Str8-Edge Shaving & Follicle Bump Woes
Okay, so in the title is the main problem and it can be seen immediately after the shave (ATG or aggressive XTG) or the next day. The next day is the most reliable onset of mild folliculitis. It is not ingrown hairs, not sycosis, just mild mechanically-induced follicular bumps.
I know how people like the traditional, historic, iconic old-timer gentlemanly blah blah whatever to this. For me it is the harshest shave for my skin. I don't have much chemical sensitivity (some of the el cheapo alcohol-based aftershaves can leave me with artificial "razor" burn but many other don't) but I can easily mark up my skin, anywhere, just by roughly grazing a smoothed (i.e. not recently clipped) fingernail over the skin. I could put my jersey number on my body as one of the "skins" in a pick-up basketball game. Nothing is harsher than having a piece of sharp metal literally physically raze down terror on my columns of keratin directly, with no piece of metal in front of it to slightly push down the skin (such as in the DE safety blades).
I've got the pre-shave prep thing goin' on, had been doing it for some time. I'm not fooling around with pre-shave oils or anything. I've read Kyle's pre-shave prep sticky at badger & blade. Had been using the traditional moist-heat towel pre-shave prep without additional B.S. successfully for a good, long time with a double edge. Funny to find out some of the strengthening hair conditioners can actually increase the resiliency of the hairs. So, we can rule out the pre-shave oil blocking the absorption of water and softening compounds of the shaving soaps and creams (don't use pre-shave oils, never have and never will). I've done a pre-hot-towel of soap washing or used two beard softening products (neuter-o-gena's (to neuter your maleness!) face-clearing face wash (salicylic acid) and Nivea's equivalent (the one with some coarse "scrubbies" for enhanced exfoliation). When I use the beard softeners I don't bother to do the soap washing because the pre-shave cleansers/softeners do a pretty good job of taking off the skin oils. So we can rule out natural oils getting in the way of the softening effects of the soap lather or cream.
I've recently moved and because of moving all the boxes from the apartment to the truck, from the truck to the new place and in the new place to the basement I've had a surge of androgens (hormones) from all the full-body lifting that has created a resurgence of androgen-induced acne. I've used the opportunity to go full-out immersion into the world of straight-razor shaving beyond anything I'd done before (having much hotter tap water available is another source of inspiration). I'd previously only str8 shaved here and there, trying to keep alive in mind & memory what to look for, stretch for, refining technique in a discontinuous and disorderly fashion (not recommended). So now I'm really stepping up to the plate.
In keeping with this relatively "newbitistical" return to straight-edge shaving I am reducing all variables in true scientific fashion by using my first shave-ready straight-edge, a 6/8 Dovo "Best Quality" honed by Chris Sebell I acquired from Christmas day of 2007. I had to re-hone it on my Spyderco ultra-fine synthetic sapphire (ceramic encrusted with sapphires) honing tablet. This tablet is, by hair-shaving standards, defective but there is thankfully a small region just large enough to (hopefully) swirl circles safely enough for re-honing purposes.
I've purchased a few eBetray razors and had them professionally honed by the legendary likes of Josh Earl and the super-rupper Kenneth Rupkalvis (sp?) so I know a sharp (or at least sharp enough) razor when I feel it. I've got good, delicate hands and was made for this (honed away chips on several razors and brought 2-3 to shave-ready status myself in miserable fashion (too long a story to tell here) so could trust myself to work on a previously perfect str8). I'm not bragging, just preemptively eliminating negative variables. The Dovo is quickly and easily removing the little straggly hairs around my mouth, and it is these precise, "assassin" tasks that require a light, swift, somewhat bold touch that defines for me whether or not a razor is sharp enough to be safe. I've taken my self-honed eBay bad boys to the 8,000 grit Norton level, more old-school, and had perfectly smooth results on the most heavily bearded parts of my face (which doesn't account for much) and while those parts have fairly coarse, thick hairs I don't count well-shaven heavy parts of the face to be the success because they are much easier to stretch well and the skin lies comfortably on top of the jawbone. It is the hairs around the mouth, and the moustache (especially in the dip of the philtrum) that compels me to higher than the Norton's level of fineness. So I know what a sharp blade can do! And my re-honed Dovo is up to par (have a 10 dollar microscope per Lynn's advice from the DVD and it's looking good visually, too).
