Not so easy start

[jdk]

Well, some weeks ago, I bought a Thiers-Issard SR, and a hanging leather strop, all first time tools for me. After having quarantined these for some time, plus counting a few days of hesitation, I took the plunge. Bringing a very impressive cutting edge directly to my face took a lot of nerve, and my better half was ready to call 911.

I am very much used to very comfortable shaves with a DE, using Feather blades in a Merkur razor. Wet shaving is not a problem either, so nothing new in that area.

Let us discount the first 2 or 3 shaves, which were just to get used to holding and manipulating the very scary edge. In my enthusiasm, forgetting everything I had read here, I simply used the angle at which I was used to with the DE. Big mistake, no good shaves there.

Well after 18 shaves, I stopped using the TI, pondering what was going on. During all shaves, wether day to day, or with 2 day intervals the TI was pulling and tugging, and cutting very little of my beard. More importantly, shaves were very uncomfortable for the skin, and this independently from the shaving angle. Using an alum block after each shave indicated 100% of shaved area was irritated. Also, stubble showed was non symmetric between the right and the left side of my face. Stropping up to 100 laps on the strop seemed to help, but very marginally.

Now, this razor was supposed to be properly "shave ready" according to the store...Obviously, something was wrong. I might have rolled the edge for all I know, maybe during my first stroppings.

So, I recently bought a Naniwa SuperStoneS2 12K, and a DMT Dia-Sharp D8C. Flattening the new 12K was a breeze yesterday. Then today, took the TI out for a short 10 lap journey on the 12K. After drying the blade, I stropped it, 20canvas-50leather as usual, and then proceeded to shave.

What a huge difference this made! For the first time I got a comfortable shave. The alum block showed no skin irritation. This for a few minutes on a finishing wetstone. It is hard for me to understand why such an easy fix was necessary. So now will resume shaving with the TI.

Now, wondering if it would be better to do more laps on the 12K, or maybe a 8K-12K sequence. There sure are many parameters to take care of in this kind of shaving.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Well, some weeks ago, I bought a Thiers-Issard SR, and a hanging leather strop, all first time tools for me. After having quarantined these for some time, plus counting a few days of hesitation, I took the plunge. Bringing a very impressive cutting edge directly to my face took a lot of nerve, and my better half was ready to call 911.

I am very much used to very comfortable shaves with a DE, using Feather blades in a Merkur razor. Wet shaving is not a problem either, so nothing new in that area.

Let us discount the first 2 or 3 shaves, which were just to get used to holding and manipulating the very scary edge. In my enthusiasm, forgetting everything I had read here, I simply used the angle at which I was used to with the DE. Big mistake, no good shaves there.

Well after 18 shaves, I stopped using the TI, pondering what was going on. During all shaves, wether day to day, or with 2 day intervals the TI was pulling and tugging, and cutting very little of my beard. More importantly, shaves were very uncomfortable for the skin, and this independently from the shaving angle. Using an alum block after each shave indicated 100% of shaved area was irritated. Also, stubble showed was non symmetric between the right and the left side of my face. Stropping up to 100 laps on the strop seemed to help, but very marginally.

Now, this razor was supposed to be properly "shave ready" according to the store...Obviously, something was wrong. I might have rolled the edge for all I know, maybe during my first stroppings.

So, I recently bought a Naniwa SuperStoneS2 12K, and a DMT Dia-Sharp D8C. Flattening the new 12K was a breeze yesterday. Then today, took the TI out for a short 10 lap journey on the 12K. After drying the blade, I stropped it, 20canvas-50leather as usual, and then proceeded to shave.

What a huge difference this made! For the first time I got a comfortable shave. The alum block showed no skin irritation. This for a few minutes on a finishing wetstone. It is hard for me to understand why such an easy fix was necessary. So now will resume shaving with the TI.

Now, wondering if it would be better to do more laps on the 12K, or maybe a 8K-12K sequence. There sure are many parameters to take care of in this kind of shaving.

After a couple more shaves and stropping, try revisiting the 12k. Hone normally but with very light pressure and short x strokes until stiction is very strong, then rinse the stone well and apply shave lather, hone some more, with gradually diminishing pressure until it feels like the razor is not actually touching the hone. Go another couple hundred (yes, that many) laps. The last 50 should be very short x strokes, about 3" or so. That should max out the 12k edge. It sounds like probably no need to drop down to 8k but of course you can do it if you want, no harm done.

 

[rbscebu]

.... very short x strokes, about 3" or so. ....

What are these "very short x strokes" that you speak of? What is their advantage?

I have a 150mm x 50mm (6" x 2" - I don't know what that is in millifurlongs) Middle Eastern finishing stone that I still sometimes use. That requires about 100mm (4") x strokes.

 

[seattleshaver]

Your razor was probably sharp when you bought it but between stropping and not using the correct angle on your first shaves you probably dulled the edge. You were able to bring it back with the 12k so now that you have more experience it will probably not dull as fast.

 

[Slash McCoy]

What are these "very short x strokes" that you speak of? What is their advantage?

I have a 150mm x 50mm (6" x 2" - I don't know what that is in millifurlongs) Middle Eastern finishing stone that I still sometimes use. That requires about 100mm (4") x strokes.

