Thread: Got my AH-HA shave!

Finally! I got a shave perfectly smooth, BBS, and COMFY, on a razor that I honed myself.
I have this one razor that has consistently been one of my top two. It's a beautiful 8/8 damascus. When it came, it wiped the hairs from my face so effortlessly that I thought it must not be cutting! It needed a touch up, and I used CrOx...worked fine for a few weeks...but then same issue, and the CrOx didn't work as well. I tried a barber's hone, tried a few swipes of the Couticle followed by CrOx, tried diamond sheets (1um), and nothing quite got it back to where it needed to be. Where I needed it to be.

So I decided to hone it as if it were DULL, not just "not sharp enough."
BBW with milky slurry X 12 or so...feeling better already
BBY with thinner X 15 or so...feeling sharp!
BBW with water X20 .... feels almost shave readY!!!

Couticle with water X 25 ish ... popping hairs
Linen X 50
Leather X100...
Shower,
Tried a little test shave, and it was pretty good, but not there yet. I put the razor down, dried off, and went back downstairs to the hones.

Did a few more on the couticle to in case the small test shave had done any damage (more to just have a better "control)".
Added about 75 swipes on the Chinese 12K (would like to replace this..and suggestions are welcome, but hey, it worked...)

Then, 10 laps on CrOX,
Linen
Leather...

Shower, shave....and IT ROCKED! The entire shave was so perfect, I wish I had more face! Now, to see if this is repeateable on other razors.


items that will be hard to duplicate every time:
I hadn't shaved since Friday morning, which always gives me a great shave)
I had been in the sun all day, which pulls the skin abck, but allows the ahir to absorb moisture, then the skin "springs back" with moisturizing a/s, giving a nice smooth feel.

Now I can't wait to go hone a few more and see if I can repeat it.

I love that every time I think I "get it" I can improve even further.

Anyway, thanks for listening...not that I really added anything of substance, just ahd to share!

I got a shave perfectly smooth, BBS, and COMFY, on a razor that I honed myself.

Wow, this is what it all comes down to. I'm glad
you had this experience, and I hope many more
such shaves come your way in the future.

I know it was a great feeling!

- Scott

Coming off the BBW it might be worth going to coticule with slurry and using a similar progression, then maybe 50 laps with water.

Anyway, smooth moves. Enjoy.

Great story. Thanks for sharing. It's a great feeling when we get a great edge on our blades! Happy to hear of your success!

Originally Posted by gregs656

Coming off the BBW it might be worth going to coticule with slurry and using a similar progression, then maybe 50 laps with water.

I thought coticule with slurry was more aggressive than BBW with slurry,

-Chief

Originally Posted by BHChieftain

I thought coticule with slurry was more aggressive than BBW with slurry,

-Chief

I would agree with that, but it should still be a higher grit, doesn't have to be thick slurry. Just something to speed up the process, you could just do loads of laps on water I guess.

Originally Posted by smokelaw1

I wish I had more face!

More face, My face is green with envy right now so congrats. That's exactly the stage I aspire to.Thanks for the encouragement.