Thread: Much Ado About Very Little

The irony in this thread is that we're debating the value of getting a properly finished edge, while members here go on and on about the importance of showering pre-shave, pre-shave oils, uberlathers, hot towels applied multiple times, relathering after the hot towels, scuttles, ad infinitum. If I had to choose between these strategies, I'd go with a really well-finished edge, a splash of hot water and a quality shave.

After almost a year of shaving and honing I just purchased a finisher. I've been maintaining and repairing with a 220/1k and 4k/8k norton combo stones and I get very nice shaves from them. Want to try to get better ones so I purchased not because I needed but because I am curious. And thanks to all the members of this forum for their perspectives and conversations

Originally Posted by ace

If I had to choose between these strategies, I'd go with a really well-finished edge, a splash of hot water and a quality shave.

My routine nowadays is pretty much that strategy... a well finished edge, one mug of boiling water, soak the brush, lather and shave away. The current stone setup is very simple: DMT 1200 for the bevel, BBW and coticule. I may try shaving off the BBW one of these days.

Right! All those high end finishers barely make a difference. Junk I say. Send them to me for proper disposal.

The other side of this is that once you have a good shaving edge, if you work a stone just short of it, just as most of the vintage hones required, you can keep a good shaving edge indefinitely. What we call overhoning now (pressure and creating a thin bevel) and what they called overhoning in the old days are two different things as far as I can tell. People 100 years ago must've been better at being patient and using stones as the instructions said to (so as not to go hog wild and remove a smooth edge).

I don't like any other type of edge as much as I like one that's been shaved with for a while and then thinned but not removed. Such an edge is very durable, too.

Not that I want to start a mid grit maintenance trend or anything.

I think forgoing the basics for razzle dazzle is a universal truth. It shows up in every hobby I have or ever had... I am not immune lol!

Shooting:
- no aiming system or barrel length is going to help if you can't hold the gun correctly
- a cheap gun with allot of ammo is better than an expensive gun with no ammo lol.

Biking:
- only 10% of riders (bicycle) will ever really see any value in the weight loss that comes from bikes over $5K
- I could go on and on...

Golf:
- those clubs aren't going to help
- those balls really don't have eyes lol

Actually, rather than me rambling on - think of anything you are into and you'll see that most people forgo the basics to get to the sexy lol.

Man - most people who drive expensive cars wouldn't know how to take a turn if they... at least BMW has driving classes lol.