Thread: I'm not sure what to say about this.

Originally Posted by paco664

cool.... look.. you are one of the most respected honemeisters here... Thank you what is YOUR opinion about what is being done in this video?? I posted my opinion along with Undream/Brad's on the Carter You-tube channel it was pulled along with all but one of Brad's, which was a challenge to make vids.

I think looking at Brad's channel and my channel will find quite a few vids least last time I checked...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I think looking at Brad's channel and my channel will find quite a few vids least last time I checked...

The chair recognizes the esteemed gentlemen from Switzerland...

Well I just watched the infamous "spoon" video that I'd read so much about on this site.

Is it juvenile for me to say that I was pretty damn impressed? Because I was. Maybe I like cheap carnival tricks; I've never been considered high-brow.

Who knows, maybe this guy has skin made of stiff leather, but take a look at his technique with the kamisori--and yes, the spoon, too. he's not a newbie...anyone who's done this a while can see he's clearly shaved with a straight more than a few times. He doesn't have the uncertain hands of a newbie.

So, my thinking is either he's sent his razor(s) out to a professional razor honer (which seems highly unlikely to me since he appears to be someone with a great deal of pride in his self-sufficiency) or he's sharpened his own. I for one appreciate his taking the time to add to the "pot of knowledge," even if his methods go ATG. A guy once by the name of Galileo had some methods that were ATG at one point, too. And that "grain" was much more certain at the time than ours now of honing razor blades. Everyone KNEW that the sun revolved around the earth. They knew it for a very long period of time. Turns out it don't.

Trust me, I'm not drawing any parallels between this guy and Galileo, I'm just saying that I'm hesitant to jump on the bandwagon of labeling him a heretic.

If I had those particular stones I might try this out just for Ss and Gs. Sadly I don't. Anyone got the stones to do it? p.s. awesome pun, right?!

I could shave myself with a 1k edge without problems in a video. The watcher doesn't feel anything, he only sees that the stubble is removed. If something can be done, doesn't mean it is comfortable too.

Originally Posted by jeness

I could shave myself with a 1k edge without problems in a video. The watcher doesn't feel anything, he only sees that the stubble is removed. If something can be done, doesn't mean it is comfortable too.

This is very true, and you make a good point. I hadn't considered the notion of him silently dealing with the pain for video purposes.

But still, in my opinion that doesn't fully explain his non-newbness. The comfort level with a blade he shows in his video takes what...at least 100 shaves easy, right? I don't think you can develop that comfort level shaving that many times with a 1K edge. Wouldn't you have visible scar tissue?

He is obviously used to shaving with a straight. I don't think you could shave with a spoon (even if it's not a "real" spoon and was made for the sole purpose of the video as he points out in it), knife, or axe without being comfortable with sharp steel near your jugular. However, I can shave with a dull blade. Granted, I'm a puss so I would probably wince too much on camera. One of my razors is starting to pull but I can shave with it. It's not comfortable but it's not the effortless glide I've become accustomed to. However it is still mildly sharper than my first razor was after my first time stropping and rolling an edge.I shaved with that every day for two months before I got another razor that truly was shave ready. As is, with my DE I can get 6 shaves out of each blade but anything after the third shave requires pressure, too much effort, and a willingness that I don't have to put up with discomfort.
I've only got a few honings under my belt so maybe I'll try my hand at his method to see what happens as I don't have tons of experience NOT doing what he does. That he is shaving with it is without question but to me it appears that it's not a comfortable shave or as close a shave as most of us here like.

OK. Even with his special honing technique (that costs 35$ for the DVD), if he can't make the blade shave ready-ish, he will have to try honing to the 6000grit stone for more passes. and then he could use the chromium oxide belt for another 500 passes. This way he might be able to make at least the sound effect of shaving while passing whatever he is passing over his skin. I don't think he is an idiot, he is just inexperienced. Btw am I the only one who thinks that you can't back-hone a spoon? He has to make a new video about how to hone a spoon, I'm confused

More then one way to skin a banana. I haven't tried his method and until I do .... if I do, I can't unequivocally say it is not effective. Harrelson Stanley, famed plane blade honer of Shapton USA, once put out a video demonstrating his 'side honing method' adapted to straight razors. I tried it and it did get the razor sharp but I prefer the standard method. The only way any of us will know if the Carter method for straights is good it to give it a shot. Other than that we are just speculating.