Pass-Around! Two Modded GD Razors and a Pasted Balsa Strop
- Thread starter Slash McCoy
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- #202
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Okay, maybe I DIDN'T post pics. I thought I did. And my accidentally deleted post seems to have come back. This is like a Twilight Zone episode.
Followed the same procedure. 50 laps on the balsa yesterday evening followed by about 90 on leather. Lathered up Lollipop Citrus and went to town this morning. This razor is RIDICULOUSLY sharp. Made child's play out of the cheeks in no time whatsoever.
HOWEVER, I did get irritation on the neck in a couple of spots, one of which was the exact same place as on Tuesday morning. I also got a couple of very small weepers on the chin when going XTG (sideways across the chin).
This blade is easily as sharp as a Feather AC blade. My straights are never this sharp, so I think if i were to do this I would have to alter my technique a bit. Since it leads to a smooth, comfortable shave on the cheeks, I'm sure the neck problems are a technique issue; if the blade were the problem it should cause irritation everywhere.
The other thing a person like me could do would be to use the balsa every 5 shaves or every 3 shaves or something. Using it every shave definitely keeps the razor sharp, but perhaps a tiny bit overly sharp for a person like me. (Or maybe if I kept using it every day my technique would evolve to maximize the benefits and minimize the irritation?)
Anyway, jury is still out. For now what I'm tempted to do for tomorrow is just strop it on leather tonight and see if it smoothes out some for tomorrow's shave.
Hope y'all are having a great day. Today is my wife's birthday!
HOWEVER, I did get irritation on the neck in a couple of spots, one of which was the exact same place as on Tuesday morning. I also got a couple of very small weepers on the chin when going XTG (sideways across the chin).
This blade is easily as sharp as a Feather AC blade. My straights are never this sharp, so I think if i were to do this I would have to alter my technique a bit. Since it leads to a smooth, comfortable shave on the cheeks, I'm sure the neck problems are a technique issue; if the blade were the problem it should cause irritation everywhere.
The other thing a person like me could do would be to use the balsa every 5 shaves or every 3 shaves or something. Using it every shave definitely keeps the razor sharp, but perhaps a tiny bit overly sharp for a person like me. (Or maybe if I kept using it every day my technique would evolve to maximize the benefits and minimize the irritation?)
Anyway, jury is still out. For now what I'm tempted to do for tomorrow is just strop it on leather tonight and see if it smoothes out some for tomorrow's shave.
Hope y'all are having a great day. Today is my wife's birthday!
Sorry about not pictures. Not really savvy with posting pics in threads.
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- #205
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Neck is the hardest part to shave smoothly with a very sharp razor. Try stretching REALLY tight and keeping the angle dead low, spine almost dragging. Neck skin is very sensitive and usually there is a whorl or two in the grain pattern. Plus the topography is such that you are pretty much stuck with nearly NS or SN movement on most of the neck even when the whiskers grow EW or WE.
You might also find that a lotion or moisturizer applied before lathering might help, or that your skin will simply get used to it after a few more shaves.
Don't give up on sharp razors just yet. You will probably find your groove and get to really liking that level of sharpness if you give it time. But yeah, it is a game changer and you have to play by modified rules. Your technique will probably change a bit, yeah.
My guess is the neck issues are technique and pressure. It’s easy to end up with pressure spots on changing terrain.
I would like to be on the list I’m in Utah.
Put me on the list please.
Put me on the list please.
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- #208
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Pass-Around! Two Modded GD Razors and a Pasted Balsa Strop
Do you have at least one straight razor already, and at least 10 successful shaves with it, and at least 50 posts on this board? If so, put yourself on the list. Go back and copy the latest list, and add your name to the bottom. Simple as that. Honor system.
This passaround is absolutely NOT meant for complete newbies who are not yet accomplished honers and shavers. It IS meant to give the journeyman shaver/honer a Method edge to compare to his own, and a few hands on sessions with a properly prepared .1u balsa strop, which BTW will NOT MAKE a razor sharp. It will KEEP an already very very sharp Method edge sharp, with regular and proper use. If this sounds like you, then welcome to the passaround!
I decided not to go to the balsa last night, but rather just stropped the razor. So it was a second shave after the last balsa refresh.
The razor was still RIDICULOUSLY sharp. I used RazoRock What the Puck? soap and had a nice lather, but I ended up with three tiny weepers. Not sure if I caught the tip or what. The What the Puck lather is so thick it's hard to see where the point is, so maybe that's what happened.
But the razor sharpness is off the chart. Like a Feather Pro Super on its first use, at least.
I think if I were to adopt this pasted balsa method I would perhaps just use it every 7 shaves or so. The edge would settle nicely after 3 or 4 shaves, I think. I know that Slash loves his edges this sharp. I guess if I kept doing it forever my technique would evolve to a lighter touch and a shallower angle and maybe it would be just awesome.
But for now it seems a bit too exfoliating and a bit too dangerous. I'd rather have a JNAT edge that is sharp, but much smoother than this one, at least for right now that's my opinion.
I'm going to keep trying it for a few more days, and try to "hone my technique," (pardon the pun) to see if I get used to it more. I'm a relative newbie (today was my 274th straight razor shave), so maybe that's the problem?
