Shave journal - Chris

[Grips]

I know it took me a bit to get used to the left hand. Once you get it it makes all the effort worthwhile.

[Tkocloser]

I know it took me a bit to get used to the left hand. Once you get it it makes all the effort worthwhile.

+1. Sounds like a great shave Chris. BTW, I implemented your advice on using my WTG grip for the XTG pass (nose to ear) and it is making a huge difference in my XTG quality, so thank you! Shifting gears, I'm curious about your stropping. Why do you stop with the linen and then the leather as opposed to pasted balsa then leather? Is there an upside to the linen? My strop has a linen side and I'm not sure what to do with it! I typically go 10 laps on 0.25 green micron balsa, then 30 laps on the leather. I'm trying to understand as your tips have helped me before, thanks for sharing.

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+1. Sounds like a great shave Chris. BTW, I implemented your advice on using my WTG grip for the XTG pass (nose to ear) and it is making a huge difference in my XTG quality, so thank you! Shifting gears, I'm curious about your stropping. Why do you stop with the linen and then the leather as opposed to pasted balsa then leather? Is there an upside to the linen? My strop has a linen side and I'm not sure what to do with it! I typically go 10 laps on 0.25 green micron balsa, then 30 laps on the leather. I'm trying to understand as your tips have helped me before, thanks for sharing.

Thanks Tom. Good to hear my humble post is helping.
I only use paste for touching up the edge and view the linen/leather as maintaining this edge.
In my current set up I use paste about once a week and this has worked well for me.
Now I want to try the weekly touch up or xxxx weeks with the 12K hone instead of paste to see how that works for me.
have a look at what Jarrod says here re paste and effect of the edge. http://thesuperiorshave.com/Pastes.html

Docs post on "How many shaves" is raising the bar for me. he is at 31 shaves with no honing/paste/sprays and still going.
I will be pushing out my weekly touch ups to see where this takes me as well. may just start to see if my edges holds for 10 days, give it a touch up and then try for 14 days etc etc etc.
This will be a test of my initial honing, stropping, shaving with a light touch, correct angle etc.
with all these working well my edges should last for ??? days with just a good stropping.

The linen I believe gives the cutting edge a clean and also asists in warming up the razor in prep for the plain leather.
why don't you try a couple of days with just the linen/leather and see how that works for you.

[Tkocloser]

I will do it sir, thank you!

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shave week #33
todays shave
prep: shower
Soap: Tabac
Razor: 7/8 Hart sq point
Honed: by vendor on vintage Escher hone (as per their web site)
pasted strop: - none
strop: 30 linen / 60 leather
AF: Tabac

4 Pass shave as it is Saturday.
1st pass WTG the Hart gave good beard reduction.
2nd XTG ear to nose, 3rd XTG nose to ear, The shaving under the side burns was easy and accuarte with the square point.
4th pass ATG. BBS result.

Now this is my first shave with the Hart. it has been along wait. Order was placed 2nd July. They shipped the wrong razor to me so had to send back. many e-mails to correct but that is all now behind me.
The Hart razor came shave ready off a vintage Escher hone. I liked the idea of this so I could compare my honing against.
well the Hart was sharp but I would say the edge could do with more smooth for my taste. will try a few laps on some crox to see if that improves it.
now my edges stand up well against the Hart on arrival. Happy about that but I now know there is still a little bit more to improve in mine.

I have a few razors to hone today. a few touch ups and two I won on a local aution that will need a bit more work.

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shave week #34
todays shave
prep: shower
Soap: Eucris - soap/cream mix
Razor: 7/8 Hart sq point
Honed: 1 week of use honed by vendor on vintage Escher hone (as per their web site)
pasted strop: - 12 laps on CrOx to smooth the edge out to my taste.
strop: 30 linen / 60 leather
AF: Tabac

Todays shave was with a two day growth. This is a very rare thing for me as I enjoy shaving every day.
Well I got to try the hart out cutting down the two days worth of whiskers.

1st pass. WTG. Glad I missed yesterdays shave as the Hart just sliced down the whiskers effortlessly. long smooth strokes. Leaving a very good beard reduction and one happy shaver.
2nd XTG ear to nose.
3rd XTG nose to ear. face felt nice and smooth. could have stopped there but I was enjoying my shave, so just one more....
4th ATG what can I say. smooth shave leaving me BBS.

