Thread: The Noob Chronicle - My Straight Razor Experience

The Straight Road - Part 52: Happy New Year
Starting the year out on a slow note, most of January 1st, 2012 was spent sitting around the house doing nothing, though SWMBO and SWMBO Jr. were in the same boat, so I was off the hook for being a lazy bum. That said, as the shadows grew longer and the evening approached, it was time to get cleaned up and spruced up for a dinner with the family, including my 87-year-old grandmother, so it was time for my first shave of the year. January also marks the beginning of the JaNorton experiment, where many members of the community will select two razors and shave only with those two razors for most of the month. The catch? They have to hone them using only the Norton 4k and 8k stones, or the combination of those two. This will lead to many honers going to a "back-to-basics" mentality for the month, but in my case, I haven't left the basics, so I'm not going back to them, I'm still there! Either way, it's shaping up to be fun and a great learning experience. Prior to putting my two selections on the hones, I decided to shave with each of them with their current edge, thus giving me a point of reference for how they do once I hone them again with the 4k/8k.

The Anticipation
SWMBO was already in the shower and I was heading to my bathroom for mine. There wasn't any rush, as we weren't being picked up for another hour and a half, so I was able to take my time and enjoy myself. The product selection was a tough call, but I finally settled on TOBS Shaving Shop, which has a classic scent and makes a great lather, as well as really nice post-shaving products. The stage was set, the gear selected and all that was left was to get shaving.

The Prep
Today's prep took the usual path of a hot shower, Real Shaving Face Scrub and a brush soaking in the reservoir of my Robert Becker scuttle. The PC Woodcraft Snakewood 24mm Super Silvertip brush is a beauty, though I've dinged the handle a bit over the past few weeks, it still looks great and makes for a great combo with my Le Canadien with scales made from the same material. Hopping out of the shower, I took the TI to the strops, first with twenty-five passes on the SRD webbing, then switching over for fifty on the superlative strop made by episaacs. This humble-seeming piece of kangaroo leather is rapidly becoming one of my favourite pieces of shaving equipment, leaving my other, more expensive and fancy strops to gather dust. Maybe I'll have to get some paste for those ones.

The Lather
Rather than scooping out a dollop of shaving cream, this time I decided to take the brush, shake it out a bit, then swirl it right in the shaving cream tub. It loaded up quite quickly and picked up a perfect amount of product, which gave me lather for three passes and touch-ups, with some to spare. This method required me to add quite a bit of water during the lathering process, but it was easily the best lather I've ever produced from a cream, so I will likely continue this practice whenever I can with my cream tubs. The lather was nothing short of phenomenal today, giving me glide, cushion and not drying out at all. Three passes of pure unadulterated luxury, along with that classic shaving shop scent which is only fitting of a cream which bears that very name. I decided to apply the lather with a paintbrush motion, which worked exceptionally well, giving me a thick coating for each of the three passes. I think, especially with the badger brushes, the paintbrush application of lather works very well for me, as opposed to swirling. So far, anyway.

The Shave
This razor is a beauty. As I gain more experience with shaving, I'm coming to appreciate these TI blades, which were two of the first straights I bought, for their beauty, their craftsmanship and, of course, their great shaving ability. The blade did its job with ease, removing three days worth of stubble with little to no effort. The WTG left me with a great feeling, as though I was right where I belonged. Even the tricky areas around the nose and the point of my chin are getting easier with more practice, so much so that they are almost not that tricky anymore. Still, I'm not about to get complacent and I always take extra special care around there. The XTG pass was even better, smooth and easy, with the Carbonsong singing softly to me as it worked its way across my skin. The third and final pass is a combination of XTG/ATG, which left me smooth, comfortable and with absolutely no nicks or irritation.

The Post
The first thing I did was rinse my brush with warm water, shake it out, then swirl it on a towel before replacing it on the shelf. Then it was cold water time, as I removed the remaining lather from my face, applied the alum, rinsed that with cold water, then splashed on some witch hazel. Once that was done, I allowed my face some time to breath and dry a bit while I rinsed the scuttle, stowed it in its place in the den and wiped down the sink. Next up was the TOBS Shaving Shop splash, which hardly stung at all, another testament to the smoothness of the Le Canadien and my improving technique. I followed the splash with the balm, which is sort of a gel, then allowed it some time to dry while I continued to tidy the den, stropped the TI for twenty-five rounds on the 'roo and dried it thoroughly. That done, the final stage was a bit of cologne, then some Trumper's Unscented Moisturizer to counteract the dry Canadian winter air.

The Verdict
Things are really on the right track now, with a half-century or so of shaves under my belt. The accepted wisdom of about a hundred shaves to proficiency means I am about halfway there, which is encouraging when I think that it only gets better from here. The only down side of today's shave is that SWMBO is not a fan of Shaving Shop, which means it might end up being PIFed to my younger brother, who says he likes the smell. I've got him into a DE which he is waiting to try out, so I am hoping to get him fully converted this month, as well.

