Search found 2062 matches

by Joe Lerch
Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:06 am
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: Merkur Futur -1st Impression
Replies: 112
Views: 18193

Some time ago, when I was looking for my first adjustable razor, I bought a Futur. I returned it to the shop after shaving with it twice. It was way too aggressive for me, even at 1. I agree that the Futur is probably the most aggressive quality razor, but certainly not at 1 setting. I believe ther...
by Joe Lerch
Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:02 pm
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: back to the FUTUR ........part two
Replies: 21
Views: 3836

If use this razor at only one setting you're missing one of the great advantages of an adjustable: it lets you optimize the benefits of reduction, as well as comfort. For example, if you were doing a 2 pass shave you might start at a 2 setting and casuallyshave down to a slight stubble. Then crank i...
by Joe Lerch
Sun Jun 28, 2009 1:33 pm
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: Is a Progress right for me?
Replies: 8
Views: 2350

You said you wanted something different from a Gillette, so you made the right choice. My complaint about the Gillettes is that they're too tame. The 9 setting gets you about half way to what you can get with one of the Merkurs. The Futur is the most aggressive of the adjustable Merkurs. Wait a whil...
by Joe Lerch
Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:59 pm
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: Merkur Futur -1st Impression
Replies: 112
Views: 18193

It's a great razor. I used mine for several years before I went above 3. Guess what. It gets very aggressive above that. That is, it does with all blades except Feathers (I haven't tried the 7 o'clocks). Amazingly, both the Futur and slant match up perfectly with Feathers. Both of these razors becom...
by Joe Lerch
Fri Jun 26, 2009 3:27 pm
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: THE STATE OF DE SHAVING
Replies: 55
Views: 10282

Have you ever located anyone else who has/had a Futur that pre-dates 1980? There must still be a few of them around somewhere. I've tried, and I continue to look. I'm surprised that these Hoffritz razors were not a lot more popular. Everybody accepts that Hoffritz sold the "Futur" for abo...
by Joe Lerch
Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:53 am
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: THE STATE OF DE SHAVING
Replies: 55
Views: 10282

I understand completly about the straights. An accomplished DE shaver will be very frustrated. It sems that your razor may have been a little dull, but even with a well sharpened one, the experience is not pleasant, and you just have to wonder why you're doing it. I usually discourage accomplished D...
by Joe Lerch
Thu Jun 25, 2009 12:30 pm
Forum: Straight Razors
Topic: Feather AC-DX Japanese style.....
Replies: 14
Views: 4995

I'm sorry I got in here late. I have both and use both. I have slight preference for the Japanese style, because it offers so many more hand positions and angles. It does require a little more delicacy and care, however. Don't worry about using one hand. With a folding blade you'll have to learn to ...
by Joe Lerch
Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:18 am
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: THE STATE OF DE SHAVING
Replies: 55
Views: 10282

Yes, it's me! Good to "speak" again. When are you coming to NJ again? I don't think we disagree here. Clearly, the Feather was a recent advance in DE shaving. Just because not everyone likes it doesn't change that. For me, and quite a few other guys it was a major one. TO use it, I adapted...
by Joe Lerch
Wed Jun 24, 2009 12:59 pm
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: THE STATE OF DE SHAVING
Replies: 55
Views: 10282

Re: THE STATE OF DE SHAVING

i've been reading the recent posts about a positive find with a possibly new run of merkur blades. the thread has members making comments about the blades of the past and how they were better. this has made me wonder about the world of current de shaving. i started de shaving this past winter and a...
by Joe Lerch
Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:22 am
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: THE STATE OF DE SHAVING
Replies: 55
Views: 10282

Gil, Well, that's right. The major makers of blades for shaving have plainly cheapened their DE blades for at least two decades now, putting all their emphasis on selling multi-blade cartridges ( and the more expensive the better ). The large bulk of the manufacturing of DE blades that they still d...
by Joe Lerch
Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:05 am
Forum: Straight Razors
Topic: Maestro Livi finally conquered
Replies: 47
Views: 13769

Hi Chris and Joe, I know you have both used 3 line Franz Swaty's a lot in the past.. I have several of these, how do you rate the Spyderco UF compared to the Swaty? I have been on the fence with adding the 304UF to my lineup, but based upon Chris's thoughts I am re-thinking this. Or even and Escher...
by Joe Lerch
Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:10 am
Forum: Straight Razors
Topic: Maestro Livi finally conquered
Replies: 47
Views: 13769

The Livi has continued to improve with nightly touch-ups on the chrome bench hone. It is a wonderful shaver now! Chris I'm happy to hear that. There has always been some mystery for me regarding the occasional razor that just doesn't respond. It seems to be an excellent blade, but it just doesn't g...
by Joe Lerch
Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:36 am
Forum: Straight Razors
Topic: Maestro Livi finally conquered
Replies: 47
Views: 13769

Now I've found the question.... The answer is to be found here: http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24070 and http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27323 As you will read, it seems that the Spyderco fine and ultrafine hones vary their effective grit by means of the pattern m...
by Joe Lerch
Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:59 am
Forum: Straight Razors
Topic: How to get a sharp blade without your strop?
Replies: 16
Views: 5580

Secondly, it depends what you call sharpening. Most of us would consider sharpening as removing material. Plain leather stropping doesn't do that to any significant degree. It only smooths, and even that requires a lot of reps. A semantic problem then. I would define sharpening as the act of making...
by Joe Lerch
Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:47 pm
Forum: Straight Razors
Topic: How to get a sharp blade without your strop?
Replies: 16
Views: 5580

If a blade starts fading between passes I dump the blade, several Dovos have not made the cut for that reason. Ive read the research that indicates that stroping doesnt actually sharpen the blade, but whatever it does seems to make the blade cut better. Dave It is not unusual for stropping to be ne...
by Joe Lerch
Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:43 pm
Forum: Straight Razors
Topic: How to get a sharp blade without your strop?
Replies: 16
Views: 5580

Ive read the research that indicates that stroping doesnt actually sharpen the blade, but whatever it does seems to make the blade cut better. Dave 'Splain it to me. It doesn't sharpen, but it does cut better. What, exactly, does that say about the knowledge and intelligence of the author of that r...
by Joe Lerch
Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:17 am
Forum: Straight Razors
Topic: Maestro Livi finally conquered
Replies: 47
Views: 13769

How are you? It's been a while. Chris, I have every one of the hones you used except the 30K. Assuming you used the hones in order of increasing fineness, I find it curious that you ended on the UF. I would never consider it finer than 30K and probably not even finer than 15K. What was your strategy?
by Joe Lerch
Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:03 am
Forum: Straight Razors
Topic: How to get a sharp blade without your strop?
Replies: 16
Views: 5580

These are all good answers, but be aware that in his comprehensive report on knife sharpening Prof. Verhoeven found that stropping on plain leather after honing did not affect sharpness. The real benefit of stropping comes after you've used a blade and caused the microserrations in the edge to sprea...
by Joe Lerch
Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:29 pm
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: In Praise of Fidelity
Replies: 102
Views: 23986

First of all, thanks for the warm welcome back, guys. It's not surprising, but it feels good. The blade discussion is interesting, but, at least in part, it is quite subjective. For example, Feather blades changed everything for me afte almost 50 years. I swear by them, and still, nothing else comes...
by Joe Lerch
Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:44 am
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: In Praise of Fidelity
Replies: 102
Views: 23986

Well, there are two facets to this whole 'fidelity' thing; how it pertains to the newbie, and the relatively inexperianced, and it's relevance for the experianced DE shaver. For the newbie, we all seem to be in agreement that constant switching around of kit, and especially blades and razors, is at...