My thing is the "razor" bumps, follicular-head bumps the day after a close shave. Anything. Mach3 (got a shave stand/drip-tray/badgerbrush/razor setup for Christmas), disposable (hot showers/sauna at the YWCA), double-edge safety razor (Weishi was the first, inherited a Gillette WWII army-issue from my father's father through father, Gillette Goldtech from a co-worker). It isn't the quality of the razor or the shave, it's the closeness. I have sensitive skin, not chemical, just sensitive to the abrading action of any shaving implement. I have no allegiances, no subconscious adoration or ill-will towards anything to enhance or sabotage the shave.
I've done the pre-shave pre with clearing the skin of oil, moist heat treatment, shaving, and post-shave of cold rinse shock, alum block, witchhazel or skin tonic (which contains witchhazel (Kiehl's or C.O. Bigelow's traditional skin tonics)) and an aftershave balm (or not, to allow for just the witchhazel or skin tonic to work without potential interference). I have tried Clinique's after shave balm (too expensive and doesn't feel like it works well enough). ProLab series' "Ultra Razor Burn Relief" aftershave balm, two of Nivea's balms ("extra soothing" and "cooling"), Neuter-o-gena's triple protect and regular balm. I have also tried using a moisturizer, regular vaseline intensive care and organic herbal stuff and Gold Bond Ultimate, some Maui "Plumeria" moisturizing body lotion too.
I have definently found relief from the razor burn aspect, hygiene isn't an issue (any aftershave or alcohol-containing balm takes care of that) and moisturizers aren't the solution, either. It is more mechanical action on the follicle heads. I've had the burn last an hour or two, or half a day. When the burn disappears the smoothness of the skin, with the invigorating feeling of mild tenderness (with or without the zing of an aftershave), remains. Whether the razor was at 8,000 (Norton) or 12,000 (estimate for my current Dovo finished on my highest hone) or taken to the insanely-awesome professional level of an Earl or Rupkalvis edge (lost Sebell's 30,000 pasted strop level on this Dovo). Level of fineness beyond ease of mouth-hair removal doesn't matter. Mach3/disposable/DE/str8 doesn't matter. Astringents, alum blocks, aftershaves and balms/lotions don't effect my problem. Mine is one of shave induced folliculitis.
In addition to the mechanically-induced folliculitis I have sporadic outbreaks of the sycosis. Nodules (tiny bumps) can be called folliculitis or sycosis, but the larger bumps that could be mistaken for ingrown hairs are also sycosis. With proper second hand (non-dominant hand) pulling/stretching technique the acne and sycotic bumps don't become bleeders.
My neck is not a problem; neck is sparsely beard and a single WTG pass is all that is required for visually clean shave. The beard along the jaw & chin is acutely angled from left-to-right (faces right) and a WTG as downwards cutting is almost a XTG. Diagonal down-left is very serviceable. Right to left is pseudo-ATG for this region. I won't even flirt with an upwards ATG because it is 1) not necessary and 2) exacerbates folliculitis too much resulting in a sloppy appearance the next day.
The reason I bother to type this is because, in spite of the acne and sycosis from the first str8 shave, I have achieved a genuine respite from the tiny follicle bumpiness from shaving two and a half days straight (pun intended). Now they're coming back so this will officially be the third day. I took the second shave to a pseudo-ATG level of smoothness on a heavier bearded part of my jaw. No cuts or even day-after bumps! I did lighter strokes on the patch with the pseudo-ATG pass. Delighted to learn great smoothness and no bumps so with this progress I am posting.
