Sotiris' straight razor journal

[Sotiris_A]

Your bevels are correctly set. A 5k or 8k would be more useful to you at this point.
I received my 15x loupe but find the 10x easier to focus and study the blade. 10x shows a mirror finished bevel after 12k.


There is a major satisfaction in honing your blades. No reason not to. I use 1-3-8-12. Each stone removes previous scratches. 1k for bevel set. Blade corrections, smile or frown any edge imperfections have to be corrected with 1K. From 3k forward polishing. (Think of it in terms of a 3k will remove 1k scratches quicker than a 5k) 12k mirror finish no visible scratches at 10x loupe.

You are right! Most probably the 1k or even the 3k will not be useful at the moment. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself.

At the moment I need improve at retouching the edge and figure out how many shaves I can get from it. This is obviously technique dependent and I hope the number increases from the mere 4-5 that is lately. I could also get a second razor first so as to have a shave ready one always at hand and keep using my Naniwa until I get the answer.

A loupe is a must have in my mind. I spotted a cheap one with a led light on it. This might do the trick for now.

Early going in DE I could not use a Feather blade too sharp and too harsh post shave. I single use a Feather blade now. My three to five day growth DE shave is ATG single pass efficient, comfortable BBS every shave. Since I have adjusted to a weekly SR shave The Grande with a Feather cannot ATG single pass beyond a five day growth for my head shave. Two passes required not because of blade sharpness. The razor cannot handle more than five day whisker length, the BBS drops to a DFS+. My experience has been once your technique allows you to use the sharpest blade possible efficiently. The comfort is there.

When your tomato slicing knife requires you to move to the heel or toe of the the blade for cutting purchase. You know the keenness of edge is gone. Exactly same physics on All Blade Edges.

We should be able to agree as the knife edge is used it becomes duller with each use and we will have to make adjustments to the blade angle and blade pressure to achieve the same cut or slice. We should also be able to agree that the sharpest keenest edge is the fastest smoothest edge to move through the work load. Same dynamics all blade edges.

I used Voskhods for the longest of any blade. The difference between a BBS Feather and BBS Voskhod shave is more clean ups required with the Voskhods. More clean ups and touch ups more strokes over the skin, more chance of skin irritation.

My De shave morphed into a quicker, closer, more comfortable shave. I use less blade pressure which is less skin contact with a very sharp blade. The sharper the blade the easier it is to keep off the skin. My DE technique on a 1- 10 I would put at 10+. My straight technique I would put at 2.5- 3. Good tools and sharp blades are the quickest way to success. Technique in the end allows the use of the sharpest blades.

With the straights or de blades there are different feels to the bevel angles and finishes. A stainless DE blade has a distinctive feel, different than a Teflon coated and the manufacturers may have different bevel angles on either blade. The razor, shave style, and technique round out the variables.

Many of these comparisons go through my mind between DE and SR both which are in all my shaves. My 15th SR shave was my most comfortable and relaxed to date. It was the slowest SR shave I had which is exactly opposite to my DE shaves which are very quick. Back to basics. My SR shave will evolve to a quicker shave, my preference. The quicker the shave the sharper the blade needs to be.

Forgot to mention one other thing. Lighting. Very important.

Blades preferences are so subjective. I get your point about sharpness, however my experience is that there is a threshold of sharpness and the majority of the DE blades that lie above it, can get the job done using minimal pressure. The closeness of my shaves is not affected by choice. However, some blades might feel a bit harsher on the face.

I guess that's the reason there are SR shavers who like Coticules (sharp enough and smooth) and others who find those edges dull. My goal is a comfortable and very close shave, what most would call BBS to DFS, that lasts for more than 12hrs and that I can repeat the next day without irritation as I like being clean shaven.

I assume that my stubble is less coarse than yours. I would characterize it as average per Mediterranean standards. I also prefer less blade rigidity. The Gillette New LC, the Merkur 34c and Progress are my favorite DE razors.

I never use pressure, even on well-used blades, because it is difficult to recalibrate myself once I switch to a fresh blade. I'm a creature of habit. Once I need to apply pressure, I toss it.

I bet that with a DE, your whole routine is highly optimized. SR requires a different approach, some angles are difficult and as such the routine needs to be redefined from scratch.

 

[JoWolf]

You are right! Most probably the 1k or even the 3k will not be useful at the moment. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself.

