Gelf Lover's journey into straight shaving

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by Gelf Lover, Jun 19, 2009.

  1. Gelf Lover

    Gelf Lover Member

    Chip carving? As in chocolate?
     
  2. MsBlackwolf

    MsBlackwolf Queen of Critters

  3. TomPike

    TomPike Active Member

    For some odd reason, this makes me think of Beavis and Butthead... :happy102
     
  4. hoglahoo

    hoglahoo Yesterday's News

    De-Fi was a name often seen on Wester Brothers, and I think it was one of their trademarks. It looks like the name Wester(-Stone) appears on the reverse side of your razor, too. Is that an anchor next to the name on the reverse? Your De-Fi looks to be early 20th century

    The other item pictured looks like an old woodworking tool of some sort to me
     
  5. Gelf Lover

    Gelf Lover Member

    Shave #7

    2-pass barely acceptable (but VERY comfortable) shave

    Luke-Warm Shower followed with multiple WWR
    Gold Dollar 6/8 full hollow ground round point
    PC Woodcraft Cocobolo 24 mm Silvertip
    TSD Spring Equinox Shaving Cream
    WWR
    Alum Block
    CWR
    Alum Block
    TSD Lavender Tea Tree Aftershave Milk plus Menthol

    I let my beard grow for 3 days before the shave today. I focused solely on not cutting myself today. I ended up cutting myself right under my soul patch because I tried to get closer instead of sticking with my goal for this shave. I felt a lot of tugging when shaving my chin area. I'm thinking that the razor just isn't sharp enough since I did try a few different angles. But of course, as usual, I'm open to other ideas. If it isn't sharp enough do I use the barber's hone or send it back to Ken? I think the time off from the straight helped because I was more focused on the actions that I was doing with my razor.
     
  6. MsBlackwolf

    MsBlackwolf Queen of Critters

    Maybe try the barber hone first
     
  7. xChris

    xChris Member

    How was your stretching? With me, the hair density is increased in my chin area, so I really have to focus on making it as smooth and tight a surface as possible to reduce any pulling sensation, and to cut close in the fewest passes.
     
  8. Gelf Lover

    Gelf Lover Member

    The skin on my chin is fairly tight on its own and I had tried different ways to try and stretch the skin there. Couldn't figure it out until I noticed how I was holding my head in my hands reading the forums and then I felt a little dumb. Now that I figured out how to stretch it I'll give it another whirl. If that doesn't improve it any then I'll use the hone. Thank you both for your advice. :)
     
  9. Gelf Lover

    Gelf Lover Member

    Shave #8

    2-pass acceptable shave (moderate irritation)

    Luke-Warm Shower with followed with multiple WWR
    Gold Dollar 6/8 full hollow ground round point
    PC Woodcraft Cocobolo 24 mm Silvertip
    Pass #1 Kell's Original Hemp/Aloe Blend Shaving Soap - Lime
    Pass #2 TSD Tropical Verbena Shaving Cream
    WWR
    CWR
    Alum Block
    CWR
    Alum Block
    CWR
    T.N. Dickenson Witch Hazel
    Aqua Velva Blue Ice
    Nivea After Shave Extra Soothing Balm - Sensitive Skin

    I tried stretching all kinds of different ways today. I'm getting closer on my cheeks then usual but my goatee area is just not working with WTG passes and stretching. I finally gave up and did an ATG pass and got much closer. I've had this problem with every razor that I have used. It seems ATG passes are the only way to get that last 1/8" cut around my chin. Does anyone else have a problem like that or is there something that I'm missing?

    I also tried using a new soap today. New lesson learned there. Don't try new stuff while you are learning something new. I didn't have a good lather of the new soap and it wasn't near protective enough for me. Might be the reason for some of the irritation. I guess that is a good thing for Joanna then since I can get a perfect lather every time with her stuff and it might take me a while to get good enough with a straight to be able to shave with a less then perfect lather.

