Thread: Barber rolled edge Nooooooo....

Thanks for the video Cudarunner, good to see how he shaves the off side sideburns. The stropping was somewhat like that except I sware I could hear the edge scraping. Oh well, will shave Thursday and report.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Perhaps your shave will be less than satisfactory and perhaps because of your 'concept' of how the razor was stropped. Please check out this link!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY46z9I90p0

And Then The Story Behind the Man who was doing the stropping.


Straight Razor Place - Conversation with Liam Finnegan

'I' Never Judge A Book By It's Cover"

Great info there cudarunner, one everyone starting out should watch. I have a couple of razors, one with 50 shaves on it, and another with 60 and counting using just a strop. One is a Puma, the other a Bengall. Looks to me that Liam is using a Puma. The Puma is feeling a bit dull, (probably my lack of skill at the time), but the Bengall is still going strong, and feels as sharp as the day it was "set". I find this to be one of the most interesting aspects of this hobby of ours, and have wondered what other members here have reached using just leather.

ouch!

hope your blade comes back to life soon!

Originally Posted by Grazor

Great info there cudarunner, one everyone starting out should watch. I have a couple of razors, one with 50 shaves on it, and another with 60 and counting using just a strop. One is a Puma, the other a Bengall. Looks to me that Liam is using a Puma. The Puma is feeling a bit dull, (probably my lack of skill at the time), but the Bengall is still going strong, and feels as sharp as the day it was "set". I find this to be one of the most interesting aspects of this hobby of ours, and have wondered what other members here have reached using just leather.

Same here, though I do use a linen. It's not an issue to stretch a razor with a good strop and linen (and using no abrasive) 180 shaves and still have a razor plenty sharp to shave.

Generally around 100 to 150 shaves, I'll get the itch to put the razor on a japanese razor hone that's got a mirror surface just to ensure that the edge quality stays smooth, but in terms of keenness, it usually drops a shade off of the hone until I've got a couple of weeks of shaving on it.

There's a reference to iwasaki saying that one of his razors was used for almost 1100 shaves without honing, and he states that he wasn't boasting about his razor's durability, but rather it was in the context of using a good quality linen along with the razor. I haven't seen any modern linens that are similar in their ability to step up an edge vs. the good vintage linens (and those good vintage linens don't get black because they don't have an abrasive in them to my knowledge).

Originally Posted by Crackers

No, have left the blade in the car because we went to the launch of Duff bear at Woolloomooloo hotel Sydney. Mmmmmm beer, will give it a go on Tursday to see.

Come on now! You gotta let us know how the shave went.

You can be pretty sure that shave will be lousy. Mr. Finnegan has (had?) a lifetime of experience. I have encountered many "barbers" who know very little about shaving, and absolutely no concept at all on stropping. Only what they have seen from their elders, with no actual experience. I have had to teach 3 barbers under the age of 50 so far on proper stropping technique. They were far more like watching the Depp version of Sweeny Todd than they were Mr. Finnegan.

Pessimism: 30 and no experience doesn't sound good.
Optimism: my barber of 50 years ago used a loose strop and made a "fwapping" sound like machine gun fire. He shaved himself daily if nobody else.

Good luck with the shave.

So I broke out the razor (an Invicta) this evening after saving an entire week of growth. The razor was not uber blunt but did tug a bit.

I went to the peerless to finish after a test pass and putting the Invicta aside, I have given it 60 on leather and will see how it goes on Sunday, the edge appears to not be rolled but not sharp either .

The shave from my peerless was great, smooth, no irritation or nicks and as usual no hair.

Just hated the sound the razor made on the strop, it sounded really bad and I am surprised the edge is not in worse condition.

Originally Posted by DaveW

There's a reference to iwasaki saying that one of his razors was used for almost 1100 shaves without honing, and he states that he wasn't boasting about his razor's durability, but rather it was in the context of using a good quality linen along with the razor.
The other part of that equation is shaving with the razor near flat on the face to preserve the edge. He mentions that in his book also.

I haven't seen any modern linens that are similar in their ability to step up an edge vs. the good vintage linens (and those good vintage linens don't get black because they don't have an abrasive in them to my knowledge). Depends on how many hunderd razors cross their path.

.............

Originally Posted by Crackers

The barber was in his mid 30's and In a previous conversation said that his dad had used a straight but he hadn't. JeffR.

Something's not making sense here - he stropped at speed - which is something a beginner could not possibly do without shredding the strop, his hands or both.