At the moment I need improve at retouching the edge and figure out how many shaves I can get from it. This is obviously technique dependent and I hope the number increases from the mere 4-5 that is lately. I could also get a second razor first so as to have a shave ready one always at hand and keep using my Naniwa until I get the answer.

A loupe is a must have in my mind. I spotted a cheap one with a led light on it. This might do the trick for now.



Blades preferences are so subjective. I get your point about sharpness, however my experience is that there is a threshold of sharpness and the majority of the DE blades that lie above it, can get the job done using minimal pressure. The closeness of my shaves is not affected by choice. However, some blades might feel a bit harsher on the face.

I guess that's the reason there are SR shavers who like Coticules (sharp enough and smooth) and others who find those edges dull. My goal is a comfortable and very close shave, what most would call BBS to DFS, that lasts for more than 12hrs and that I can repeat the next day without irritation as I like being clean shaven.

I assume that my stubble is less coarse than yours. I would characterize it as average per Mediterranean standards. I also prefer less blade rigidity. The Gillette New LC, the Merkur 34c and Progress are my favorite DE razors.

I never use pressure, even on well-used blades, because it is difficult to recalibrate myself once I switch to a fresh blade. I'm a creature of habit. Once I need to apply pressure, I toss it.

I bet that with a DE, your whole routine is highly optimized. SR requires a different approach, some angles are difficult and as such the routine needs to be redefined from scratch.
[/QUOTE]
All of my established solid pre shave and post shave routines were dragged into the SR arena. The technique of the SR is the only wild card, different game than DE. I prefer a steep shaving angle in both DE razors and SR’s. The only commonality I’m aware of at this time. On the other hand how much do I even know about SR’s? I’ve used seven different SR’s with different bevel angles, stone, and balsa finishes. over fifteen SR shaves. Definitely gumbo, trying to sort the preferred flavour notes into a good stew. I’m only going to use two razors for shaving going forward to lighten the load on the learning curve. The same thing you’re doing Sotiris. 5/8 & 6/8. I’m going 5/8 & 4/8. The non shaved razors will enhance and develop my honing abilities. Good technique in SR will than allow me to sort through the remaining blades all excellent and cull the blades less suited to my SR shave style and comfort.

Blades preferences are so subjective.

Absolutely. In all razors. Playing with different bevel angles and finishes that you can adjust on SR an added bonus. Stones another dimension to learn and explore. After a few SR shaves DE feels so basic. Very enjoyable but very basic in adjustments and blade stewardship.

I guess that's the reason there are SR shavers who like Coticules (sharp enough and smooth) and others who find those edges dull

Exactly there is a large following in the Method. No stones scary sharp. The SR process requires you to sort out your preferred bevel angle, preferred finish, preferred blade dimensions best suited to your skin, whiskers and shave style. Me using only one DE razor and a single use blade took over a year to get there. It is the best suited to my Shave Style and comfort. The twelve DE razors I sold were all excellent razors, but not best suited to my shave style or comfort.

I also prefer less blade rigidity. The Gillette New LC, the Merkur 34c and Progress are my favorite DE razors.

Progress a beautiful razor and my first DE. The lack of blade rigidity moved me to a Rockwell 6s. Open Combs another barrier improvement, and one of the reasons for selling all closed combs. The more moving parts in a process the more difficult to maintain consistency and achieve maximum efficiency. A vibrating blade is a moving part.

The first thought going through my mind on my first stroke with my Boker full hollow 5/8. Love the feel and smoothness of a Straight Razor Blade. Part two of the same thought. I hate the way the blade is vibrating and it’s quite noisy. These were the impressions from a DE rigid razor user.

So far in straight razors. I prefer half or quarter hollows to full hollows for those two reasons. No vibrations in the blade a quieter razor. I said earlier that steep angle shaving strokes was the only commonality from DE. Add blade rigidity and acute bevel angles. The wear on a DE razors edge will round the edge of an acute edge to an obtuse edge and angle. Single use Feathers minimizing obtuse blade edges. Sotiris I am realizing these similarities as I’m responding. Not surprised now that I gravitate towards the same dynamics that work effectively for MY SHAVE in DE. The good news is I leaned and quickly went that way. It is not taking a year to figure those parts out like it did with DE. So being a different shave system with new blade technique did not cancel the preferences I’ve established in DE. Subliminally the first qualities I sought out in SR. I think I moved up a quarter inch on the the learning curve.

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This is the 15x that I purchased but prefer the 10x that I bought first. You do need good over the stone light. I don’t know about led but read a comment that it was not a desirable light for blade study.