The Straight Road needs converts! No face should be denied the luxury of the straight shave!

Well, 2011 was a great year and 2012 is already shaping up to be even better. Discovering this great hobby was one of the highlights of the year for me, along with seeing my daughter grow and progress in her dancing, her school and her life in general. SWMBO landed a full-time job and we were finally able to move to a bigger place where we have some room to actually live. I also made big strides at work and the plans laid for 2012 promise to keep me busy and entertained for the entire year. 2011 was a year of opportunity and 2012 will be the year to reap the rewards, if all goes well. I hope all of my shaving brethren out there find what they need in 2012 and have a great year. All the best!

Thanks for reading.

Cheers,

Jack

Just received three black buffalo horn blanks today. I sense some more horn scales in the near future. Maybe for my Bow Razors? A couple more of those and I'll have a 7-day set.

The Straight Road - Part 53: Neck Woes
After my great shaves during my vacation, which had left me with almost no ingrown hairs in the problem area on my neck, I thought I might be home free. But I was wrong. Today they returned with a vengeance, lighting up the lower area of my neck and causing no end of irritation. I was speculating if the super-thin blade on the Le Canadien could be a culprit, as the previous shaves with the big Friodur and the heavier Bow Razor both had left me almost free of ingrown hairs. Nonetheless, I was still scheduled for a shave this evening, especially since I am now back to work. The extreme cold alert in Toronto was not the most auspicious way to welcome my return to the grindstone, but the anticipation of a shave in the evening would help lift my spirits, or so I hoped.

The Anticipation
With the busy time over the holidays, continued work on getting our still relatively new apartment squared away and a fair amount of time spent playing games and doing puzzles with SWMBO Jr., my plan to hone my two JaNorton razors had not yet come to fruition by this evening, prompting me to opt for another shave test: my Yama-Masa kamisori, which I had from Ebay last week and which I hadn't had the chance to try yet. The seller said it had been honed to shave-ready, but I found it wasn't quite where I'd like it to be. I chose T&H Trafalgar for my products, alongside the beautiful Bryce C Ironwood 24mm Silvertip, which is easily my most luxurious brush. While I have stated my love for my boar brushes many times, there's no denying the performance or the feel of these silvertip brushes I've used the past couple of days. They really do well with creams and I can have no complaints.

The Prep
I had done my best to ensure my ingrowns were, at the very least, not still buried under my skin. In some cases, I need to resort to picking them out with the tip of a needle, which usually causes quite a bit of irritation, both to my skin and to me. So I headed into the shower, carefully scrubbed my neck with Real Shaving Exfoliating Scrub and made sure to soak the area well, hoping to soften and ease the tips of the ingrowns out so they could be shaved down. That done, I hopped out, dried off and took this new kamisori in hand, ready to try it on the 'roo strop. This Japanese razor is even smaller and more delicate than the Nagakichi kamisori I had used in the past, but it has great balance and still enough heft to feel comfortable in my hand. Before I could try the blade on my face, of course, I needed something to help with the glide. My Bryce C brush had been soaking in the reservoir of my scuttle, so I pulled it out, swapped out the water in the scuttle for fresh, piping hot tap water, then turned to the tub of T&H cream.

The Lather
What a great combination of brush and cream! The T&H Trafalgar continues to please with its scent and its ability to produce wonderful lather. The Bryce C brush did a superlative job, as it really is the best of my badger knots, holding tons of water and letting it out into the cream, which required no additional drops of water to achieve a great, creamy-smooth consistency that was a joy for my face. The only drawback I've found so far with the T&H creams is that, unfortunately, they seem to very slightly irritate my face, causing a bit of a burning sensation. I fear that, as much as I love their scent and performance, they might not work for me. I'll work my way through the rest of my samples and this Trafalgar tub, just to be sure, but if that is the case, I might have to swear off them, which would be a shame. I'll still love their balms and colognes and aftershaves, as well as the wonderful soap, but the creams I've tried so far have all felt like they just sting a bit. At first I thought it was my shaving technique, but today I felt the sting before the blade had touched my face, so I'm going to have to start looking at the cream. There are still several samples left from my two packs, so I'm going to give them all a good test run to see if they all do the same thing. It really sucks because, after my first run through the testers, I went ahead and bought a nearly-full tub of Trafalgar, which is my preferred T&H, right up there with their Spanish Leather.

The Shave
This was a bit of a disaster for me today. The Yama-Masa kamisori was not, in my humble opinion, shave-ready, contrary to the declarations of the Ebay seller. I am going to have to figure out how to hone this thing with the stones in my collection because, as of right now, it's not getting any further action until it has a better edge on it. The first pass with this razor went as far as my jawline before I realized the pulling was not normal and acceptable, at which point I drafted the Nagakichi kamisori into service. In retrospect, I probably should have pulled out The Beast (8/8 Friodur) or my active Bow Razor, because in the end I had nicks, scrapes and only a passable shave. The neck area, already tender due to the ingrown assault, only received two very tentative WTG passes, while the rest of my face got the usual three with some touch-ups. But even that did not get me to the level I've been getting from my Western razors. There is definitely a difference to kamisori shaving which I have not learned. Given this was only my third go, I'm not surprised, considering I've had many times that number of shaves with a regular straight.

