Trust me...in the honing world of you, him, and I.....you sir are GOD! Lol
no seriously the thing has a great edge and gives a great shave.....though admittedly my amusement comes from him using MY razor on his face!
forever in the 50s
sweetietodd
Tyrionstark's straight razor journal - part deux
- Thread starter tyrionstark
- Start date
no seriously the thing has a great edge and gives a great shave.....though admittedly my amusement comes from him using MY razor on his face!forever in the 50s
sweetietodd
Mark is being a bit modest. He puts a pretty darn nice edge on a blade. I'd take it any day
Tyrion,
Sounds like your shaves are progressing nicely. Fifteen minutes for 3 passes is darn fast in straight shaving - at least for me it is.
Sounds like your shaves are progressing nicely. Fifteen minutes for 3 passes is darn fast in straight shaving - at least for me it is.
- Thread starter
- #24
Well...the third pass was with my DE so call it 13 minutes for two passes....still...made it to work on time.
- Thread starter
- #25
Not to self - don't use a dull razor. That's today's learning. So I went back to the Wilbert for some reason that's beyond me, 60 laps on leather and started a nice slow prep so I could rock our vintage crawl. TDG came in to watch but left without a word halfway through my first pass. I should have just stopped using the razor after the first few strokes at I was getting a lot of tugging even though I had a nice slick Mama Bear's lather going. She couldn't watch once I got to my neck.
So I somehow completed two uncomfortable passes and then went ATG with the DE. So as I look at honing stones I am now quite confident that I'll know what a crummy edge feels like. (Also got a nice little cut by my ear...not sure that was the edge though but some in attention to the Spanish point on the razor.) oddly, for as uncomfortable as the shave was I did not have any residual burn or rawness. (Which tells me my technique was at least 'okay') Let my skin soak up some Floid Balsamo ASB (this stuff is magic) finished with a few hits of Hugo and threw away the razor. (Okay...maybe not....but it's out of the rotation.)
I've been expecting some regression. Not sure this qualifies, but it certainly felt like a step back. Taking Sunday off and wondering about the lapping film I have in my cabinet......
So I somehow completed two uncomfortable passes and then went ATG with the DE. So as I look at honing stones I am now quite confident that I'll know what a crummy edge feels like. (Also got a nice little cut by my ear...not sure that was the edge though but some in attention to the Spanish point on the razor.) oddly, for as uncomfortable as the shave was I did not have any residual burn or rawness. (Which tells me my technique was at least 'okay') Let my skin soak up some Floid Balsamo ASB (this stuff is magic) finished with a few hits of Hugo and threw away the razor. (Okay...maybe not....but it's out of the rotation.)
I've been expecting some regression. Not sure this qualifies, but it certainly felt like a step back. Taking Sunday off and wondering about the lapping film I have in my cabinet......
Honing film.. I tried it for the first time Friday. I was refreshing an edge on 1um over wet paper. 20 laps did the trick followed by linen and leather. Results were great for my first time bringing an edge back.
- Thread starter
- #27
So new job and training in a new facility this week has kept me busy and behind on my posts. TDG has been very Ill as well and hasn't been able to get up with me in the morning which has added a new level of difficulty to the morning shave.....no coffee. (for those who don't follow SweetieTodd's vintage gal thread head over to the Barbershop. Since we switched to the space ship glass 50's percolator I have completely lost the ability to make coffee........)
So Monday I borrowed TDG's recent pif win gold dollar with custom scales. I've got to say I was suitably impressed. The edge is fine and there nice heft in the razor. The only difficulty I had was with the thickness of the scales, it made a few of my more creative grips a tad difficult. And also no coffee. It's a big blade but I had no issues with a WTG and XTG pass. I've started following the exact pattern of my DE shaves to follow the grain. It's makes for some odd angles but I'm getting much better results on the chin and jaw. Finished up with an ATG pass with my Atlas and the alum had almost nothing to say to me. I'm getting much more comfortable with TDG watching me shave with a straight, but today she had Captain James T Kirk (our dog) in her lap and decided that that was a good time to check him for ticks. A noble pursuit to be sure, but he doesnt really like that and started barking. It was good practice if I ever need to straight razor shave during a drive by shooting but otherwise I'm not in a hurry to repeat the experience.