Belomo Loupe Store - the Best Loupes for all intents and purposes - http://belomostore.com/
was where I purchased the 10x loupe which I prefer. My opinion 10x is easier for me to focus. I’m an old dude with cataracts done and bI-focal‘s required.

 

[Sotiris_A]

I bet that with a DE, your whole routine is highly optimized. SR requires a different approach, some angles are difficult and as such the routine needs to be redefined from scratch.

All of my established solid pre shave and post shave routines were dragged into the SR arena. The technique of the SR is the only wild card, different game than DE. I prefer a steep shaving angle in both DE razors and SR’s. The only commonality I’m aware of at this time. On the other hand how much do I even know about SR’s? I’ve used seven different SR’s with different bevel angles, stone, and balsa finishes. over fifteen SR shaves. Definitely gumbo, trying to sort the preferred flavour notes into a good stew. I’m only going to use two razors for shaving going forward to lighten the load on the learning curve. The same thing you’re doing Sotiris. 5/8 & 6/8. I’m going 5/8 & 4/8. The non shaved razors will enhance and develop my honing abilities. Good technique in SR will than allow me to sort through the remaining blades all excellent and cull the blades less suited to my SR shave style and comfort.


Absolutely. In all razors. Playing with different bevel angles and finishes that you can adjust on SR an added bonus. Stones another dimension to learn and explore. After a few SR shaves DE feels so basic. Very enjoyable but very basic in adjustments and blade stewardship.


Exactly there is a large following in the Method. No stones scary sharp. The SR process requires you to sort out your preferred bevel angle, preferred finish, preferred blade dimensions best suited to your skin, whiskers and shave style. Me using only one DE razor and a single use blade took over a year to get there. It is the best suited to my Shave Style and comfort. The twelve DE razors I sold were all excellent razors, but not best suited to my shave style or comfort.


Progress a beautiful razor and my first DE. The lack of blade rigidity moved me to a Rockwell 6s. Open Combs another barrier improvement, and one of the reasons for selling all closed combs. The more moving parts in a process the more difficult to maintain consistency and achieve maximum efficiency. A vibrating blade is a moving part.

The first thought going through my mind on my first stroke with my Boker full hollow 5/8. Love the feel and smoothness of a Straight Razor Blade. Part two of the same thought. I hate the way the blade is vibrating and it’s quite noisy. These were the impressions from a DE rigid razor user.

So far in straight razors. I prefer half or quarter hollows to full hollows for those two reasons. No vibrations in the blade a quieter razor. I said earlier that steep angle shaving strokes was the only commonality from DE. Add blade rigidity and acute bevel angles. The wear on a DE razors edge will round the edge of an acute edge to an obtuse edge and angle. Single use Feathers minimizing obtuse blade edges. Sotiris I am realizing these similarities as I’m responding. Not surprised now that I gravitate towards the same dynamics that work effectively for MY SHAVE in DE. The good news is I leaned and quickly went that way. It is not taking a year to figure those parts out like it did with DE. So being a different shave system with new blade technique did not cancel the preferences I’ve established in DE. Subliminally the first qualities I sought out in SR. I think I moved up a quarter inch on the the learning curve.

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This is the 15x that I purchased but prefer the 10x that I bought first. You do need good over the stone light. I don’t know about led but read a comment that it was not a desirable light for blade study.

Belomo Loupe Store - the Best Loupes for all intents and purposes - http://belomostore.com/
was where I purchased the 10x loupe which I prefer. My opinion 10x is easier for me to focus. I’m an old dude with cataracts done and bI-focal‘s required.

Your preferences make sense. For similar reasons I am looking at full hollow and extra hollow grinds. I'm happy with 6/8, I probably hit the bullseye with that purchase. It suits me aesthetically, too.

I strongly believe in using almost constant setups for prolonged periods, especially when learning new skills. It would drive me crazy trying to figure out what works and what doesn't, if I would use a different razor per shave.

The Belomo loupe looks great! I'll see if I can find it in an EU store.

 

[Sotiris_A]

SR Shave #20 (#5 after retouch):

• Pre-shave: Warm water
• Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8
• Brush: Muhle STF xl
• Soap: Mitchell's Wool Fat
• ASL: Pitralon Classic

• Method: 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG(neck)/XTG(face), 3rd ATG.
• Result: Very Close and comfortable. No blood, no irritation. Excellent post-shave feel.
• Satisfaction: 10/10

Notes:

1. Pre-shave stropping: 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather. Post-shave stropping: 20 laps on canvas, 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather.
2. Sublime MWF lather. I only needed a bit more work during the super-slow ATG pass. This makes me very happy because I love the Fat!
3. Despite yesterday's remarks, the razor felt great today. Light touch, well-hydrated lather and shallow angle work very well.
4. Still in restrain.

