Thread: The Noob Chronicle - My Straight Razor Experience

The Straight Road - Part 27: The Hone Wars
After my little show and tell session last night, I was itching to hone up my TI 6/8 Le Canadien with the snakewood scales that has sort of been staring at me from the shelf in the den. I had spent a large portion of my lunch break yesterday reading the honing section of the SRP Wiki as well as watching various YouTube videos of honing. I figured that was enough to make me an expert (right?), so I decided to give it a go.

The first order of business was, of course, getting the hones ready for action, so I dunked them in a tub of water while I set up on our small dining room table. I was somewhat uncertain about the honing method, but I concluded I would start on my Norton 1k to set the bevel, then follow it with the 4k/8k pyramid. Retrieving my 1k/220 from the water, I gave it a freshening up with the DMT 325, then chamfered the edges and corners and set it up on the table. I made sure to spray the surface well, then took up the newly-taped blade and laid it flat on the stone.

My first few strokes were, to put it succinctly, tentative. It's a strange sensation and not something you will find in your everyday life, so you have to teach your muscles the movement. On top of that, I wasn't sure whether to do regular X-strokes or circles to set the bevel, so I ended up doing some of each. I started with 25 circles on each side followed by 10 X-strokes. I tested to see if the bevel would pop arm hairs, but I don't think it would have popped a bubble at that point. I continued with X-strokes for another 25 passes and tried it again, but it was still not popping, so I went back to about 15 circles on each side, then 10 more X-strokes. It sounds like a lot, but my understanding is that this can be put down to a couple of things: me being a noob and the extra-hard steel of these C135 razors.

After finally getting a bevel that, as far as I could determine, was popping my somewhat fine arm hairs all along the edge, I moved up to the 4k/8k and went for a pyramid. I pretty much followed the pyramid found here: Pyramid honing guide - Straight Razor Place Wiki although at the end I did a few more strokes on the 8k. That done, I took the razor into the den for stropping, giving it fifty passes on the webbing and a further hundred on the Premium IV's bridle leather. Then I decided to check my PMs on the forum and see what was happening.

This turned out to be a fortuitous move, as I had a response from an earlier PM I'd sent to Maxi. He indicated that I should start out on the 1k and hone until my razor passed the TNT, then hone some more until it popped arm hairs. So I sort of got that part right. Then he suggested a pyramid on the 4k/8k, so I got that part right. But after that, he suggested another, conservative pyramid to finish. This part was something I had not done, so I re-taped the blade and went back on the hones for another while, finishing up with the prescribed number of strokes. The blade felt sharp, popping arm hairs along its length, but there is no other test than a shave to determine whether or not I had achieved my goal.

The Anticipation
It was late and SWMBO was already turning out the lights, but I was a bit too eager to shave to wait until the morning or the following evening. After all, I now had a matching brush and razor to use together! I decided, even though I'd been having trouble with the Snakewood brush, I'd give it another go with an überlather.

The Prep
I filled the scuttle with the hottest tap water available, which is very hot, though not quite boiling, then dunked the brush and hopped in for a quick shower. I scrubbed up with the Real Shaving Scrub and then I was ready to shave. Of course, after honing I had given the razor another 50/100, so it was ready to go.

The Lather
The Snakewood redeemed itself on the überlather. It's not the greatest soap brush for me so far, but with the T&H Sandalwood cream, T&H Shaving Soap and Life Brand Glycerin, it whipped up a creamy, cushiony lather which gave me enough for three passes, plus touch-ups. Did I say three passes? More on that in a moment.

The Shave
The moment of truth was upon me. This specimen of the Le Canadien line is a slightly imperfect one, with a small blemish in the finish on the Snakewood scales and one scale not sitting quite straight (it won't stand up), but I think it's beautiful, nonetheless. The scales are also really tight, which is nice when stropping on the fairly strong draw of the SRD Premium IV. It was time to test my edge. The thick lather gave great glide and the right side of my cheek and sideburn area shaved alright, but I could tell this edge wasn't as sharp or as smooth as my point of reference, the Le Canadien in black horn that Maxi had honed for me at our Toronto gathering. I tried the whole right side of my face with the snakewood, but I soon realized that it was pulling a bit and would need to go back to the hones. I was a bit disappointed, but one must be ready for these setbacks. At least I had made it far enough to remove hair, despite it being not as comfortable as the honemeister's edge. If I had no other razor, it would shave me, though I'd probably not go for too many passes.