Tuesday - got up way too late....and no coffee. I did a three pass de shave faster than I ever have in my life. Look, I don't know if it's because of the attention I pay to my SR shaves...but it was the best shave Ive ever gotten. It was literally zero pressure and fast! All at the correct angles and the alum fell asleep on me. It was unreal. Facesturbated all day. Got weird looks at the new office.
Wed - went back to TDG's Morley. What a fine razor. Really appreciating the barbers notch and the razor's agility. As much as I love my Frederick Reynolds....it may not be too long before it heads to the b/s/t. Had the house to myself in the morning and did not have to rush....but alas.....no coffee. I resisted the urge to try an ATG pass. I want another few weeks with just the two and then I'll move on. It might just be convincing myself that I am close in technique to getting DFS with only a straight...but i don't think Im there yet. Just need repetition and experience and the ATG will come into play soon.....maybe on my birthday in July.
Thurs - So much for repetition. Today I had coffee! And toast with homemade jam and cereal with fresh raspberries and a nice morning with the loves of my life, TDG and my beautiful baby girl. But holy moly did I run out of time. My shaves are close enough that I could probably get by without shaving for a day, but I just can't do it. So I dug around in the recesses of the den and found a bottle of Lucky Tiger shaving liquid. Just apply to face. Man this stuff is slick! Did a quick drag XTG with the ATT and sped to work. Okay...not my best shave ever, but it's an answer to the 'emergency can of shave gel and a Mach 3' that's lurked in my den in the past.
So Monday I borrowed TDG's recent pif win gold dollar with custom scales. I've got to say I was suitably impressed. The edge is fine and there nice heft in the razor. The only difficulty I had was with the thickness of the scales, it made a few of my more creative grips a tad difficult. And also no coffee. It's a big blade but I had no issues with a WTG and XTG pass. I've started following the exact pattern of my DE shaves to follow the grain. It's makes for some odd angles but I'm getting much better results on the chin and jaw. Finished up with an ATG pass with my Atlas and the alum had almost nothing to say to me. I'm getting much more comfortable with TDG watching me shave with a straight, but today she had Captain James T Kirk (our dog) in her lap and decided that that was a good time to check him for ticks. A noble pursuit to be sure, but he doesnt really like that and started barking. It was good practice if I ever need to straight razor shave during a drive by shooting but otherwise I'm not in a hurry to repeat the experience.
Tuesday - got up way too late....and no coffee. I did a three pass de shave faster than I ever have in my life. Look, I don't know if it's because of the attention I pay to my SR shaves...but it was the best shave Ive ever gotten. It was literally zero pressure and fast! All at the correct angles and the alum fell asleep on me. It was unreal. Facesturbated all day. Got weird looks at the new office.
Wed - went back to TDG's Morley. What a fine razor. Really appreciating the barbers notch and the razor's agility. As much as I love my Frederick Reynolds....it may not be too long before it heads to the b/s/t. Had the house to myself in the morning and did not have to rush....but alas.....no coffee. I resisted the urge to try an ATG pass. I want another few weeks with just the two and then I'll move on. It might just be convincing myself that I am close in technique to getting DFS with only a straight...but i don't think Im there yet. Just need repetition and experience and the ATG will come into play soon.....maybe on my birthday in July.
Thurs - So much for repetition. Today I had coffee! And toast with homemade jam and cereal with fresh raspberries and a nice morning with the loves of my life, TDG and my beautiful baby girl. But holy moly did I run out of time. My shaves are close enough that I could probably get by without shaving for a day, but I just can't do it. So I dug around in the recesses of the den and found a bottle of Lucky Tiger shaving liquid. Just apply to face. Man this stuff is slick! Did a quick drag XTG with the ATT and sped to work. Okay...not my best shave ever, but it's an answer to the 'emergency can of shave gel and a Mach 3' that's lurked in my den in the past.
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I've done the fast brushless gel thing and a DE myself. I keep a bottle of the RazorRock shave gel around as both a preshave treatment, and for emergency use. lol
Sounds like good progress is happening!
Sounds like good progress is happening!
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- #29
So today's lesson - don't shave with a straight on a full moon Friday the 13th. Now it's a great lesson to learn, but the odds of my remembering that at the age of 75 (which is how old ill be the next time a full moon and Friday the 13th coincide) are slim.
