Obscure French blade felt a bit rough today after giving flawless shaves up until now. Looked at it under magnification and saw a divot or two right where some corrosion was. Took it through the progression again of Conk then Belgian. HHT has hairs falling silently again. Tomorrow we see how I did.
Chris
Back to the basics
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Another flawless performance today by obscure French blade. Let's see how long this edge lasts.
Chris
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Obscure French blade got honed yesterday as it started to get a bit harsh the day before (I used replica blade, honed in the same way, to shave for the day in between). During honing it developed a ragged edge at the tip which I discerned was the result of an uneven bevel which had been pushed to the max via all subsequent honings, including my own. I spent some time with it on the Conk stone with slurry raised by the coarse diamond plate to correct this. Once corrected I finished as before with the Belgian hone and the subsequent shave was excellent. All honing done with three layers of tape on my unflattened Belgian coticule.
Let's see how far it goes from here.
Chris
Let's see how far it goes from here.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Obscure French blade is still going. Examined it under magnification today and it's still got a perfect bevel.
Chris
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
For yesterday and today I shaved with replica blade because obscure French blade was a little rough on the last shave. Touched up obscure French blade today for tomorrow's shave. We'll see how it goes. Before touch up the bevel was straight and nick free.
Seems like I'm averaging two to three weeks per honing. This doesn't agree with my experience as a teen and a man in my twenties. Been stropping with the waxy linen after each shave before putting the blade away so perhaps this wasn't a factor back in the days of yore for preserving my edge for approximately six months. Maybe it's time to experiment with that old Arkansas stone stored away somewhere in my best friend's home. More to come.
Chris
Seems like I'm averaging two to three weeks per honing. This doesn't agree with my experience as a teen and a man in my twenties. Been stropping with the waxy linen after each shave before putting the blade away so perhaps this wasn't a factor back in the days of yore for preserving my edge for approximately six months. Maybe it's time to experiment with that old Arkansas stone stored away somewhere in my best friend's home. More to come.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Obscure French blade was near flawless today. The shave was smooth and irritation free.
Let's see how long it lasts.
Chris
Let's see how long it lasts.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Obscure French blade's edge died an early death - the victim of too much breadknifing I conjecture.
With all the honing with three layers of tape over the last few months I think the bevel is pretty set. My last shave with obscure French blade yesterday was tugging like it needed to be honed despite just having gotten one. I decided to take it through the progression again but only breadknifed once - before any honing. When done hairs fell silently during the HHT. I waited in anticipation for today's shave to see if it would be harsh. Surprise, it was smooth, close and comfortable. It maybe time to alter things a bit with the honing routine (with the Conk and Belgian). I think breadknifing once before the progression is enough once the bevel is fully set.
It may also be the case that very little metal is removed in this sort of touch up as I don't see any indication of excessive wear. More to come.
Chris
With all the honing with three layers of tape over the last few months I think the bevel is pretty set. My last shave with obscure French blade yesterday was tugging like it needed to be honed despite just having gotten one. I decided to take it through the progression again but only breadknifed once - before any honing. When done hairs fell silently during the HHT. I waited in anticipation for today's shave to see if it would be harsh. Surprise, it was smooth, close and comfortable. It maybe time to alter things a bit with the honing routine (with the Conk and Belgian). I think breadknifing once before the progression is enough once the bevel is fully set.
It may also be the case that very little metal is removed in this sort of touch up as I don't see any indication of excessive wear. More to come.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Obscure French blade is still going. Another smooth close comfortable shave today. If she seems the least bit harsh I just strop her with a more pronounced Finnegan method followed by a taut strop stropping (very few here) and she's smooth again. I also have examined her under magnification and the edge is holding up beautifully.
After stropping this morning she was felling hairs silently in the HHT.
On another note, I shaved with Noxzema this Saturday like I did from a teen to my late 20's and with one pass the shave was quite acceptable. I even used my very first brush and replica blade to approximate what I did in those days. The shave was not BBS but it looked great. It was also very comfortable, like with thick lather from a tallow soap. The scent of Noxzema lingered as I went about my day because I didn't shower after shaving as I did in those days. It also took a bit more rinsing than with a soap to get the feel of residuals off my skin.
