I tried to learn straight shaving a year and a half ago with a Whipped Dog special. I think I ruined the edge stropping and my first attempt learning to use a straight was failure. I sent this Razor back to Whipped Dog for honing. I have been using a Feather SS and a CJB shavette to practice the last couple of weeks. I am getting through 2 of my normal 4 passes, the Feather doesn't shed blood anymore and I still get a nick or two with the CJB. I am feeling more confident and hopefully the straight will less aggressive. To add more incentive to persevere this time I decide to buy a good looking razor. While checking what was for sale on different forums I came across a Genco Easy Aces that looked good so I went for it. The mail gods smiled upon me and it arrived from the US in a week. The wet looking spots on the picture are oil. It arrived Friday, perfect timing because I want to take my time and Sat and Sun afford me plenty of time. Saturday I got through 1.5 passes and chickened out on my chin finishing with a DE. Just one nick and some irritation but I don't think I shaved much off in my 1.5 passes. Sunday I finished 2 passes but I did not feel ready for the more difficult XXTG pass (its diagonal). This time no blood and think I shaved a little more off in my 2 passes than Saturday. I think I am laying the blade too flat in order to avoid a big cut. I did the last two passes I have to say that is much smoother than the shavettes. The razor looks much better than in my cell phone picture. It is a full hollow 5/8 razor. All in all I am pleased with how the first two shaves went. The second shave didn't leave any irritation but I think I need allot more work to get the angle correct. The scales seem to get in the way to compared to my kamisori styled shavettes. The Easy Aces will rest until next weekend. I will use the shavettes 1 or 2 times during the week to keep getting practice. Hopefully I will not ruin the edge stropping since sending it out to get honed requires international travel.
Great looking razor. Larry does excellent work. Just take you time, and you should not need to go to the ER for too many stitches.
A thoroughly secondhand cautionary note: From what I've read on this and other shaving forums, using a shavette is fairly different from shaving with a straight. The practice you get with the former may not be of great help with the latter.
Nice razor! That's one I still have on my wish list. A lot of people say the technique is different between a Feather and a straight but for me the difference is in blade sharpness. The Feather is really sharp so you have to concentrate on not cutting yourself but the blade takes care of mowing down whiskers all by itself. A straight is typically not as sharp so I have to work on guillotining strokes and other tricks to get through my wiry beard which I don't have to worry about with a really sharp blade.
The straight is much smoother than the shavette and I find it easier to use. I tried a Parker shavette once in the past and it gave me scar the one and only time I used it. The Parker was very different but the Feather and CJB are similar to the straight. The big difference is between the Kamisore style handle and then dealing with the scales and a different grip.
Hope to hear updates. I have been shaving with a Feather Artist Club SS for the last month. I just sent my straight out to be honed. I am looking forward to seeing if the folding handle on the straight will actually allow me to do the ATG pass on my neck.
This week I did two shaves with the Feather, both two passes. The second shave was a little bloody and cut my self twice on the chin. Saturday morning I have lots of time so I took out the straight and my best two passes so far, first time without a nick. I still need to do the last two passes with a DE. Tomorrow I will give the straight another go and was encouraged by todays success. I am starting to get a little more comfortable with my left hand but I still feel I have a long way to go. I find the straight shaves allot smoother than the shavette but I really prefer the kamisori style handle.
Today was the forth shave the Easy Aces. I made sure a good wet lather and the first two passes were the best yet, not even a nick. Despite the lack of blood and improvement I have along way to go before I am as proficient with the straight as my DEs. I am not getting nearly as much hair removed as with the DE. I was feeling cocky after the smooth two passes so I started the third. I only got half way through the pass when I decided it was time to switch to the Cobra. I just could not find a comfortable grip to make all the AXTG passes. My 3rd pass is at angle I was worried about cutting myself given I could not seem to find the right hold on the razor. I also find the scales are getting in the way. I really love this blade and it is much nicer shave than than the shavette but I think I prefer the Kamisori style handle. I will give the CJB a couple of shots this week and then back to Easy Aces next weekend.
It's been a couple of years since I dabbled with them so I'm not sure what the availability and prices are like these days, but, if you find the kamisori-style handle more to your liking, perhaps it would be worth while to pick up a used kamisori. That way, you'd have the best of both worlds -- the handle style your familiar with and the less 'harsh' feel of a fixed, honed blade (vs. the aggressive, machine-sharpened blades of a feather/shavette).
That's a good suggestion. Do Kamisori razors shave different from western straights? I am thinking about looking for a western blade with a Kamisori style handle.
This week due to a biz trip I only used my CJB once. Two great passes but again when I started on the third pass I cut myself, realising if I continue only bad things will happen I switched to a DE for the 3rd and 4th pass. It is not even close my Genco Easy Aces is a much smoother and easier to shave with than either shavette. I am looking forward to my weekend shaves so I can use the straight instead.
