Thread: December 17 - December 23

Dovo brush
Williams mug soap
5/8 barber's notch
Harris face milk

Had a sinus headache, so just a simple 1-pass shave today.

hot shower,hair conditioner on beard in shower,Proaso on a hot badger best,goldedge 3passses, cold splash and coral skin food. AHHHHHHHHHHH

Mon

Thomas Anthony best badger
Pre de Provence soap
TM RL strop
7/8 Friodur RP
Proraso a/s liquid balm
Dominica Bay Rum a/s
Dominica Spice cologne


Simply wonderful - great way to start the week.


Jordan

Crown & Sword 6/8 1/4 hollow
Saville Row 3122 silvertip
JM Fraser S/C
Proraso A/S splash
Proraso pre-post

First shave with this razor - it came almost shaving sharp and just needed a little tuning - its about 95% there.

This is my first shave with a 1/4 hollow and it feels quite different from my 1/2 hollows. It pulled/dragged a little more (possibly because its not a sharp as it could/should be), but cut through two day's worth of beard in two passes and allowed me to go against the grain more easily than any other razor I have. I also had less burn/irritation - seemed to be a smother shave.

Is this typical with heavier grinds? If so, I can't wait to use the 6/8 full wedge I'm having resotored.

Originally Posted by suzuki

This is my first shave with a 1/4 hollow and it feels quite different from my 1/2 hollows. It pulled/dragged a little more (possibly because its not a sharp as it could/should be), but cut through two day's worth of beard in two passes and allowed me to go against the grain more easily than any other razor I have. I also had less burn/irritation - seemed to be a smother shave.

Is this typical with heavier grinds? If so, I can't wait to use the 6/8 full wedge I'm having resotored.

To some extent stiffer grinds are easier to shave with, though I think that a lot of it is wedges are more tolerant of insufficient sharpness, prep, and technique. When I first started I really liked the big stiff wedges and quarter hollows, but lately I've been finding that I really like the older 5/8 size 2/4 - 4/4 hollow (a 4/4 hollow is a full hollow without the extra grind that that hollows out the middle of the blade), which means mostly 19th century razors. I find that I have to be more careful shaving with a really flexible extra hollow because the blade tends to want to chatter in the stiffer whiskers, but once I get into something a little stiffer like a friodur there's no real difference in grind other than weight. With more experience I'm finding that I can shave with more flexible blades without a problem.

Originally Posted by mparker762

To some extent stiffer grinds are easier to shave with, though I think that a lot of it is wedges are more tolerant of insufficient sharpness, prep, and technique. When I first started I really liked the big stiff wedges and quarter hollows, but lately I've been finding that I really like the older 5/8 size 2/4 - 4/4 hollow (a 4/4 hollow is a full hollow without the extra grind that that hollows out the middle of the blade), which means mostly 19th century razors. I find that I have to be more careful shaving with a really flexible extra hollow because the blade tends to want to chatter in the stiffer whiskers, but once I get into something a little stiffer like a friodur there's no real difference in grind other than weight. With more experience I'm finding that I can shave with more flexible blades without a problem.

I'm sure you're right about both the sharpness of my razors and my technique. One of my favourite razors is a 5/8 Holland that is a little meatier (likely a 1/2 hollow) - a perfect combination of maneuverability and weight. I've got a 1/4 hollow 5/8 coming that I have high hopes for.

I also find that my 6/8 TI full hollow is fine - I have a couple of 7/8 razors, but really like the 6/8 size and can't see myself buying anything bigger for for the forseeable future.

I have very heavy, coarse whiskers around the chin and suspect that a 5/8 full-hollow carbon steel razor is just a little too fine (I do plan on trying a 5/8 stainless and would like a nice frameback as these would also probably do the job as well).

Mon:

Rooney small style 1
Williams mug soap
Hand American strop
5/8 Clauss spike

Clean as a whistle no muss no fuss. The Williams soap isn't quite as slippery as the T&H or Harris, but it really does shave well.

Kent 50/50 boar badger
Palmolive Classic cream.
6/8 Worldmaster w Cocobolo scales
Sanex Aftershave balm

It was good but not as good as I wanted it to be. I don't think it's the razor. I might've messed up on my technique a little bit.

Tue

Muehl silver tip
TGQ Oak Moss cream
5/8 Challenge SP
Tabac a/s
Tabac EDC

Quick 1.5 pass utilitarian shave this morning. Nice.


Jordan

Holland 5/8 1/2 hollow
Vulfix 2197
Institute Karite shea butter soap
Alum
Body Shop tea tree toner
C&E Sienna ASB

Great shave - after my first month things are coming together nicely. There are a lot of moving parts to straight shaving and things are starting to fall in place - I'm better at keeping my razors sharp and my technique is improving all the time. So this is all adding up to shaves that are continually improving - I know I'll plateau at some point, but its gratifying to see continual improvement.