All in all the scent experience and performance from a good English tallow soap is superior IMHO to Noxzema for only the reasons that such a soap rinses cleaner and more easily and the scent doesn't persist should I choose to shave after a shower (which is my preferred method these days). Also, I washed my face with soap prior to my shave as I did in those days so an added step is needed. In total this is why I decided to switch. Otherwise, if I kept my routine as it was back in the day, Noxzema would continue to be quite an excellent choice based on performance alone. Just love the scents and performance of good hard soaps nowadays.
Chris
After stropping this morning she was felling hairs silently in the HHT.
On another note, I shaved with Noxzema this Saturday like I did from a teen to my late 20's and with one pass the shave was quite acceptable. I even used my very first brush and replica blade to approximate what I did in those days. The shave was not BBS but it looked great. It was also very comfortable, like with thick lather from a tallow soap. The scent of Noxzema lingered as I went about my day because I didn't shower after shaving as I did in those days. It also took a bit more rinsing than with a soap to get the feel of residuals off my skin.
All in all the scent experience and performance from a good English tallow soap is superior IMHO to Noxzema for only the reasons that such a soap rinses cleaner and more easily and the scent doesn't persist should I choose to shave after a shower (which is my preferred method these days). Also, I washed my face with soap prior to my shave as I did in those days so an added step is needed. In total this is why I decided to switch. Otherwise, if I kept my routine as it was back in the day, Noxzema would continue to be quite an excellent choice based on performance alone. Just love the scents and performance of good hard soaps nowadays.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Obscure French blade's edge died a sudden death today. As soon as I began my shave with a strike to my upper lip I knew - the edge had turned to a rake (an unmistakable feeling). I immediately grabbed replica blade (my only backup at the moment) and finished the shave (I didn't even strop it I was moving so fast). It was close and comfortable with little to no irritation. The fused part of the upper lip felt a little tender, though, as the aftershave was applied.
I spent some time in the morning touching up Obscure French blade's edge. Didn't take too long and it's felling hairs silently in the HHT so I'm looking forward to tomorrow's shave to see how I did. Hoping all is good.
Chris
I spent some time in the morning touching up Obscure French blade's edge. Didn't take too long and it's felling hairs silently in the HHT so I'm looking forward to tomorrow's shave to see how I did. Hoping all is good.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
The first shave today with the touched-up Obscure French blade was fantastic, close and comfortable.
I honed a mystery blade yesterday, also, and I'll try it soon. I only used one layer of tape and the same Arkansas followed by Belgian progression so we'll see when I use it how it performs and for how long. Preliminary HHT indicates a wonderfully sharp edge (effortless hairs falling with no sound). How smooth? We'll see.
This particular blade has an unusually wide spine (widest I ever remember seeing and comparable to the old TI 7/8's razors from more than a decade ago - read old stock from the 1920's as per various sources) so one layer seemed appropriate. If it performs and depending on the longevity of any such performance I may knock down the layers of tape to two for Obscure French blade. But that's all for another day.
More to come.
Chris
I honed a mystery blade yesterday, also, and I'll try it soon. I only used one layer of tape and the same Arkansas followed by Belgian progression so we'll see when I use it how it performs and for how long. Preliminary HHT indicates a wonderfully sharp edge (effortless hairs falling with no sound). How smooth? We'll see.
This particular blade has an unusually wide spine (widest I ever remember seeing and comparable to the old TI 7/8's razors from more than a decade ago - read old stock from the 1920's as per various sources) so one layer seemed appropriate. If it performs and depending on the longevity of any such performance I may knock down the layers of tape to two for Obscure French blade. But that's all for another day.
More to come.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Well, Friday the shave just didn't feel as keen as it ought to be. Touched up obscure French blade with 30 leading passes on the Belgian for Saturday's shave but still was not pleased. Sunday (today) I took a sabbatical and used replica blade, which had been freshly honed. Still not as keen as I'd like. Stropped on crox leather mid shave and finished with much better performance.
