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Taylor-day again :y I'm still amazed how that old crummy-looking thing with pitting and plastic scales still gets better shaves than much flashier, fancier, pricier stuff.
The rest of the routine was standard (C&E BB brush, crappy C&E Nomad soap that dries out too quickly, 3 passes). Tomorrow I'm shave-testing the Genco!
Shower
oatmeal face soap (homemade)
B&BWks Bio conditioner
L'Occitane CADE soap
C&E Boar Brush
Omega Silvertip Brush
Wade & Butcher 7/8 wedge honed by me
Puma Special 89 6/8 hollow honed by me
Ice cube
L'Occitane Cade AS balm
For me L'Occitane CADE is "shave rich" day, not that it's so expensive but still and I love it.
C&E Boar brush looks the bomb but is finally demoted after several earnest attempts to make it my favorite. Burma Shave boar looks much worse but still digs the C&E into the ground when it comes to performance. C&E does not hold enough water / foam, and actually takes longer to work up lather than my SIlvertip. It was so bad it almost spoiled my enjoyment of the soap. After the second pass had to resort to the Omega Silvertip. This was nice, nicer than expected as I was thinking it's floppy. It is, but sure holds enough water and worked lather quite easy with this soap, loaded great for several passes...
Another slight disappointment was the W&B. I had honed and stropped it and did some HHT and cheek water shave tests - these were great! Today I was supposed to try the touched-up Puma again but the W&B was so nice in the tests I decided to leave the Puma and go with it. I was expecting the Puma to be a bit of a dog so the decision was easy. So the first pass was god, no nicks, cuts, etc. Plowed through several days' growth. However, when it came down to second / third pass, I found out I am not doing much. WHich led me to the Puma. It was abused by its previous owner, who seemed to have honed it on a belt grinder or something. I had worked on it a couple of days, shaved once, was not that satisfied, honed again... SO now, after the W&B I thought it's hollow, flimsy, not big or heavy, probably not sharp enough, etc. I was thrilled and surprised at how the Puma shaved! Very enjoyable experience! Considering it is my first Puma, and the worst (I hope) - I cannot wait to test the others, especially a 1/2 hollow...
Total damage: 1 small nick, which is a resounding success for me. Nevertheless, decided to skip the alum block and just put AS after an ice cube.
Interesting shave, a couple of slight disappointments but overall nice, especially with the Puma. I might work on the W&B and try again... who knows
Cheers
Ivo
ps Anybody else using a heavy big wedge for 1st pass and a smaller hollow for the finish? While you get to clean 2 razors, I didn;t think it was too bad. Maybe worth it to make it a practice - one big wedge pass, then whip out the hollow?
Hot shower
50/50 boar badger brush by Kent
Mammabear Citrus and Basil soap
6/8 Worldmeister Sheffield steel razor.
TAGMSC aftershave balm
This was possibly my best shave EVER. No nicks, no cuts, a slight scrape on the chin that'll be gone when it's dried up. ULTRASMOOTH face. Didn't miss a spot. Even the throat is completely amazing. I'm very happy with this combo. The Citrus and Basil is the only one that I can use that's made by Mammabear (that I've tried...so one out of 5 really not one out of 50 something) and I love it more every time I use it. I'm going to have to get me some more somethime in the near future.
Ivo, I was thinking about it for a while. However I think the hassle would outweigh the benefits. Try it out anyways, it's all about the discovery process.
Edit: Genco is either getting skipped today or going back to the hone before I shave. Yesterday's results weren't QUITE satisfactory.
Anthony Logistics Pre-shave soap
Hot Towel
QED Lavender Soap
Wade & Butchers 5/8 Celebrated Hollow Groud
Classic Shaving Alum Bloc
Thayers Rose Witch Hazel
C & B Seinna After shave balm
Great Shave. I spent all day Saturday honning this razor. Had to create a new bevel and a new edge. This razor which I purchased from ebay has a really heavy blade which was a challange keeping flat on the hone at times. When I finnally got it to pass the HHT, I started jumping up and down, stopped cursing, and said Thank God all at the same time.
Anyway, I guess it's the weight of the blade but this razor really shaved nice, but was a real job to hone.
Did some more honing and a shave test on the Genco. It performed like it was 2-3 shaves away from needing a touchup, which is precisely what it's going to get tonight and I'll re-test tomorrow. However, the shave was fairly clean and smooth, I just KNOW that this blade can perform a bit better.
