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Holding An Edge (Stropless Shaving)

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Oh, what a wonderful edge Vesperum has. It received its last stropping this morning before giving me a most comfortable shave. DFS all over except my upper lip which is BBS.

It's a pity that I have to let this edge degenerate for the sake of this little experiment. What will be interesting is how much work will be later required to get this edge back.

Vesperum is now wiped clean with tissue, oiled and put away for tomorrow morning's shave.
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
When the edge gives up the ghost, try and bring it back with linen and stropping. That would be an interesting ’add on’ experiment. Iwasaki said many times you could bring an failing edge back with linen, and my experoence with the 145 shaves on the Sub Cero seem to support what he said.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
When the edge gives up the ghost, try and bring it back with linen and stropping. That would be an interesting ’add on’ experiment. Iwasaki said many times you could bring an failing edge back with linen, and my experoence with the 145 shaves on the Sub Cero seem to support what he said.
I like that idea. I need something that is slow in bring the edge back so I can compare the same with bringing back my T.H.70 blade edge later. That way I can also compare how blade hardness affects the "refreshing" of an edge.
 
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When the edge gives up the ghost, try and bring it back with linen and stropping. That would be an interesting ’add on’ experiment. Iwasaki said many times you could bring an failing edge back with linen, and my experoence with the 145 shaves on the Sub Cero seem to support what he said.
I experienced the same but with stropping on suede.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Shave No. 2 T.H.60 (Vesperum)

My first shave using this SR without stropping. Standard pre-shave prep and passes. I did not notice any difference in comfort or results from yesterday morning's shave. DFS all over except for the upper lip which is BBS. After the shave this blade was just wiped clean, oiled and put away.

Tomorrow morning I'll switch back to my T.H.60 Solis for one shave as a compare.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Criterion Shave T.H.60 (Solis)

Stropped, standard prep and shaved. Same results as yesterday. Solis is now at the engraver's with the other six of my M7DS. I pick them up on Friday.

Tomorrow it's back to Vesperum to continue this little experiment.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Shave No. 3 T.H.60 (Vesperum)

Second shave using this SR without stropping. Standard pre-shave prep and passes. Only the barest slight catching when doing the Fool's Pass. Other than that, the comfort and results have not changed. DFS all over except for the upper lip which is BBS. After the shave this blade was wiped clean with a piece of moist chamois, oiled and put away.

Tomorrow morning this blade will be used again. I wonder if there will be any noticable deterioration. In the afternoon I pick up my engraved M7DS with Solis.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Shave No. 4 T.H.60 (Vesperum)

Third shave using this SR without stropping. Standard pre-shave prep and passes. Based on the no-stropping longevity thread, I was expecting to notice a marked difference in at least the shave comfort this morning. I was wrong. My Fool's Pass was possibly even a bit smoother than yesterday. Overall comfort and results have not changed. DFS all over except for the upper lip which is BBS. After the shave this blade was wiped clean with a piece of moist chamois, oiled and put away.

I am thinking that maybe I am just getting use to the slowly deteriorating comfort of shaving with Vesperum. This afternoon I will be picking up my M7DS from the engravers so I can then shave with my stropped Solis tomorrow morning to compare.
 
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I have a sneaky suspicion the edge is going to last longer than expected. Think I am going to give this test also ago with a 6/8 Kropp. I am eager to sse the engraving....
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
I got the engraved SR's back late this afternoon, just before beer o'clock started. I'll post pics tomorrow morning.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
I have a sneaky suspicion the edge is going to last longer than expected. ....
I tend to agree but then I ask why? My only back reference is the thread on SR edge longevity without stroppping.

My little experiment is based more on comparing edge longevity against steel hardness. After this I'll look into the work required to refresh softer and harder blades.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Criterion Shave T.H.60 (Solis)

I picked up my M7DS from the engraver's Friday afternoon so this morning (Saturday) I did another criterion shave with Solis, standard prep and shaved. Same results as Friday with Vesperum. Solis was then given 8 laps on clean denim, 60 of 0.1um diamond pasted balsa strop, oiled and put away.