Bringing in the cavalry, I finished the first and second passes with the black horn Le Canadien, then looked at my scuttle, which was still teeming with rich, creamy lather. A third pass? Why not? I lathered up again, opting for a second XTG pass in the opposite direction of my usual. This meant I was shaving "inward" from the side of my face, which presented a new technique challenge as I wasn't used to this method. Still, I managed to get through it without too much discomfort and was rewarded with a very nice shave. Am I ready to graduate to three passes? I'm close, so I'll probably start doing it more often.

The Movember Report
As I've said before, the precision of the TI point allows me to get right around the 'stache without too many problems, so last night's shave was pretty easy for the mo'. I'm due to post another progress photo tonight, so stay tuned.

The Post
A warm water rinse, followed by alum, is my standard first step in the post. Once that was done, I let the alum sit for a moment while I rinsed the brush and scuttle, making sure to clean the brush thoroughly to avoid the build-up on the tips, I fluffed it on a towel and laid it to rest in its place of honour in the den. Then I went to a cold water rinse and applied my new TOBS Sandalwood Aftershave Gel, which has witch hazel and other soothing ingredients. It was very nice, though not moisturizing enough for the dry air we have, especially in my apartment. The finishing touch was some Real Shaving Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizing lotion, which helps to keep my skin from drying out too much.

The Verdict
Well, the honing was fun, despite the fact that I didn't put the greatest edge on the blade. The best part about it is, I can go back to the hones tonight and try again! After all, it's only a millimetre or so of steel, if that, that gets taken off. I figure, even if I hone it once a year for the rest of my life, this blade will still be ready for my grandson some day. I'm very pleased at the performance of the brush with the products I used, just because its soap performance yesterday was so poor. The shave was great, with the extra pass really capping it off, so overall, despite the noob honing, I am pleased.

Nothing like going to bed happy on The Straight Road.

Guess what was on my desk this morning in the office after the mail arrived




Right there we have:
1 - Ironwood Custom Shaving Brush 24mm Silvertip (this thing is phenomenally beautiful)
1 - Bocote wood shaving brush handle
1 - T&H Sample Pack - I wanted another one, just to have more sampling fun!
1 - Ebay W&B Bow razor - This one has had the tip reground, but it still might be worth restoring, especially for the $10 I paid
1 - Sample pack from Garry with the following samples:
Trumpers Coconut Soap
Trumpers Sandalwood Soap
DRH Almond
DRH Arlington
DRH Lavender
DRH Marlborough
Irisch Moos
TOBS Jermyn Street
Cella 1oz

I should now have enough samples and products to last me for the next few years...

There are still a few things left from the SGAD binge, then I'm going to have to start buying Xmas gifts.

It's been quite a month!

Thanks for reading.

Cheers,

Jack

The Straight Road - Interlude: More Stuff? Seriously?
Yup! Today was a good day for SGAD again. A lot my pending stuff arrived. I'll just let the pictures do the talking this time.

Here are my samples, ready to be put into their different containers. I still have two (Trumper's Sandalwood and DR Harris Lavender) that will have to wait their turn.


The samples now in their place. The Cella and TOBS Jermyn stayed in their containers, as they are soft, so can be put into the bowl with a finger or something.
L to R: Arlington, Almond, Marlborough, T&H Luxury, GFT Coconut


Here are a couple of shots of the W&B Bow razor that arrived today. Despite the reground nose, it looks in great shape. New or restored scales, repinning and this thing will be good to go.



The new Custom Ironwood Silvertip 24mm Brush. This thing is a beauty. Photos don't do it justice. I also did a test lather with MWF and it performed admirably.


And finally, I had ordered this bocote brush handle from user KING1976 here on the forums and I wanted to try one of the scritchier black badger knots from TGN. I set the knot with JB Weld. Remember when I bought some bocote for scales? I think this will make a nice pairing with whichever razor(s) I choose to scale in bocote wood.









So there you have it, another big haul on The Straight Road.