I have nothing else to blame today. Went to bed early with TDG, got a good nights sleep and woke up early. TDG got up with me and made coffee! As well as a wonderful breakfast for me of sunny side eggs, bacon and wheat toast with home made jam....for her, a gluten free breakfast of Greek yogurt, homemade granola, gluten free bread and jam. So I was feeling right with the world as I picked out my Freddie Reynolds, gave it 60 laps on leather, whipped up a nice slick lather using TOBs St James and set to shave.
First pass went fine. TDG came in to watch and blessedly the dog was elsewhere. I had sports radio going on in the background and TDG watching a video of Astaire/Rodgers in the foreground but the feedback of the blade cut through it all. 'Wow that's loud." she said. The blade felt sharp and smooth and pass one went by with nary a hitch. And then......SON OF A @$&%#!!!!! Maybe I was watching Ginger dance, maybe I was stunned by the fact that the Red Sox actually won a game....all I know is that I lost all motor skills and when positioning the razor along my lower cheek for an XTG I dug the blade in. I think I made up a few swear words. Sooooo unhappy. Disgusted I picked up the ATT and finished the pass and watched the blood in the sink as I wiped off my face. Gabbed my styptic pencil and made up a few more colorful phrases trying to get it to close.
So here's the good news. TDG is a makeup artist. I don't mean she's good at makeup, I mean she is a professional makeup artist. Now, her busiest season is Halloween because she is a usually creating scars....and bruises and wounds.....but she assured me she was up to the task of covering up my slash so I could go to work. By gum she did! It was amazing! It almost worked too....except for the torrential rains that caught me on my way to and from lunch which washed away the makeup. I was treated to "hey, you've got something on your face" etc when I got back. It made for a long afternoon.
So what else can't say? Regression......check! Full moon....check! Friday the 13th.....check! Just pay the man and get me outta here.
I have nothing else to blame today. Went to bed early with TDG, got a good nights sleep and woke up early. TDG got up with me and made coffee! As well as a wonderful breakfast for me of sunny side eggs, bacon and wheat toast with home made jam....for her, a gluten free breakfast of Greek yogurt, homemade granola, gluten free bread and jam. So I was feeling right with the world as I picked out my Freddie Reynolds, gave it 60 laps on leather, whipped up a nice slick lather using TOBs St James and set to shave.
First pass went fine. TDG came in to watch and blessedly the dog was elsewhere. I had sports radio going on in the background and TDG watching a video of Astaire/Rodgers in the foreground but the feedback of the blade cut through it all. 'Wow that's loud." she said. The blade felt sharp and smooth and pass one went by with nary a hitch. And then......SON OF A @$&%#!!!!! Maybe I was watching Ginger dance, maybe I was stunned by the fact that the Red Sox actually won a game....all I know is that I lost all motor skills and when positioning the razor along my lower cheek for an XTG I dug the blade in. I think I made up a few swear words. Sooooo unhappy. Disgusted I picked up the ATT and finished the pass and watched the blood in the sink as I wiped off my face. Gabbed my styptic pencil and made up a few more colorful phrases trying to get it to close.
So here's the good news. TDG is a makeup artist. I don't mean she's good at makeup, I mean she is a professional makeup artist. Now, her busiest season is Halloween because she is a usually creating scars....and bruises and wounds.....but she assured me she was up to the task of covering up my slash so I could go to work. By gum she did! It was amazing! It almost worked too....except for the torrential rains that caught me on my way to and from lunch which washed away the makeup. I was treated to "hey, you've got something on your face" etc when I got back. It made for a long afternoon.
So what else can't say? Regression......check! Full moon....check! Friday the 13th.....check! Just pay the man and get me outta here.
Eh, I go to work with any slips proudly displayed. "What happened to your face?"... "Just a minor cut with a straight razor. Guess you'll think twice before whinging about a papercut again, right?" hehe
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- #31
So after my incident with the Reynolds I stopped using straights for a few days but I was helped along by an interesting razor TDG found, a Shake Sharp sE that uses DE blades.
This razor is a marvel! As depressed as I was about my straight failure...I was just astounded by the shave I got with the shake sharp..it's got a very intuitive angle and the feedback is astounding! It rapidly moved up to my second favorite DE/SE razor. I also sent out some razors to Doc as I really didn't trust most of my edges and I'm still hesitating on trying honing. In any case I'm really trying to Frankenstein a 'seven day set' and the razors came back from Doc in amazing condition!