Saturday it's back to the un-stropped Vesperum.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Shave No. 5 T.H.60 (Vesperum)

Fourth shave using this SR without stropping. Standard pre-shave prep and passes. Again no noticable difference from yesterday's criterion shave. My Fool's Pass was just as comfortable as ever. Overall comfort and results have not changed. DFS all over except for the upper lip which is BBS. After the shave this blade was wiped clean with a piece of moist chamois, oiled and put away.

This is starting to get a little monotonous. When will this edge show signs of deterioration? The number of shaves with my criterion SR Solis now matches the others in its M7DS. Tomorrow (Monday) I will again use Vesperum and from then on alternate between SR's from my M7DS and un-stropped Vesperum until I find deterioration in Vesperum.
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
Shave No. 4 T.H.60 (Vesperum)

Third shave using this SR without stropping. Standard pre-shave prep and passes. Based on the no-stropping longevity thread, I was expecting to notice a marked difference in at least the shave comfort this morning. I was wrong. My Fool's Pass was possibly even a bit smoother than yesterday. Overall comfort and results have not changed. DFS all over except for the upper lip which is BBS. After the shave this blade was wiped clean with a piece of moist chamois, oiled and put away.

I am thinking that maybe I am just getting use to the slowly deteriorating comfort of shaving with Vesperum. This afternoon I will be picking up my M7DS from the engravers so I can then shave with my stropped Solis tomorrow morning to compare.

IMO your technique is very definitely adapting to the slowly deterioration edge. I now use a Feather AC exclusively and on the first shave with a new blade I have to consciously lower my angle and let off the pressure to maintain comfort, especially if I really pushed the old blade to the limit of usable keenness and shavability.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
IMO your technique is very definitely adapting to the slowly deterioration edge. I now use a Feather AC exclusively and on the first shave with a new blade I have to consciously lower my angle and let off the pressure to maintain comfort, especially if I really pushed the old blade to the limit of usable keenness and shavability.
I thought of that problem while planning this exercise. I do things to help overcome it; I routinely include a same-model properly maintained razor in my experiment as a criterion shave, and I perform a Fool's Pass with every shave. The Fool's Pass just does not work if you change pressure/angle or the edge is not up to par.

Try a Fool's Pass with your AC using a new and then a well used blade. You will see what I mean.
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
I thought of that problem while planning this exercise. I do things to help overcome it; I routinely include a same-model properly maintained razor in my experiment as a criterion shave, and I perform a Fool's Pass with every shave. The Fool's Pass just does not work if you change pressure/angle or the edge is not up to par.

Try a Fool's Pass with your AC using a new and then a well used blade. You will see what I mean.

I can do both with new or old blade, but technique will differ with both. Truth be told I don’t shave as often I used to in the early days, chasing the velvet squeegee with diamond and CBN sprays on balsa, hard felt, horsehide and latigo, CBN spray on Jnats etc. Then I got into Kamisori and that was another adventure lol. I need ditch my AC and get back into it. You guys must have a bunch of new techniques nowadays.
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
Haven’t changed my blade in weeks since not shaving the upper lip and chin allows one to shave acceptably with a butter knife honed up on the back of a ceramic plate ;).
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Shave No. 6 T.H.60 (Vesperum)

Fifth shave using this SR without stropping. Standard pre-shave prep and passes. This morning I noticed just the slightest bit of hesitation in the edge cutting through my whiskers. My Fool's Pass was still comfortable but I am noticing a slight deterioration. Overall still a comfort shave with DFS all over including the upper lip after its Fool's Pass. After the shave this blade was wiped clean with a piece of moist chamois, oiled and put away.

Tomorrow I'll do another criterion shave, this time with my fully maintained Martis SR.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Shave No. 7 T.H.60 (Vesperum)

Sixth shave using this SR without stropping. Standard pre-shave prep and passes.

Yesterday I shaved with my Martis SR as a criterion shave. Although Martis is comfortable to shave with, it is the least comfortable of my M7DS. The result was similar to my Vesperum shave the day before.

This morning's shave with Vesperum was almost identical to yesterday's criterion shave. My Fool's Pass was still comfortable. Overall still a comfort shave with DFS all over including the upper lip after its Fool's Pass. After the shave this blade was wiped clean with a piece of moist chamois, oiled and put away.

Tomorrow will be another criterion shave, this time with my fully maintained Iovis SR.
 
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