The Post
Desperate to soothe my irritated face, I opted for a very cold water rinse, which was easy on this day thanks to the extreme cold alert in Toronto. That done, I took a moment to rinse my brush and scuttle, both of which had performed their jobs with aplomb, then I proceeded to apply alum. That was certainly a reminder that I am not yet proficient with the kamisori, let me tell you! The alum took effect, which prompted me to quickly rinse again with cold water, then pat my face dry ever so lightly before slapping on some witch hazel, hoping to soothe some more. While I let the WH settle, I cleaned up the rest of my sink area, then applied a generous amount of the T&H Trafalgar balm, which felt wonderful after the beating my face had taken during the shave. That done, I dried off and stropped the two razors, laid them aside and dabbed on some Trafalgar cologne from my dwindling sample bottle. That might be on my shopping list soon! Then it was out to greet the recently-arrived SWMBO, who gave the scent a stamp of approval, though she soon asked me what the heck I'd done to my neck!

The Verdict
There are a few things I can take from today's shave as learning points. First of all, kamisori are not the same as regular straights and will have their own learning curve for me. I am considering laying the aside until such time in the future as I feel comfortable taking on a new challenge. Secondly, T&H creams are acting suspicious with my face and, lamentably, may have to be scratched from my list. Finally, I realized that my neck ingrowns are not a thing of the past and might have something to do with the type of blade I use, as opposed to the DE vs. Straight issue I had originally suspected. The Le Canadien razors are very hollow ground C135 steel, so they might not agree with my neck as much as the heavier, softer W&B Bow Razor, or the heavier stainless Friodur. Then again, it could have been any number of factors, so I suppose more tests are in order.

All in all, it was a day of lessons on The Straight Road!

I still haven't been able to get to JaNorton, but I think tomorrow I'll skip shaving to give my neck a break and probably pull out the 4k/8k and finally get down to business. I also have some more restoration to do, as I have a few blades that are getting close to being ready to be honed up and put in the rotation. All in good time!

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Jack

The Straight Road - Part 54: JaNorton Begins
Being the eager sort of person that I am, I couldn't resist joining in the fun for the JaNorton challenge (http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...on-2012-a.html). Last night I took out my hones and took two of my smoother-shaving razors (my TI Le Canadien 6/8 Snakewood and my W&B 5/8 Bow Razor), spoiled the edges, then proceeded to hone them only on the 4k/8k Norton. I chronicled my methods in the attached thread, so I won't repeat them here, but I used two different styles, hoping to see which one works better. Of course, today was the first shave of many for this month with those two razors, as the W&B stepped up to the plate.

The Anticipation
Honing is still a very new sensation for, but I was getting the blade to pop arm hair, so the final test would have to be the shave. This week I actually planned out my next few shaves ahead of time, picking out products and brushes and setting a rotation rather than simply grabbing what I felt like using. That meant that today it was time for the Omega Pro 49 in combination with my DR Harris Marlborough products (Soap, AS, Cologne) and Trumper's Unscented balm. A great combo and a winner.

The Prep
The razor went for a long ride on the strops before the shave began, with fully 100 passes on the SRD webbing, followed by a further 100 on the SRD Premium IV's bridle leather. After that, I finished it off with 50 on my 'roo strop and it was time for a shower. I ran the hot water, filled my scuttle and plopped my brush into the reservoir to soak. Then it was a good scrub-down with RazoRock Artisan Sandalwood Bar Soap, followed by Real Shaving's Creamy Face Wash. That done, I was pretty much all set. Time to give that Marlborough soap a workout!

The Lather
It has actually been a couple of shaves since I used a soap, which is different to lather than a cream, of course, but the Pro 49 had no trouble loading and then building a nice lather with this lovely DR Harris soap. My true favourite continues to be MWF, but the Marlborough is such a nice scent lineup that I can easily place it up near the top of the list. That said, I read a funny forum post today that said "my favourite soap is whichever I used last", or something to that effect, which might be an apt description for my affinity for my soap collection. Either way, the lather was slick and creamy, abundant enough for three passes, though I only did two and smelled lovely. Who could ask for more?

The Shave
This was a bit less pleasant than my last shave with this razor. The edge was still decent, but the smoothness I have grown to love from this Bow Razor just wasn't there tonight. Though I did escape major irritation or burn, there was a less comfortable sensation than I like, so I fear the blade will have to go back on the hones. By the end of the second pass, I had already decided there would be no third, so I finished up with touch-ups and continued onward. My only mishap was a momentary lapse of concentration, which chastised me with a small slice on my left cheek. Not a great way to start my JaNorton adventure, but such is life.

