Tonight was my first shave with an extra hollow ground razor. Different feel than the other razors I have used, though very smooth. I lathered up some QCS Basilica and had a nice, close 2 pass shave. Decided to try the alum test after the shave and surprisingly, I had zero burn. The shave looks and feels close but the alum had zero burn. Hope this means my technique is improving.
No Alum Burn
- Thread starter shaverjoe
- Start date
I ALWAYS get alum burn...I am jealous 
.
Grats on the great shave! Who was the honer?
.Grats on the great shave! Who was the honer?
Congrats on the great shave! You are a lucky man to have no burn with alum. Me and my roomate(he's a de guy) joke about the pinaud test.
I tried rubbing alum block on my face after an SR shave..burn of fire!..must a been my sensitive skin...
- Thread starter
- #5
I ALWAYS get alum burn...I am jealous
Grats on the great shave! Who was the honer?
Alfredo (Doc226). I bought the Henkels he recently rescaled. Shaves great!
I find alum burn depends on my angles but also on the edge and possibly grind. I recently took a coti edge on a full hollow vintage solingen to an HHT4 on my pasted balsa strop, like I said it was nice and sharp but the alum burn was terrible. I'd already shaved off the coti edge once or twice and was experimenting. The previous shaves were good but still with a slight burn.
Earlier this week I honed up a near wedge on my coticule, it's unmarked other than "Acier Fondu" which is French for melted steel, guess its probably a cast blade. Well after the same two pass WTG shave as the CROX finished solingen I used the alum and not the slightest sting.
Now it's the first time I've used this particular razor but it took a lovely edge and left me happy as Larry. By the way the coti edge on this one was HHT 3 after stropping so a little less sharp but certainly good enough for me.
I don't have a loupe to check my edges but I am beginning to think that CROX and my face don't mix well.
Earlier this week I honed up a near wedge on my coticule, it's unmarked other than "Acier Fondu" which is French for melted steel, guess its probably a cast blade. Well after the same two pass WTG shave as the CROX finished solingen I used the alum and not the slightest sting.
Now it's the first time I've used this particular razor but it took a lovely edge and left me happy as Larry. By the way the coti edge on this one was HHT 3 after stropping so a little less sharp but certainly good enough for me.
I don't have a loupe to check my edges but I am beginning to think that CROX and my face don't mix well.
My shaves with the least burn always follows a growth of a couple of days. I shave on consecutive days the burn is noticeably stronger. After shaves are the same too. I think I just have thin skin.
Could be age related. My grandad had thin skin near the end. Might be related to the elastic properties leaving the skin as we age, or even exposure to too much sun, dry skin and the like.As a youngster (36 is still young now) I'm looking forward to many happy years with my SR's and my unburning alum block! 
It's all downhill after 40 sonny!
I ALWAYS get alum burn...I am jealous
Grats on the great shave!...
+1
One of these days! I needs me some honing mojo.
Only ever tried coticule and welsh slate edges until I used the CrOx and FeOx balsa strop (poorman jobby from Larry @ Whipped Dog). I might give it another go in a couple of weeks but it certainly upset my skin - I ended up with a chin like an adolescent and more wheepers in one shave than I've had since I started in June.
I'm curious to try lapping film but I'm enjoying my coticule edges so much and I've got three of them that I can't bring myself to do it.
My experience on the slate edges is that they too are harsher than a coti but not as harsh as the CrOx edge.
Might try finishing on slate this weekend as it's been a while and my honing has certainly improved since the last time. Will post my findings on the honing forum.
Oh, also honed up a TI 69 Frameback last night - I'm swapping it with kirk as I don't like it looks wise. It took a wicked edge on my coti so I'll shortly find out from him if I can hone a razor correctly or not!
I'm curious to try lapping film but I'm enjoying my coticule edges so much and I've got three of them that I can't bring myself to do it.
My experience on the slate edges is that they too are harsher than a coti but not as harsh as the CrOx edge.
Might try finishing on slate this weekend as it's been a while and my honing has certainly improved since the last time. Will post my findings on the honing forum.
Oh, also honed up a TI 69 Frameback last night - I'm swapping it with kirk as I don't like it looks wise. It took a wicked edge on my coti so I'll shortly find out from him if I can hone a razor correctly or not!
Joe, glad you liked the edge.
As far as the results I would say its both. You need to have proper technique and a good edge. If either one is lacking then it will not come together.
As far as the results I would say its both. You need to have proper technique and a good edge. If either one is lacking then it will not come together.
Sometimes I have alum burn, sometimes just a light tingle, sometimes none at all. Nice to hear others' experience of things here. When it's bad, I reach for the Thayer's afterwards, rather than an aftershave proper. When it's bad but not that bad, I reach for the ol' bottle of cat pee to punish myself further (I am one of the chosen, after all). Otherwise, it's whatever a/s strikes my fancy. When there is no burn at all, that is when I reach for the Captain's Choice. Otherwise, I'll be seeing fireworks!
Good job Joe. I do get some alum tingling on my neck.
- Thread starter
- #15
Funny, after the NO alum burn last night, I poured on the Captain's Choice. One of my favorites!
Zero alum burn is a hallmark of a good straight shave (and a good edge). Congratulations.
Extra hollow razors es bueno juju.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
If you are thinking about trying films but love your coticules, maybe just get some 1u film and use it for a finisher. A really good 3u edge and a nice coti edge are roughly equivelant so no need for the 3u or coarser... my two centavos. Only the 1u offers any improvement. This way you get to rub the rocks and still enjoy the incredible edge that 1u film over damp paper can give you. If you really got brass ones you could also try the .3u film but most guys find a .3u edge is simply too much. I did myself, at first. Now I am liking the .3u edge very much, at least on most razors.
- Thread starter
- #20
The shave was good but the edge was great. All credit to Doc226. Thanks again, Alfredo.
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