What Straight Razor Did You Use Today?

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by lindyhopper66, Nov 30, 2013.

  1. Chuck Naill

    Chuck Naill Well-Known Member

    M. Jung German made Reg 80...same as shavette 200k diamond edge. I only stropped on linen and horse hide to prepare last evening .

    I’ve been using other razors including a Gillette red tip, Feather SS, Schick type e, and Gem MMOC. I used the same three pass schedule for each. All have rendered the same results.

    Perhaps the discussion is too centered on stone acquisitions and rare razors from the Swiss and Japan or 1 inch wide blades. Maybe it comes down to who has the better technique and to the quality of shave.
     
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  2. Steve56

    Steve56 Hone Hoarder

    45572997-B73D-4F53-BF9D-E13D89845255.jpeg

    Or maybe not Chuck, lol. What you’re describing is nothing like what I want out of the hobby, but I’m glad you’ve found your comfort zone.

    Tanifuji Cape 2000, cream was Le Labo lathered with a Keyhole 3, and the balm was also Le Labo.

    Here’s a review of the first time out with Le Labo shave products. TL;DR, packaging great, performance, meh.

    Le Labo is a relatively new fragrance house based in Grasse, France and New York according to their press. They’re known for strong, contemporary style fragrances and will make bespoke fragrances. The packaging was first rate, the large, stylish black 120ml tubes were well packed in a corrugated cardboard sleeve a la I Coloniali, and those were inside a kraft coffee bag printed with Le Labo stuff. Very nice presentation.

    Cream:
    - not very concentrated, I used quite a bit not wanting to starve it, and had to use more for the second pass
    -performance is decent, but not an overly slick cream, and lacks residual slickness for buffing. Thin lather compared to other premium products
    - scent is well, remarkable. It’s just a light, generic cologne, and if you asked me who made it, I would not guess Le Labo in a million years.
    -Post shave, soft and smooth, but little conditioning, classic coconut oil feel.

    Balm, same scent but stronger, it’s a translucent gel-like product similar to the I Coloniali 3-in-1 face cream but the scent isn’t as good. It performs well, but I’ll reserve final judgement on the balm until a couple more uses. At this point, I’d stay with I Coloniali balm or ABC who make some of the best balms currently available.
     
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  3. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    Being a legend in one's own mind is an important consideration.
     
  4. Chuck Naill

    Chuck Naill Well-Known Member

    Not really, but if you don’t know whether you’re getting a good shave nothing is going to help. We need to have a standard in mind.
     
  5. Chuck Naill

    Chuck Naill Well-Known Member

    Yes sir Steve, I’m after same as shavette. Sounds like you might be settling for something else. Hope you find your niche.
     
  6. alex1921

    alex1921 Well-Known Member

    Cape 650 honed on a sweet Jnat. Very clean and uniform stone. BBS shave with no irritation. I call that a winner.

    IMG_4122.jpg
     
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  7. Steve56

    Steve56 Hone Hoarder

    When you’ve been shaving with a straight razor (and honing them on multiple media) for over 10 years, you kinda know.... It comes with experience.

    I actually bought my first straight razor in the early or mid-1970’s, I didn’t have a car and took a bus downtown. It was a 5/8 Klass. That was about 48 years ago. I honed it on Arks, but did not use it for most of my working career. If you’re 20 years old and 20 minutes late, a straight is perhaps not the tool of choice. So I was familiar with the animal and how to feed it almost 50 years ago.
     
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  8. Steve56

    Steve56 Hone Hoarder

    That’s a nice lookin’ jnat Alex, what is it? It almost looks like a thuri - glue an Escher label on the back and you’re almost to the bank! Lol.
     
  9. alex1921

    alex1921 Well-Known Member

    Thank you Steve. It's a Nakayama maruka. Yeah it looks like a Thuri or even a synthetic. Interesting stone. A carpenter in Japan bought it, sealed, used it and eventually sold it. He documented his adventures on a blog, always fun to know where the stone was before it came to me.
     
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  10. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    The Feather 'shield clad' Pro Guard AC blades are good shavers, I really like how they keep the cutting edge off the skin so as not to punish sloppy technique.

