Weck Wednesdays

[Flintstone65]

I'm late to post my shave -- and no pic this time (sorry about that). It's been a while since I've shaved with my Weck -- I missed last Wednesday -- but I tried to make it up on April 1st. Not my best shave....I cut myself (only my 2nd cut since using the Weck). The cut probably won't leave a scar (my very first cut did), but it annoyed me and it bled so much that it was difficult to get through the shave. I ended up doing 1 pass with the Weck and finishing the shave with a PAL Injectomatic (the mildest of all my injector-style razors).

I need to keep at it. I can shave my cheeks to near BBS without any issues, and I do an "okay" job on my lower throat and upper lip, but any curvature or different approach (i.e., chin and jawline) seems to just throw me for a loop, and my angle gets too steep and I either scrape or cut myself trying to maneuver that area. I'm far from giving up, but I'm also REALLY frustrated. I'll keep at it, and I'll try to use the Weck more often to get in more practice time.

Soap was Cella, lathered with a Yaqi boar. Blade was a Personna that's probably on it's 7th or 8th shave. The razor was my black handled Sextoblade.

 

[rudyt]

I'm far from giving up, but I'm also REALLY frustrated. I'll keep at it, and I'll try to use the Weck more often to get in more practice time.

Don't give up! The destination is worth enduring the bumpy road full of potholes to get there. Maybe go back to the guard for those curvy parts that give you trouble.

I've gotten lots of cuts during my journey, since over an inch long, but thankfully, never got a scar. You must have really cut yourself good.

 

[Flintstone65]

Don't give up! The destination is worth enduring the bumpy road full of potholes to get there. Maybe go back to the guard for those curvy parts that give you trouble.

I've gotten lots of cuts during my journey, since over an inch long, but thankfully, never got a scar. You must have really cut yourself good.

Thanks -- I needed those words of encouragement. I also like your idea of slipping the guard back on for certain areas. And yes, the first cut -- which wasn't the razor's fault -- came about from a twitchy shoulder/arm muscle which in turn was caused by a fall a few years ago. When I'm stressed and holding my arm at a certain angle, the muscle locks and then spasms. I can feel it coming, but I get angry at my body for betraying me and just try to "play through the pain"....but of course my body gets the final word and does what it wants to do. That blade is SHARP, and very much like a scalpel, and the blade went much deeper than just the top layer of skin. I didn't think it was that bad, but it's been several weeks and I can still see the line it made. I'm at that age where stuff heals slower, so it will undoubtedly fade over time.

 

[rudyt]

I can feel it coming, but I get angry at my body for betraying me and just try to "play through the pain"....but of course my body gets the final word and does what it wants to do.

Not a good thing when holding a sharp surgical instrument ;-) I'm probably older than you - I'm guessing by 4 years based on the 65 in your user name, so I can relate about the slower healing. I am not a bleeder and heal very well, but the discolored "line" of the cut sticks around awhile.

Remember, two steps forward and one step back is still progress.

 

[rudyt]

Apr 8: Mostly Italian Weck Wednesday

Lather: Cella "BIO" Crema di Barba
Brush: Omega S-10019 "S-Brush" (24/52mm)
Razor: Weck Sextoblade "Trade Sample Not For Sale"
Blade: Personna Hair Shaper [10]
Post: Witch Hazel w/added Vetiver EO
Balm: Proraso White Crema Liquida Dopobarba

The mid-week tradition of Weck Wednesday continues, with predicable results. Close, smooth and effortless removal of my 2-day stubble.

The Cella BIO really seems to like the Omega S-Brush - too bad I find the brush too springy.

 

[rudyt]

Apr 15: Another Italian Weck Wednesday

Lather: Cella "BIO" Crema di Barba
Brush: Omega 0196745 BLACK Hi-Brush (24/56mm)
Razor: Weck Sextoblade "Trade Sample Not For Sale"
Blade: Personna Hair Shaper [11]
Post: Witch Hazel w/added Pimenta Racemosa EO
Balm: Proraso White Crema Liquida Dopobarba

Another great Italian lineup for today's Weck Wednesday, and another first. I nicked myself right under the nostril where I have to go super steep, blade almost perpendicular to skin to get those hairs where the nose meets the upper lip. I just pressed too hard. It sealed right up with cold water.

No pic this week because it's the and as the pic right above this post, but with a different brush.

Enjoy your Wecknesday and stay safe.

 

[Flintstone65]

Well my friend -- I'd use a plural, but I feel like it's you (@rudyt ) and me here these days -- I've returned to Weck Wednesday. I had a brief forced hiatus from shaving, and I missed at least 2 Weck Wednesdays; but I'm back!!! And given that my no-guard Sextoblade shaves were less-than-great, I decided to take a step back under the "2-steps-forward/1-step-back approach". So today the guard returned to the Weck, and despite being away from it for a while, I had a VERY nice, bloodless (except for a small weeper) and completely irritation free shave. The shave was still shared with a safety razor (1972 Gillette Tech), but the Weck did all of the heavy lifting and the final touch-up.