Mid week I received a sort sharp reminder from the Hart. pay attention the square point will bite. small nick on my ckeek, lesson learnt.

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shave week #34
todays shave
prep: shower
Cream: Trumpers Spanish Leather
Razor: 7/8 Hart sq point
Honed: 9 shave ago
pasted strop: - none
strop: 30 linen / 60 leather
AF: Thayers Orginal

video is of todays 4 pass shave.

[Doc226]

Video says its private.

[cleanshaved]

Video says its private.

I changed the setting, try now

[Tkocloser]

Cool video! Wow, you take long passes! Looks like a great shave

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Cool video! Wow, you take long passes! Looks like a great shave

Thanks Tom. I posted a video when I hit 3 months of SR shaving, that one is my normal 3 pass shave I do Monday to Friday.
Its in this journal on page 3 post #49 if you want to watch.
The extra pass on Saturday and Sunday is such a pleasure.

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week #35
todays shave
prep: shower
Soap: Speik
Razor: 7/8 Joseph Ellot
Honed: 4 shaves ago. - 4/8k norton finished 12k Naniwa then 12 laps on CrOx strop
HHT: 4
AF: Tabac spalsh

1st pass: WTG - just for something different I went with a slight guillotine stroke for all of this pass. At a guess it would have been between 25 to 35" angle. Good beard reduction, will play with this stroke again.
2nd XTG ear to nose
3rd XTG nose to ear
4th ATG Used a scything stroke on the jaw line and cheeks. felt very smooth going ATG.

I have been enjoying my shaves with my new Hart but found myself reaching for the Joseph Ellot the past few days.
after pre heating my scuttle I filled it up with approx 50% hot tap water and 50% boiled water. This is giving me water around 75'C (170'F)
The mixing up of differnt strokes in todays shave was good. It fell like it have settled into a shaving routine, nothing wrong with that as the results are good, but need to play with some different things every now and then to move forward.

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week #36
todays shave
prep: shower
Soap: Irish Moos
Razor: 7/8 Joseph Ellot
Honed: 11 shaves ago. -
HHT: 4
AF: Proraso spalsh - my goto splash when I use a cologne

1st pass WTG.
2nd pass: XTG ear to nose. used a guillotine stroke tip leading, on the cheeks and chin.
3rd pass: xtg nose to ear
4th pass: ATG used a scything stroke starting from sideof chin up to the base of the sideburn.

nice shave BBS again.
The adding of scything and guillotine stroke has been fun with good results. The end result for me is the same but scything adds a touch of smoothness to the stroke in places.
guillotine stroke with the tip leading is new to my shave. It felt good in the ear to nose pass.

I have just received my new JNAT to play with. Just needs a lapping and I'll put it to work toaday.
looking forward to honing on this stone and testing my results at shave time. looking for a smooth and sharp edge.
now as I don't want to mess up my daily shavers I will not use it for my Hart or Joseph Ellot untll I am happy with my results.
for the next 2 weeks I intend to hone a razor a day.

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week #37
todays shave
prep: shower
Soap: Eucris
Razor: 15/16 Bengall
Honed: 1st have off hone. finished on my new JNAT
HHT: 4
AF: Proraso spalsh - cologne TOBS Mr Taylor's

1st pass WTG.
2nd pass: XTG ear to nose.
3rd pass: xtg nose to ear
4th pass: ATG used a scything stroke starting from side of chin up to the base of the sideburn.

I have been honing a few of my razors over the past few weeks with my new JNAT. Have been getting good edges, smooth and sharp.
No CrOx used on these edges at all. The results were good from the start so I went ahead and took my Joseph Ellot to it as well. all shave results are BBS.

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week #38
todays shave
prep: shower
Soap: Tabac
Razor: 7/8 Hart
Honed: 1st shave off hone. finished on my new JNAT
HHT: 4
AF: TOBS Sandlewood AS

1st pass WTG.
2nd pass: XTG ear to nose.
3rd pass: ATG

I have been playing with my new JNAT over the past few weeks. So have been honing with the shave as a test.
The results have been good and consistant so I honed my new Hart even though it was still shave ready.
The edge is similar but I prefer mine. smooth and sharp.
My paddle strop is gathering dust, as I am shaving off the JNAT edge, no need to mellow it out with CrOx no more as I had to do off the 12K Naniwa.