    I still don't know if my straight is sharp enough. It does seem to cut through the hairs on my cheek very easily I'm wondering if I should change my prep a little. I don't really spend much time in the shower and I don't care too much for hot showers so I'm wondering if using Noxzema as a preshave again would help. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow in the morning so I'll be shaving with a D/E tomorrow but I'll give it a whirl on Thursday and see if it helps.

    And thank you xChris for pointing out stretching. I still need lots of work on that all over my beard area. The more times I shave the more my stretching improves.
     
  10. PalmettoB

    PalmettoB The Old Guard

    That is good advice for both DE and SE shavers. When trying to zero in your shaves and diagnose any problem areas, eliminating variables is a good thing. One blade, one soap or cream, one brush.

    Hot towels or a face cloth will do the trick, too. Maybe even try hair conditioner (hat tip to Mark).
     
  11. Gelf Lover

    Gelf Lover Member

    Shave #9

    2-pass with touch up GREAT shave (very mild irritation)

    Warm bath with followed with multiple WWR
    Koske's Kutter 5/8
    PC Woodcraft Cocobolo 24 mm Silvertip
    TSD Orange Shaving Cream
    WWR
    CWR
    Alum Block
    T.N. Dickenson Witch Hazel
    TSD Florida Water Aftershave Splash plus Allantoin

    Very decent shave tonight. I took a bath tonight because I was having some issues today. Been really stressed since my appointment yesterday. I also got my new razor in the mail today and had to try it out. I noticed before I used it that the edge was very shiny and polished. I didn't notice that with my other straight that I got but I don't know if I even looked. During my bath I washed my face first with Ivory soap and rinsed well and then applied Noxzema. Washed the rest of my body and then rinsed my face and then rewashed it with Ivory again. I did notice that my beard felt a little smoother and not like 80 grit sandpaper.

    My shave also went much smoother, like before I concentrated on skin stretching and found a couple new ways to hold the skin. When I got to my chin the only place that I had trouble was under my chin this time. Since it had gone so smoothly this time I went ahead and tried XTG on my chin. Success!!! It wasn't perfect by any means but I am more comfortable with the closeness of the shave now. I can defiantly go out in public with a shave like this. I had a couple of nicks and weepers but none of them lasted very long and were completely stopped before the cold water splash. Since the shave went so well I decided to treat myself with some Florida Water. I still have some irritation all over my face, but nothing visible and it is very mild.

    After the shave I stropped my blade about 30 times and then looked at the edge. I noticed that it had scratches in it now. This then brought questions to my mind then.

    1. Is the new razor sharper the the first one? Is the shininess on the edge a minor indicator of that? Did my beard cause all of the scratches?

    2. Did the thickness of the new razor have anything to play with the shave? My first razor is a 6/8, the new one is a 5/8.

    3. Or are the first 2 questions just hubbub and it was the better prep and continued learning of technique that made the shave go better?

    All in all though, I could live with using a straight for forever if this was the best that it ever got. I know that it will still get better but it is nice to finally get out of the bloodletting stage. :happy102:happy102

    I also found a scent of Joanna's creams that I didn't care for. It's not a bad scent by any means, just not one I want when I'm shaving. Of course this is the first scent that I have ever turned down. The bad thing though was that I planned on using some samples tonight that Matt had sent me. I don't know what I was thinking when I was choosing everything to use tonight. I guess I just spaced. So Matt, I promise that my next shave I will use the La Toja.
     
