Kokak's Straight Razor journey...

the toe is easy to neglect when honing as one tends to naturally apply more pressure closer the heel. The trick is to play close attention as one drags the blade to ensure the water undercuts across the entire span of the blade edge.

 

20170917 Sun@0915

Prep: Stirling Bergamot Unscented Pre-Shave Oil
Shaving Soap: Cella
Shaving Bowl: Jays Clay's "Best Grip" Lather Bowl
Brush: Omega 81052 Boar Brush (23 mm x 54 mm)
Straight Razor: Tanifuji "FAVORIT 750" 6/8" (18) WTG - XTG (face) WTG - WTG (neck)
Stropping: Tony Miller 3" Fast Bridle Leather "Plain Chocolate" (15x Linen and 25x Leather)
Splash: Humphreys Witch Hazel
Splash: Stirling Bergamot Lavender (+Menthol) + Orange Chill (+Menthol) + Sandalwood (+Menthol)
Balm: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm

Another great Sunday shave, this time with Cella. So far, I have had 18 shaves with the Tanifuji razor and it is just as smooth as it was when I 1st got it. A great 2 pass shave that left me near BBS.

 

Honing is definitely not a skill to be taken for granted. I have a new found respect for those who do it well.

 

20170918 Mon@2100

Prep: Stirling Bergamot Lime Pre-Shave Oil
Shaving Soap: Catie's Bubbles Sunset
Shaving Bowl: Captain's Choice Lather Bowl**
Brush: Omega 81052 Boar Brush (23 mm x 54 mm)
Straight Razor: Tanifuji "FAVORIT 750" 6/8" (19) WTG - XTG (face) WTG - WTG (neck)
Stropping: Tony Miller 3" Fast Bridle Leather "Plain Chocolate" (15x Linen and 25x Leather)
Splash: Humphreys Witch Hazel
Splash: Stirling Bergamot Lavender (+Menthol) + Orange Chill (+Menthol) + Sandalwood (+Menthol)
Balm: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm

Another great evening shave. Just received a Captain's Choice Lather Bowl I got from another forum... I really like this bowl. The size is perfect. The height is perfect. Fits right into the palm of my hand and allows for me to whip up a nice lather without banging the handle of my brush into the sides of the bowl. The Tanifuli is showing no signs of needing to return to the hones, yet.

 

20170919 Tue@2230

Prep: Stirling Bergamot Lime Pre-Shave Oil
Shaving Soap: Sapone Di Paolo "Arancione"
Shaving Bowl: Captain's Choice Lather Bowl
Brush: Semogue 1305 Boar Brush (22 mm x 55 mm)**
Straight Razor: Hayashi Diamond "77" 13/16" (4) WTG - XTG -WTG (face) WTG - WTG -WTG (neck)
Stropping: Tony Miller 3" Fast Bridle Leather "Plain Chocolate" (15x Linen and 25x Leather)
Splash: Humphreys Witch Hazel
Splash: Stirling Bergamot Lavender (+Menthol) + Orange Chill (+Menthol) + Sandalwood (+Menthol)
Balm: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm

So a fantastic evening shave. For anyone who has not tried Sapone Di Paolo soaps, I would recommend them. The scent, "Arancione", is a very pleasant Sweet Orange. Its cushion is very nice and the post have feel is nice as well. I received a new Boar brush last night, Semogue 1305 and took it out on a test drive. This si the smallest knot I have tried (so far) and am not too sure how I feel about it. It's 1mm narrower and 1mm taller than the Omega I have been using. Te difference, while modest, is very noticeable. I will use this brush for the next couple of weeks, giving it a chance to break in before I make a final decision.
Once I develop my honing skills, I will have a large assortment of different blade configurations to go through and then settle on a particular blade "style" that works for me. I am sure I will be selling off a bunch of my different blades and then start building a collection of blades I find work best for me. It's kind of like shaving soaps, for me. At some point I had about 40 soaps. then I realized the ones I really liked using and the ones I didn't care much for. Now I am down to 20 soaps I have found to perform well and have a scent profile I like. I plan to try another maker, here and there, but I have a very good idea of what I like. The same will happen with starlight. I am shaved with 7 different straights so far. My 3 favorites are the Tanifuji, Dubl Duck and the George Wostenholm. I still have a lot to learn and experience. Never thought shaving would be such a learning experience...

