I'm Back

[RayD]

It’s been a few months since I’ve been here. I really didn’t want to be one of the types that learns all they can about straight razor shaving and then never show my face again. I’ve gotten really busy since I got back from Japan and I thought I would be retiring and then they talked me in to staying an extra year so don’t have all the free time I thought I would be having by now. I’ve been using all kinds of razors and I’ve starting to use my straight more and more. It takes more planning and I usual have to shave the night before in order to have time but I’ve found it’s an enjoyable way to end the day. In the last 8 months since I started this new obsession, I’ve tried a lot of razors what I’ve found is that DE razors are my lest favorite way to shave, were as straights and the SE gems are my favorite. I have not been able to master the against the grain shave under my lower lip so when I use my straights I still use my 1901 Gem to do touch up on the chin and under my lower lip. Other that the SE razors I’ve also have used a Rolls, and I’ve found they are even harder to maintain than a straight razor which may explain why they never became popular.
I have a lot of straight razors in the drawer that I just haven’t had time to get shave ready but here is my current rotation.
Dovo Micarta
Thiers-Isard Silver Steel Olive wood
Double Duck Dwarf
Wade & Butcher with Horn scales (the Scales are in bad shape but just haven’t had time to try scale making yet)
The razor I bought from Bill (don’t remember what brand it was)
I found I like soaps a lot and usually use them 2 out of 3 shaves I’m not that fond of the glycerin types and my favorites are.
Tabac
L’occitane
Taylor Lavender
I still use creams and have come up with a couple of favorites
GFT Rose
Castle Forbes Lime
C&E Sandalwood

[FiReSTaRT]

Good to have you back Ray. One way I found to facilitate against the grain passes of the upper lip area was to start going up from the side of the lip and move upwards toward the nose. Hope this helps.

[Kees]

Upper lip is a troublesome area. I occasionally do it only across the grain and not against it if I feel irritation coming up with the first pass.

[Norm58]

Welcome back. Do you have a particular straight that you prefer?

Norm.

[RayD]

Dovo Micarta is by far my favorite but who knows I still have ones I haven't even tried yet.

[FiReSTaRT]

Any DOVO SS blade will do the trick in that case. I haven't tried one of those, but I do have a CS Bismarck in my rotation that has always been a superb shaver. You may wish to try a Sheffield steel blade as that's what the star of my rotation was made of.

[Flanny]

For my against the grain on the chin and under the nose I use my tongue inside the mouth to stretch the skin being shaven and then lay my blade closer than the 20% angle and proceed with caution. Seems to do a really good job and I don't have the skipping that usually causes one to slice one's nose off .

Now if I'm shaving someone else I'll just pull their nose back to their forehead with my middle finger while stretching the upper lip down to their chin with the thumb and that generally gives me what I need with only a few adjustment twitches for the sides

[RayD]

Any DOVO SS blade will do the trick in that case. I haven't tried one of those, but I do have a CS Bismarck in my rotation that has always been a superb shaver. You may wish to try a Sheffield steel blade as that's what the star of my rotation was made of.

Sheffield are you talking about ones made in Sheffield. I do have one Wade&Butcher in my rotation and I have Barber's Rattle that I'm going to work on today.

[FiReSTaRT]

Wade and Butcher is Sheffield steel. So's A. Jordan, Taylor's Eye Witness and quite a few other makers/brands. TI claims to be using Sheffield steel but to me that's a sort of a travesty lol.

[RayD]

The only thing that I don’t like about my the Wade&Butcher that I have in my rotation is that it doesn’t hold a edge very well it’s the first one to need sharpening out of any of the others in my rotation. The Barber’s Rattle seems to be a harder steel since I worked on it a while today and couldn’t get it sharp, but that’s ok several others have taken me several attempts to get sharp. I did get two others sharp enough to add to my rotation a Double Duck Special #1, and a Red Dot, plus touched up a few that needed it. Well after all that it’s time for a shower and a shave.