    I personally like the Professional Super Blades in a DX myself. Gotta keep your 'game on' to use that setup. It almost outshines the 250k cBN edge that won't leave those jaggie cheap diamond grit scratches.
     
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  11. Steve56

    Steve56 Hone Hoarder

    Whatever it is it’s beautiful - perfect complexion and pure, as you’d expect fro Kato San.
     
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  12. Chuck Naill

    Chuck Naill Well-Known Member

    Never experienced a problem with diamond pasted balsa. I still have the original proguards I got when I started. Another member sent me some of the AC Professionals and I am waiting on this current blade to wear out so I can use it.
     
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  13. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    Well I guess sometimes folks will just settle for something else in their edges.
     
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  14. Chuck Naill

    Chuck Naill Well-Known Member

    And others will imagine something is there when it isn't. That said, as a whole face shaver if the edge works I am happy.
     
  15. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    Thursday and Friday:

    Thursday, this is currently the sharpest edge in the den, she also holds her edges too. Sometimes you win the honing lottery and this razor did, I wish I could remember exactly how I honed her, finished on Shapton glass 16k followed with CrOx then FeO3. 20 passes in and still laser sharp.

    IMG_7905.jpeg

    Friday 3M shave, M&F, MdC and Mastro Livi Gifretto. A smooth as silk edge on this girl.

    IMG_7906.jpeg
     
  16. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    Kind of like imagining a guarded edge A/C blade, or a. 25 micron diamond paste is the pinnacle.

    I'm sure there a few open edge whole head shavers that could engage you on how limited your ability is.
     
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  17. Spyder

    Spyder Well-Known Member

    TI 6/8 A quick single pass yesterday with no time to spare. Made up for it today with the usual three pass shave. Dolphin smooth .

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  18. TestDepth

    TestDepth Well-Known Member

    A heavy grind, symmetrical Japanese blade... FON Golden Star K-3
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    Enjoy your shave.
    Tom
     
  19. Chuck Naill

    Chuck Naill Well-Known Member

    You may be missing the point. I use my Feather SS and other razor blade holders to judge my SR edges. It has informed me of what is possible and also what I prefer.

    New members decide they want to use a straight razor and are immediately confused by the array of suggestions for honing an edge. You've surely been here long enough to be able to agree this is the case? IF not just read a recent thread where the member cannot know if their edge is shave ready. Do you think honing is hard? Are you achieving the same results using your shavette as with your SR? Does it matter if you are or are not achieving the same result?

    If I can provide a simple path using films and diamond paste now, later these same folks can decide later to go in a different direction. If these men can understand they need not try to shave off an 8k or 12k edge, they might stick with a SR long enough to acquire the skill to shave well with one. If they know a $7 Challenge razor can perform as well as a 2 inch wide Japanese, custom razor, they may stay around longer.

    What I an not saying is that I can use a SR or any razor better than someone else. What I am saying is there is a simple, affordable path that is rarely communicated. I have an unguarded AC Professional loaded into the Feather to use this morning. I will let you know how it goes.

    Update:
    Well, I found no difference using the unguarded Artist Club. It was not more dangerous or sharp. I didn't feel more nervous or vulnerable. It tugged on some areas during the first pass just like every straight razor and other blade holders do. Next time I will order the one that costs the least if I ever need do buy more. AC blade last for many shaves.

    I am finished with my part of the thread drift. I apologize to everyone.
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2020
  20. Edison Carter

    Edison Carter Well-Known Member

    Good to see you acknowledge the thread drift. It is unfortunate that I needed to use your normal mannerisms to get you to see it. Surprised to see an apology.

    The point is that disposable blades (of any type) cannot be compared to that of a straight razor, they are different animals.

    An economical razor honing method is fine. When I read your critiques of the methods of others that you have not even tried, it reveals a prejudgement. Something I've experienced you doing too frequently on things that you lack knowledge and/or experience, such as labeling me a racist because I won't buy your fave millionaires sneakers made in communist sweatshops.

    I'll issue my apology to the group as well. Not for thread drift, but for trolling. Something I had done very deliberately for a visual aid. The minefield of questions you leave in a supposed statement of closure is also trolling.

    This is not a thread I drop in on to find fault with others for their expensive custom gear or their frugalities. It is where I come to see their stuff.
     

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