I am looking for any more advice possible. This also could be an anchor post to see if regular "hardcore" shaving in an aggressive direction could be the solution to the day-after bumpiness problem.
I have good knowledge of diet/nutrition. I know about reactive hypoglycemia (the carb crash) and its concomitant jitters. I know about the effects of various common drugs like caffeine on the neurophysiology, in this case the neuromuscular system and motor neuron function. I've given myself very good str8 shaves on a few drinks of alcohol. The ease and deftness of living on the blade (cutlery) translates well to the proficiency of a straight-razor/DE shave. So that's not a problem either.
Any advice/encouragement would be appreciated. Thanks for reading this much.
Re-introduction/1st str8 shave/Honing Woes
Considering the half DE blade in the cheapo "Vincent" brand disposable str8-edge holder, I kept it in the bathroom (occasional showers) for over a year and only used it once during that time. Looking at the blade under the 60x-100x microscope even the relatively stainless steel of the DE blade was stained and corroded. Chucked it and used a new blade last month before the move, when I resumed with renewed vigor these str8 shaves. Just lettin' you know.
Reading the newbies, of which I am kind of sort of one, I should re-introduce myself, especially regarding my first str8-razor shave. I had been reading for some months, was already aware of the moist/heat towelling of pre-shave preparation, had many successful DE shaves under my belt and knew the directional patterns of my beard fairly well. Used a non-functional "master" and "krystal" str8 edge to practice stropping before putting a real str8 to a real strop. Purchased and watched Lynn's DVD. With a TM double-sided paddle strop (latigo/smooth) and a Dovo 6/8 shave-ready razor purchased by one of the members I started my first str8 shave.
Started with the sideburns, success. Went on to shave the entire face. The razor caught here and there but no cuts or bad nicks. Continuing on to a right-left XTG, which at this point I consider to be more ATG than XTG achieved a near BBS shave on the heavily bearded parts. The skin, much like subsequent shaves, was raw and reddish and threatened to turn into real razor burn. Did not use a quality, moisturizing aftershave (or witchhazel (didn't have)) and walked to work (8 minutes) in the freezing cold of winter. The weather that day was a hard, bitter wind with ice crystals, not flakes, further exfoliating my raw face. At the two hour point my face had magically healed. That was the first and most magical str8 razor experience I've ever had. It was all due to the collected wisdom of reading the mistakes of others, newbs and veterans. Had gleaned enough wisdom and already possessed the innate skills for it.
Honing Woes :rant:
Eventually purchased two combination synthetic waterstones from Norton (220/1000 & 4k/8k) and the silicon carbide lapping stone along with free stone holder and slurry stick. Also purchased (different site) three Spyderco synthetic whetstones, which a number of members here suggest may best be used as dry hones.
Although successful during the first few honing sessions with the non-shave ready razors I had acquired (one a local antique shop and others from eBetray) I eventually found, to my horror and dismay, that the lapping stone was warped. It was concave on the grooved/lapping side and convex on the flat side. This angered me. Yes, I did the graphite (pencil) ruler-measured grid pattern on the Nortons and diagnosed the problem from the get-go. Tried various improvised schemes of fixing my Nortons with unorthodox perpendicular use.. but it was a lost cause. Dammit.
As if that wasn't enough by the time I'd gotten to refreshing the edge of my shave-ready str8 Dovo I then discovered, to my horror, as the beautiful blade caught on some microscopic imperfections of the ultra-fine (finishing) Spyderco hone. I really wish I'd put a cheapo false str8 from China or Pakistan on that thing before the Dovo. I looked at it under the 60-100x microscope and.. yep. Found 3-4 micro trenches in the otherwise perfect edge. They weren't even chips, exactly. They were little rectangular impactions. My beard is sparse enough for it not to be a problem, undetectable degradation to the performance of an otherwise fine razor. I tell you, from those two major disappointments I was in tears. Manly tears of frustration and anger.