Ivo, there is a possibility that you have overhoned the edge a bit. It was good for a pass and then it deteriorated with resistance. Happened to the Taylor after its first honing. Do a 3-5 1-5 1-5 1-5 on the Norton and try again.
I hope I am doing this right, I shaved for the first time with a straight razor yesterday. Wow that was real cool. I used a new old stock Heartring #151. I bought a 4000/8000 norton hone and honed the razor. Man was it sharp.The shave was great for the first time. only shaved in one direction. Well thats about it for now.
:nj
Thanks
Eddie
Glad to hear it Eddie. Read up on the help files, follow the discussions and don't hesitate to ask questions. That's what we're here for.
Tue:
hair conditioner
Rooney finest small style 1
Harris Arlington soap
HandAmerican strop
7/8 Heljestrand square point
Harris face milk
Normally I lather up before stropping to give my beard a chance to soften. This morning I swiped a bottle of the wife's hair conditioner and marinated my face with that while stropping, then washed it off and lathered up and shaved. Great shave, the extra softening really helps with the tough beard in my goatee area and on either side of my adams apple.
The new handamerican strop is finally conditioned and broken in, and it's seriously the bomb. The padded D ring handle is extremely comfortable and forgiving.
The Heljestrand is on its sixth shave since being finished on the translucent arkansas hone, and so far it's holding steady. Normally I'm looking at a refresh in about 3-4 shaves so I'm pretty impressed. Still shaving with no appreciable deterioration during the shave, the fin seems extremely strong.
Ilija, I did something like 7-7, 5-5, 5-5, 3-3, 3-3, 1-1, 1-1 (no system, just felt like it, I am not worried about loss of metal that much for this W&B). Stropped and test shaved a patch, performed very well but my next full shave is with a 6/8 Goldedge :y the W&B will have to wait a bit moreQuote:
Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT
Cheers
Ivo
http://straightrazorpalace.com/image...OTD_092606.JPG
Taylor's Lavender Soap
Sheffeld Steel
Superior Best Badger Brush
RT
My system with new blades or ones that weren't honed to my satisfaction is:
1) hone
2) test the next day.
3a) if good, put it at the end of the rotation
3b) if not good, repeat steps 1 and 2 until good.
Now do me a favor and just try 4x 1-5, starting with very little pressure on the blade and ending with just the weight of the blade for the 4th 1-5. If that doesn't work, shave with the Goldedge the following day and get back to the W&B when you're up to it.
Speaking of which, I finally got the Genco to shave nicely this morning. I still like the Tonsorial gem better, but the Genco will be a regular in my rotation. Sorry for the hijack guys, but I try to include meaningful technique/gear discussion related to someone's successes and problems instead of a BORING list:
1) strop
2) brush
3) soap
4) razor
5) aftershave
and nothing else.
In my case everyone already knows everything I have to say about every one of Colleen's soaps, and the BB Brush/Sweet Almond Oil Cream/Nomad Soap from C&E and that Tony makes great strops. So I try to stick to what's different. These days it will be new additions to my rotation.
I've been using hair conditioner for the better part of a year. I apply it in the shower and leave it on until right before I exit. It does make a difference!Quote:
Originally Posted by mparker762
RT
Ilija, missed your post. I assume you talk about a Norton 1-5. I am actually only using the Lithide for this.
So I tried the DUCK!!!
Shower
some hair conditioner
Tabac soap
Omega Silvertip (Peachy)
Dubl Duck Goldedge 6/8
Trumpers Alum block
ice cube
Lucky Tiger AS Toner
L'Occitane CADE AS balm
The 6/8 Goldedge feels fab and fits very nicely in my hands! I feel like it were made for me, despite the fact that I am biased against celluloid and brass! I haven't had such a strong perception with any of my other razors, and I do have other cult brands / models... I thought I prefer wedges, but I still love how this hollow razor shaved. I MAY have used inferior angles at times, as the razor came to me through a very respected forum member, but I did sense some pulling. Clean shave but did not go BBS, as I prefer less redness and irritation...
Omega is a bit floppy but holds lots of water, makes lots of foam, which I like after the C&E beautiful boar disaster... Tabac is, as we all know, great. Alum block burned a bit in some areas, which again tells me I had less than optimal angles in some instances. Nevertheless, redness was soon gone after I applied toner and AS balm.