 

20170920 Wed@2230

Prep: Stirling Bergamot Lime Pre-Shave Oil
Shaving Soap: Fabac
Shaving Bowl: Captain's Choice Lather Bowl
Brush: Semogue 1305 Boar Brush (22 mm x 55 mm)**
Straight Razor: Tanifuji "FAVORIT 750" 6/8" (20) WTG (face) WTG (neck)
Stropping: Tony Miller 3" Fast Bridle Leather "Plain Chocolate" (15x Linen and 25x Leather)
Splash: Humphreys Witch Hazel
Splash: Stirling Bergamot Lavender (+Menthol) + Orange Chill (+Menthol) + Sandalwood (+Menthol)
Balm: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm

Another Great evening shave. I only did a single pass because; I have a big meeting with one of my larger accounts and will be shaving in the morning. The Tanifuji is still perfomeing perfect, even after 20 shaves.

 

20170922 Fri@0745

Prep: Stirling Bergamot Lime Pre-Shave Oil
Shaving Soap: Long Rifle Bay Rhum
Shaving Bowl: Captain's Choice Lather Bowl
Brush: Semogue 1305 Boar Brush (22 mm x 55 mm)**
Straight Razor: Gold Dollar "W59" (1) WTG - XTG (face) WTG - WTG (neck)
Stropping: Tony Miller 3" Fast Bridle Leather "Plain Chocolate" (30x Linen and 50x Leather)
Splash: Humphreys Witch Hazel
Splash: Fine Italian Citrus
Balm: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm

Fresh off the hones (last night). I reset the bevel (3 times) on this razor, before I was truly happy with my results. Each time killing the edge. so my progression was:
1k Naniwa (bevel set)
4k Norton
8k Norton
12k Naniwa
Black Arkansas "Ultra Fine"
I also modified the toe and heel with my Dremel. I rounded both the heel and toe and then smoothed out any burrs. I am very impressed with this little razor. It is awkward to strop because it is rather short. So anyone with larger hands will have to adjust. But after a few passes, I found a grip that was comfortable and the results were great. I had a smooth and comfortable 2 pass shave. I was pleasantly surprised. I will continue using this blade (at least for the next week) until the edge starts to get a little uncomfortable. Just to test and see how long it can hold an edge with only stropping.

 

You have come along way quickly, from your first shave to now your are modifying razors.

 

I have to agree. Excellent progression. .

 

Thanks... You have all helped me in my learning.

 

20170923 Sat@0930

Prep: Stirling Barbershop Pre-Shave Oil
Shaving Soap: Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations "Tobacco & Bay"
Shaving Bowl: Captain's Choice Lather Bowl
Brush: Semogue 1305 Boar Brush (22 mm x 55 mm)
Straight Razor: Gold Dollar "W59" (2) WTG - XTG -WTG (face) WTG - WTG -WTG (neck)
Stropping: Tony Miller 3" Fast Bridle Leather "Plain Chocolate" (15x Linen and 25x Leather)
Splash: Humphreys Witch Hazel
Splash: Stirling Bergamot Lavender (+Menthol) + Orange Chill (+Menthol) + Sandalwood (+Menthol)
Balm: none

Good morning! The Gold Dollar is doing great. It seems to be holding the edge just fine. I have gotten comfortable in stropping it now and am able to maneuver it all around my face. Leaving me with a near BBS shave after 3 passes.

 

20170924 Sun@0700

Prep: Stirling Lime Pre-Shave Oil
Shaving Soap: CRSW "Jeff's Soap"
Shaving Bowl: Captain's Choice Lather Bowl
Brush: Semogue 1305 Boar Brush (22 mm x 55 mm)
Straight Razor: Gold Dollar "W59" (3) WTG - XTG (face) WTG - WTG (neck)
Stropping: Tony Miller 3" Fast Bridle Leather "Plain Chocolate" (15x Linen and 25x Leather)
Splash: Humphreys Witch Hazel
Splash: Stirling Orange Chill w/ Menthol (20 ml) + Sandalwood w/ Menthol (10 ml) + Bergamot Lavender w/ Menthol (10 ml) + Glacial Lemon Chill (10 ml)
Balm: none

Honed another Gold Dollar razor last night (red acrylic scales). I could tell it wasn't perfect, but did a single pass on my cheek for a test. While not painful, it was uncomfortable and very inefficient at reducing my overnight growth. So back to the hones with it. As I said before; I was pretty sure it wasn't complete, but had to try it just the same.
For anyone on the fence about trying "Jeff's Soap"; it is a great preforming soap with a really nice (clean) scent profile. It has me curious about the other offerings of Cold River Soap Works.
The Gold Dollar "W59" straight feels like it is getting even better. Near BBS with 2+ passes.