I don't think I'll shave today, as the three pass shave from yesterday was nice and close, but I still have to rehone the TI Le Canadien Snakewood. Hmmm...tonight? We'll see, I guess.

Until next time.

Thanks for reading.


Cheers,
Jack

You can't spell razor with out a RAD Great post sir, most helpfull to read about your succeses and faliures, gives me encouragement on my own journey Am on shave 7 or 8, with a damaged strop and a "less sharper than when it arrived" straight, and a new/old one from Cedric (Ali) of France, wich is the sharpest thing I've known yet
Looking forward to hear more.
Johann of Iceland

The Straight Road - Part 28: Shave-Testing
An important day in Canada and around the world. A day designated for honouring those who have fallen in service to their countries. Here in Canada, we observe a moment of silence to reflect on what it means at 11 am and hold ceremonies to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

After a long work week, I was tired and a bit sombre on my way home. A shave was just what I needed to unwind.

The Anticipation
I re-honed my Le Canadien 6/8 Snakewood last night, so I was eager to try it out today. I also have many new products waiting in line, enough to make each shave's choice a tough one. I wanted to give the Semogue Owner's Club Boar Bristle Cherry Wood brush a go, so that won out on that front. Dominica Bay Rum was the aftershave of choice and Trumper's Coconut soap was the lather today.

The Prep
I went for a hot shower, washing away the stress of a long Friday and a long week. I have a big week coming up, so this weekend is all about relaxing. If you remember from a while back, I had issues with my Premier Strop Company 3" black latigo which I bought at Fendrihan, which showed up creased. I contacted them and they graciously replied that I would recieve a replacement direct from the supplier, SRD. This arrived yesterday, so I had installed that and found that it has some strange lines on it, not exactly creasing, but ridges of a sort. They run vertically on the strop and seem like they'll rub out, but boy am I having bad luck with strop leather! That's two in a row that have shown up with imperfections. I'm just going to do my best to work this one in, as the actual finish on the leather isn't creased and I think that, with hand rubbing and maybe rolling it with a bottle will get the wrinkles out. We'll see how it goes. The SRD Premium IV bridle leather I bought second hand from Maxi has been perfect, but the latigo seems to have a bit faster draw right now, so I wanted that variety. Anyway, I'll keep you posted as to how it goes with the new leather. So I stropped on the new strop, then a bit on the Premium IV, just to be sure. I don't know if it will hurt or help my edges, but I guess it needs to get broken in somehow. Maybe I'll post a pic later and see what people think.

The Lather
The coconut soap from Trumper's has an avid following and now I know why. Trumper's soap, like the T&H and DR Harris, not to mention MWF and Tabac, lathers up very well and smells great. I am pleased to say that, even though it's not really broken in yet, the SOC brush produces a great face lather. It took me a while to get the lather going on my face, but when I got it, it was very cushiony and lasted for three passes and a touch-up or two. One thing I've noticed is that, when I use just a soap in these dryer, colder months, my face gets dryer and tighter, so I might be using more glycerin moving forward. I think this brush is going to be one of the all-stars of my collection, which is already up to eight brushes if you include my Wilkinson Sword brush. I've got some heavy hitters in the lineup, with the custom Ironwood being the nicest of the bunch so far and the Frank Shaving Richmond performing quite well, but this boar brush has nothing to envy from the badgers. I'm still breaking in the Omega Pro 49, which stinks like pig, so I'm not going to put it on my face just yet. It's going to be fun having a different brush for each day of the week

The Shave
Hmmm...this was a learning experience. I pulled out the other Le Canadien to compare, even though I only gave it a few strokes on the cheek. The edge I produced shaved reasonably well, but it wasn't as smooth as the one Maxi put on the other razor. Not that I was expecting my first honing effort to come close to what an experienced honer could do! Far from it! I am just happy that I was able to get a somewhat comfortable shave out of my first ever edge. This was the first step in a long road, so I am looking forward to learning and growing as a honer. The shave was a three pass shave today. One WTG and two XTG passes, which I am happy to say got me a fairly smooth shave and left me with minimal burn. I'm pleased, if not completely happy, with my edge. I know I need to refine technique and I'm sure I could have done a better job at each stage of the honing, but the instructions were good and I followed them to the best of my ability, which left me with a decent edge and a decent shave. The shave was going perfectly up until I was getting ready for the final touch-up on the chin, when I managed to ding my thumb with the heel of the razor, opening up a pretty nice cut that would stop bleeding. Most of the post ended up being one-handed until I finally got the bleeding to stop by applying a very tight Bandaid.