  12. MsBlackwolf

    MsBlackwolf Queen of Critters

    1) It is entirely possible the new razor is sharper. Looking at the razors I know are my sharpest, I can barely see where the honemiester honed it. A very finished look to the edge.
    2) I can see better and manuver a narrower razor better than the big ones. Gives me more stroke direction options and the result is a more confident stroke.
    3) Better prep and relaxing helped I am thinking.
    4) 1,2,&3 are MHO, and probably meaningless
     
  13. Gelf Lover

    Gelf Lover Member

    Shave #10

    3-pass almost DFS :bounce017

    Luke-Warm Shower with Ivory and Noxzema followed with multiple WWR
    Gold Dollar 6/8 full hollow ground round point
    PC Woodcraft Cocobolo 24 mm Silvertip
    La Toja Cream
    WWR
    CWR
    Alum Block
    T.N. Dickenson Witch Hazel
    CWR
    Alum Block
    T.N. Dickenson Witch Hazel
    CWR
    TSD Lavender Tea Tree Aftershave Milk plus Menthol

    Had some breakthroughs again with tonight's shave. I found that it is much easier to use a washcloth to help do skin stretching. I also found out that I'm using too aggressive of an angle with my straight. When I ran the alum block over my face I damn near screamed. I wasn't expecting the amount of burn that I got (could be from the extra pass that I did). So I reapplied the alum and witch hazel to make sure that I calmed my skin down and instead of using the La Toja AS I used a very liberal application of Joanna's AS milk.

    I'm thinking the tugging that I have been experiencing before wasn't with the hair but with the skin (or maybe both). So I'm really going to start watching the angle of the blade a bit better and see if that improves things a bit. I still find it hard to hold my strop, but I was able to do 30 reps with both of my razors before I shaved and did about 50 reps (around 1 1/2 mins) with the razor that I used after the shave. I also have a new strop (thank you Pam) on the way and I'm sure that it will be a bit easier on me as well.

    the only thing besides the irritation that kept me from rating this shave as a DFS is a small patch on my chin that got left. I've almost got my chin figured out now and funny thing is that most of my irritation is on my cheeks instead of my chin. I'm starting to feel like it won't be to much longer and I'll be shaving with a straight like I shave with a D/E.

    I'm going to take next week off from the straight again. I'm going to try a few new things and also to let my brain soak in all of this week's knowledge that I acquired.
     
  14. xChris

    xChris Member

    Bram,

    Good to read some improvements are coming through, as you adjust your routine and technique.

    As for the scratching of the edge after stropping, that may indicate--
    1. debris embedded in the leather
    2. too rough of a surface on the strop

    Here's one method that I;ve uused before. I've used high-grit sandpaper (e.g., 800) to help re-surface a nicked strop. This could also help remove embedded debris (if there is any). Next, you want to use some sort of leather conditioner, and really burnish the surface to get it smoothed out.
     
  15. Gelf Lover

    Gelf Lover Member

    Shave 11

    3-pass Aweful shave

    Luke-Warm Shower with Ivory and Noxzema followed with multiple WWR
    Pass 1 - Gold Dollar 6/8 full hollow ground round point
    Pass 2 & 3 - Fat Handled Tech/Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge (S?)
    PC Woodcraft Cocobolo 24 mm Silvertip
    TSD Iced Mojito
    WWR
    CWR
    Alum Block
    T.N. Dickenson Witch Hazel
    CWR
    TSD Iced Lavender & Tea Tree A/S Milk

    Well this is posted a bit late (by a couple of days). I haven't been feeling my best and maybe I should have skipped shaving altogether until I felt better. I did my first pass (I had 4 days of growth) and my straight was struggling to cut through the hairs. This time I had done a LOT of face washing and I had plenty of time with water on my beard. I had also used Noxzema on my beard as well. When I got to my chin area, I still had the same problems as before. So instead of fighting with the straight this time I just grabbed my fat handled tech with the blade that has been in it for who knows how long (bad move) and speedily finished up the shave with another 2 passes (unknowingly with a blade that should have been replaced). By the time I was done I had only 2 weepers and a ton of razor burn that I am still treating.

    I did notice last night though that the straight will cut through the hairs on my head with no issues at all. Also the blades that I use in my D/E have no issues with the hairs on my chinny, chin, chin. I was wondering if I should send out one of my straights to be honed again and see if that is the problem. I figure that they maybe Derby sharp and I'm needing Feather sharp edges. I would rather have Derby sharpness to learn with but I seem to be developing some bad techniques since I can't get the edge to cut through my beard.
     

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