Although both sets of hones were bought on the cheap, both on sale, I feel betrayed. Unfortunately I hadn't used them on the real razors until months after purchase. I had practiced using those stones on the fake razors but not the ultra-fine Spyderco. Just to get used to the motion, get the honing program into muscle memory and develop good honing habits.
In addition to the disgusting lapping stone, which of course isn't needed on the Spydercos, I discovered to my continuing horror that the 4k side of the Norton had micro pits that the swarf of the until-then pristinely re-beveled eBay finds would embed into, creating little pegs that also created chips and micro trenches just like the ultra-fine Spyderco. So even if I purchased a truly flat lapping stone the Norton system was flawed. That's Mexican quality for you. Yes, it was made in Mexico. Great.
The first few razors, real razors, that I honed were great, given I had finished them on the 8k Norton. (didn't experiment with the thinner (8"x2") Spydercos until later). I had fixed all but one deeper, wide chip on a 5/8th W&B wedge (whose fully tarnished blade was beautiful, IMO). I had brought the local state barber consigned German 4/8th blade to a shave-ready edge, made a cheaply purchased Dubl Duck "Dwarf" in good condition shave-ready (have yet to bring it to 12k finish). I had successfully re-beveled and brought to shave-ready status (old school 8k) several blades, even futzed with a basically shave-ready Wapienica with all steel scales. Almost fixed the tip, which had a troubled patch. Hadn't even expected the Wapienica to be shave-ready, but apparently the seller at the time was doing it as a hobby. Actually managed some very nice, smooth shaves with the Wapienica. I inspected these blades under the microscope many times during these initial forays into honing and tested them at various points on my face.
I intentionally tested the little 4/8th (and thin) Krank on my face with various micro-chips on my face, finished at 8k, to see what a combination of sub-optimal grit (to me) and an imperfect, micro-chipped edge would do to my sparsely bearded face. Just to see what some of those hardier, tougher men on the "Frontier" may have gone through to shave themselves. Kind of a historical investigation of shaving. I eventually got some other people, not friends, just acquaintences, interested in str8 razor shaving. They wanted the real thing, shave-ready. Some of these guys admitted that they weren't even going to shave with them, but also gave me the contradicting, tentative idea that they might shave with them in the future, which would justify having them brought to a perfect, shave-ready condition.
So what did I do? Possessing two seperate hone systems.. expensive, professional honing systems? With all my experience in free-hand cutlery and miscellaneous metal part perfecting, gifted, sensitive little Jewboy hands and the apparent success, right off the bat, with honing these hard metal razors? Why.. I sent them off to a professional honer from this site! What else could I do? They wanted them brought to a level of perfection that only someone with good stones could. I eventually refreshed my beloved Dovo on a small part of the ultra-fine Spyderco. Always an angst-ridden task, to finish a razor at the highest grit I have in my accursed honing arsenal. No more micro-trenches (that I can count) and it apparently shaves my face well enough.
Now that I have a 11 megabits-per-second connection I've been diligently searching and watching various youtube videos. After watching the ultra-cool bad boys and the sad newb's shaving videos I watched johnny coronado's little honing tutorial series.. and was delighted to watch Rupkalvis' videos recently!
Given my relative inexperience, but, as with the shaving techniques I'd viariously learned months before even possessing a real str8 razor, I was delighted to see that Rupkalvis' techniques and verbal wisdom was almost exactly how I'd been learning along the way from the very beginning. With Lynn's DVD, the knowledge from this board and my own capacity to imagine and figure out how to tackle the next individual blade's situation.. I had successfully honed some razors (just for myself) to an old school 8,000 grit.