I stropped obscure French blade on crox today, as well, in anticipation of this week.
More to come.
Chris
I stropped obscure French blade on crox today, as well, in anticipation of this week.
More to come.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
The shave with obscure French blade on Monday wasn't as satisfying or comfortable as it should have been. So for today (Tuesday) replica blade was on deck and the shave was smooth, comfortable, and excellent.
Afterward I stropped on a formerly plain linen strop that had been treated with the Dovo white linen paste and put the blade away for tomorrow. I'll continue with this blade until it dies.
Before I shaved with replica blade I tested it the night before with the HHT against a couple of unused DE blades. Replica blade seemed keener by comparison as it was able to cut hair cleaner and more easily than those DE's.
In the mean time, until replica blade dies, I'll take obscure French blade through the normal touch up of breadknifing, a tri-layer of tape, Conk Arkansas followed by the Belgian. I'll add a final stropping on a crox strop and see how it goes. For now this seems to be quite a treat judging by replica blades performance.
More to come.
Chris
Afterward I stropped on a formerly plain linen strop that had been treated with the Dovo white linen paste and put the blade away for tomorrow. I'll continue with this blade until it dies.
Before I shaved with replica blade I tested it the night before with the HHT against a couple of unused DE blades. Replica blade seemed keener by comparison as it was able to cut hair cleaner and more easily than those DE's.
In the mean time, until replica blade dies, I'll take obscure French blade through the normal touch up of breadknifing, a tri-layer of tape, Conk Arkansas followed by the Belgian. I'll add a final stropping on a crox strop and see how it goes. For now this seems to be quite a treat judging by replica blades performance.
More to come.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Well Saturday I got a wild hair and decided to touch up obscure French blade (with tri-layer of tape) on a synthetic followed by nothing but a bare coticule (no slurry, mind you) a la Mastro Livi style. Breadknifed, went to the Shapton 4k and then followed it with the Belgian and then the crox strop. Did my normal back and forth honing on each followed by straight "X" strokes, edge leading, on the Belgian. I stropped on the dovo white treated linen followed by plain leather (Dovo Wide White, plai, Russian) followed by my Dovo wide red Russian. The ensuing shave on Sunday was excellent. The shave with the same blade this morning was rakish. The Bay Rum revealed whatever flaws I left in the edge as I really felt burn like I haven't in a long time.
Don't know how I screwed this up but it will be back to the Conk followed by the Belgian and the crox strop to correct this. Don't know when I'll get to it as this is promising to be a busy week. I also have the inclination to hold off and give this edge one more chance after using my vintage strop with the waxed linen but haven't made up my mind yet. Replica blade is back on deck for tomorrow. If it fails then mystery razor is waiting in the wings.
More to come.
Chris
Don't know how I screwed this up but it will be back to the Conk followed by the Belgian and the crox strop to correct this. Don't know when I'll get to it as this is promising to be a busy week. I also have the inclination to hold off and give this edge one more chance after using my vintage strop with the waxed linen but haven't made up my mind yet. Replica blade is back on deck for tomorrow. If it fails then mystery razor is waiting in the wings.
More to come.
Chris
Re: Back to the basics
Chris, I want you to know I am reading this with great interest. I have dabbled in straights but always found the number and variety of hones overwhelming. The notion of doing with less appeals to me for a variety of reasons, and you have the experience and know-how to render judgment appropriately. I still have my straights and strop, and if I didn't have to lay out cash for a bunch of stones and lapping plates and...well, keep reporting, sir.
Regards,
Tim
Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
Tim
Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Tim, glad you're getting something out of this and hopefully others are too.
I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve so stay tuned.
Chris
I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve so stay tuned.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Yesterday and today replica blade performed flawlessly. I expect as much tomorrow from it.
I am reaching out to my best friend in the next few days to see if he can get his hands on that old Arkansas tri-hone that I used oh so many moons ago for such a long time. Recently I've been looking at Arkansas hones and to my recollection the stone I used on that old set from my friend may have been a translucent. The human memory is notoriously deficient though so we'll see.