First pass was the Weck (with guard) -- whole face -- and things went really, really well. It felt comfortable in my right and left hand, and I had no problems with the typical problem area (i.e., my chin). I rinsed my face to take stock of my remaining stubble and was surprised that my throat (which had no irritation) was smoother than I can usually do with many safety razors after several passes. Everything else looked good, but I could feel some stubble remaining.

2nd pass the post-war Tech went in with a Nacet and it cleaned up some of the higher stubble areas, but after rinsing, I still felt some rough spots, so the Weck was called back in for a 3rd pass.

3rd pass was as smooth as the first pass, and while the Weck isn't second nature yet, it feels more natural than unnatural for me to shave with. After the rinse I was left with a Darn Fine Shave, and with the exception of a tiny weeper on my left side of my throat, I had just a spot or two that needed a little concentration (which I used the Tech for).

All in all I was very happy. A few things that worked for me: the guard (which I think I'll keep on for a bit until I'm feeling REALLY good....or I'll take it off for the "easy" areas and put it on for the "harder" ones), the soap (MWF is my absolute-far-and-away favorite soap for Weck shaves, and lastly I wasn't rushed in the least. The shave didn't take all that long, but I was careful to not whip the razor around like a cart (which is usually how I either get bit or end up with a case of "measles-like weepers" and/or irritation). Here's the pic:

 

[rudyt]

given that my no-guard Sextoblade shaves were less-than-great, I decided to take a step back under the "2-steps-forward/1-step-back approach". So today the guard returned to the Weck, and despite being away from it for a while, I had a VERY nice, bloodless (except for a small weeper) and completely irritation free shave.

Hey, no shame in using what works. The important thing is you get there, not count how many shaves it takes you to get there. The guard is not only a confidence builder, but it let's you learn the angles and grips without having to shave over a plastic sheet to keep the blood off the floor ;-)

I think it took me over 30 naked blade shaves before I stopped cutting myself regularly. I wish I had a guard when learning.

 

[rudyt]

Apr 22: Weck Wednesday

Lather: Cella "BIO" Crema di Barba
Brush: Henri et Victoria "Sir Henri" badger (22/48mm)
Razor: Weck Sextoblade "Trade Sample Not For Sale"
Blade: Personna Hair Shaper [12]
Post: Witch Hazel w/added Pimenta Racemosa EO
Balm: Chatillon Lux TSM Fougere Salve

A perfect Weck Wednesday shave was marred by using a badger, the brush I describe as lathering with a tennis ball. It works, and would be a great brush for badger lovers, but this face prefers boars by a long shot. My ranking is Boar > 65/35 Horse > Synthetic > Badger.

I should make it a point to use MWF next time with the Weck like @Flintstone65 did today. I used it last Sunday after about a month out two and the puck was dry and cracked. Didn't matter - 4 easy passes of perfect lather were produced without doing anything special.

 

[rudyt]

Apr 29: Baby Weck Wednesday in Blue

Lather: Cyril R. Salter Luxury Cream - French Vetiver
Brush: Plisson pour l'Occitane synthetic (21/55mm)
Razor: Weck Hair Shaper (cobalt blue) w/guard
Blade: Personna Hair Shaper [13]
Balm: Aqua Velva Sensitive 5 in 1 After Shave Balm

I went with a blue theme today. Blue is a good shaving color ;-)

I went the lazy route today and used the guard with the baby Weck. Even shaving with reckless abandon, I don't think I can cut myself with this setup if I tried. Hard to improve on today's shave.

Don't have a Weck? Get one!

 

[Flintstone65]

Apr 29: Baby Weck Wednesday in Blue

Lather: Cyril R. Salter Luxury Cream - French Vetiver
Brush: Plisson pour l'Occitane synthetic (21/55mm)
Razor: Weck Hair Shaper (cobalt blue) w/guard
Blade: Personna Hair Shaper [13]
Balm: Aqua Velva Sensitive 5 in 1 After Shave Balm

I went with a blue theme today. Blue is a good shaving color ;-)

I went the lazy route today and used the guard with the baby Weck. Even shaving with reckless abandon, I don't think I can cut myself with this setup if I tried. Hard to improve on today's shave.

Don't have a Weck? Get one!

So I think we've had this discussion before, and I apologize if we had....did you have to adjust the teeth on that comb? And you said "baby Weck", is this one smaller than a Sextoblade? I do like the blue and haven't noticed a lot of those floating around ye ol' auction site.

 

[rudyt]

did you have to adjust the teeth on that comb? And you said "baby Weck", is this one smaller than a Sextoblade? I do like the blue and haven't noticed a lot of those floating around ye ol' auction site.