Happy shaves and have a wonderful day!

 

[JoWolf]

Your preferences make sense. For similar reasons I am looking at full hollow and extra hollow grinds. I'm happy with 6/8, I probably hit the bullseye with that purchase. It suits me aesthetically, too.

I strongly believe in using almost constant setups for prolonged periods, especially when learning new skills. It would drive me crazy trying to figure out what works and what doesn't, if I would use a different razor per shave.

The Belomo loupe looks great! I'll see if I can find it in an EU store.

I strongly believe in using almost constant setups for prolonged periods, especially when learning new skills.

When I transitioned from carts to DE I acquired a dozen razors very quickly. Within a couple of months I whittled that down to three razors, and started to journal. It was very simple and very easy to pick one out of the three. Every one has a shave style with preferences that may be better suited to a particular razor.
During this time I had bought three or four brushes and built five more. I was also moving through over a dozen soaps on hand. I had the One Razor, settled on Seven Beautiful Brushes, five I put together. Settled on One Soap. Now it was very easy to perfect My DE Shave.

would drive me crazy trying to figure out what works and what doesn't, if I would use a different razor per shave.

I found the De journey frustrating in the early going, but I remained focused and methodical to build a shave. To suit my skin, beard, efficiency and comfort. I have always been a BBS dude. I continue to use that Built Shave in efficiency, comfort and luxury. This was all accomplished in a year. Adding a different razor although completely different in required disciplines is a Straight forward simple add on. The honing is an added bonus and a thrill to learn new skills.
I am following the exact same pattern with the SR razors as I did with DE. Get a group refine and choose the best suited to my shave style and preferences. Use a couple to develop my shave. Revisit remaining razors. Lose the razors that are not effective in My Shave, refine the technique with the remaining.

The photo of my sharpening tub has tripled in stones and equipment. The tub allows complete mobility. I can hone on the patio or in the basement. Mobility & Storage.

Having a plan and developing it for each segment of my Shave and equipment was the easiest way to quickly and efficiently move through and sort out the variables that most suit My Shave.

My Father-in-law always advised me, It’s easy when you know how. The sooner you get there.......

 

[Rosseforp]

A loupe is a must have in my mind. I spotted a cheap one with a led light on it. This might do the trick for now.

This is what I use, an old Mitutoyo Pocket Comparator model 183-101 that I got in the 1970's to check threads, radius, and angles with as a young machinist. Mine came in a case with assorted reticles to check parts with. It is 7x and delivers a stellar view of the edge.
They aren't cheap though. Amazon has a Mitutoyo 183-904 that is almost the same as mine at 8x for around $100, and I also saw one listed as a 7x loupe for $22 Mitutoyo 7x loupe

 

[Sotiris_A]

When I transitioned from carts to DE I acquired a dozen razors very quickly. Within a couple of months I whittled that down to three razors, and started to journal. It was very simple and very easy to pick one out of the three. Every one has a shave style with preferences that may be better suited to a particular razor.
During this time I had bought three or four brushes and built five more. I was also moving through over a dozen soaps on hand. I had the One Razor, settled on Seven Beautiful Brushes, five I put together. Settled on One Soap. Now it was very easy to perfect My DE Shave.


I found the De journey frustrating in the early going, but I remained focused and methodical to build a shave. To suit my skin, beard, efficiency and comfort. I have always been a BBS dude. I continue to use that Built Shave in efficiency, comfort and luxury. This was all accomplished in a year. Adding a different razor although completely different in required disciplines is a Straight forward simple add on. The honing is an added bonus and a thrill to learn new skills.
I am following the exact same pattern with the SR razors as I did with DE. Get a group refine and choose the best suited to my shave style and preferences. Use a couple to develop my shave. Revisit remaining razors. Lose the razors that are not effective in My Shave, refine the technique with the remaining.

The photo of my sharpening tub has tripled in stones and equipment. The tub allows complete mobility. I can hone on the patio or in the basement. Mobility & Storage.

Having a plan and developing it for each segment of my Shave and equipment was the easiest way to quickly and efficiently move through and sort out the variables that most suit My Shave.

