Get to know your razor week

By the power vested in me by the...well, I don't know what.... I am declaring next week the official SRP get to know your razor week. This starts Sunday and goes through Saturday.

So here is how it works.

For those of you who have multiple razors (sorry guys if you don't) you will select your most maligned and least used razor and first you will apologize to it and then you will use it every day for one week. Then you will report back to this thread and advise what this razor has taught you about shaving and how you now realize what a great razor it really was after-all and how you are now the best of friends. Of course if it turns out it's just an evil razor we want to hear about that too.

So don't disappoint me. I don't want to have to send the SRP Police to your house on this.:rofl2:

Sounds like a lot of fun! I'm up for it. I think I have just the razor...

James.

Sounds like good fun. I'm game.

Oh man, I've got just te razor for this. I'm totally in. I'll have to set a reminder... This will be difficult, my other razors are gonna get jealous :)

I'm disappointed this one didn't catch on. I think there is alot to gain from using that razor that you neglect (for whatever reason).

Anyways my week is up. I shave every second or third day. I did manage to get 4 shaves in with my most neglected razor. I suppose I neglect it because its not the best looking and being still very new at straight shaving, it's not often that I get a shave that doesn't burn a bit afterwards... Heh

So from Undream I received a 5/8 Wade&Butcher square point wedge. It's very shave ready, I dare say probably my sharpest razor. The scales are horn that look as if they've been attacked by worms lol. It's clean but it's ugly, and there is quite a bit a water damage with some pitting. I'd post a picture, but I'm writing this on my phone. The point is however, the edge is very clean and the razor is in perfectly good shave condition. I fail to use this razor very often based on it's looks and that it leaves me with a hell of a burn after use.

Shave 1:

My first shave, was, how do I put this... Bloody. I haven't nicked my self this badly durning a shave in at least 2 months. When I was done, I thought, this will be a great learning experience, I have no idea how to shave with a wedge properly. Up until now I'd been using a Wapi, and the difference between 1/4hollow and wedge is quite noticeable to me now. So I washed my face with some cold water, slapped on some bayrum. And thought no more of how bad my shave had been... Until about 2 hours later and I felt my face. BBS the entire face, no stray whiskers, just smooth. This was my very first completely smooth shave. I couldn't believe it!

Shave 2:

Though not as bloody as the first, I did manage to give my self a weaper. I know that pressure is the key to a successful shave. And with a wedge, it seemed to me that, if I was truly going to master this razor I would have to learn to use even less pressure. The end result was a less burnt but still smooth shave. Just a few strays to report, but still one of my closer shaves. The ugly razor was starting to win my heart.

Shave 3:

Probably my best shave of my 4. I took my time Tuesday night. My girlfriend was out and it really gave me the time to relax into my shave. Some of you may know, I'm a bit if a yoga head. So in the back ground I had some soft gentle/calming yoga music playing. Each stroke with my razor seemed like a gift. Yes my pressure wasn't quite as soft as it should have been, but hey I'm still a newb and I'm trying :p The result of what was probably 45minutes including shower, was my second BBS shave, simply fantastic. It was here that I decided that a week would not surface with this razor.

Shave 4:

Well last night was my 4th shave and a close to the challenge for me, though like I mentioned above, I am extending it for myself :) after a long day at work, I came home and just wanted a shave. My beard was itchy from a few days of growth, and it just felt like this thing to do. I felt a bit rushed, we had ordered Chinese and it was on it's way... Lol not my smartest plan, but what the hell lol. Anyways, no nicks this time around, which is what I'm more used to, still a burn. But more importantly my girlfriend rubbed her face all over my face and gave me the kiss of approval. She hates stubble and often tells me my beard is like sand paper, I'm sure you can all relate :)

So anyway, that's my week. I hope at least this will inspire some of you to take the challenge!

Have fun, and happy shaving!

Sounds like a plan! I have an old Fromm #50 Red Head that I've never had a decent shave with from day one. I shipped it to Lynn and wished him :gl:. If he can't get it sharp, I might as well make it into a letter opener.

In fact, that straight was the reason I started using SS. I'd like to be able to use CS; it would open up a whole new world of vintages for me to try.

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Originally Posted by hamilton946

Sounds like a plan! I have an old Fromm #50 Red Head that I've never had a decent shave with from day one. I shipped it to Lynn and wished him :gl:. If he can't get it sharp, I might as well make it into a letter opener.