The Movember Report
I owe a photo here, but just as I was going to take the shot, the red light came on and the camera battery died, so it'll have to wait until later. The 'stache is coming in nicely and even SWMBO says it doesn't look too bad, even though I think she just says that to make me stop asking.

The Post
I was a bit nervous about the alum and the aftershave after shaving with this edge. The alum actually went alright and I breezed through an easy cleanup with no scuttle. After that, the cold water rinse was next followed by Dominica Bay Rum. That stuff stings! I'm not sure if it's because of my edge, the extra pass I've introduced in to my shave or just because Bay Rum stings, but wow it was intense. That said, I sort of enjoyed it. After the splash I applied some unscented Trumper's Balm and I was ready for two fingers of Collingwood Toasted Maplewood Mellowed Canadian Whisky, which has a nice sweet flavour, but is a very enjoyable drink.

The Verdict
There is a sense of satisfaction that I produced an edge that could shave with the Le Canadien. It's not the greatest, but it's mine and it's my first. I was immensely pleased with my new brush and the Trumper's soap. I'm not sure if it's a keeper just yet, but it's on the short list. The Dominica Bay Rum is a nice scent, which has faded to a soft glow now. It's a bit sweet for my taste, but I definitely like it as an occasional part of the rotation, though not an everyday thing. The shave itself was surprisingly decent, with only a small patch or two along the jawline. The burn has faded and I'm left with the pleasurable post-shave glow. Sometimes, when I try new stuff, I get a disappointment like with the Tabac line, other times I am pleased. Today, I discovered new and exciting things and I feel like I'm back on track.

And sometimes, on The Straight Road, it's good to be right on track.

This should be a fun stretch for the next while, discovering new products, restoring razors and maybe touching up my Le Canadien again, trying for a smoother shaving edge. I'd like to thank all of the community on this and other shaving sites, who have made this journey worth travelling.

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Jack

The Straight Road - Part 29: Breaking In Period
After a pretty decent shave yesterday, I probably didn't need to shave today. Haha, "need". Like any of the stuff I've been doing for the past month has been about need. All in all, I have been thoroughly enjoying myself and today I got to have some relaxation time which culminated in the luxury of an afternoon nap. Once that was done, I decided that a shower would wake me up and, since I was going to be doing that, a shave was also in order.

The Anticipation
With the place to myself and all the time I needed, I was determined to enjoy myself. Given my recent flurry of acquisitions, I've been finding it tough to decide what gear to use each day. The new Ironwood Silvertip 24mm brush I bought on Ebay is so nice, that I decided it needed to have a go. Along with that, of course, would be the DOVO 6/8" Ironwood, so that left me with a lather choice and post-shave stuff. I decided to give DR Harris Almond a run out today, while choosing to finish the shave with Geo F Trumper's Spanish Leather. All in all, I was psyched up for a great shaving experience.

The Prep
The shower was nice and hot and I took my time, enjoying the relaxing effects of the steaming water and scrubbing thoroughly. Once I had done with the scrub brush, the Real Shaving Exfoliating Face Scrub finished things off and I was ready for the main course. The scuttle had done it's job, soaking the brush nicely with hot water, so it was time for the soap.

The Lather
This new brush is a true work of art. Not only is it beautifully crafted, heavy and solid, filling my large hand easily, but it also has a really nice silvertip knot on it. The other night, during my lathering practice, I noticed that it whipped up a very nice, creamy lather with very little problems, so I was excited to put it to good use. I opted for some glycerin along with the DR Harris Almond, just because I've found straight soaps a touch drying in the colder months. The brush still has a bit of badger funk about it and the tips still aren't quite as soft as they will be in another few uses, but despite that, the brush whipped up enough smooth, creamy lather for three full passes, touch-ups and probably more. The Harris soap is nice, but I don't know if almond would land on my "keepers" list at this point. I like the scent, but it's not my favourite. Given the number of soaps I have, this one doesn't stand out in any way. Certainly it wasn't love at first lather like MWF or T&H. You'll also note that I didn't mention stropping in my prep post. When I had lathered up for the first time, I let the lather sit for a minute on my face while I stropped, thinking this would help soften up my whiskers even more.