The Post
As I laid the Bow Razor aside, my face was a bit less than comfortable. It wasn't exactly burning, but I could tell I had shaved with a less-than-stellar edge. My next step was to rinse the brush and scuttle, returning them to the shelf, then splash invigoratingly cold water on my face, rinsing away the remnants of the soap and stubble and soothing my slightly irritated skin. That was followed by alum, more cold water, then witch hazel. DR Harris' Marlborough Aftershave burned at first, but the cooling menthol effect soon helped to make my face feel better. I finished off with Trumper's balm, then cleaned the sink area and stropped my blade for 25 passes on the 'roo. A splash or two of the Marlborough cologne and I was off to the kitchen to pass the smoothness test with an evening kiss from SWMBO.

The Verdict
To be perfectly honest, it was tough to feel the usually smooth blade in its current condition, but I have confidence that I will be able to get it back to where it was, or even beyond. My honing interest is piqued and I would like to get more of my razors onto the stones and get more practice. I am also itching to try my coticule, but that my be a challenge for further down the road. Overall, the shave wasn't horrible, but I know that I can do better and get better shaves from this very razor, so I'm not going to settle.

There's no need to settle for second best on The Straight Road!

Well, more honing is needed, as well as a shave test tomorrow or the next evening, so I'll be kept busy with razor-related activities over the next little while. I still have several restoration projects on the go, as well, so I'd like to get through them in the coming weeks. Balancing time between my hobbies, spending time with the family, work and general life activities is always tough, but that's what makes it so rewarding when things go well.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers,

Jack

Great read, Jack. I have enjoyed reading about your trials and tribulations with the straight razor, you have a wonderful way with words. I have just received my first straight razor in the mail, courtesy of one of SRD's razor & strop sets. I have been studying the forums a good deal and felt like it would be my best "bang for the buck". Anyway, thanks for contributing, it has helped me just to know about someone else's start. I am looking forward to seeing your results with scales. I am also a big fan of wood scales. I wish I had a mentor as talented as Maxi living just down the road. Have a great New Year!

Thank you for the kind words, Richkev. I am having a great time doing this and it has helped me get my thoughts and impressions in order. It's also nice to be able to go back and find what has worked in the past for me, versus what is working now. Having Maxi nearby has, indeed, been a great boon, as he is a wonderfully patient teacher, who is always enthusiastic and willing. And he has beer.

I haven't shaved in a couple of days to give the slice on my cheek time to heal, but I might be able to have a go today. When I sliced my chin and shaved too soon, it left a faint scar, which I'd like to avoid this time around.

The Straight Road - Part 55: Thiers Issard Twins
After my first week back at work, things were a little more calm around the office on Monday number two of 2012. I have skipped shaving since Thursday in hopes of allowing the slice on my cheek to heal, as well as getting some of my allergic reactions calmed. Is it the shaving products? The weather? The dust that seems to come out of thin air in Toronto in the winter? I'm not sure, but I've been having some minor breakouts of hives on my face the past couple of weeks, which is quite annoying. I am going to keep a closer track of what is going on my face and what I'm eating around the times I get these breakouts of irritation. Nonetheless, after four days, there was no way I was going to skip shaving again today.

The Anticipation
Four days is a long time to go without shaving when you're on The Straight Road, so I was quite eager to get into the bathroom for my shave this evening. My face was also itching from the whiskers and I felt generally unkempt. On top of that, with the JaNorton event taking place, I needed to get a shave in with my second self-honed razor. The products I selected are from near the top of my list in each separate category, so I knew I was going to pamper myself with this shave. Trumper's Spanish Leather aftershsave, Mitchell's Wool Fat, Trumper's Balm and, an unusual addition to my routine, some eshave Orange Sandalwood preshave oil. Combine that with my snakewood Le Canadien and my snakewood PC Woodcraft brush and you have all the makings of a wonderful shave. That said, having shaved so seldom over the past couple of weeks has definitely blunted my technique a bit, as we shall soon see.

The Prep
For the first time in quite some time, I opted to bypass the preshave shower, as I'd had quite a thorough shower this morning and didn't feel the need for a second one. I heated up some towels and applied them to my face for a good three minutes, following which I applied some of the preshave oil, hoping it would help moisturize and lubricate my somewhat dry skin. The winter is in full effect and I'm finding our apartment quite dry. I suspect this coming weekend will involve a trip to a local shop to pick up a humidifier. My scuttle was full of very hot tap water, my brush was soaking and I had primed the MWF puck with a few drops of water ahead of time. It has been a while since I have lathered "The Fat" with a badger brush, so I knew I had my work cut out for me.