My Father-in-law always advised me, It’s easy when you know how. The sooner you get there.......

That's a very good plan but it requires some initial investment and commitment. I usually test the waters first and then go full on.

My DE story is the typical one, go nuts during the first year or so and try to thin the herd later. I still suffer from BAD, but nowadays most of my almost 30 brushes are in storage. I keep 2 badgers, 3 synthetics and a couple of boars around. The latter have the best face feel for me, but the lather dries out too quickly for my slow SR shaves. I am also curious to try a couple new soaps, but we'll see if I take the plunge after all.

 

[Sotiris_A]

This is what I use, an old Mitutoyo Pocket Comparator model 183-101 that I got in the 1970's to check threads, radius, and angles with as a young machinist. Mine came in a case with assorted reticles to check parts with. It is 7x and delivers a stellar view of the edge.
They aren't cheap though. Amazon has a Mitutoyo 183-904 that is almost the same as mine at 8x for around $100, and I also saw one listed as a 7x loupe for $22 Mitutoyo 7x loupe
View attachment 1200425

Nice one! It reminds me of magnifier loupes used to inspect slides and film negatives. There is a quite affordable one, available in the local market.

 

[Sotiris_A]

SR Shave #21 (#6 after retouch):

• Pre-shave: Warm water
• Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8
• Brush: Simpsons Chubby 1 best
• Soap: Mitchell's Wool Fat
• ASL: Aqua Velva

• Method: 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG(neck)/XTG(face), 3rd ATG.
• Result: Close (a bit less than yesterday) and comfortable. No blood, no irritation. Excellent post-shave feel.
• Satisfaction: 9/10

Notes:

1. Pre-shave stropping: 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather. Post-shave stropping: 20 laps on canvas, 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather.
2. Nice lather today, but synthetics work better. It turned airy during the last pass and I struggled a bit trying to fix it.
3. The razor felt very good once again. It didn't pass the HHT test near the tip with flying colors after the shave and stropping. I hope that tomorrow's stropping session will suffice.
4. Still in restrain.

Happy shaves and have a wonderful day!

 

[Sotiris_A]

SR Shave #22 (#7 after retouch):

• Pre-shave: Warm water
• Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8
• Brush: Semogue 610
• Soap: Valobra Patchouly
• ASL: Le Pere Lucien Oud-Santal

• Method: 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG(neck)/XTG(face), 3rd ATG.
• Result: Close and comfortable. No blood, no irritation. Excellent post-shave feel.

Notes:

1. Pre-shave stropping: 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather. Post-shave stropping: 20 laps on canvas, 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather.
2. The tap water at home is hard to very hard. Today, I decided to experience the soap slickness when using soft water. I mixed some distilled water with some from the tap at a ratio of about 75/25. Indeed, the lather was significantly more slick and there was quite a bit more residual slickness, too. The downside is that the shave was more comfortable than close and I had to do some touch ups to improve it. I am not sure if it is worth the extra effort.
3. The razor felt great. No hesitation whatsoever, probably due to the lather as well.
4. Still in restrain. The last few shaves make me question whether I need to purchase anything new. Welcome to my world of indecision...

Happy shaves and have a wonderful day!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

The tap water at home is hard to very hard. Today, I decided to experience the soap slickness when using soft water. I mixed some distilled water with some from the tap at a ratio of about 75/25. Indeed, the lather was significantly more slick and there was quite a bit more residual slickness, too. The downside is that the shave was more comfortable than close and I had to do some touch ups to improve it. I am not sure if it is worth the extra effort.

@Cal adds citric acid to his hard water, and has found several benefits.

 

[Rosseforp]

SR Shave #22 (#7 after retouch):

• Pre-shave: Warm water
• Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8
• Brush: Semogue 610
• Soap: Valobra Patchouly
• ASL: Le Pere Lucien Oud-Santal

• Method: 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG(neck)/XTG(face), 3rd ATG.
• Result: Close and comfortable. No blood, no irritation. Excellent post-shave feel.

Notes:

1. Pre-shave stropping: 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather. Post-shave stropping: 20 laps on canvas, 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather.
2. The tap water at home is hard to very hard. Today, I decided to experience the soap slickness when using soft water. I mixed some distilled water with some from the tap at a ratio of about 75/25. Indeed, the lather was significantly more slick and there was quite a bit more residual slickness, too. The downside is that the shave was more comfortable than close and I had to do some touch ups to improve it. I am not sure if it is worth the extra effort.
3. The razor felt great. No hesitation whatsoever, probably due to the lather as well.
4. Still in restrain. The last few shaves make me question whether I need to purchase anything new. Welcome to my world of indecision...

