Pass-Around! Two Modded GD Razors and a Pasted Balsa Strop

[kingfisher]

OK, so I went back to the gray one with the full blade, even though it had given me some troubles before.

Took it to the balsa for about 35 laps last night and then stropped it up about 100 laps on my paddle strop.

Oh, and I had this flash of inspiration last night when stropping about a possibility for the areas of irritation on my neck previously, which was this: there is a very sharp point on the proximal part of the blade, too. The anti-point, if you will. So, I dulled the anti-point on the side of the plexiglass that supports the balsa strop.

This morning I lathered up with Soapy Science Mint Mint soap and got an excellent lather. I did the first pass with the straight and had good reduction. Smooth and sharp, no problems at all. Re-lathered and did a second pass, almost a straight XTG from nose to ear, and XTG on the neck (differs from side to side). Again, smooth and no troubles.
A bit of clean-up with the Slim Twist, and I had a CCS shave.

This time, no irritation, no redness, no weepers. I definitely am shaving with a lighter touch and a shallower angle, but I also think that dulling the "anti-point" might have been another key to keeping my neck happy.

I am becoming more and more a convert to this balsa method. It's quite good!

 

[Slash McCoy]

Resistance is futile.

 

[kingfisher]

Last night I did about 35 laps on the balsa and about 100 on leather. This was, again, the razor with the gray scales.

This morning it shaved wonderfully. In fact, for the first time ever, after two passes the cheeks were smooth; no more work required. I cleaned up the jawline with my Slim Twist and had a fine, comfortable shave.

I will be sending a pm to the next person on the list soon. I hope to get these razors passed along this weekend. (I wish I could keep the balsa strop, though!)

 

[Bob L.]

Amazon has the diamond paste that's in the package.

Your local hobby store probably sells balsa wood in long lengths. I bought a three foot long board that was three inches in width and a half and inch deep. Cut a foot off the board and glue it a thick piece of Plexiglas, granite, glass, or counter top. I used a 4" X 12" X 1/2" piece of counter granite. I spent less than $10 on my mounted board.

 

[MilkCrate]

Amazon has the diamond paste that's in the package.

Your local hobby store probably sells balsa wood in long lengths. I bought a three foot long board that was three inches in width and a half and inch deep. Cut a foot off the board and glue it a thick piece of Plexiglas, granite, glass, or counter top. I used a 4" X 12" X 1/2" piece of counter granite. I spent less than $10 on my mounted board.

You can buy the balsa at Hobby Lobby in 3’ sections @ 3” wide.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Last night I did about 35 laps on the balsa and about 100 on leather. This was, again, the razor with the gray scales.

This morning it shaved wonderfully. In fact, for the first time ever, after two passes the cheeks were smooth; no more work required. I cleaned up the jawline with my Slim Twist and had a fine, comfortable shave.

I will be sending a pm to the next person on the list soon. I hope to get these razors passed along this weekend. (I wish I could keep the balsa strop, though!)

Easy to make. Get a 36" plank 3" wide and at least 1/4" thick from your local hobby shop. Pick and choose a good piece, flat and true, with consistent grain. That will make three strops. Go to TAP plastics and get three pieces of acrylic, 3/4" thick, 12" long, 3" wide. To each, glue a 12" length of the balsa. Lap the balsa after it is securely stuck to the acrylic. Apply first .1u to the first one, .25u to the second, and .5u to the last one. Now you have a progression that will not only maintain an already hypersharp edge, but can also create one on top of a normal 12k stone or 1u film edge when you use all three in progression. See The Newbie Honing Compendium, AKA "The Method".

 

[ouch]

Easy to make. Get a 36" plank 3" wide and at least 1/4" thick from your local hobby shop. Pick and choose a good piece, flat and true, with consistent grain. That will make three strops. Go to TAP plastics and get three pieces of acrylic, 3/4" thick, 12" long, 3" wide. To each, glue a 12" length of the balsa. Lap the balsa after it is securely stuck to the acrylic. Apply first .1u to the first one, .25u to the second, and .5u to the last one. Now you have a progression that will not only maintain an already hypersharp edge, but can also create one on top of a normal 12k stone or 1u film edge when you use all three in progression. See The Newbie Honing Compendium, AKA "The Method".

Once you get your razor where you want it to be, this fairly simple suggestion will keep you going almost indefinitely. Awesome advice.

 

[kingfisher]

I did about 35-40 passes on the balsa last night and then leather stropped about 90 passes, and took it to the old mug again this morning.

Another fine 2-pass shave without any problems at all. Nice and smooth, very sharp. I guess I'm a convert.

I'll be getting this stuff sent along pretty soon to the next lucky person who got in on the pass-around.

Thanks, Slash, for letting us experience the Method Edge!

 

[kingfisher]

Final report.

Gave it another 40-ish on the balsa (not a burden at all) and then stropped it up last night.
Since it is more efficient than my other razors, I decided to do a Chimensch pass for the first pass (cross-handed, combination of WTG and XTG, for the uninitiated). It went very well and after one pass I had pretty good reduction.