At present I have a translucent on the way to experiment with and hopefully compare with that stone of old.
In the plan is to hone slurry free on a set of old stones, perhaps with no tape. I'll probably hone with tape to start and move on from there.
More to come.
Chris
I am reaching out to my best friend in the next few days to see if he can get his hands on that old Arkansas tri-hone that I used oh so many moons ago for such a long time. Recently I've been looking at Arkansas hones and to my recollection the stone I used on that old set from my friend may have been a translucent. The human memory is notoriously deficient though so we'll see.
At present I have a translucent on the way to experiment with and hopefully compare with that stone of old.
In the plan is to hone slurry free on a set of old stones, perhaps with no tape. I'll probably hone with tape to start and move on from there.
More to come.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Today I found a few minutes to play with obscure French blade. With a tri-layer of tape I took it to the Conk hone slurry free. When it gave the proper feedback on the thumbnail I gave it something like forty strokes edge forward and I moved to the Belgian. No bread-knifing was involved.
On the Belgian I used only leading edge traditional strokes slurry free and did something like eighty to one-houndred strokes. I then took it to the crox strop followed by the Dovo white linen and the Red-Russian Dovo-wide strop (the 30 degree strop). Obscure French blade was severing hairs via the hht with root up flawlessly. Upon inspection under the scope, however, two nasty chips were revealed. I put it away to be bread-knifed and rehoned another day.
I'm starting to think that bread-knifing may be a very good thing to do at the start of every honing. It may work out any imperfections left from corrosion and shaving that can get magnified by honing only.
On a more successful note: due to time constraints and situation today I had to shave in the kitchen (a first for me). I had a portable mirror and glasses on my face. I can count how many times I've ever shaved with glasses on with one hand and each time it was a b!tch and this time was no exception. I used replica blade and a vintage 1980's cake of Floris No. 89 and the shave was excellent, close and comfortable for the most part. The b!tch part is always shaving up by the regions where my glasses get in the way (I normally wear contacts). Still I was able to pull it off quite well despite spectacles frustration. It actually felt a bit liberating to shave in a place other than the bathroom. My portable mirror was a three-times magnification standing mirror and I found it quite excellent for the task. It was like shaving at a girlfriend's residence while she was occupying the bathroom.
Tomorrow will probably be the same sans glasses.
More to come.
Chris
On the Belgian I used only leading edge traditional strokes slurry free and did something like eighty to one-houndred strokes. I then took it to the crox strop followed by the Dovo white linen and the Red-Russian Dovo-wide strop (the 30 degree strop). Obscure French blade was severing hairs via the hht with root up flawlessly. Upon inspection under the scope, however, two nasty chips were revealed. I put it away to be bread-knifed and rehoned another day.
I'm starting to think that bread-knifing may be a very good thing to do at the start of every honing. It may work out any imperfections left from corrosion and shaving that can get magnified by honing only.
On a more successful note: due to time constraints and situation today I had to shave in the kitchen (a first for me). I had a portable mirror and glasses on my face. I can count how many times I've ever shaved with glasses on with one hand and each time it was a b!tch and this time was no exception. I used replica blade and a vintage 1980's cake of Floris No. 89 and the shave was excellent, close and comfortable for the most part. The b!tch part is always shaving up by the regions where my glasses get in the way (I normally wear contacts). Still I was able to pull it off quite well despite spectacles frustration. It actually felt a bit liberating to shave in a place other than the bathroom. My portable mirror was a three-times magnification standing mirror and I found it quite excellent for the task. It was like shaving at a girlfriend's residence while she was occupying the bathroom.
Tomorrow will probably be the same sans glasses.
More to come.