Yes, I had to tweak the guard. Hair shapers bend the teeth *over* the blade, which means it won't shave. You need you straighten them out so there's a "gap" between the blade and the teeth when looking straight down at the blade. Tune this gap to what feels right to you. The farthest away from the blade the teeth point, the more blade feel and less guarding you have. You can also tune a regular Sextoblade guard to dial in the blade feel.

Yes, the hair shapers are shorter (see below). I've also seen red plastic scales in addition to my cobalt blue. I don't think the colored translucent plastic ones come up often.

 

[Flintstone65]

Yes, I had to tweak the guard. Hair shapers bend the teeth *over* the blade, which means it won't shave. You need you straighten them out so there's a "gap" between the blade and the teeth when looking straight down at the blade. Tune this gap to what feels right to you. The farthest away from the blade the teeth point, the more blade feel and less guarding you have. You can also tune a regular Sextoblade guard to dial in the blade feel.

Yes, the hair shapers are shorter (see below). I've also seen red plastic scales in addition to my cobalt blue. I don't think the colored translucent plastic ones come up often.

Thank you, sir. I've got a comb that has the teeth pointing in, I've got a small vintage vise (4" jaws), and I thought I'd try to *gently* straighten the teeth a bit. And now I want a standard hair shaper handle since I think I'd like the shorter scales. Thanks, man!!! Seriously, I really do appreciate you helping me along on this journey!

 

[rudyt]

Thank you, sir. I've got a comb that has the teeth pointing in, I've got a small vintage vise (4" jaws), and I thought I'd try to *gently* straighten the teeth a bit.

Here's a crappy old photo with the blades as close to vertical to the camera as I could get.

My Sextoblade is on the left, tweaked to my preferred gap. You can sort of see the teeth are bent upwards (away from the blade).

The guard on the right is my hair shaper in stock form (I.e. before I tweaked it). Teeth bent downwards, over the blade.

 

[Flintstone65]

Here's a crappy old photo with the blades as close to vertical to the camera as I could get.

My Sextoblade is on the left, tweaked to my preferred gap. You can sort of see the teeth are bent upwards (away from the blade).

The guard on the right is my hair shaper in stock form (I.e. before I tweaked it). Teeth bent downwards, over the blade.

Thanks, that pic does help. How did you do the bend? Vise, pliers, some other tool?

 

[rudyt]

Thanks, that pic does help. How did you do the bend? Vise, pliers, some other tool?

I used the old dependable bench vise to bend all the teeth at the same time and guarantee they all were bent identically.

 

[Flintstone65]

I used the old dependable bench vise to bend all the teeth at the same time and guarantee they all were bent identically.

Perfect, that will be my tool of choice then. Thanks!!!

 

[Flintstone65]

A Wonderful Weck Wednesday!!! My best Weck shave yet -- my first 2 passes with a recently straightened open-comb guard gave me a totally socially acceptable shave, and if I had just used it for a 3rd/touch-up pass, I would've easily gotten close to (or perhaps even achieved a) darn fine shave without the assistance of a safety razor. In the end, I did run the Schick G around my face for an easy and excellent DFS. Great day in the shave day, and I really like this open comb guard....it took 2 minutes in a vise and I nailed the perfect blade gap for me!

 

[rudyt]

May 13: Wonderful Weck Wednesday

Lather: Mitchell's Wool Fat Shaving Soap
Brush: Semogue 1800 (22/55mm)
Razor: Weck Sextoblade "Trade Sample Not For Sale"
Blade: Personna Hair Shaper [14]
Balm: Proraso White Crema Liquida Dopobarba

I just realized I missed last Wednesday's special Weck day, so I'll have to use it twice this week. Using a favorite razor twice in a week is tough, but I'm up to it ;-)

Today's shave went as well as yesterday's Feather SS shave, which is to say, beautifully. When I'm on my game, the razor can be referred to as the Wonderful Weck.

I can't understand people who can't lather Mitchell's Wool Fat. I started with my usual dry and cracked puck, loaded for about 30 seconds with a very wet boar until the foam overflowed the mug, gathered it so up and straight to face lathering. I probably had enough for 5 passes.

 

[Flintstone65]

May 13: Wonderful Weck and Williams Wednesday

Lather: Modern Williams
Brush: Jayaruh Boar
Razor(s): Weck Sextoblade with Open Comb Guard & Rhodes Kriss Kross
Blade(s): Personna Hair Shaper [at least 5] & Schick Proline B

First pass with the Weck with the OC guard is nearly effortless and almost second-nature. Second pass with Kriss Kross was very smooth, and only a slight touch-up on a couple of spots, which was handled by the Weck. The final result was a very comfortable and very smooth-result of a shave.