The Lather
As I've established, the infrequency of my shaves recently seems to be adversely affecting the quality. I suppose that makes sense, as it's easy to get out of practice at something when you've only been dong it a short time. Today was no exception, as I had a tough time getting a decent lather going with my MWF. When the lather finally came, it was a touch dry and ended up drying on my face during the shave, which required relathering a few times during my two passes. That's right, two passes. While I try to give my skin a break and let the slice on my cheek heal, I decided to keep the shave to two passes today, which turned out to be a good idea.

The Shave
Ok, so now we get down to the nitty-gritty. How was the JaNorton razor? Well, it was definitely a disappointment. I will be taking it back to the hones tomorrow evening, without a doubt. The longer whiskers were a test which this razor simply did not pass, as I felt tugging and pulling right away on the right sideburn during the first pass. I quickly reached for a substitute:

Now that I had a properly sharp razor in my hand, the rest of the first pass went smoothly, with the four days of growth being mowed down with ease. While I had some trouble with lather hydration, I had no further trouble with pulling or tugging on my whiskers and I was soon rewarded with a great first pass, reducing the hair to a manageable length. The second pass was equally smooth, with only one slight error when I lightly dinged my left ear. Luckily, unlike some horror stories about ears, mine didn't let loose with a river of blood, but just a tiny spot, which closed up quickly enough. I finished with some touch-ups around the chin area and I was ready to move on.

The Post
Cold water. My face needed it and I was only happy to oblige. After that, I moved to the alum block, having already taken care of the brush and the scuttle. Some more cold water followed, then an application of soothing Witch Hazel to help my skin recover from the exfoliating efforts of the singing Carbonsong C135 blade of the Le Canadien. After that, I splashed on some good old Spanish Leather from Geo F Trumper, relishing the slight sting, then I applied the moisturizer, enjoying the smooth and hydrating sensation.

The Verdict
Well, what can I say? I'm a noob! The previous honing jobs I had done on these two JaNorton razors were good and very comfortable, but I think I got a bit cocky the second time around, so my attention to detail was not where it should have been. Luckily, I had a razor on hand (actually, several!) with a great edge on it for shaving, so I was able to continue my shave in comfort and style. Time to go back to the stones and chase the edge again on both of my JaNorton razors. The good news is, the thread is now full of suggestions and ideas for how to get the most out of the 4k/8k, so I have a lot of possible techniques to try, though I think I'll just go back to my basic pyramids, which in the end have served me well on previous honing jobs. I have to remember that I'm not in a race here, I can take it slow and easy, learn what I need to learn at my own pace. All in good time.

There's no rushing on The Straight Road!

After today, I might take a break from my JaNorton razors and have a shave with my Dovo, which has been asking for some attention. Then it will be back to the stones for some honing, which I will try to document to the best of my ability. I always enjoy the feedback I receive from other members who take the time to read my words in this space, so I truly mean it when I say:

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Jack

The Straight Road - Part 56: Like a Rolling Stone
There was a great deal of desire to shave yesterday, but I figured another day would give my cut the time it needed to heal fully, allow a couple of ingrowns to relax a bit and allow me to get an early night's sleep. All in all, I'm glad of the decision. Today, when I got home with SWMBO Jr., we jumped right into homework mode, which she blew through in no time. After that, I pulled out the hones: my CH12k and my Norton 4k/8k. I had decided to have a shot at retouching the edge on my Yama Masa Kamisori, as well as using the 4k/8k to rehone my TI 6/8 Le Canadien Snakewood and my W&B 5/8 Bow Razor. As you might remember, the last shaves with those two razors did not go as well as I'd hoped, so I decided to give them a thorough run through the honing routine described here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...tml#post904967. First up was the kamisori, which was certainly a bit of a daunting task, especially considering I'd never used the CH12k before. Nonetheless, I think I did alright, raising a slight slurry, then running the Yama Masa through five sets of 10/3 ratio laps with slurry, then the same quantity with just water. As I've learned, when honing a kamisori, you run the Omote side 10 times then three back-honing (like stropping) strokes on the Ura side (the one with the stamps aka the "big" side). Hopefully, it will pull less and give me a smoother shave, as I fear it does have a fair amount of hone wear on it. After that, it was time for the Nortons, which I feel ended up being a successful exercise for both razors.

The Anticipation
Now that both my JaNorton razors were, once again, ready to be shave-tested, it was a tough call as to which one to test first. In the end, it came down to rotation, so I decided to go for the Bow Razor. The products of choice were my T&H Sandalwood samples, which are always reliable and have a nice scent, though not at the top of my list. Heading into the shave I was optimistic. Would the razor live up to my expectations? Let's find out...

The Prep
I returned to my usual, with a hot shower coming first, punctuated by a mid-shower dunking of the Frank Shaving Richmond 28mm Silvertip into the soaking reservoir of my scuttle. Being distracted was not a good way to start this shave off, so I resolved to be more focused once I was out of the shower. My razor was stropped, my products were picked, so once I had dried off, all that was left was...