And now for the conclusion: (DRUMROLLLL)
0, as in ZERO, Nicks / Cuts! That's a first! :y
WTG Ivo! Here's another tip. Try gradual reduction instead of elimination. That reduces irritation and generally gives you better shaves.
I do this, Ilija :)Quote:
Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT
Will work on the W&B tonight
Cheers
Ivo
Friday
Shower
Aveda Conditioner while stropping
Vulfix BB
Peabody Mountain soap
Challenge 5/8 spike
AOS Sandalwood Gel
C&E Sandalwood EDT
Great shave!! This plain jane razor was my first (thanks J Chandler) and remains one of my best shavers. :D
Jordan
Friday:
Continuing the translucent arkansas experiment...
Loreal for men conditioner
Rooney small style 1
Gold-Dachs soap (classic shaving "rivivage")
HA strop
7/8 square point Heljestrand
Harris face milk
After the last shave I refreshed the helje on the translucent arkansas, it went 7 shaves before needing a refresh and may have gone more. That is 3-4 more than I usually get. I don't know whether my last shave suffered from sucky prep (I used harris face milk instead of hot towels or pre-strop lather) or the edge was beginning to fade. I took the safe route and changed the prep and refreshed the blade. The refresh consisted of 20 laps on the translucent arkansas (10 light pressure, 10 no pressure). Not sure if this was optimal; it's possible I could have done without the light pressure laps.
Anyway, got another great shave. Same general results with no edge fade during the shave. The conditioner helps soften those really tough flat-lying whiskers on my neck so I don't need to do a touch-up pass on them (I can't go against the grain here because of the wierd angle). I put the conditioner on after washing my face and leave it on while stropping, then apply the hot towel on over the conditioner, wipe off and lather up.
I really like the gold-dachs soap, not as much as Harris or T&H, but quite a lot anyway. My Harris Arlington was about gone with just a thin layer around the edge of the wooden bowl, so I dropped the gold-dachs in on top of it (fit perfectly) giving me a arlington-gold-dachs lather. My only knock against the gold-dachs is that the lather collapses a bit quicker than does the Harris or T&H soaps. Shaves great, though, and smells incredible. According to the ingredients, it looks like it's scented with sesame and lavender.
Hot shower
Proraso pre shave
silvertip badger brush
4/8 Femaud
Lemon & Cedar shaving cream
witchhazel
Hair conditioner
hot towel
W&B 1/4 Hollow 7/8 + honed by me
Burma shave brush
Honeybee chamomile soap
ice cube
Lucky Tiger AS Toner
L'Occitane CADE AS
Did a conservative pyramid on the W&B because the last time it pulled a bit, then 15 on the lithide and a good stropping. No wire edge dedected under 30x magnification.
SHave was OK to GOOD. The Brush and lather carried the day, but for some reason the point scraped me several times - lightly but still I did not expect it, because I was careful...
What do you know, after the shave I inspected the edge under the b notch - at the rounding of the point, I saw sth like a chink, then the loupe revealed that a piece was broken off! A tiny jagged frown right in the round point!
I am really pissed :rant: as I had not seen this before. No wonder I nicked myself... Tried to remove the tiny frown with 25 on the Lithide but I don't apply pressure, an the frown is the same as it was before. Do I need to go to the Norton 4K? I was goig to make this a prety razor with new custom scales but now I am putting this on hold until I can get the edge fixed.
I was about to go out with my friends but now with these nicks (they are kinda long, from the scything motion with the razor) I am a bit embarrassed... at least they aren't too deep...
Bummer.
Ivo
I tell my friends they're duelling injuries, which they kinda are, sorta, if you've got a sufficiently flexible definition of "duelling".Quote:
Originally Posted by izlat
Hot Shower
5/8 Wilbert Autocrat rp
Vulfix 374 silvertip
Tony Miller strop
Taylor's Lavender cream
Old Spice
Nothing like Old Spice on a cool fall morning.
Terry
Sat:
Rooney small style 1
Gold-Dachs "Rivivage" soap
Handamerican strop
5/8 Henckels Friodur
Pinaud Clubman A/S
The friodur had a wire edge that gave me a paper cut when I first put it to my face, so I gave it 20 light laps on the translucent arkansas, and proceeded to have myself a very good close shave, marred only by a nick on an ear when I was shaving my sideburn area.