So I'm on my second cycle through the four razors I sent out and I estimate I'm at 40 or so shaves total....and finally I'm seeing some consistency. Three nights in the last week TDG has run her hand across my face and asked "Wow, what did you shave with today?" Each time was with a different straight razor which is very cool. I really feel that the closeness of my shaves after two passes with a straight is actually closer than when I use a DE, however I'm still using my ATT for the third ATG pass.
Ive also switched almost entirely to soap over creams. MWF, T&H, Penhaglion's...just such slick lathers...they really work better for me for consistently when I'm using straights. Boy...lot of stuff being neglected in the den!
So at 40 shaves in, I think I'm about ready to try going ATG with straits....I'm furiously digging around for my emergency response list to tape to the mirror. Have to add ATG...oh and have to assemble my magnetic jig for straights....and I need to break out the honing film....I just have some work to do. Lol.
This razor is a marvel! As depressed as I was about my straight failure...I was just astounded by the shave I got with the shake sharp..it's got a very intuitive angle and the feedback is astounding! It rapidly moved up to my second favorite DE/SE razor. I also sent out some razors to Doc as I really didn't trust most of my edges and I'm still hesitating on trying honing. In any case I'm really trying to Frankenstein a 'seven day set' and the razors came back from Doc in amazing condition!
So I'm on my second cycle through the four razors I sent out and I estimate I'm at 40 or so shaves total....and finally I'm seeing some consistency. Three nights in the last week TDG has run her hand across my face and asked "Wow, what did you shave with today?" Each time was with a different straight razor which is very cool. I really feel that the closeness of my shaves after two passes with a straight is actually closer than when I use a DE, however I'm still using my ATT for the third ATG pass.
Ive also switched almost entirely to soap over creams. MWF, T&H, Penhaglion's...just such slick lathers...they really work better for me for consistently when I'm using straights. Boy...lot of stuff being neglected in the den!
So at 40 shaves in, I think I'm about ready to try going ATG with straits....I'm furiously digging around for my emergency response list to tape to the mirror. Have to add ATG...oh and have to assemble my magnetic jig for straights....and I need to break out the honing film....I just have some work to do. Lol.
Congrats so far! ATG really go as flat as possible, with the keenest edged straight you have, with the least pressure, and the wettest/slickest lather. No issue. lol
- Thread starter
- #33
So Saturday I whipped up a nice slick lather from my 1805 and set out for my first three pass shave with a straight. First two passes went fine...I've found that a scything motion works wonders on my neck and my shaves there are closer than I get with a DE...the straight really cleans up a lot! So....then I tried an ATG.
funhouse mirror time. I'm reLly going to have to watch a few videos again as no grips felt really comfortable with the straight. Still, fumbled my way through it. I think that pass is going to take a lot more shaves to make effective. Just like my wtg and xtg....cheeks were glass smooth after the atg....and that's about it. The problem spots (upper lip and chin) were very problematic and the flatter planes were butter. I resisted the urge to touch up with a DE....really want to go all straight...will keep me from loading up a backpack when I travel. No disasters at least.
Sunday I ran out of time and did just a two pass shave with a newly honed day and night razor and it was fantastic! 12 hours later and I still had a fine shave...TDG was amazed. The DEs are starting to languish in the den more and more.....
funhouse mirror time. I'm reLly going to have to watch a few videos again as no grips felt really comfortable with the straight. Still, fumbled my way through it. I think that pass is going to take a lot more shaves to make effective. Just like my wtg and xtg....cheeks were glass smooth after the atg....and that's about it. The problem spots (upper lip and chin) were very problematic and the flatter planes were butter. I resisted the urge to touch up with a DE....really want to go all straight...will keep me from loading up a backpack when I travel. No disasters at least.
Sunday I ran out of time and did just a two pass shave with a newly honed day and night razor and it was fantastic! 12 hours later and I still had a fine shave...TDG was amazed. The DEs are starting to languish in the den more and more.....
I have had a similar experience learning ATG using a SR. Luckily, a two pass SR shave is quite nice.
The light pressure, low angle, sharp edge advice is important.
I did find that my lather with SRs, unlike DE, really matters. A DE can eat anything from a thin, watery lather to a dry, almost sticky lather. With SRs, wetter and slick is definitely better and required for ATG!
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