I think Lynn's advice, however conservative, is good advice for a lot of newbs who jump into honing much too soon. I was one of the exceptions. I still enjoy healing other people's butter-knife impacted cutlery free-hand more than honing a str8, but the str8s are the most difficult to accomplish. I noticed the difficulty in bringing a razor after honing a few to shave-ready on those Nortons. With frustration I tried to fix a tip here, re-establish a bevel there on a concaved Norton. I knew I'd only be further exaggerating the slight upswing of a razor's tip with those Nortons. At least I'd learned a wedge, fixed a heel and a few tips without changing the blade edge's shape. Still haven't entirely fixed the Wapienica, though I can shave with it and use the tip it has the visibly troubled tip. Don't get red scratch marks on the edge of my sideburns near the ears, but it just doesn't feel right and I KNOW I have the innate talent and skills to bring it back to the level of perfection it's steel alloy can aspire to!
I absolutely loved the sucking feeling as the eBetray razors glided, vacuum-sucked tightly onto the surface of the 8,000 Norton! The reason I hadn't experimented with Spyderco's ultra-fine finishing hone was because I already had one good, truly shave-ready razor from a member and wanted to "learn" str8 razor shaving primarily on that one razor (okay, and also the Wapi before I tried to fix the tip). So while I delved into the world of honing I was taking it one conservative step at a time. I really enjoyed those initial, messy experiences with the synthetic water stones. It's worth the effort. I did some work with the Spydercos but mine are just 2" wide and they aren't as fun. The 8k Norton is addicting!
In despair I gave up on the Nortons. I know understand the prudence in using a conservative, slow-paced X-pattern, especially with flawed, imperfectly lapped Nortons in my dismal situation. So I used the coarser Nortons to fix a few ludicrously ground cutlery. I made a major structural change to a misshapen seven inch Santoku, one of Calphalon's VG1 core damascus-style forge-welded beauties. I swear, some of these manufacturing facilities out of China making American corporation's German stainless or Japanese high-carbon core cutlery are a joke in the final grinding process of the actual edges. I've taken several blades, purchased new (NEW!) from a ridiculously blunt or ragged or unbalanced bevel to a perfect (by cutlery standards) edge. It's crazy!
If it weren't for the fast cutting action of the Norton waterstones it would have been quite a chore to shave off as much steel as I did on my seven inch Santoku. I just had to make that thing flat. Whatever Chinese joker ground the edge on that thing must have resented the American it was destined to be sold to. It had an upswing towards the heel that defeated the purpose of a santoku's design. Two and half inches of subtle space. Now it's perfectly flat until the last 2-3 inches at the tip. That's what I've got: a two hundred + set of cutlery sharpening stones. :cry:
Ready for Surgery! (New Edge)
So I inspected the edge of the Wapienica, haven't used it since I fixed the tip. I really can't complain about the Wapi having a troubled spot near the toe, I didn't even expect it to be shave-ready when I purchased it from the eBay (not eBetray, in this case) seller from Poland. I'd seen some threads on this board where members were lauding how wonderful the Wapis were and then a member bought a NOS one from eBay, like the other members, and discovered that it wasn't shave ready and the seller said he just didn't have the time to hone it. Seems almost like he was honing them to shave-ready just for kicks and not adjusting the price to reflect it. Anyway, I think I got mine for about sixteen dollars.. checked out a trendy modern barber shop (hair stylists, not barbers.. bleh) that offered straight razor shaves.. asked them how much it was: "Twenty dollars, sir. Would you like to schedule an appointment?" Thought about the eBay NOS Polish Wapienica coming in the mail for sixteen dollars, American: "No, thanks. Just wondering. Thank you.."
Re-inspected with the microscope today. Really only did a few conservative circles on each side on the dismally small part of the Spyderco Ultra-Fine hone that could be trusted, yesterday. Adjusted angles to get the most discerning reflective view. Yep, those synthetic sapphires sure cut that relatively soft Wapi metal fast! Did a few stropping motions across the length of the hone (spine first) and re-inspected the edge as an experiment to see if it had been micro-chipped. All clear. Stropped it lightly on the smooth side of the paddle strop. Hot towel, glycerin soap applied to part of neck. A few casual, light swipes "shhh shhh shhh shhh shhhhhhh" it whispered it's wisdom softly. Uhhh, can it shave? Well... DUH!!! Upward finger swipes reveal it's as smooth a shaver as the first day I used it so early in my str8 razor plunge.
