Thread: Righty Tighty; Lefty Loosey

Shave #219 - Nice

QCS Vostok Shave Soap + Palmolive Shave Cream
Semogue 2012
Geo Wostenholm & Son IXL 5/8" (10)
Thayers Witchhazel
Kramperts Finest Frostbite

I'm around about BBS after 2.5 passes, which is the best straight razor result I've had in a long time. Kudos to me.

I finished my tube of C&E West Indian Lime. I enjoyed the experience of pairing my subpar soap and subpar cream to create an above par lather. So I'll continue to do that with Palmolive cream until I burn through the tub of Vostok. Not that the Palmolive is subpar, it works fine, I just don't really dig the scent. The Vostok kind of smooths that out.

Shave #219.1 - Dodgin' and Weavin'

My wife is packing for another business trip, Canada this time, so I was dodging her while shaving. She's a bit of a whirling Dervish.


Proraso Green Pre/Post Shave
QCS Vostok Shave Soap + Palmolive Shave Cream
TOBS Badger Brush
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Astra Platinum (3)
Thayers Witch hazel
Classic Clubman
Proraso Green Pre/Post Shave

I'm DFS+ after my normal 3.5 passes. A bit below standard, but not lopping my head off while the wife packs is a win in my books.

Shave #219.2

Just a very quick 2-pass DE shave...

QCS Vostok Shave Soap
Semogue 2012
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Feather (1)
Thayers Witch Hazel
PAA CaD


...and, I'm darn close to BBS.

I'm in the last couple days of summer vacation, and me wife's in Canada, so I'm planning to lay on the sofa watching some shows (Mrs. Brown's Boys and The Wire) whilst puffing a cigar. Really didn't need the shave to be close, that's just a nice little unexpected bonus.

Shave #220 - Poorly Honed

Today I refreshed 4 of my blades on my Norton. I wasn't expecting any problems, because up until now my honing adventures have met with success, but...

QCS Vostok Shave Soap + Palmolive Shave Cream
Semogue 2012
ERN 5/8" (1) / WISS Ugly Duckling 9/16" (1)
PAA CaD

...I started the shave with the ERN, which I had taken down to the 4000, because I wanted to reset from a taped spine bevel to a non-taped spine bevel. Pretty sure that was totally unnecessary, and I should have just did the refresh on 8000 without the tape and it would have been fine. Anyway, somewhere in the process something got balled up. My first N-S pass with the ERN was rough feeling. So, I set it aside and did another N-S pass with the WISS, followed by a S-N pass. The WISS shaved fine after its refresh. I'm just about to take another go at the ERN on the Norton.

Shave #220.1 - A Slight Miss

Palmolive Shave Cream
Semogue 2012
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Feather (2)
Thayers Witch Hazel
Captain's Choice Bay Rum

My normal 3.5-passer and I'm DFS+, noticeably off results. It's not a bad shave, pretty smooth and comfortable, just below norm results. Oh well.

Shave #220.2 - Shoulda, Coulda,...Didn't

I should've done at least a pass with my ERN to see if I successfully straightened out my honing misfire, but it's late, so I didn't bother.

QCS Vostok Shave Soap + Palmolive Shave Cream
TOBS Badger Brush
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Feather (3)
Thayers Witch Hazel
Captain's Choice Bay Rum

3.5 passes, pretty BBS-ish. Have a nice Sunday, those of you just beginning your day, I'm off to bed.

Shave #220.3 - Still Wrong

I pulled out the ERN to see if I fixed its problems - nope. I improved them, but not enough, so I only did my right cheek and then had to finish the shave with my DE.

QCS Vostok Shave Soap + Palmolive Shave Cream
Semogue 2012
ERN 5/8" (1) / Edwin Jagger DE89L + Feather (4)
Kramperts Finest Frostbite

OK, so I am about sure that I know what the problem was With my initial honing. I wasn't very mindful of what I was doing, and I took the ERN down to 4K with slurry, and I didn't progress very carefully from slurry to just plain water, then to the 8K, moving from slurry to water, and then polishing on the semi-dry stone. I absentmindedly skipped the plain water step. I'm assuming that is the root of my issues. My attempt to fix the issue did help, I honed on the 8K with just water, but I didn't do enough of it. So, I'll try again, when I have time, I'll go down to 4K with just water, and work my way back up a bit more carefully.

I did 3 other razors at the same time that I did the ERN. I already know that the WISS is fine. I suspect the other two are good as well. I was just doing a light touch up for all three on the 8K side, so I just used water and then polished on the semi dry stone.

Shave #220.4 - A Quick 3-Passer...

...with light prep...

QCS Vostok Shave Soap
TOBS Badger Brush
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Feather (5)
Krampert's Finest Frostbite

...DFS with a touch of irritation. (I'll do the full prep next time - that's the issue).

Shave 220.5 - Happy Thanksgiving

QCS Vostok Shave Soap
TOBS Badger Brush
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Feather (1)
PAA CaD

BBS.

The last six months or so, I shave right-handed, lather up again and shave left-handed. I'm getting
really close shaves. Each hand does the opposite pass. The other day I started to shave and realized
I started with my left hand. Left hand shaving has become second nature now.