Chris
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Today's shave with replica blade was outstanding. Shaved in the kitchen as yesterday as I was awaiting a repairman for the heater. My two year old son was with me. In mid shave the doorbell rang and two men (one seemingly Jamaican and the other seemingly Middle-Eastern) were the repair team I was awaiting (didn't expect two guys though). Lather still on my face they laughed as I opened the door knowing they had caught me in mid shave. As they entered I went directly back to the kitchen to finish my shave as I expected that they were here to install a part ordered last week and thus didn't need any direction. They followed me in and proceeded to ask me what the problem was. As I turned 'round with my straight razor brandished in my right hand their visages registered disbelief, but they did not remark on it.I spoke with them regarding the job and they retreated outside still with a look of shock but half-smiling. I finished up rather quickly, splashed some Bay Rum on my face (and rubbed the residual on my son's waiting face) and all was well. The shave was just fantastic and very satisfying. Not much sting at all when the Bay Rum was applied so I know it was mild.
Got some time in the late afternoon to work on obscure French blade. Breadknifed it on the Conk and proceeded with slurry (tri-layer of tape) on that hone. Got it to the correct thumb nail feeling and move to the Belgian with forward X strokes only. Stropped it on the crox strop and tested. Keen but not as keen as I'd like. So I decided to abandon the tape feeling that the geometry of the blade had moved beyond what was optimal for that setup (edge keeps retreating while the spine retains all thickness). I decided to take it to the shaptons and do a full bevel reset on the 1k followed by the 4k and then the 8k. It took a bit of effort to get that bevel set but not too much. Had to breadknife it and reset it a few times but the whole effort was quite quick. Gosh these things cut fast compared to the natural hones! Once set I breadknifed and moved to the 4k which set an edge right quick. From there it was to the 8k and it was smooth and giving excellent thumbnail feedback (checking with the scope each step of the way). Finished with the crox strop followed by the vintage waxed linen and vintage Russian leather barber strop and it was severing hairs flawless and silently via the hht with root up. It's ready as far as I can tell. It's up on deck for tomorrow's shave.
More to come.
Chris
Got some time in the late afternoon to work on obscure French blade. Breadknifed it on the Conk and proceeded with slurry (tri-layer of tape) on that hone. Got it to the correct thumb nail feeling and move to the Belgian with forward X strokes only. Stropped it on the crox strop and tested. Keen but not as keen as I'd like. So I decided to abandon the tape feeling that the geometry of the blade had moved beyond what was optimal for that setup (edge keeps retreating while the spine retains all thickness). I decided to take it to the shaptons and do a full bevel reset on the 1k followed by the 4k and then the 8k. It took a bit of effort to get that bevel set but not too much. Had to breadknife it and reset it a few times but the whole effort was quite quick. Gosh these things cut fast compared to the natural hones! Once set I breadknifed and moved to the 4k which set an edge right quick. From there it was to the 8k and it was smooth and giving excellent thumbnail feedback (checking with the scope each step of the way). Finished with the crox strop followed by the vintage waxed linen and vintage Russian leather barber strop and it was severing hairs flawless and silently via the hht with root up. It's ready as far as I can tell. It's up on deck for tomorrow's shave.
More to come.
Chris
Re: Back to the basics
Chris, I like to keep up with your updates. Thx.
Gary
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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EL Alamein
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Re: Back to the basics
Gray, thanks, glad it provides some value to some folks.
Shaved with the obscure French blade yesterday and today. Wow is this thing aggressive. I think I really am starting to like the edge the Belgians impart over natural hones so I'm thinking I should concoct a test for this tape free involving the synthetic hones finished by the Belgian. Perhaps a slurried Belgian followed by a naked one for final polish. That will have to be for another day though.
Tomorrow begins the workweek back in the office so it's back to replica blade with the Belgian edge.
More to come.
Chris
Shaved with the obscure French blade yesterday and today. Wow is this thing aggressive. I think I really am starting to like the edge the Belgians impart over natural hones so I'm thinking I should concoct a test for this tape free involving the synthetic hones finished by the Belgian. Perhaps a slurried Belgian followed by a naked one for final polish. That will have to be for another day though.
Tomorrow begins the workweek back in the office so it's back to replica blade with the Belgian edge.
More to come.
Chris