I was in a hurry so I just did a quick second pass with my Slim Twist and called it good.

Ever since I blunted the "anti-point" I haven't had any problems or irritation using this razor (the gray one). It's a lovely razor and it shaves great.

I'll be packing this stuff up to send out soon. Thanks, again, for allowing me to participate in the pass-around.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I am learning a lot of stuff from the feedback, so thanks. Note to myself... mute the heel point as well as the toe point on this profile style. Users who are used to razors with stabilizers could take a nasty cut from an aggressive and unguarded heel. Or maybe muting both points as an option. Myself, I like them unmuted. Don't know why... no moustache or goatee to trim, I just like what I like I guess.

 

[KW Driver]

I louped the grey razor and it’s heel was effectively muted when I had it. There was a bit of unhoned edge at the end of it before the sweep up towards the tang.

Can’t speak to the shorty on that, or what might have happened after they left my hands for that matter.

 

[mrlandpirate]

I redid the gray one after KW had it , shaved fine for me but that’s a good thing to remember, could be unpleasant to say the least

 

[kingfisher]

I sanitized the razors last night and will get them boxed up for shipping, hopefully tonight.

 

[paintflinger]

Got the razors in. Shaved with the white one (shorty).

Overall impression with the method edge (or it's current received incarnation) was that it is very sharp and smooth. The smoothness surprised me as my previous use of lapping film resulted in hyper sharp edges that tended to exfoliate a bit too much. This edge very much reminds me of my jnat edge that has been smoothened out a tiny bit on some white lightning paste. The diamond edge is probably a hair sharper.

 

[steveclarkus]

Got the razors in. Shaved with the white one (shorty).

Overall impression with the method edge (or it's current received incarnation) was that it is very sharp and smooth. The smoothness surprised me as my previous use of lapping film resulted in hyper sharp edges that tended to exfoliate a bit too much. This edge very much reminds me of my jnat edge that has been smoothened out a tiny bit on some white lightning paste. The diamond edge is probably a hair sharper.

I shaved with a jnat edge (done by a honemeister) yesterday. Put a Method edge on it last night and the razor shaved noticeably better this morning. I simply cannot find an flaw to the Method and I’ve been using it for months.

 

[paintflinger]

So, I inspected the grey razor prior to stropping and the edge has a visible ding in it. I'm going to shave with it and see, but wasn't sure if me rehoning it with jnats and then diamond pasting it was acceptable?

 

[Slash McCoy]

It won't really matter if you have a progression of balsa strops. Running .5u, .25u, and finally .1u will leave a Method edge even on a Jnat honed razor. However if you only have the .1 strop that came with the razors, not sure what you would call it. The .1u simply does not have enough cutting action.

Are you the final name on the list?

 

[paintflinger]

It won't really matter if you have a progression of balsa strops. Running .5u, .25u, and finally .1u will leave a Method edge even on a Jnat honed razor. However if you only have the .1 strop that came with the razors, not sure what you would call it. The .1u simply does not have enough cutting action.

Are you the final name on the list?

I am on the current list.

I can take it up to an almost mirror jnat polish and then see if I can get it to match the white one via some balsa magic. Let me know. I should be shaving with it tonight.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I am not particularly surprised that one razor has a ding in the edge, after 4 months of travel and use by what... about a dozen users? Stuff happens. Anyway some dings dont really have much effect, in my experience. A trial shave might be just the thing. Sure, if you find that it needs to be honed out, be my guest. I am just trying to figure out if there is anyone left waiting on the razors. I suppose as long as at least one of them has a Method edge, the premise for the passaround is still valid. Or better yet...

If you are a fairly skilled Jnat honer, you could just put a Jnat edge on it. Maintain the Method edge on the shorty. Then the next recipient(s) can compare, as well as experience the ease and joy of balsa stropping of the Method edge.

I think I accomplished my goals, at least as far as possible, already with the passaround. So it doesn't matter much to me from this point what happens to the razors or where they end up or how long they continue on their journey. Sort of like the Voyager mission, now headed who knows where. Now, it's just for fun, and I will be interested in where they go and how they get there and how many smiles they put on faces, but they have enough momentum now to just keep going and recipients can feel free to hone or repair or maintain however, and pass them on to whoever wants them on that basis. In fact I may go ahead and open it up to newbies if there are no other shavers waiting for a turn. Not sure they are worth sending overseas at this point, with the cracked scale and all.

Now is the time for anyone interested to speak up, CONUS or overseas, whatever.

 

[paintflinger]

I've been happily using the two razors. The edges are quite comfy and sharp. Clean up is nice and easy.

My only complaint is that I find the length of the strop to be unwieldy for me. I think I would prefer 8 inches length.

@Slash McCoy I'm really impressed with the GD mods. The grey one likes to sing on the strop.

I haven't seen anyone post that they want to join the passaround, so I'll probably mail it back to you whenever you say is good.