What's new

Straight Shaver Interview - Zephyr

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
Today's interview is with Rune (Zephyr). I remember when Rune started with a straight razor and I'm glad that he's still using them! As always, if you have any further questions for Rune, please ask in this thread. All interviews are available in Wiki on the Interview page.



Who are you? / Where are you located?
My name is Rune, I’m 32 years old, and live just outside Oslo, the capital of Norway with my wife and two kids.

How do you take your coffee?
Black, at work I prefer fresh grinded beans, at home I’m too lazy, and just drink instant coffee.

What happened that made you seek a better shave, or if the chicken came before the egg, how did you find B&B?
I had been using my grandfather’s old Gillette nylon brush and Erasmic cream for about a year when I decided I’d try to find a new brush. I searched the web for information about brushes and came across some reviews here on B&B, one thing leading to another, and here I am.

What was it that held your interest?
I’ve always had a love for vintage things, that and the never ending variety in available razors and accessories is of course a helping factor, but what really have kept me going is the challenge of mastering what have been a almost lost art, and that I get a lot better shaves than I did before.

If i remember from your posts, you started with DE's before switching to straights; What did you start with?
The first DE I used was what I believe was a Black Handled Super Speed when I started shaving in my teens, but that was soon replaced by cartridges.
When I decided to go back a little over a year ago I first ordered a Parker 91, but the shipment was delayed so I got a Merkur Futur.

Shave Cream & Soaps? what did you find that worked well from those initial trials?
As I’ve already mentioned, I started with Erasmic cream, and it was okay, but when I tried soap for the first time, which was Tabac BTW, I discovered a whole new world of lathering.

Since then I have tried a lot of different soaps and creams, but hard soaps and sticks are still my favorite.

Where did you get your first straight razor? was it shave ready?
Got it on BST of course :biggrin1:
It was a shave ready Solingen Stabil 13/16 Full Hollow, a very nice razor that I still have.

Just got it back from Joe (Harvitz81) who dressed it in some nice green G10 scales.

attachment.php


Determination is key with shaving with a straight, how did you push through the Month + of sub par shaves? did you know there was a light at the end of the tunnel?
Ever since I was a kid, when I decide to something I jump in with both feet, and of course the support from you fellow members have been precious.

Now my favorite question... if you were stranded on a desert island and could only choose:
3 razors:

That’s a tough one, specially since I’ve been thinning down trying to stick to only 7-8 really good razors. But I think I will have to go for the Germans right now.
  • Wacker Antik 15/16
    attachment.php
  • Revisor 6/8
    attachment.php
  • Henckels Friodur 72 ½
    attachment.php

2 brushes:
A lot easier, I would bring one badger and one boar
  • Simpson Chubby 1 in best
  • Semogue 830

3 soaps:
  • Tabac
  • Valobra stick
  • MWF

2 creams:
I actually got only one cream I use regularly, the Vulfix Sandalwood, and Cella could be considered a cream right?

3 colognes:
I don’t use much colognes, as most of my aftershaves are pretty strong, the only ones I regularly use is Knize Ten, Puma Flow and Puma Urban Motion.

3 Aftershaves:
Another tough one, I really do like all of my aftershaves. Let me think about this one just a moment……hmmm, okay:
  • Alt Innsbruck, my #1 favorite, wonderful stuff
  • Mennen Skin Bracer, great performer with great scent, and it bring out childhood memories of my grandfather.
  • La Toja aftershave balm for days when the face needs a little extra moisturizing


What is your strop preference and what is your stropping regime?
Eight out of ten times I use the Neil Miller Linen/English bridle, 40 linen/60 leather, the last two I use my Legion strop Kangaroo or Cow, depending on what I want that day.

What is your honing set up for ebay specials?
I haven’t been hit by HAD yet, so I still use my Naniwa SS set, 1-3-8-12K or set the bevel on the Nani 1K and go Dilucot on my La Grise Coti.

How often and what's your method for touching up your straights? favorite finish?
I don’t keep a record of number of shaves, I just give them a few laps when I feel the blade starting to dull, most of the times on CrOx on balsa or the Coti.

As for favorite finish I have been able to test quite a few different finishers lately, but of the ones I got myself I prefer the Coti.

Are you currently reading a book? or perhaps even better; what book will you be reading next?
I read a lot, not quite sure but probably at least 30-40 books a year, mostly crime, but I enjoy almost any genre.

Right now I reading a book by an Icelandic author named Arnaldur Indridason, the book’s title is “Anger” or remorse in English.

For what I will read next I have no clue right now, I have a collection of aprox 250-300 books, I just pick one depending on the mood I’m in when it’s time to start reading a new one.

Favorite Movie or two?
Beside reading, movies have always been a huge interest, both for the wife and I. If I were to mention three of my favorites I think I will go for:
  • Into the wild
  • Lord of the rings trilogy (I prefer the books, but enjoy the movies as well)
  • Convoy

With what fictional/historical character do you most identify?
No idea who that would be….

Do you have any motto's, sayings, or quotes to live by?
I have habit of quoting Lemmy from Motörhead: “Born to loose, Live to win”

What has been the best advice you've gotten from a member at B&B?
Do whatever works best for you.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone new at this, what would it be?
Don’t rush, take your time and do whatever works best for you.

A couple of my SOTD pics:
$07242011117.jpg
$06262011103.jpg
$07162011113.jpg
 
Nice interview! I always remember that Zephyr and I started on straights about the same time, along with a couple of the other forum regulars. It's awesome to see that everyone is still using straights... hard to believe it's been a year!
 
Rune may not have HAD because I live just up the road from him, and he comes and steals my Shaptons and Chosera now and then :biggrin1:
 

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
Rune may not have HAD because I live just up the road from him, and he comes and steals my Shaptons and Chosera now and then :biggrin1:

:lol: That's funny!
 
Thanks for the interview Rune (and to Luc as well for conducting it). Always good to know the motivations behind these things. And one of those razors looks like Blix's from the Filarmonica thread!
 
Great interview Rune. It's always enjoying to read your posts, and your cool avatar reminds me of the local AoS (formerly of Heime's Haberdashery) barber named Moustache Jim.

Those straights are beautiful, and I definitely see a Henckels in my future.

Thanks Luc.

proxy.php
 
Thank you all, when Luc PM'd me asking if I would be interested in doing an interview I was truly honored, it's been a pleasure to be amongst you the past year +


Rune may not have HAD because I live just up the road from him, and he comes and steals my Shaptons and Chosera now and then :biggrin1:

:lol: That's funny!


I don't need to worry about HAD when Amund suffer from a severe case of it :lol:
(But I am considering getting a set of Shaptons, I'm just holding on until I see if I manage to stick with just 7-8 straighs or not)
 

BigFoot

I wanna be sedated!
Staff member
Great interview Rune!! I am floored by the beauty of your photography, and of course the razors.

One question of my own.........

Is that the meat, you wanted to eat,
How would you ever know?
 
Top Bottom