The Lather
The lather tonight was a bit of a disappointment. The Frank Shaving is a big beast of a brush and it holds a CRAP-TON of water, of which, unfortunately, I did not shake off enough before starting. That left me with a bit of a soupy mess in the scuttle until it started to foam up. And boy did it foam up! I ended up with a very thin, foamy lather that provided hardly any cushion or glide. In fact, I probably should have dumped it and started again, or at the very least added some more cream to the mix. My reluctance to do so was, partially, attributed to the fact that this is a sample and there are usually only three uses out of one of these, two when you use it as liberally as I did tonight. I had enough lather for about 5 passes, though unfortunately that's the only good thing about tonight's suds: their abundance. With crappy lather, you can only imagine what the next section will unveil.

The Shave
It could have been the lather, it could have been the edge, but it was probably a combination of both. This razor has some pretty smooth-shaving steel, or at least it feels like that, as compared to my TI it seems more forgiving somehow. It started out pretty well, though I could tell that, part way through the shave, it wasn't at the level it had been at previously. I soldiered on through my regular three pass shave, with touch-ups, and was rewarded with some half-decent razor burn on the throat area, as well as the moustache zone. The razor will go back on the hones for some conservative pyramids as, though it wasn't as good as what I'm used to, it still wasn't as bad as last time. I think it can be dialled in and made to shave like it was before JaNorton. I managed to make it through the shave largely unscathed, though one of my regular neck ingrowns bled a little bit. As I sit writing this, soothing my ego with a lovely double of Black Bush Irish Whiskey, I contemplate the return to the hones and the razor burn that lets me know I am still a noob.

The Post
Lots and lots of cold water. But first, a rinse for the brush and the scuttle. The FS brush sneaked up on me today, but I'll remember to shake off the excess water next time. The alum block followed, along with another generous helping of icy cold water, hopefully limiting the burn on my face and neck. After that, I applied Witch Hazel, not once, but twice, hoping to take full advantage of the soothing effect it has. Then it was time for the T&H Sandalwood ASB, which smells great, but did not do much in the way of calming the burn on my neck and 'stache. That done, I headed out for the usual shave-test kiss and the scent verdict from SWMBO.

The Verdict
The shave that started out hopeful ended in disappointment, though the disappointment is somewhat mitigated by the fact that, at the very least, I am learning something. I am still very new to honing, so the inconsistency in my results is not surprising to me, though it is a bit frustrating. Obviously, the bad lather did me no favours, but I think a bit more diligence on the hones might be even more helpful. Tomorrow evening, or the next, will mark the trial for the Le Canadien, so we shall see if it's just the Bow Razor, or if both of them need some more love.

I suppose we all need a little love on The Straight Road.

Well, another day, another lesson learned. I can't be too down about things, as I did learn some more about honing today and I'm starting to get a better feel for it. The 4k with slurry is still a beast that will require more study, but I think I am on the right track. Hopefully I can continue to dial these edges in and get somewhere. Of course, my coticule is waiting in the wings, and I am eager, oh so eager, to learn that stone. The coticule edges I have used so far have been amongst the smoothest I've tried, so I suspect that, should I master that stone, I will probably use it regularly. Who knows? That's the beauty of this hobby. You never know until you try.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers,

Jack

The Straight Road - Part 57: Back on Track (sort of)
As JaNorton rolls along its merry way, I have been learning a fair amount about honing and the subtleties that make something as simple as rubbing a blade on a rock until it's sharp into what could be construed as a form of art. Certainly, anyone can do it, but to do it well and consistently requires more than just tools and willingness. It requires practice, dedication, consistency and a boatload of patience and perseverance. I had what I can now call beginner's luck with my first few honing attempts, as my subsequent ones have been somewhat less successful. Today's shave was about testing my honing job on my TI Le Canadien 6/8 Snakewood, which has been a tough nut to crack.

The Anticipation
There has been a certain amount of trepidation mixed into my anticipation on shave day of late. Likely due to the roughness of the edges I have been producing off my Norton 4k/8k, which have invariably left my face more tender than it needs to be. They have been sharp, without a doubt, but they have not been at the level of keenness and smoothness to which I have grown accustomed during my voyage on The Straight Road. Today would be another test as my Le Canadien was in need of a test.

The Prep
The razor had already been stropped on the SRD Black Latigo for 50/100 and then a further 100 on episaac's 'roo, so that bit of prep was done. My Semogue Owner's Club Premium Boar, always a treat, was the brush of choice for this shave, while I opted for DR Harris' Arlington soap, which has been sitting idly for some time, along with the DR Harris Aftershave Milk to finish things off. I filled my scuttle with very hot tap water, as I've found that is hot enough to get the job done without breaking down the lather like the boiling hot water I used to use. The brush was placed in its reservoir to soak, my shower was running, so it was time for a scrub-down and face prep, which consisted of normal soap and hot water. Out and dried, it was time to get the suds going.