 

20170925 Mon@0700

Prep: Stirling Lime Pre-Shave Oil
Shaving Soap: Stirling Glacial Lemon Chill
Shaving Bowl: Captain's Choice Lather Bowl
Brush: Semogue 1305 Boar Brush (22 mm x 55 mm)
Straight Razor: Gold Dollar "RED" (1) WTG - XTG -WTG (face) WTG - WTG -WTG (neck)
Stropping: Tony Miller 3" Fast Bridle Leather "Plain Chocolate" (30x Linen and 50x Leather)
Splash: Humphreys Witch Hazel
Splash: Stirling Orange Chill w/ Menthol (20 ml) + Sandalwood w/ Menthol (10 ml) + Bergamot Lavender w/ Menthol (10 ml) + Glacial Lemon Chill (10 ml)
Balm: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm

I have recently purchased 3 Gold Dollar razors from Amazon.

• GD "W59"
• GD "Black" ebony scales
• GD "RED" acrylic scales

Last night I tried honing the "RED" Gold Dollar. There seems to be some kind of excess metal near the shoulder on one side. When I draw the blade on the hone, the very edge seems to have some metal being left behind (grinding on the hone). This is happening only on 1 side and near the heel. I use the toe end much more than the heel so I pushed though with honing the razor. I worked very slowly... after about 1.25 hours (like I said sloooow) I was done, at least for this attempt.
So this morning I ran the GD across my strop and tried a shave. While not the smoothest shave, there was a bit of tugging, it was okay. Not painful but not something I would repeat unless I didn't have another option (thankfully I do). It was really only the initial pass that was not comfortable. Pass 2 and 3 were okay. My result was a DFS 3 pass shave with some tugging, but nothing that left any irritation.

 

The GD are infamous for needed the excess metal removed from the shoulder.

 

The crazy thing is... there is no real shoulder. Here is an image I got showing a similar razor, I will take a picture tonight of the actual one. The circled area is what is hitting the edge of my hone and causing some issues with honing the heel of the blade.

 

20170926 Tue@0700

Prep: Stirling Barbershop Pre-Shave Oil
Shaving Soap: Catie's Bubbles "Sunrise"
Shaving Bowl: Captain's Choice Lather Bowl
Brush: Semogue 1305 Boar Brush (22 mm x 55 mm)
Straight Razor: Dubl Duck "Special No 1" (1) WTG - XTG -WTG (face) WTG - WTG -WTG (neck)
Stropping: Tony Miller 3" Fast Bridle Leather "Plain Chocolate" (30x Linen and 50x Leather)
Splash: Humphreys Witch Hazel
Splash: Fine "Italian Citrus"
Balm: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm

Fresh off the hones... So I woke up a little early this morning and I thought I would hone my Dubl Duck No 1 and see how my edge would compare to how the blade was, when I first got it from Kevin. I will just say; I have a loooooooong way to go. While I was able to shave with it and it was able to reduce my overnight growth. I still need lots more practice. I will also only hone when I have lots of time and nowhere to be. After 3 passes I had DFS results. But not nearly as smooth as when I had just gotten the blade from Kevin. It was an improvement over how it felt after 12+ shaves. But still not great.
I am sure that a great edge will come in time and practice.

 

20170926 Tue@2200

Prep: Stirling Bergamot Lavender Pre-Shave Oil
Shaving Soap: Catie's Bubbles "Sunrise" (remnants)
Shaving Bowl: Captain's Choice Lather Bowl
Brush: Omega 81052 Boar Brush (23 mm x 54 mm)
Straight Razor: OPP'S BS Co. "The Superior" (1) WTG - XTG (face) WTG - WTG (neck)
Stropping: Tony Miller 3" Fast Bridle Leather "Plain Chocolate" (15x Linen and 25x Leather)
Splash: Humphreys Witch Hazel
Splash: Stirling Citrus & Sandalwood "Blend"
Balm: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm

I have an early day Wed, so I decided for a quick 2 pass cleanup with a new blade. The blade was an OPP's BS Co. blade that was in great shape. I received it in a trade with @Spyder. So I whipped up a lather, using the left overs in my lather bowl from this morning and had a nice, comfortable 2 pass shave. At this point I can say; my technique is okay with a straight razor. At least good enough to where I can shave every day without spilling any blood. Now if I can just get my honing dialed in I will be all set.

 

Glad it's working for you. I have the smaller RR synth brush, as well as the MMOC. The monster was left home, but I'm missing it already. It's becoming a favorite.

 

They are great brushes... I am finding I just like Boar brushes better

 

No shame in that! I have a couple boars that I love too. I still need to snag a nice badger.