Thread: The great experiment

Yesterday's mail delivered an 8/8 Filarmonica 14 full hollow from an anonymous lender (Tom, you know who I mean, his name starts with an S). This morning's shave was a delight and eye opener. Being a full hollow I expected some "singing". Add to that it being an 8/8 there was more surface to vibrate and as a result I will go looking for some ear plugs since it was a very loud "singer." Which I don't mind at all. A long time ago I likened various voices to the different razor grinds, progressing from high soprano on a ultra thin bellied blade to basso profundo on a near or pure wedge. Needless to say, the extra weight of being a large razor meant that a swift adjustment needed to be made on inward pressure used. Recalling the old adage, shave the lather not the beard, and increasing my conscious needed to do so, I felt I shaved with an additional 20% lighter pressure than normal. The result was the best, best, best first shave off of a freshly honed razor I've ever gotten. Under normal circumstances, regardless of who honed the razor (mine have been honed by four known masters and myself) I have found that I could not really appreciate the edge until the second or third shave with that particular razor. Not so in this case. I have to put it down to make of the razor (I normally don't care about the make as long as it's a good shave), quality of edge, quality of pre-shave and lather and attention to pressure. I am looking forward to do the unusual for me, that of shaving for the next week or so with only one razor (I have about 45 razors and I try to rotate them over a two month period.) Might not make daily reports but will provide periodical updates.

I tried a Filarmonica like that and it was an amazing shaver. I was surprised by how good the shave was since I'm usually less than successful with a full hollow blade and have never shaved with one that big before. It left my face as nice as it has been after any shave, and wasn't nearly as scary as I thought to use. Hope you get a great week of shaves.

Yes, those big ones are a bit intimidating, but paying attention, they are quite friendly. Especially in the thinner grinds, FME.

Blade angle is sometimes a bit awkward as the width of the blade makes for some interesting passes in spots.
BTW, it has been about 4 years since that razor was honed...Just well-stropped, that's all!
Watch those ears, Richard!

I was going to wait a few days before posting again, but this mornings shave, number 2, held a revelation for me. I normally start out ATG, south to north on my neck. The mind inside of my mind said, "Hey, lets try something different. DO your neck north to south and see what happens." Trusting to the fact that the weight of an 8/8 needs to be taken into account at all times I did as requested and had a perfect result. Cut out maybe one minute of shaving time (big deal, it's no race.) The point being that a weightier razor, proper pressure and skin stretching has changed how I shave once again. I doubt I will have the same results with a 5/8, 6/8 and maybe a 7/8 (critically thinking, it is minute but a factor.) Later shaves will tell the story. Somewhere in the next week I need to hone/refresh a 5/8 I'm loaning to a newbie and need to test shave with it so I'll have a comparison sooner than later.

Great variation: I'm glad you were successful.

I discovered the same things during my initial run through the 7 day rotation. Some of the razors worked better with techniques I had never tried. For example, I went cross-handed (left on right side and right on left side) with two of the heavier wedges that had smile and found the blade size, shape and weight worked to get me closer faster doing that. To be fair I first tried that because I cut my left hand thumb on the heel of one of the first I tried so I had to crossover with my right hand to finish.

Funny (and useful) to know we can discover different razors on the same face do differently with different approaches.

Oh hell, folks. My inner adolescence (quite a gap between then and current age. Makes you think I might be in my second <third> childhood) took hold of me this morning and said, "Stop this mature, quasi scientific investigation and do something out of character (as if that was new)", lets play with contrasts. Sooo, I looked in my big cigar box of rarely used, vary rarely used, razors and pulled out, not a plum, but a 4/8 Shumate, slight smile, Tungsteel labeled and, if I remember correctly, honed by pinklather (I think he swore off of honing small razors after that one.) Decided to use the same shaving pattern as yesterday and see what evolves. Again a better than DFS shave with a couple of needed steps to get the same as with the 8/8. Neck: north to south, checked the closeness and added a south to north pass plus fussiness around the Adam's apple (always a fuss spot for me) for desired effect. Rest of the shave went as well as yesterday's 8/8 shave. Difference wasn't noticed till I applied witch hazel and AS. And then the true difference showed up. I thought I had used the same light pressure as with the 8/8. Boy, was I wrong. Sting city! For me, a new found advantage of a bigger and heavier razor, less pressure needed to get a decent shave. I will be keeping my minute Shumate in a more active rotation schedule now to remind me of the closer and smoother shaves I get with my bigger blades.

I need to plan a series of nefarious events to fund the acquisition of an 8/8 and/or plus that size in the future.

Well in two weeks, I managed to get in 6 more SR shaves with the Elliott. What I found using it every day is that I got progressively more comfortable using it, and that the quality of my shaves depended completely on my not taking any shortcuts in stropping, face prep or lathering. I used MDC the whole time as well as my favorite brush, but on a day or two when I just "needed to get it done" I skimped on lather time, and I could tell. I also found out that when I face lather I need to pay attention to loading the brush (or not overloading it in the MDC case) and then having a decently wet face. I guess as someone once said, they don't call it wet shaving for nothing. My stretching was also something I have to remind myself of, especially when I'm trying some new angles/approaches.