Happy shaves and have a wonderful day!

View attachment 1200866

I just fill my water mug from a Sparklets type dispenser, or from our reverse osmosis filter, works the same, easy and no hassle. Greatly improved the lather over our hard tap water. Citric acid also works but is more work.

 

[Sotiris_A]

@Cal adds citric acid to his hard water, and has found several benefits.

I just fill my water mug from a Sparklets type dispenser, or from our reverse osmosis filter, works the same, easy and no hassle. Greatly improved the lather over our hard tap water. Citric acid also works but is more work.

When I started using shaving soap and lathering with a brush, I was living in Sydney where the water is quite soft. Once I moved back to Athens, I struggled for a couple of months trying to readjust my habits to the water over here. Distilled water, mix of distilled and tap water, citric acid, bottled water, I briefly tried them all. In the end, I accepted that I would consume more soap to get a good lather (~0.75 gr per shave is my estimate with hard soaps) and moved on. It is working for shaving with a DE razor.

Today it was just an experiment, because slickness is crucial with a SR. I might retry all these methods to see if there is any significant benefit. That said, there is a high probability that I will get bored again and keep burning through my soap stock faster.

 

[Sotiris_A]

SR Shave #23 (#8 after retouch):

• Pre-shave: Shower
• Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8
• Brush: Tony Forsyth Tuxedo 24mm
• Soap: Speick stick
• ASL: Speick

• Method: 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG(neck)/XTG(face), 3rd ATG.
• Result: Very close and comfortable. I missed a spot at the right corner of the lip, but I couldn't be bothered. A tiny nick on the upper lip, no irritation. Very good post-shave feel.

Notes:

Pre-shave stropping: 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather. Post-shave stropping: 20 laps on canvas, 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather.

I wanted to test the last of my favorite soaps with a DE razor and this one passed the test with flying colors. Easy to lather, excellent slickness, absorbs quite a bit of water, it can reach the thin and slick consistency I like and the scent is pretty mild and pleasant. I never did the direct comparison with Valobra before. After today's shave I can say that I like Speick better. Do I find it better performing than Tabac? We'll see. For now my ranking is: MWF, Tabac, Speick, Valobra and then the rest I've ever tried.

With shave sticks, I apply a bit of soap on the chin and upper lip. It tends to be enough and I get to work and prepare better the areas with the tougher stubble. Yesterday's slickness was due to higher density and that didn't help with the closeness of the shave. Today's lather was just right, the razor was gliding easily, but I could shave closer to the skin with the super shallow angle I am using.

The razor felt great again. It was a bit more difficult ATG under the nose, but that's normal after 8 shaves. Other than that, it was like day one!

I bought a loupe and I am heading to the city center to pick it up. I'll upload photos and first impressions later.


Happy shaves and have a wonderful day!

 

[Sotiris_A]

SR Shave #24 (#9 after retouch):

• Pre-shave: Warm water
• Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8
• Brush: Omega 10018
• Soap: Valobra Patchouly
• ASL: LPL Oud-Santal

• Method: 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG(neck)/XTG(face), 3rd ATG.
• Result: Very close result and reasonably comfortable. I sensed some hesitation in a couple of tougher spots. No blood, no irritation and excellent post-shave feel.

Notes:

Pre-shave stropping: 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather. Post-shave stropping: 20 laps on canvas, 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather.

I love the scrubby and small 10018. It lathers great and doesn't steal much if at all. It is a great match with Valobra which tends to be in the denser side.

The razor felt very good. The edge had a harder time going ATG under the chin and the nose, but I'll see if this is true tomorrow. The result though is very, very close.

I bought a loupe and I am heading to the city center to pick it up. I'll upload photos and first impressions later.

After seeing @Rosseforp 's one, I had a look at the local photo stores and found this:

It is like a small photo lens, it consists of 4 elements and has a focus ring. It works very well! I need to learn how to manipulate the light in order to get a good look on the edge. What I found are the following:

1. The toe is more worn out and there are 3 tiny chips right where I had a problem earlier on.
2. There is some unevenness in the bevel. It is wider at the toe and heel than in the center.
3. There is some extra unevenness between the two sides, with the one on the printed side being a bit wider.

Do all these matter? Probably not, but it is good to know for the next time I retouch the edge.