In fact, that straight was the reason I started using SS. I'd like to be able to use CS; it would open up a whole new world of vintages for me to try.

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Let us know how it goes :) I'm curious as to what the out come will be :)

I completely forgot to report. I did do this. I used a no name 4/8 solingen full hollow. first night was a little rough so I hit the hones and remembered how great this little razor could be. Off the 12k she was hot and smooth, off the Thuringian she was even better. The second shave was great, it was gliding across my face like a wedge and sounding like a cheer leader. I felt that she could get even better so I pulled out a nakayama and a tomonagura, really focusing on making every stroke count. I spent so much time taking every stroke that the wife thought that I had, had a stroke. I shaved a third time and I can honestly say that the first stroke across my face I made a mistake. It started great, but I instinctually increased pressure not being able to feel the blade. I realized my mistake and finished the shave in a single pass (took another pass for luck). The fourth shave was perfect, again I couldn't feel the razor, but she let me know that she was working with the cheering section even if she was quiet.
She has re-entered my rotation and will stay for a while provided the wife doesn't steal her.

Drat it - I have to use that stinking 'titanium' thing

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Originally Posted by Havachat45

Drat it - I have to use that stinking 'titanium' thing

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Haha that should be an interesting experience. Good luck!!

I didn't follow your rules exactly but I did learn something about one of my neglected razors.

In 1960, I bought a W. R. Case Red Imp 132 wedge razor to use as a scraper to make oboe reeds. For fifty years, I primarily kept one side honed to provide a curling edge to scrape cane. Then in 2010, I discovered SRP and became interested in straight razor shaving. I got out the extremely non-shave ready razor and got a two-inch vertical slice next to each ear for my efforts. The only sharp edge on the whole razor was the spike point, which immediately drew blood. Score: Red Imp-1, DLB-0. I now was scared of this vampire razor.

I then bought a nice 5/8 Dovo Black Micarta from SRD and fell in love with using straight razors. I sent my maligned Red Imp razor to Linn Abrams to see if he could make it shave ready. After a few comments about how horribly it had been honed, he spend an inordinate amount of extra time getting it shave-ready. I got it back and during my third week of shaving with a straight, tried it out. It was ok but nothing like the Dovo. In my ignorance and inexperience, I decided it must not be a very good razor and it didn't seem to be all that sharp. After all, I couldn't hear any "sound of scraping dry toast." LOL. I put it away to keep as a "display" razor.

About a week ago, I tried the Red Imp again. With ten months of experience and greatly improved technique, the Red Imp proved to have a "razor" sharp blade and gave me an outstanding shave. Before, I mistook the silence of the Red Imp's edge as dullness. Bad mistake on my part. Wedges just like to whisk away the whiskers in silence leaving a BBS surface in their wake.

Having misjudged the Red Imp 132 from my ignorance, from my first bloody encounter, and from an inconsistent beginner's technique, I now consider the Red Imp 132 to be a prized possession because it was my first straight razor and because it is an awesome shaver, never to be neglected again!
:D

They don't call it a Red Imp for nothing. I have one too and it is a great shaver.

I've got one on it's way to me - can't wait to do it up and see if it lives up to it's reputation

I really like this thread and think it's a great idea, I just don't have the time to shave with only one razor for a week. I have been shaving through my less attractive razors in the red test tube stand in the picture below since early spring while getting one shave in with the new acquisitions that keep showing up. The razors laying loose on the desk are the new acquisitiveness I haven't shaved with yet and I have yet to find a storage place for the rest of the razors on the desk. I am very pleasantly surprised with the quality of shaves I am getting with these 'ugly ducklings'. There has been one or two that needed to go back to the hones as has been more than a year since I shaved with them and I have some new synthetic hones and improved honing skills since I last shaved with them. I'm sure many readers of this thread will have the same results if they put looks aside and enjoy all that their razors have to offer. Most of these razors I am shaving with cost between $1 and $15 but they shave as good as many of my more attractive and costly razors.

I guess I need to report that my most ignored razors
are the skinny small blade razors. Here are six with
a 6/8" Blue Diamond for comparison. A couple need
more cleaning but it is interesting that they all hone and
shave well.

Yea, I have to fess up too, my most ignored razor is a Mercur 2/8s. I just can't hold on to the thing if I try shaving with it because it's so small. Of course I have an excuse because it's not intended to be a full service shaver just a trim piece.