I'm not going to smooth it out further on the .25 micron chromium oxide pasted paddle strop. I want to see what a brand new edge taken to exactly the same finishing hone of the Dovo 13/16ths will be like on my brand new tougher, conditioned, clearer skin. Now I'm going to go for consecutive shaves with the Wapienica and see if there is a resurgence of harshness and irritation. Of course, it being a 5/8th quarter hollow (wedge?) with the heavy stainless steel scales it will have a different feel, which may effect the results but I'll try to stay true to the original shave routine/formula.
Wish me luck, my brothers! After all the frustration and disappointments from this whole str8 razor shaving and honing exploration and skin problems I deserve a painless refreshed Polish blade.
Honing Woes and Renewed Early Razor Acquisition
-=A NEW HOPE=-
So I have this Spyderco ultra-fine hone that is of questionable lapping standards, which is a shame because gemstones are fantastically fast, aggressive cutters that shouldn't require lapping (with appropriate use) and should usher in a new-age of sharpening/honing. I did a search and though it isn't really discussed in the SRP review database (that I could tell) the Big Guy himself (Abrams) gave a very appropriate evaluation with pictures which is completely congruent with my own stone.
I had successfully honed up and finished, apparently, the fixed-tip Wapienica (my second shave-worthy razor) with this sapphire finishing hone.. basically a new-age barber's hone (I guess, never used the "real" thing). Using the stropping/spine-first method to avoid micro-trench chipping of the edge, as in the case of my poor Dovo 13/16th. I shouldn't complain too much, it just hurts to think that a perfected edge blade would have 4-5 microchips in it, however small. It did give me permission to relax into my own newbie-ish honing for refreshing, which I suppose helps me to actually hone it up well. Yes, I still have honing anxieties when taken to the finishing stage, but that Dovo has functioned flawlessly and I am forever grateful for the economic price and shave-readiness for my entrance into the world of straight-razor shaving.
I have a Clauss "Fremont" (city?) 5/8th square-tip that has a hairline crack an inch from the heel and a well-tarnished Dixie Manufacturing Company (Union City, GA) with some decent chips in it's upswell at the tip. These are eBetray razors. I microchipped the Dovo I believe because I couldn't detect the imperfections of the ultra-fine spyderco because I was practicing honing on the smaller (2") width spydercos with the stupid "Master" and "Krystal" chinese and pakistani stainless trash (wedge and full hollow, respectively) razors. I bought them to practice honing on, starting with the Nortons. I believe those stainless steel imposters are so soft that the ultra-fine imperfections simply got eaten up in the softness at the edge when doing trial runs for practice and learning the subtlety inherent to the hand/eye coordination required for this near-magical avocation.
So I have found a major use in the flat Clauss and the one-sided smile of the Dixie str8s in evaluating the condition of this problem ceramic honing "whetstone" (some people with honing ability I respect feel it is really a dry hone, which is how I've used it). The Dixie is also good for using the x-pattern and keeping my smile honing technique sharp. I get back into the feel of honing with one of those, ensuring my muscle-memory is fresh before actually honing.
I have this Dubl Duck "Dwarf" I got for a really good price very early on, I think it was my first un-shave-ready razor from the Bay. Anyway, I had easily (sigh) honed it up to the 8k on the Nortons before they had lost their flatness, removing the chips (I did really good on that extremely early in my razor honing, thanks to the easy nature of the Nortons, G-d I miss using those..) and even shaved with it off the 8k. Last night, after all this posting and shaving with the Dovo and then the Wapienica I couldn't take it anymore and brought the Dubl Duck Dwarf to the ultra-fine with the conservative x-pattern, spine-first as usual. I didn't take out all of the micro-chips, actually. This Duck's edge was only partially restored, as it was very early in my honing days and I always felt it was best to not go all the way to the perfect edge with those fast-cutting coarse Nortons. Gave myself a few micro-chip's leeway to allow myself room to hone my honing ability when bringing to shaveworthiness. It also helped greatly with performance anxiety, this is a very delicate art.