Happy shaves and have a wonderful day!

 

[Rosseforp]

1. There is some unevenness in the bevel. It is wider at the toe and heel than in the center.
2. There is some extra unevenness between the two sides, with the one on the printed side being a bit wider.

My Dovo (the razor next to the loupe) is just like that, shaves fine.

 

[JoWolf]

SR Shave #24 (#9 after retouch):

• Pre-shave: Warm water
• Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8
• Brush: Omega 10018
• Soap: Valobra Patchouly
• ASL: LPL Oud-Santal

• Method: 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG(neck)/XTG(face), 3rd ATG.
• Result: Very close result and reasonably comfortable. I sensed some hesitation in a couple of tougher spots. No blood, no irritation and excellent post-shave feel.

Notes:

Pre-shave stropping: 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather. Post-shave stropping: 20 laps on canvas, 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather.

I love the scrubby and small 10018. It lathers great and doesn't steal much if at all. It is a great match with Valobra which tends to be in the denser side.

The razor felt very good. The edge had a harder time going ATG under the chin and the nose, but I'll see if this is true tomorrow. The result though is very, very close.


View attachment 1201629



After seeing @Rosseforp 's one, I had a look at the local photo stores and found this:

View attachment 1201628

It is like a small photo lens, it consists of 4 elements and has a focus ring. It works very well! I need to learn how to manipulate the light in order to get a good look on the edge. What I found are the following:

1. The toe is more worn out and there are 3 tiny chips right where I had a problem earlier on.
2. There is some unevenness in the bevel. It is wider at the toe and heel than in the center.
3. There is some extra unevenness between the two sides, with the one on the printed side being a bit wider.

Do all these matter? Probably not, but it is good to know for the next time I retouch the edge.

Happy shaves and have a wonderful day!

Do all these matter? Probably not, but it is good to know for the next time I retouch the edge.

They only matter if the shave is uncomfortable, tugging, or scratchy. Chips can not be removed with a polishing stone. You can polish and shine them up real good. 1K and a bevel set is the quickest way to deal with chips. Do you oil your blade before putting it away? A drop of oil rubbed between finger tip and thumb and then smeared onto the blade will protect the edge between uses. I use mineral oil. Even a drop of olive oil would protect the apex of the edge, which is always oxidizing if not protected.

 

[Sotiris_A]

They only matter if the shave is uncomfortable, tugging, or scratchy. Chips can not be removed with a polishing stone. You can polish and shine them up real good. 1K and a bevel set is the quickest way to deal with chips. Do you oil your blade before putting it away? A drop of oil rubbed between finger tip and thumb and then smeared onto the blade will protect the edge between uses. I use mineral oil. Even a drop of olive oil would protect the apex of the edge, which is always oxidizing if not protected.

The razor still shaves very well. There is a small drop in the duration of the shave, but even now, 14hrs later you could still say that it is a SAS.

Can they not be removed with a finishing stone even though they are only visible with a 10x loupe?

Actually I don't use any oil. I just wipe it thoroughly with paper towel after the shave and strop 20 times on linen and 60 times on leather. Since I use it daily, I figured that it is not needed.

 

[JoWolf]

The razor still shaves very well. There is a small drop in the duration of the shave, but even now, 14hrs later you could still say that it is a SAS.

Can they not be removed with a finishing stone even though they are only visible with a 10x loupe?

Actually I don't use any oil. I just wipe it thoroughly with paper towel after the shave and strop 20 times on linen and 60 times on leather. Since I use it daily, I figured that it is not needed.

Can they not be removed with a finishing stone even though they are only visible with a 10x loupe?

Anything can be removed with a finishing stone but nobody wants to spend days doing it.
Please watch the honing video again. The 1k stone is abrasive enough, without being too abrasive to Set the bevel angle which should be free of any imperfections along a true keen edge. The 1k edge should be able to without any pressure slice the thinnest slices of translucent tomato or grape skin at three to six points of the blade length. You now have a bevel set with a 1k stone. My progression from there is 3k, 8k, and 12k. The job of the 3k is to Polish or remove the the 1k striations (Scratches). The job of the 8k is to Polish or remove the 3k striations (Scratches). The job of the 12k. You get the idea. Beginners like us may be too impatient and move off a stone Too Quickly. Bad idea.
Many can and will shave off an 8k stone. Your grandad only ever used a shave hone, not as good an edge as the 8k, but it worked for them.
After a bevel set on a 1k. A properly finished edge should only require stropping and after quite a few shaves if desired maybe a touch up on an 8 or 12k. In my case both. ( because I have both) A 1k should only be used to set a bevel and or remove blade edge imperfections chips, a blade smile, a blade frown. Once a bevel is set and the apex of that edge is properly protected and maintained a razor should deliver many, many shaves. Some dudes go years. The balsa crowd are some of these dudes.