The Lather
It has been a while since I lathered this soap and it was quite dried out. I probably should have primed it with some water, but that detail escaped me. Brush-loading took a solid minute, but I think I probably still didn't get enough product into the mix. In the end, I got a slick lather that still managed to dry out a bit on my face. It was enough for what I decided would be just a two-pass shave today. My next little endeavour after JaNorton will be to use a fixed combination of gear for a week at a time, which should allow me to really get the feel for razor, brush and shave products. I think that will help me solidify my lathering and shaving technique once more, as they seem to both be regressing somewhat. Still, the lather today was passable, so onto the main event.

The Shave
Decent. That's the rating for today's shave. The razor was not uncomfortable, but the smoothness was not where it needs to be. It shaved me and I got no razor burn, though my cheeks do feel, very slightly, like another pass would have set them on fire. Two passes were enough to test this razor, which I believe is getting close and probably just needs a quick trip to the Nortons for a conservative pyramid, then another test. I may make it the razor of choice for all of next week, in the hope of dialling in the edge and getting the shaving mojo back. The shave was relatively uneventful, with no nicks or cuts, an ATG followed by an XTG and some minor touch-ups on the chin and in the moustache area finished things off.

The Post
Leaving my face to rest a bit, I rinsed out the boar bristles and laid the brush aside. The SOC is a fun brush, but it is a tad on the floppy side for a boar. I've been hearing good things about the 2000 model from the same company, so it might find its way into my den, especially since my brother has my Omega 10005 and I have an empty spot on the brush area of the shelf. We can't have that, can we? Brush done, I followed with the scuttle, then began on my face. Cold water came first, alum followed close behind, surprisingly comfortable with hardly any sting. That done, I gave myself another cold water blast, then slapped on some witch hazel. This I left on for a couple of minutes while I cleaned and dried my Le Canadien and placed it on the shelf. Then it was time for the DR Harris Aftershave Milk in all its floral glory. Smelling good, feeling alright, I headed out to greet the freshly arrived SWMBO for a welcome-home kiss.

The Verdict
The Le Canadien is a lot closer than the Bow Razor, but it could stand for a bit more smoothness, which I will endeavour to chase for in the next couple of days. I think I will use this razor for all of next week, along with my SOC brush and MWF, Trumper's Spanish Leather and Unscented. Tomorrow I might shave test my Yamamasa kamisori, which is sitting there waiting patiently, then move back to the JaNorton razor for Sunday or Monday. The shave tonight was not inspiring, but it was still a pleasant and relaxing way to end a long week.

Sometimes pleasant and relaxing are all you need on The Straight Road.

Well, I lasted the first two weeks of the new year without making a shaving purchase, but today I broke down and grabbed another kamisori. I would have passed it by, but looking closely at the photos revealed what appears to be the tamahagane mark, which means this could be a diamond in the rough that I've found here, as most razors made with that steel have been going for 4 or 5 times the price of this one. I will know when it arrives whether it is, in fact the mark, but even so the price was reasonable and the razor looks to be in good shape. I have been reading a lot about honing and shaving with kamisori and it is a fascinating subject. I look forward to learning even more.

Until next time, thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Jack

The Straight Road - Part 58: Weekend of Wonder
There is only one way to describe this weekend on The Straight Road and that is "action packed"! After Friday night's shave, I was hoping to get back to the hones, but then I remembered that Maxi had mentioned maybe having a shop day over the weekend, so I sent him a text and we set it up for Saturday afternoon. The timing was perfect as I had two razors that were on the verge of completion for their restoration, so I was quite eager to get them done and add them to my rotation. I have posted photos and a description of what was involved in the restoration in this thread: http://straightrazorpalace.com/custo...h-restore.html. Suffice it to say, we spent a solid afternoon of razor-related activity, I roughed out a new set of horn scales for one of my W&B Bow Razors, a set of padauk scales for a big 7/8 W&B wedge are now ready for hand finishing and I also got to polish the two blades in the above thread on the buffer, as well as learning how to pin a razor, which was very cool. We easily passed a few hours in the shop, then it was time for me to venture out in the -16 weather to walk home, which was thankfully mitigated somewhat by some lovely scotch Maxi had served me, as well as a nice beer at the end of our shop session.