Another weekend another two shaves with the "Easy Aces." I have decided to stick to 2 of my usual 4 passes for a while. Saturday was a great 2 passes, smooth, felt natural and not even 1 nick. I am still not taking as much off as I do with a DE I think this was my best shave with a straight to date and no irritation at all. I was very tempted to try for pass 3 but I had a big date and resisted the temptation. Sunday felt very awkward with my left hand. I thought I nick myself but there was no blood. I thought there would be at least a little irritation but there was only a little bit. I finished both shaves with a DE, Saturday was BBS and Sunday just DFS. I can see this is going to be a long journey. I will load up the CJB and give it a go 1 or 2 times during the week, using the real straight adds a lot more time to the shave the shavette.
I am trying to use my shavettes two times during the week and the straight on the weekend. I wanted to save the stropping time in the morning. In the evening I layout the shaving gear for the next morning. When I pulled out the shavette I could feel my self hesitate and think I would really prefer to use the straight because it gives me less irritation. So I decided to just strop in the evening and use the straight. Tuesday shave went well but I had an operator error and got some weepers and irritation on my left neck. It did feel awkward so I should have slowed down. Two passes and then finish with my Cobra. Thursday shave the two passes went smoothly and relatively quickly and I finished the last 2 passes with a GEM Lather Catcher. Close shave, no blood and no irritation. No awkward feeling when using my left hand too. I feel like I am making progress. Close to BBS. This time I felt like I had less stable after the 2 passes than prior straight or shavette shaves. My reference shave is with my 2011 R41, I still have along way to go before I get to the level of BBS and lack of irritation I get from my R41. Of all my razors it gives me the longest lasting BBS and without irritation..... as long as I take my time, good prep and the right software. Looking forward to the weekend shaves when I can really take my time.
Kamisori Honed and Used in the traditional way are a different animal all together Myself I think they are the Cat's Meow when it comes to a CCS I will have to be seriously eating only Ramen before I part with mine They do require some close attention while shaving much like your CJB but still a little different Honing is a new thing to learn to get right with these, I always tell people they are WAY harder to get set right, and WAY easier to maintain then a Western grind PS: That Easy Aces should be able to hold onto an edge that is so close to a DE or SE blade in keeness yet still smooth.. Those NY razors can take a freaky sharp edge
Glen thanks for the info. I am surprised how much I like the Easy Aces razor, it is very smooth. It is a lot smoother than the straight I used for my first attempt at straight shaving. I will succeed on this second try and I think it is because of the Easy Aces razor..... plus it looks cool.
It maybe boring to some but writing about my shaves helps. Encouraged by my success Thursday I decided to use the CJB Friday. I feels so much more aggressive and less forgiving than my straight. Still I did 2 passes with just 1 nick and some irritation, the best shave yet with the CJB. Saturday back to the straight, the first two passes went effortless and quicker than before so I went for 1/2 of the 3 rd pass. No nicks and very little irritation. Defiantly my best yet. Finished up with a DE. Sunday I nicked my myself twice, for some reason it felt a little awkward, strange Saturday felt natural. I decided to stop at 2 passes and finish up with a DE. This shave definitely felt rougher and left me with some irritation. I think it is time to refresh the razor. So at night I stropped on CrOx and hopefully that will bring backs it smoothness.
Inspired by a new strop I used my straight again Tuesday, 2 passes, no nicks, just a small amount of irritation. Defiantly feels like I am getting better. Or maybe it was refreshing the edge and stropping with my new strop instead of my $5 Chinese strop. Finished with my Lather Catcher. Wednesday I did not use the straight but took my time my Joris DE to compare shave results. I still have a long way to go with my straight razor shaving skills.
Friday was a day off for me but fortunately the post office was working. I had sent my sight unseen Whipped Dog razor back to be honed and it arrived home. It was the razor I used for my first attempt at straight shaving. I am not sure how I ruined the edge, probably from bad stropping. In order to make sure I didn't give up this time I ordered a new Dovo 6/8 Bismarck with ebony scales. It came honed and ready to dance. It is not only easy on the eye but significantly heavier than my other straights. Excuse the so-so handphone pic. Now I can't give up and make this $ go to waste.
Friday morning I shaved with the Easy Aces, two passes and then finish with the DE. The shave seemed to go well but still getting irritation. I think I am using to much pressure. Saturday I took the new Dovo for a spin. Just like DEs I love the extra weight. Two smooth passes and a little less irritation than before. I did 1/2 of the 3rd pass until it felt awkward. Since I had a date that night I did not want to make a bloody mess trying something new. Sunday I used the Whipped Dog ugly razor. It is ugly but this dog can hunt. Two good passes and finish with the DE. I tried hard to not to use pressure but the shave felt rough while I was using the razor. After the shave there was even less irritation than prior SR shaves. At some point I will have to try for the 3rd pass. Maybe this Tuesday because it is a holiday. Anyway slow and steady progress but still along way away.