The Shave
The Dovo Ironwood, which I believe has the same blade profile as the Bismarck, is my favourite razor right now. It hits all the high points: smooth shave, bright shiny steel, 6/8" blade, understated, but classy spine decoration and beautiful hardwood scales. If it were a French point, I would probably deem it perfect, but it's a round point, so that is the only place where it loses out. I suspect it might be supplanted by the snakewood Le Canadien, if I can achieve the same type of smoothness from my edge. I have been doing three passes the past few shaves, sort of a graduation from two passes, which I've found has been getting me excellent smoothness. It does seem that my skin is a touch more tender after the shave, but I also imagine that it will need a while to get used to this extra pass I've introduced. Also, since I am going XTG in the opposite direction of my usual XTG pass, I bet my technique isn't quite there yet on the third pass. Anyway, it went quite well and I got great smoothness everywhere except one little line on my right jawbone.

The Movember Report
This is where the French point razors do better than the Dovo Ironwood. I find I have to be a bit careful to know exactly where the edge is around the 'stache. That said, it still got the job done. I know I owe a photo here, so please don't laugh!

The Verdict
I feel like I'm getting into a bit of a groove. My shaves have been getting smoother and my lathers have been better. I still have setbacks, like the past couple of times I got thin lather, but after some practice sessions with my different brushes, I think I'm starting to figure out the individual characteristics of each one. Good thing, too, as they will only be used once a week now that I have a 7-day brush rotation! The three-pass shave has left me with mild razor burn, but I believe it will get better as I improve my technique on the second XTG. I am also beginning to be able to feel the differences between how my razors shave, as well as what the effects are of different soaps and creams. Hopefully, my next stretch of learning will be in that area, as I become more familiar with how shaving feels and how products work for me.

Time to get my Straight Road groove on!

I've been slowly working on restoring my Manhattan Cutlery blade, so I might try to finish it off in the next few days. Once that's done, it will have to go on the hones, as well. I look forward to getting some practice and improving my technique. I have several blades and razors that will need restoration, so I am going to learn a lot about sanding and polishing in the next while. I hope to also get around to making some new scales out of bocote wood. I have a big 8/8 Friodur on the way, which will probably be the last razor for a bit, unless something knocks my socks off. Famous last words, eh?

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Jack

Here I am, reading away....just hummin' along....and then I get to this:

"I have a big 8/8 Friodur on the way".....

....and I says pardon! I want pics.....lots of them, and I'm not even going to say please......

Oh believe me, there will be pics. Lots of them...

Just got my 8/8 Friodur back from SRD I have not shaved with it yet but will soon . Gotta tell you though just the weight of it tells me its going to be a real easy shave.

Originally Posted by jdto

Haha, "need".

Haha! That pretty much sums it up doesn't it?
Also, cool glasses man!

The Straight Road - Part 30: Bigger is Better
Here we go with another Monday. I believe, in my previous entries, I've discussed my feelings about this day and all it signifies. This week is an especially heavy one at work, with two huge annual events happening one day after the other, which means that I will be hard-pressed to have a relaxing shave for the next few days. Combine that with the fact that I hadn't shaved on Sunday, and you're starting to understand the feeling I had as I headed home from work today.

The Anticipation
I remember before I discovered traditional shaving, it was an onerous task to slap on some cream or canned goo and run a five-bladed mix of plastic and metal over my face. I'd often go five or six days without even thinking about shaving, until SWMBO started with the "aren't you going to shave?" interrogations. Now it's the opposite. If I skip a day of shaving, I feel like I have a lot of stubble -- even though my beard is fairly sparse -- and I feel the need to shave. It was one of those days where I needed a shave both for the zen of the moment and because I was feeling scruffy looking, a nerf-herder, if you will. Today's equipment would be my 5/8" ERN Wald-Solingen with the barber's notch and the ebony scales, my Omega Pro 49 for it's first shaving voyage after several rounds of practice lathering to break it in and kill the pig stench and the venerable Cella, also a first for me.