Shaving off an edge you have honed yourself is at the top of the list of why I like straights.
Looking back I thought honing was going to be the poor cousin to the shave itself. Glad to have been wrong on this one.

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week #41
todays shave
prep: shower
Soap: Irish Moos
Razor: 7/8 Hart
Honed: 2nd shave off hone. finished JNAT
HHT: not done.
AS: Proraso

1st pass WTG.
2nd pass: XTG ear to nose.
3rd pass: XTG nose to ear
4th pass: ATG

went with a 4 pass shave today, I have not done that for a few weeks. Just wanted to take the hart for a extra lap around the face. was just enjoying my shave that much.
This is my second shave with the square point left as is straight off the hone. i.e not de sexed by rubbing it's point on the mirror.
So far so good I have not nicked myself with the tip.
XTG nose to ear pass is been done with a guillotine stroke, tip leading. This is giving me a smooth pass.
ATG have been using a scything stroke starting from side of chin up to the base of the sideburn.

Honing - All my razors are now finished on my JNAT.
The TI paste and CrOx have not been used at all. I like shaving straight off the JNAT edge and want to mantain them with touch ups on the hone only.

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week #42
todays shave
prep: shower
Soap: Eucris
Razor: 7/8 Hart
Honed: 1 week of shaves since honing - finished on a JNAT
HHT: not done.
AS: Proraso

Todays shave was with a 2 day growth. This is a very rare event for me as I enjoying my daily shave so much.

1st pass WTG The 1/4 grind hart was my weapon of choice for the 2 day growth. not a problem for this bad boy.
2nd pass XTG ear to nose.
3rd pass ATG

shaving off the two day growth with smooth long stokes was such a pleasure. another reason I enjoy straights.

I have a few pre loved razors I won on a local aution to hone. Bringing back to shave ready condition a razor that has been left unused for many years makes the shave even better. It's like i have earned the shave results.

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week #43
todays shave
prep: shower
Soap: Eucris
Razor: 15/16 Bengall
Honed: 2nd shave - finished on a JNAT with nagura progression
HHT: 5
AS: Proraso

4 pass shave WTG, XTG ear to nose, XTG nose to ear, ATG = BBS

I received a set of nagura - Botan - Tenjou - Mejiro
The Bengall was first up to hone on the JNAT Botan - Tenjou - Mejiro - Tomo - then finished on water.
Shave result: edge was smooth and very keen. Happy for my first hone using a nagura progression.
I will be rehoning my razors and using the shave as a test over the next few week.

Soaps V creams: for me when shaving with a straight, I have been enjoying the feel of the shave with soap. The razor just seems to glide better.
Have just hit buy on some MWF. looking forward to trying this. Bring on the fat.

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week #44
todays shave
prep: shower
Soap: MWF
Razor: 7/8 Hart
Honed: freshly honed on a JNAT with nagura progression
HHT: 4
AS: Speick

I was just about to make a morning coffee before I had my relaxed Saturday morning shave, when there was a knock on the door.
My little box of shaving goddies had arrived. F the coffee I have shaving stuff to try!
Tabac was lined up for this mornings shave. Sorry Tabac back in the draw you go. The fat is here.
I wipped up a lather with no issues. With all I have read of guys having problems I was very happy to get the first lather ok.

The shave: I was asked if I would join my colleagues in Movember.
I excepted the invite and will be growing a handlebar Mo for the next month.
This is my first time having to shave with a straight around a Mo and as a bonus I have the pleasure of shaving it off with a Straight at the end of the Month.
weapon of choice was my square point hart. great for detail work.
As the the Mo going down either side of the chin, I had to change the angles of attack just a bit.
other than that it was my standard 3 pass shave.

shave result. The fat was good. looking forward to using again, I think the second lather is always better.
did not try the new proraso splash, as I got some Speick EDT in the post so used the speick splash and speick EDT

Honing: getting good results with the JNAT nagura progresion. The Hart was a pleasure to shave with this morning.
There is still gains for me to make, so I will hit the hone this weekend with a couple other razors.

[Grips]

Good stuff Chris.