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Stubble Trouble's Straight Journey

Shave No: 8

Strop: Star Shaving 3" Black Latigo - 20/50 Pre/Post
Time Since Last Hone: 5 Shaves
Hones: Unknown
Time Since Last Touch Up: 0 Shaves
Touch Up: Chromox 0.5 Micron on Balsa / 5 Laps
Prep: Shower, scrub beard with Cetaphil, rinse, repeat, hydrate well
Brush: Mühle silver tip
Software: Mitchell's Wool Fat
Razor: Gold Dollar - 3/4 - Round Point
Growth (days): 1
Method: Three Passes - WTG, WTG, some XTG / ATG
Post: WH / Osage Rub / Proraso Menthol Green

Results: CCS+ No cuts, nicks, weepers. Minor glow at base of neck

Remarks: The touch-up seemed to work well, even though I admittedly wouldn't have known if it had degraded the edge slightly. Either way, the new strop and first touch-up was good enough for my skill level. Also nice that things went well after a week-long hiatus.

Questions: None today

Work On: Stretching the skin! Angle, Stropping, Pressure, Proper Handling, etc.
 
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Thanks! Here's hoping I can avoid lacerating it!

Just don't worry about trying to strop fast, and you shouldn't have much trouble with that. lol Every time I've ever nicked a strop it was a combination of speed and then lack of focus. So really, just stay on task and paying attention to the blade.
 
Shave No: 9

Strop: Star Shaving 3" Black Latigo - 20/50 Pre/Post
Time Since Last Hone: 4 Shaves
Hones: Chosera 1K, 2K, 5K / Suehiro 10, 15, 20 Japanese synthetic stones
Time Since Last Touch Up: 0 Shaves
Touch Up: Chromox 0.5 Micron on Balsa / 15 Laps
Prep: Shower, scrub beard with Cetaphil, rinse, repeat, hydrate well
Brush: Semogue 1250 Boar
Software: Stirling Barbershop Soap
Razor: Redge Sheffield Made - 9/16 - Round Point
Growth (days): 1
Method: Three Passes - WTG, XTG, XTG / Some ATG
Post: WH / Osage Rub / Proraso Menthol Green

Results: DFS. One area of junk on the neck that's a usual spot, otherwise I can only feel stubble ATG. A pronounced burn below the right jaw corner where I know I was digging a little too much without attention to details. Very little visible irritation anywhere and no weepers or nicks.

Remarks: I'm very happy that:


  • The touch-up also went well with this razor (both got the chromox yesterday). I really think I may have rounded it beforehand, but whatever, it shaved well today!
  • Stropping is also coming along. I can feel the tactile differences that a quality strop presents.
  • The shave quality (well, the good shaves) is beginning to approach that of my DE shaving at about 2 months. That's pretty remarkable

In general, I feel a bit of feedback during the final rinses, which had become a rare occasion with DE shaving. Again, nothing surprising here. If this is the result at 8 shaves, I can only imagine how things are going to be with more experience.

Work On: Angle, Stropping, Pressure, Proper Handling, etc.
 
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Rambling is fun... but lots of structured data certainly adds an extra dimension.

looks like you are off to a flying start.... Your honing sounds way more effective than mine - but flailing around on stones still fun.
 
Flying? I'm flying right now, and unfortunately, straights don't travel in carry on bags. No worries though. Plenty of time to learn!
 
Shave No: 10

Strop: Star Shaving 3" Black Latigo - 20/50 Pre/Post
Time Since Last Hone: 6 Shaves
Hones: Unknown
Time Since Last Touch Up: 1 Shaves
Touch Up: Chromox 0.5 Micron on Balsa / 5 Laps
Prep: Shower, scrub beard with Cetaphil, rinse, repeat, hydrate well
Brush: TOBS RT3S Super Badger
Software: Mitchell's Wool Fat
Razor: Gold Dollar - 3/4 - Round Point
Growth (days): 1.5
Method: Three Passes - WTG, WTG, some XTG
Post: WH / Osage Rub / Proraso Menthol Green

Results: CCS. No cuts or nicks, but a few weepers. No burning.

Remarks: Meh... CCS-. It's been over a week since I last shaved with a straight and I was slightly distracted. The razor felt plenty sharp, but I confess the lather was a bit on the dry side for the first pass - Getting used to a new big and thirsty badger as well.