The Prep
My standard prep consists of dunking my brush in steaming hot water in my scuttle while I take a hot shower. That was the order of the day, along with thirty passes on the webbing and sixty on the leather of my SRD 3" Black Latigo strop. I scrubbed my face with Real Shaving Exfoliating Scrub in the shower and enjoyed my new Every Man Jack shampoo and conditioner. That done, I was ready to try out Cella.

The Lather
This brush is a beast. Having finally got the stink out after numerous runs with Tabac, MWF, and shampoo, I was willing to actually put it on my face. And boy, what a treat that was! Even though it's not broken in yet, I could already feel the power of this boar monster. I used a chunk of my Cella sample, roughly almond-sized, and the Pro 49 devoured it, creating a somewhat foamy lather that turned creamy once I took it to my face. I had loads of it, more than enough for the three passes of my shave plus probably another two, should I have wanted it. Cella didn't blow me away, but it was an enjoyable scent and a nice thick lather, so it stays on the "potentials" list.

The Shave
I'm not sure if I like this little blade or not. All of my other current shavers are 6/8" and I have a couple of bigger ones on the way, including the 8/8 Friodur and a 7/8 Ebay W&B. I find the heavier blades almost move themselves across my face, while with this little one, I have to make the movement and I tend to grab and nick myself a bit more. It did sort of catch me once on the cheek, but not enough to bleed, just the top layer or two of skin. It also nicked me slightly on the Adam's apple. I say "it" nicked me because obviously it was the blade's fault, not the shaver's, right? Everyone knows that you should always blame it on your equipment when something goes wrong. After all, I'm on shave number thirty, I'm an expert now! But all sarcasm aside, I am developing a bit of a taste for the larger blades, with that 1/8 of an inch making a difference and wanting to go bigger.

All in all, I got my three passes in without further mishaps, enjoying the thick, if not overly slick, Cella lather. I will say that I had very little razor burn and the smoothness of the shave is right up there, so the ERN lives to shave another day.

The Movember Report
The little razor is easier to handle around the mo' zone, which is good, because at this point, any stray hairs I take off mean a crooked-looking 'stache for me. I am not sure if this will last beyond November 30th, but I'm enjoying the look for the time being, even if SWMBO is not a fan.

The Post
I cleaned up with lukewarm water, then rinsed out my brush and applied the alum block, which stung a bit on the Adam's apple area, but wasn't too bad on the rest. After that, I shook out and dried the brush and dealt with the scuttle, finally setting it back in its place of honour on the den shelf. I went with TOBS Sandalwood aftershave gel today, which contains witch hazel, allowing me to forego any splash at all. The TOBS Sandalwood is a nice, clean-smelling rendition of that traditional scent, which I quite enjoy. When compared to the T&H, this one is more subtle and more "clean" smelling. SWMBO gave it the seal of approval. I ended up applying some Real Shaving Moisturizing Anti-Wrinkle cream later on, as my skin was feeling a bit dry and tight post-shave.

The Verdict
I am quite pleased with the three-pass shave I've been having the past few days. It gets nice and smooth and the razor burn is decreasing after each one. Today I basically had none, so you can't get any less than that! The ERN will likely see less time in the rotation as my RAD comes to fruition and more shavers arrive. My Manhattan Cutlery is getting close to being in a condition where I'll likely want to hone it and shave with it, as I don't think I'm going to go for a full mirror shine on it. I like the Cella, but I don't think I'd buy one of those 1kg blocks of it. I'm having a tough time finding a soap I like better, both in performance and scent, than Mitchell's Wool Fat. That's my desert island soap right now and for the foreseeable future.

And my foreseeable future is on The Straight Road!

I have quite a few of my Ebay razors in now, with a few more pending arrival. I imagine it will probably keep me busy for several months with restoration, given how my time has been for hobby stuff lately. I really only want one of those beastly W&B blades and maybe some day to try a Japanese Kamisori-style, but other than that I want to get down to restoring and enjoying what I've acquired so far, learning to hone and learning to shave better. These last two are both acquisitions that require patience and maybe a bit of a larger financial outlay, so they can wait for now.

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Jack