back up, she was was very impressed with my work and surprised that i had "transformed" this *** into something respectable...

these are my after cleaning images
proxy.php
proxy.php
proxy.php
proxy.php
proxy.php
proxy.php

I proceeded to admire my handiwork for a while, grabbed some hones and after a bit, determined it was ready to be tested for shaving... stropped about 75x and began

lathered up some proraso and no hurtful tugging, the slightest bit of pulling, but easily able to cut through my 2 day beard. Ended up with a CCS shave and wondering what I am going to do today to sharpen up that blade to get it a bit more smooth....
 
Last edited:
the scales seem to be in great condition and maybe made out of pressed horn (going to test out soon) and the tang is a way more stubby than my other other vintage straight and seems to have bullseye pins. please correct me if I am wrong...

I thought about how i would remove the pitting, but there is one or two area of the rattler logo where it over laps on an engraved scrollwork and the R.. but I dont' want to wreck this blade by accident if it is a collectible since i have seen a few shoulderless rattler grinds around the shave forums, but not too many...
 
Last edited:

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
Nice work on restoring the straight!!
 
don't get me wrong... I don't get off scott-free for the things I say and do... I got a Russian wife and you don't cross a Russian without paying for it somehow, someplace... especially with a bunch of straight razors in reach...

again with the Joe Elliot Rattler.. i went back to the Ardennes coticule i have and watched a rasupur video and tried to emulate his method... edge came off pretty good and then i remembered i bought this ridiculously large & heavy granite surface plate (on sale for 1/2 price) and some lapping film at woodcraft last month when i got the seraphim straight in anticipation that i might need more film than he was going to send me... i got a 15u, 5u and .3u. combo pack so after a some time on the coticule i did some lapping on the 5u and .3u.

cuts arm hair nicely, the edge looks really polished so I prepared to shave using a sample of EJ cream sea buckthorne and and a best badger brush, face lathered and put blade to face... wow, smooth as can be. 1st pass best yet, 2nd pass, even nicer.. already at DFS :badger: no cuts, slices, pressure was good.. i figured i go for a third to see if I could get BBS. ALMOST! damn smooth, but i can feel some micro-stubble. I am happy... no cuts, no slices, but i think i applied a bit of too much pressure on the ATG since my face looks great, but even WH gave me a some feedback...

finished up with some Thayers CUCUMBER (avoiding my slang) and followed up with some Weleda Calendula Oil.

i am getting there, not 100% and i look at my DEs and wonder when i am going to get a chance to use them...

I was also hoping that no one was going to bid on that 'bay "large" filarmonica with the crack at the back of the blade, but once it hit $40 in the afternoon (sold for $90?) i forgot about it. Thought if it was cheap enough I could have tried to put a thumb notch in there....

all in all a good shave!
 
Top Bottom