So with spine-first strokes to further evaluate the finishing hone I brought the Duck to dazzling reflective brilliance. Ahhhhh... the satisfaction of bringing an old razor from another era to mirrored, keratin cleaving goodness. Life is good. I was hoping it would be great but I think I see where little white spots remain, it takes a long time to really perfect the edge on the estimated 12k (norton system grit rating I think) but it may be little spots created by the imperfections of the hone. Sigh. If I knew someone in the area who wanted their blade refreshed on the cheap I could do it, but I'd have to explain what it may actually do to the edge. I did manage to bring the slight curve at the heel and the curve at the tip with rolling strokes and careful work on the tip. It's looking good, but certainly not perfect. Now, while my skin is still clear and up to the challenge of other razors finished on the spyderco 12k I'm going to use my third razor and first eBetray find. Back in the first half year or so of 2008 I had the little 4/8th Krank, the shave-ready Dovo and this Dubl Duck. It's going to be a great feeling to think I could somehow bring them all up to satisfactory shaving sharpness with this sad finishing hone.
The good news is I haven't had the practice real str8s getting caught on the imperfections that the poor Dovo ran into that caused the micro-trenches over the past week. Maybe the imperfections have been shaved off by the true str8's hard steels? I don't know, but I sure don't want to risk it. I haven't developed a burr/wire-edge on the Dovo or the Wapienica, as far as I can tell. That Krank burned me twice with the second shave after finishing off the 8k, but it was more corroded so maybe it was compromised steel at the very edge.
I'm gonna use the "new" Dubl Duck tonight after the shower. Making food (mashed potatos) and going to use the double boiler method to melt some Chelsea's Garden shave soap into a little 5 ounce cocoa butter plastic container with sealing screw-top lid. Ohhhh.. new/old razors, cooking and shave soaps... what a beautiful holiday.
Wish me luck!
Descent into Synthetic Madness...
Okay, that's the concise response that makes sense and I'll have to put it in my "memory" file for later. But I have a tight money situation right now, and certainly for the foreseeable future. I'm making do with the Nortons and Spydercos. Just going to take out the "lapped" Nortons and see what I can do. I'm thinking if I can at least set a bevel with the first Norton (220/1000) then maybe it (the razor) can make the leap up to Spyderco's "medium" level, though it's an estimation at best I think it may function as a replacement for the Mexicano 4k side, which probably only works right when it (or me) is drenched in tequila! From there I could go to the Spyderco fine or the beloved 8k Norton. That Norton needs to start gettin' in touch with some "talent" agents in the porn biz, its got.. awesome potential...
Oh yeah, Kees... yer thinkin' 15,000 cr ox, right? I don't know exactly what the huge deal is with slow vs. fast cutting. I guess faster is better, especially for guys who hone other people's razors and other professionals. Screwing around with the Spydercos it looks like the "Kansas City Special" is kind of hard. I really don't know what I'm in for. I'm still a newbie at this. I must say, purchased two Bokers, both within 5/8ths range and square-tipped. Very nice condition, no major chips, nice scales and one's pivot pin is appropriately tight. Saw it, decided I'd put an unreasonable feeler of a bid out and figured I didn't have anything to lose as it was casual eBay browsing.. lo and behold, I'm now a potential member of the Boker Brotherhood for an unreasonable price. This was well over a year ago and it was not a buying frenzy so please don't accuse me of being one of your "kind". I'm better than that!
I have some quality time ahead of me. Slow, painful, angst-ridden quality time with plenty of blood (from wearing my hand skin off and tearing chunks out running over the 4k) sweat (because it takes forever) and tears (from betrayal).