View attachment 256645
SOTD SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 8, 2021
This morning I shaved with my son, Ben’s, first Forged Damascus 6/8 razor. He made the billet from welded layers of 1084 high carbon and 15N20 nickel steel. He then folded it and refolded it. He calls the pattern “swirling seas”. I call it a good first effort! The scales are made from Bhilwara Heartwood. It contains a wooden wedge, and thus is only pinned at the pivot point. I set the bevel on a Chosera 1k and then took it through 12k and finished on the 9 Ball Slate with a touch of Smith’s Honing Oil. Then through the pasted 4 sided Constroption with a finish on my newly acquired Roo-skin bench strop. Thanks, Bill!
I’ve always had a soft spot for Omega Pro48 Boars! They’re cheap and once broken in, awesome lather machines. I just never liked the handle. I have two, one with the original handle and this one, which one of our very talented TSD turner artisans transplanted into this beautifully crafted Sapele/Resin Handle. It certainly did the trick, generating the two types of MWF lathers I like for my shaves. With the Traveling Wilburys “Handle With Care” playing in the background I launched into my usual three pass mug shave. The razor felt good in hand and swept away the facial stubble leaving me very smooth!
The dome shave featured Henry Gaisman’s final Autostrop design, the VC4, and the only one featuring a safety bar as opposed to the open comb on all prior Valet Autostrop models. The design came into being as Gaisman was exiting the CEO/Chairman’s role at Gillette Corporation. It is my personally favorite Valet Autostrop model. It was the 9th shave for the Feather FAS-10 blade, so I Autostropped 40 strokes. The two pass ATG noggin shave went well, although I chucked the blade after the shave. I feel cool, clean and velveteen!
RAZOR: Damascus 6/8 Bhilwara Heartwood Scales (Mug), Gillette Valet Autostrop VC4 (Dome)
BLADE: Feather FAS-10 Carbon Steel
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by a scrub with Argan Oil
BRUSH: JT Sapele/Resin Handled Omega Pro48 Boar Knot
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by a rinse with Humphreys Lilac WH. Finished with Pre de Provence Bergamot & Thyme Balm.
Click to expand...