Questions: None

Work On: Angle, Stropping, Pressure, Proper Handling, etc.
 
Good lather ranks up there high just as much as the other factors. Still sounds like you are doing better than I did first starting out with a straight.
 
Lots of moving pieces, so a new brush or different soap can add to the challenge if that impacts your lather. When I started I wondered if I should stick with one set up to learn. It probably would have increased the speed to proficiency, but I really enjoy the variety of soaps, brushes, and razors available.
 
Lots of moving pieces, so a new brush or different soap can add to the challenge if that impacts your lather. When I started I wondered if I should stick with one set up to learn. It probably would have increased the speed to proficiency, but I really enjoy the variety of soaps, brushes, and razors available.

Yup. Too much fun to switch things up! Just off of a great shave today, but I'm on my iPad / tapatalk so the formatting isn't possible. I'll post the specifics in a bit once I'm on my Mac.
 
Shave No: 11

Strop: Star Shaving 3" Black Latigo - 20/50 Pre/Post
Time Since Last Hone: 7 Shaves
Hones: Unknown
Time Since Last Touch Up: 2 Shaves
Touch Up: Chromox 0.5 Micron on Balsa / 5 Laps
Prep: Shower, scrub beard with Cetaphil, rinse, repeat, hydrate well
Brush: Semogue 1250 Boar
Software: Stirling Sandalwood
Razor: Gold Dollar - 3/4 - Round Point
Growth (days): 1
Method: Three Passes - WTG, WTG, some XTG
Post: WH / Osage Rub / Proraso Menthol Green

Results: DFS. No cuts or nicks, weepers. No burning or redness.

Remarks: Why is it that a mediocre shave's always followed by a great one? Nice, leisurely shave this afternoon. There are just a few spots that are rougher than others as usual. I focused on some other spots, such as the square of the jaw, with more strokes. I'm beginning to see why some report that you can get away with more strokes using a straight.

Questions: None

Work On: Angle, Stropping, Pressure, Proper Handling, etc.
 
Shave No: 12

Strop: Star Shaving 3" Black Latigo - 20/50 Pre/Post
Time Since Last Hone: 8 Shaves
Hones: Unknown
Time Since Last Touch Up: 3 Shaves
Touch Up: Chromox 0.5 Micron on Balsa / 5 Laps
Prep: Shower, scrub beard with Cetaphil, rinse, repeat, hydrate well
Brush: Semogue 1250 Boar
Software: Stirling Tea Tree
Razor: Gold Dollar - 3/4 - Round Point
Growth (days): 1
Method: Three Passes - WTG, WTG, some XTG
Post: WH / Osage Rub / Proraso Menthol Green

Results: DFS. No cuts, nicks or weepers. Minor burning and redness on one area of lower neck.

Remarks: I suppose today's results are pretty much the same as yesterday, perhaps even slightly better. Can feel stubble everywhere rubbing ATG, and there's still some junk on the lower neck. Angle or something's off working that area because it was starting to feel irritated during the shave. I knew I had to give it up to avoid all out bumps and burning. The face and jawline were quite comfortable and I suppose I could have done more passes there.

There's no degradation of the razor that I can detect between shaves, so that indicates my stropping isn't working counter productively. I'm also trying not to get too comfortable with the stropping laps as I have visions of slicing through the beautiful leather :scared:. Nice and slow.

I always shaved with my right hand before, but thankfully, the left handed thingy isn't going badly at all.

I have to admit it's nice to 'cheat' when I simply cannot have a str8 to shave and only have a DE at my disposal. I know that I'm going to have BBS results with zero irritation, if so desired. It's somewhat ironic that I'm 'leaving' something in which I've worked very hard (and achieved much deserved results), but I'm just not programmed to turn down a challenge and I bank on reports of str8 shave quality surpassing DE shaves!

Anyway, I sit here rubbing my face and can only tell myself that I had nowhere near these results after 12 DE shaves under my belt. It's going to get much, much better!

Surprise, I felt like rambling today :001_tt2:

Questions: None

Work On: Angle, Stropping, Pressure, Proper Handling for other pass directions, etc.
 

rockviper

I got moves like Jagger
It's all because of us figuring out what NOT to do for him!
I predict he'll learn what a tragus is within a few weeks. :001_tt2:
 
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