MOST IMPORTANTLY FLAT STONES. Non of the above can be Easily accomplished without Flat Stones. Review the first video Lapping Stones.

Actually I don't use any oil.
All carbon steel blades Oxidize without protection no Exceptions.
Oxidation makes it real easy for micro chips to enlarge, expand until you can see the Larger ones with a 10x.

I figured that it is not needed.

Depends on your maintenance, more protection less maintenance. The Apex of the edges on your blades are the most delicate things you have in your house. The more you treat them that way the better the shave.

Simple Straight Razor Honing

When I first became seriously interested in this topic about four years ago, consistently honing a straight razor to the level of keenness required for a close, comfortable shave challenged me. Hav…

scienceofsharp.com

 

[Sotiris_A]

SR Shave #25 (#10 after retouch):

• Pre-shave: Warm water
• Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8
• Brush: Muhle STF xl
• Soap: MWF
• ASL: I completely forgot about it. I'll probably use some moisturizer in the evening if needed.

• Method: 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG(neck)/XTG(face), 3rd ATG.
• Result: Close result but there was a bit of resistance in the tougher spots. No blood, no irritation and very good post-shave feel.

Notes:

Pre-shave stropping: 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather. Post-shave stropping: 20 laps on canvas, 40 normal and 20 x-strokes on leather.

I was in a rush today and I went with things I know well. From start to finish this lasted 20-25mins, including stropping. Fastest so far. The lather was excellent and the fact that all passes were relatively quick, meant that I didn't need to reapply that much during each pass.

The razor felt OK-ish. The edge had a harder time and I decided it was time for a retouch.

Anything can be removed with a finishing stone but nobody wants to spend days doing it.
Please watch the honing video again. The 1k stone is abrasive enough, without being too abrasive to Set the bevel angle which should be free of any imperfections along a true keen edge. The 1k edge should be able to without any pressure slice the thinnest slices of translucent tomato or grape skin at three to six points of the blade length. You now have a bevel set with a 1k stone. My progression from there is 3k, 8k, and 12k. The job of the 3k is to Polish or remove the the 1k striations (Scratches). The job of the 8k is to Polish or remove the 3k striations (Scratches). The job of the 12k. You get the idea. Beginners like us may be too impatient and move off a stone Too Quickly. Bad idea.
Many can and will shave off an 8k stone. Your grandad only ever used a shave hone, not as good an edge as the 8k, but it worked for them.
After a bevel set on a 1k. A properly finished edge should only require stropping and after quite a few shaves if desired maybe a touch up on an 8 or 12k. In my case both. ( because I have both) A 1k should only be used to set a bevel and or remove blade edge imperfections chips, a blade smile, a blade frown. Once a bevel is set and the apex of that edge is properly protected and maintained a razor should deliver many, many shaves. Some dudes go years. The balsa crowd are some of these dudes.

MOST IMPORTANTLY FLAT STONES. Non of the above can be Easily accomplished without Flat Stones. Review the first video Lapping Stones.



Depends on your maintenance, more protection less maintenance. The Apex of the edges on your blades are the most delicate things you have in your house. The more you treat them that way the better the shave.

Simple Straight Razor Honing

When I first became seriously interested in this topic about four years ago, consistently honing a straight razor to the level of keenness required for a close, comfortable shave challenged me. Hav…

scienceofsharp.com

Of course you were right!

After retouching the edge and despite the fact that I took my time, the tiny chips are smaller but still there.

Here is what I did. After lapping the stone, I started the process with a bit of slurry and quickly diluted it. Finished under running water and stropped on canvas and leather. Quick inspection and another lapping of the stone before restarting with x-strokes under running water until the razor felt sticky. The final step on the stone was with lather, followed by thoroughly stropping on canvas and leather.

I think this will suffice until next week, when the new stones will arrive. I finally ordered the Naniwa Pro 1k and 3k, as well as the super stone s2-8k. I also added a bottle of camelia oil and some extra items. I'll add photos here once I get them. Fingers crossed, I'll be able to use them correctly.

Happy new year and best wishes for you and your families!