Simple. Do a regular x stroke but pretend your stone is only 4" long. I think what it does is simply that it hones less before flipping to the other side. More flips per foot of hone travel = fewer artifacts on the edge.

 

[illbell]

After a couple more shaves and stropping, try revisiting the 12k. Hone normally but with very light pressure and short x strokes until stiction is very strong, then rinse the stone well and apply shave lather, hone some more, with gradually diminishing pressure until it feels like the razor is not actually touching the hone. Go another couple hundred (yes, that many) laps. The last 50 should be very short x strokes, about 3" or so. That should max out the 12k edge. It sounds like probably no need to drop down to 8k but of course you can do it if you want, no harm done.

Couple hundred edge leading strokes? Or edge trailing?

 

[Slash McCoy]

Couple hundred edge leading strokes? Or edge trailing?

Edge leading. Hone in hand, keep your pressure balanced and well regulated.

 

[ajduplessis]

TI straight are not shave ready from the factory and few resellers re-hone them.

 

[jdk]

TI straight are not shave ready from the factory and few resellers re-hone them.

It seems you are quite right!

 

[xiletero]

Well, some weeks ago, I bought a Thiers-Issard SR, and a hanging leather strop, all first time tools for me. After having quarantined these for some time, plus counting a few days of hesitation, I took the plunge. Bringing a very impressive cutting edge directly to my face took a lot of nerve, and my better half was ready to call 911.

I am very much used to very comfortable shaves with a DE, using Feather blades in a Merkur razor. Wet shaving is not a problem either, so nothing new in that area.

Let us discount the first 2 or 3 shaves, which were just to get used to holding and manipulating the very scary edge. In my enthusiasm, forgetting everything I had read here, I simply used the angle at which I was used to with the DE. Big mistake, no good shaves there.

Well after 18 shaves, I stopped using the TI, pondering what was going on. During all shaves, wether day to day, or with 2 day intervals the TI was pulling and tugging, and cutting very little of my beard. More importantly, shaves were very uncomfortable for the skin, and this independently from the shaving angle. Using an alum block after each shave indicated 100% of shaved area was irritated. Also, stubble showed was non symmetric between the right and the left side of my face. Stropping up to 100 laps on the strop seemed to help, but very marginally.

Now, this razor was supposed to be properly "shave ready" according to the store...Obviously, something was wrong. I might have rolled the edge for all I know, maybe during my first stroppings.

So, I recently bought a Naniwa SuperStoneS2 12K, and a DMT Dia-Sharp D8C. Flattening the new 12K was a breeze yesterday. Then today, took the TI out for a short 10 lap journey on the 12K. After drying the blade, I stropped it, 20canvas-50leather as usual, and then proceeded to shave.

What a huge difference this made! For the first time I got a comfortable shave. The alum block showed no skin irritation. This for a few minutes on a finishing wetstone. It is hard for me to understand why such an easy fix was necessary. So now will resume shaving with the TI.

Now, wondering if it would be better to do more laps on the 12K, or maybe a 8K-12K sequence. There sure are many parameters to take care of in this kind of shaving.

I also got one of these a while back: they are NOT shave ready. I think I did "diamond" paste on canvas then leather and it improved, wasn't great either....but improved a LOT

 

[jdk]

Your razor was probably sharp when you bought it but between stropping and not using the correct angle on your first shaves you probably dulled the edge. You were able to bring it back with the 12k so now that you have more experience it will probably not dull as fast.

I hope you are right!

 

[jdk]

After a couple more shaves and stropping, try revisiting the 12k. Hone normally but with very light pressure and short x strokes until stiction is very strong, then rinse the stone well and apply shave lather, hone some more, with gradually diminishing pressure until it feels like the razor is not actually touching the hone. Go another couple hundred (yes, that many) laps. The last 50 should be very short x strokes, about 3" or so. That should max out the 12k edge. It sounds like probably no need to drop down to 8k but of course you can do it if you want, no harm done.

That is a lot of work, i will try it soon.

 

[Slash McCoy]

That is a lot of work, i will try it soon.

About 15 minutes is all.

 

[MurderousCrow]

After a couple more shaves and stropping, try revisiting the 12k. Hone normally but with very light pressure and short x strokes until stiction is very strong, then rinse the stone well and apply shave lather, hone some more, with gradually diminishing pressure until it feels like the razor is not actually touching the hone. Go another couple hundred (yes, that many) laps. The last 50 should be very short x strokes, about 3" or so. That should max out the 12k edge. It sounds like probably no need to drop down to 8k but of course you can do it if you want, no harm done.

I'll try this method with my 12k. I've done very few shaves with my SRs of late, and have stuck exclusively with my Feather due to losing heart over not being able to develop (let alone maintain) a suitably sharp edge for head shaving. Ta.

 

[camoloc]

I'll try this method with my 12k. I've done very few shaves with my SRs of late, and have stuck exclusively with my Feather due to losing heart over not being able to develop (let alone maintain) a suitably sharp edge for head shaving. Ta.

I spent time with my Torrey last night doing exactly this with my small chinese 12k.

I'm cutting down on my ramblings in my general posts. I can report the result was extremely good.

I keep saying smoothest shave yet......this surely has to plateau at some point......or maybe not. balsa strops lurk.

camo