Thread: The great experiment

Originally Posted by Haroldg48

I'll look it over carefully first and maybe just leave it alone and cope with it. I love the scales.

No cause for alarm. It may just need repinning. If it's loose, it should be tight! JMO

Harold48 & Sharptonn you just taught me something. I have been treating a stainless Hejestrand like a full hollow, and hating the shaves with it. I will treat it as a wedge and change my angles. Thank-you for pulling it out and sharing.

Well, now that I've been reminded again (told you I was forgetful, Tom) that the Hess was a small wedge, I grabbed it this morning and went at my face again (3d time this week), fortified by newly awakened knowledge.

After stropping, then lathering with the Barrister & Mann, I had a great 2 pass shave, no irritation, no pulling, no problems, and I was able to maneuver the razor to places that are harder with his bigger brothers, like under my nose and below my chin. with now problem areas. Love it! The experiment and learning continue!

Having shaved successfully again today with the Hess 5/8 wedge, I decided to treat myself, in spite of past advice from Richard , and use my heaviest and one of my top 3 favorites, this W&B FBU. I'll be stropping it up tonight and giving it a cruise or two around my face tomorrow or Sunday, depending on my mood, and the whisker challenge I want to give it.

Round 5

I finished up round 5 earlier this week having with five consecutive shaves with a 7/8 Wade & Butcher wedge. The razor was a gift from a friend who had finished it on an Escher. This grind is really close to a true wedge.


Like my other wedge, this razor is a fairly quiet. It mowed down the whiskers with little noise and little feedback. The first time I shaved with it I left a couple of marks on my face-those red lines where you apparently break the skin but you don't bleed and you don't notice until hours later. However, the shaves were all smooth and mostly comfortable. Stropping was okay. The scales were a bit thick and felt awkward during stropping. As I said during round three and four, I've really come to like the vintage steel finished on an Escher.

Yeah, those red lines are almost a cut, I think. Perhaps too much angle as beginning a stroke?
I think we all do that from time to time. Seems sometimes, I get a little too comfortable with a blade and do that.

My last shave from a 11/16 Genco went well with the face wetting before the lather.
It's a bit messier to do, but seems to work wonders using smaller shavers in the drier climate.

I regularly get the lines when trying to even the sideburns.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

My last shave from a 11/16 Genco went well with the face wetting before the lather.
It's a bit messier to do, but seems to work wonders using smaller shavers in the drier climate.

I've always splashed my face before lathering. Since I start with only a "damp" brush when loading, it doesn't seem to add much mess. I can't stand it when lather drips/runs/slashes/slings. Anyway, wet face helps me.