In spite of just having done all that whining and self critique, all my shaves were at least finer than I ever got with any other tool, and they were fun...which is my objective. This coming week I travel, and I'm going to take the Mongoose, because I like it and it's easier than hauling a strop, etc. After that I think I'm going to follow a different pattern and go to one of my more "normal" razors...maybe the Butler Art or the Taylor Eyewitness, both of which are different from each other and from most other SRs I have. Maybe I'll use them both, since they came to me as "brothers".

Last, some of the local guys (Nipper and Lindyhop) have arranged a local meet at the end of February, which is only 4 or so hours away, so I'm going to try and get over there and meet some SRP members in person, and maybe learn something!

A small diversion and aside to the Great Experiment. I had the joy of spending three hours with a 19 year old (going on full maturity) college student yesterday getting him started on the path of straight razor shaving. He had inherited two W&B's (lucky devil), not used since his Great Grandfather's use. I had him send them to cudarunner to be cleaned up and honed, which of course resulted in some fine work. After about an hour and a half of talking about everything razors and shaving we hit the shaving room and he was led through lather building, razor maintenance and finally, first shave with a straight. In retrospect I could think of no other razor more suitable to demonstrate with than the 8/8 filli. First, the look on his face on seeing such a large razor, and then realizing his 5/8 was as good as they get as I demoed first the side burn area and led him through doing that section and then a full face shave and watched quiet joy spread from his eyes to his whole demeanor was beyond priceless. Let me also state that under normal conditions I would not have gone the full face route except for the fact that I was dealing with an intelligent, systematic thinker that could handle the process. Sent him home with a brush, lathering bowl, witch hazel, two soaps (one of them William's for the challenge)and of course, my phone number. His W&B has a wicked point and he learned quite quickly to concentrate and be aware of the razor's placement all the time. Oh, and a brand new styptic pencil.

I, again, give credit to the shave ability of the 8/8 filli to orchestrate a successful intro to our funny field of shaving diversity (he was wide eyed when I showed him my electric double edge razor) and can't not see him not shaving with a straight for years to come.

Forgot. Also lent him a vintage 2-1/2 inch strop.

Round Four

For this round I am using a 13/16 Wade & Butcher near wedge. I found this one at an antique store this summer and had it restored by Wolfpack. The edge is really smooth; coticule followed by an Escher, I think. This was my largest blade and first wedge so it was very different from my rotation.


Shaving with it the fall was awkward at first. I was kind if getting the hang of shaving with a wedge, when I started posting to the great experiment, so I dont think I have shaved with it since November. I have used it five shaves in a row, now. Manueverability has improved and I've adapted to the minimal feedback. I pretty much have the angle dialed in. Like mentioned above, this is a very smooth razor. The last two razors I shaved with were both vintage blades finished on an Escher, which is now my preference.




The razor for the next round was a gift from a friend here at SRP. It is another W & B wedge, a 7/8s I think.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

A small diversion and aside to the Great Experiment. I had the joy of spending three hours with a 19 year old (going on full maturity) college student yesterday getting him started on the path of straight razor sharpening. He had inherited two W&B's (lucky devil), not used since his Great Grandfather's use. I had him send them to cudarunner to be cleaned up and honed, which of course resulted in some fine work. After about an hour and a half of talking about everything razors and shaving we hit the shaving room and he was led through lather building, razor maintenance and finally, first shave with a straight. In retrospect I could think of no other razor more suitable to demonstrate with than the 8/8 filli. First, the look on his face on seeing such a large razor, and then realizing his 5/8 was as good as they get as I demoed first the side burn area and led him through doing that section and then a full face shave and watched quiet joy spread from his eyes to his whole demeanor was beyond priceless. Let me also state that under normal conditions I would not have gone the full face route except for the fact that I was dealing with an intelligent, systematic thinker that could handle the process. Sent him home with a brush, lathering bowl, witch hazel, two soaps (one of them William's for the challenge)and of course, my phone number. His W&B has a wicked point and he learned quite quickly to concentrate and be aware of the razor's placement all the time. Oh, and a brand new styptic pencil.

I, again, give credit to the shave ability of the 8/8 filli to orchestrate a successful intro to our funny field of shaving diversity (he was wide eyed when I showed him my electric double edge razor) and can't not see him not shaving with a straight for years to come.

Forgot. Also lent him a vintage 2-1/2 inch strop.

As Razorfeld has said I was honored to be asked to bring his heirloom razor back to do what it was intended to do. I also cleaned it up for him N/C and it didn't take much at all! Just a little time on a buffer wheel with some CrOx. The blade and the scales look great. It honed up wonderfully with a very small and even bevel and gave a great shave!

I'm glad that he had your help with learning this age old art! That W&B has a very unique point on it. I've never seen one like it before.

I hope he will jump in and add some words and pictures.

I thought that I'd deleted the pics that were sent to me but I was mistaken, here's a shot of that wicked point!