So after a full day Saturday, Sunday dawned cold and blustery, a perfect day for staying inside in your pyjamas for the whole day, which is what we did. SWMBO and SWMBO Jr. were both kept entertained by their various hobbies, which allowed me a window of time to entertain myself with mine. I had four razors that needed some sort of contact with stone, so it was going to be a marathon. I was also determined to try honing with a coticule for the first time, so it would be a learning experience, as well. First up were the touch-ups on my JaNorton razors, with a conservative pyramid for each, which will hopefully help bring the Le Canadien up that extra notch and get the Bow Razor back into shaving shape, as it had been a bit less comfortable than it could have been during the last shave. Those out of the way, I pulled out the Norton 1k so I could set the bevel on my W&B Barber's Notch, which I believe used to have the "celebrated" etching before a previous owner ground it out. The bevel setting was challenging, as the razor isn't completely straight, but in the end I got a (somewhat uneven) bevel that popped arm hair with ease. After that I moved it on to the Norton 4k/8k and did pyramids from 25/5 down to 1/10, then rinsed the stone, did 10 slow rolling x-strokes on the 8k and checked arm hair. It should be noted that I now have no arm hair on my left arm, so I'll probably have to move to the right next. The razor was probably ready to shave at this point, but I figured that, since it wasn't constrained to JaNorton, I was going to try my Chinese 12k and my Thuringian. So the next stop was the CH12k, with a light slurry, for 30 strokes, after which I rinsed the stone and did a further 20, super-light x-strokes with just water. Then onto the small 5" Thuri for 10 slow, smooth, super-light rolling x-strokes and I was done.

The W&B 7/8" Barber's Use was a different animal. I started with the coti, but setting the bevel promised to take a very long time, so I dropped down to the Norton 1k to get the bevel set. Once that was done, I followed the Dilucot procedure, playing it by feel more than counting strokes, until the razor was popping arm hair easily after diluting the slurry down almost to plain water. Then it was a final finishing run of 20 rolling x-strokes on the coti with plain water and then 10 rollers with a damp stone. All four razors were then give 50/50 on the SRD Latigo and another 50 on the episaacs 'roo. Now it was shaving time!

The Anticipation
The razor of choice for today was the W&B 7/8 Bocote, freshly honed and ready to go. I've been very eager to scratch my coticule itch, so there was no way it could be any razor other than this one today. To accompany this razor, I opted for my favourite product lineup: DR Harris Marlborough, along with the all-star Semogue Owner's Club Premium Boar in cherrywood. After all, a new razor, completely restored by my own hands (with some help from power tools) required some top-notch products!

The Prep
First I ran hot water into my scuttle, filling both the reservoir and the lather bowl, then plopping the brush into the soaker. A hot shower was next, as we were preparing to head for Sunday dinner so I jumped in with my RazoRock Artisan Coconut Bath Soap and scrub brush, determined to emerge shiny and clean for the family time. With that out of the way and the stropping done, it was time to dive straight into the soap dish.

The Lather
This brush with this soap is a winning combination all the way. I shook the brush out a fair bit, as I've been starting with too much water lately whereas I prefer to add it as I go, so a dryer brush seemed to pick up a good amount of product. Shortly thereafter my scuttle was brimming with the thick, creamy, slick and wonderfully scented lather that I have come to expect from DR Harris soaps, which are truly a joy to use. There was abundant lather for three passes and touch-ups, with some left over in the brush and scuttle at the end of the shave. What more could I ask?

The Shave
I won't lie to you, I was a bit anxious about this. After all, I'd never even touched a razor to a coticule with more than an exploratory stroke before today, yet I had taken a razor from 1k bevel all the way to finished on that very stone. Needless to say, I wanted this to succeed, as there is something about the romance and the history of the coticule stone that sings to my soul. The same stones that the Romans once used are still sharpening razors some two millenia down the road. Well, let me tell you, my streak of beginner's luck continues! The razor was smooth, sharp and just overall a joy. I was immensely pleased with the smoothness of the edge while still maintaining the keenness to mow down two days worth of growth without a hitch. There were no nicks, no scrapes and only a touch of razor burn when I forgot myself in my excitement and applied a little too much pressure. That part of my jaw has since forgiven me. Three passes resulted in an incredibly smooth shave, much better then my previous two while being more comfortable.

The Post
My post routine has been pretty much the same for a while now. I rinse out the brush and scuttle to get them out of the way, then splash my face with very cold water. After that comes the alum, then more cold water followed by witch hazel. While I let the WH "settle", I stropped for 25 passes on the 'roo after drying the blade well on a fresh towel. Then it was time for lovely Marlborough splash, followed closely by the Trumper's Unscented moisturizer. That done, I finished the cleanup and, at the very end, applied the Marlborough cologne before heading out to get dressed for our dinner.

The Verdict
I am, quite frankly, ecstatic with the way things turned out with this razor and this shave. Taking a razor that was in pretty rough shape and turning it into the beauty that shaved me today is an immensely satisfying sensation. Add to that the romance of the coticule edge, which lived up to my expectations and more, and you have all the makings of a great day. After having a bit of a rough go of it with the JaNorton razors, getting a smooth shave like this made me quite a happy camper.

Wouldn't it be great if we were all happy campers on The Straight Road?

Well, that was a lot of action for one weekend and I now have two new razors in my rotation. My razor shelf is getting a bit overcrowded and I am thinking about working on some sort of rack to hold them. That would certainly be an amusing little project. I know I said I would start to do one-week rotations of razors and product, but I want to test-shave my other restoration and my kamisori before I go back to the Le Canadien, then I'll settle in for the rest of the week.

Until next time, thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Jack