The razor was still RIDICULOUSLY sharp. I used RazoRock What the Puck? soap and had a nice lather, but I ended up with three tiny weepers. Not sure if I caught the tip or what. The What the Puck lather is so thick it's hard to see where the point is, so maybe that's what happened.
But the razor sharpness is off the chart. Like a Feather Pro Super on its first use, at least.
I think if I were to adopt this pasted balsa method I would perhaps just use it every 7 shaves or so. The edge would settle nicely after 3 or 4 shaves, I think. I know that Slash loves his edges this sharp. I guess if I kept doing it forever my technique would evolve to a lighter touch and a shallower angle and maybe it would be just awesome.
But for now it seems a bit too exfoliating and a bit too dangerous. I'd rather have a JNAT edge that is sharp, but much smoother than this one, at least for right now that's my opinion.
I'm going to keep trying it for a few more days, and try to "hone my technique," (pardon the pun) to see if I get used to it more. I'm a relative newbie (today was my 274th straight razor shave), so maybe that's the problem?
kingfisher I think you solved your own problem so to speak
"I guess if I kept doing it forever my technique would evolve to a lighter touch and a shallower angle"
that is exactly what I did when I got them and they became very comfortable to use. I think with the thinned spine and the sharpness you have to have the spine almost against your face and a very light touch. As for the tip I always blunt them by dragging the very tip on the mirror.
good luck and good shaves
"I guess if I kept doing it forever my technique would evolve to a lighter touch and a shallower angle"
that is exactly what I did when I got them and they became very comfortable to use. I think with the thinned spine and the sharpness you have to have the spine almost against your face and a very light touch. As for the tip I always blunt them by dragging the very tip on the mirror.
good luck and good shaves
Method edges feel very smooth with a very shallow angle. You don’t feel the sharpness quite as much.
That shallow angle works. I finished my shave 12 hours ago. I can barely feel the fur when I rub against the grain. These edges are really, really good. The shallow angle keeps it smooth too. I am fully and happily sold on them.
Bob L. spread the word brother Methodist
I decided to fire up the other razor, which, as I mentioned, is clearly a shorty. I didn't measure the blade length but it was maybe just a bit longer than a typical AC blade, which means that the tang on this razor is really long (a lot like the folding Feather SS).
It was kind of difficult to strop, too, because the pin is a bit loose, so while I was trying to strop, the scales kept wanting to open more and more and I had to keep re-setting them, as it were, in my hand. A bit frustrating.
And I've not been a fan of shorty razors, in general, so I wasn't really that excited about this morning's shave. Until it started, when I was very pleasantly surprised by the amazing edge on this razor.
I had lathered up Soapy Science in the Mint Mint scent and had a great lather. First pass went amazingly well. Second pass, likewise.
Clean-up was minimal. I did it with my Slim Twist.
A great, smooth shave.
I definitely used a lighter touch and probably a much shallower angle. I was careful but not meticulous or slow on the neck. No irritation at all this morning.
It was kind of difficult to strop, too, because the pin is a bit loose, so while I was trying to strop, the scales kept wanting to open more and more and I had to keep re-setting them, as it were, in my hand. A bit frustrating.
And I've not been a fan of shorty razors, in general, so I wasn't really that excited about this morning's shave. Until it started, when I was very pleasantly surprised by the amazing edge on this razor.
I had lathered up Soapy Science in the Mint Mint scent and had a great lather. First pass went amazingly well. Second pass, likewise.
Clean-up was minimal. I did it with my Slim Twist.
A great, smooth shave.
I definitely used a lighter touch and probably a much shallower angle. I was careful but not meticulous or slow on the neck. No irritation at all this morning.
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- #215
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
I think one of the scales is cracked on that one.
I don't remember it being cracked when I had it, but it may be. I didn't spend much time with it because I'm not a huge fan of shorties.
It was cracked when I had it. Not a big deal... the blade was a bit loose...
As far as the shorty blade goes... I liked it!
As far as the shorty blade goes... I liked it!
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- #218
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
I have always thought shorties were kinda cool in a way, myself. Maybe because it is usually recycling a broken razor that would otherwise be trashed. I never start out thinking "Okay, I think this will be a shorty". Instead, it is "oopsie... broke it. But there is still enough blade left to make a shorty out of it".
I liked the way that shorty handled the hollows of my neck.
I find the same thing to be true.
I did about 30 laps on the pasted balsa last night followed by a stropping, and then this morning I put the shorty to use again.
I overslept, so I only had time for a single pass with the straight razor, but I found it remarkably sharp and smooth again. No problems or irritation or weepers at all. I did a second pass with my Slim Twist and went to work with a nearly effortless CCS.
Tonight I will go back to the first razor, if only because I want the challenge of getting a smooth, irritation-free neck shave with the longer-bladed razor.
Near the end of the week I'll be packing this stuff up to move it to the next person on the list. I have really enjoyed trying this out so far.
I am beginning to think that I will go ahead and make my own pasted balsa and continue the "method," although I think I might only use the balsa every 2-7 days. I'll do some experimenting with it, I guess. But overall I am very impressed with the edge that these razors have!
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