Grip's Journal (and so it has begun....)

[Grips]

No. But I am considering it. As I've mentioned, I can't easily source 1 micron. That has left me
jumping from 3 to 0.5 micron. I seem to get a sharp edge but it doesn't last as long as I think it should. I think the 0.5 micron film might leave an edge that is too "fragile" even after mellowed by the CrOx.

[Grips]

Shaves #42-45

I have been really busy again and finding time to update my journal hasn't come easily. Again, I haven't given up on the straight. The past five shaves have been a mixed bag. After the last honing the first shave was quite good and the razor felt keen. However the edge was not the same the next shave. It looked like a couple of spots were ever so slightly rolled over. I have been thinking about what could be the possible causes and which are most likely. The three candidates are:

1) New strop material (i.e felt): I know there is mixed reviews on felt. However I strop on the felt with an even lighter touch than stropping on the leather. The felt itself is quite compressed so I can't see the edge sinking in and getting rolled, although it might be the case.

2)New Strop Length: My new Big Daddy is also much longer and wider than my Poor Man's strop. It could be I was not pulling hard enough to keep a belly from forming in the leather and thus rolling over the edge. This is a decent possibilty even though I've been careful about "pulling tight and stropping light". I've already (last couple of shaves) focused hard to make sure I'm doing this.

3)Fragile Edge: I have been wondering about how long my edges are lasting , even when satisfied with them before this. I think the high number of laps I do on the 0.5 micron film maybe making a sharp edge but one that does not last.

So while already making sure to take care of possibility 2) I broke out the film late last night to try the edge off of 3 micron film followed by CrOx on Balsa.

I did not keep a diligent count of laps as I was looking more at how the edge looked and performed rather than lap count. Here is the progression:

15 micron: Lots of laps. I was looking for these things:

1. Elimination of any sign of the roll over.
2. Sharpie test passed
3. Comfortably shaving arm hair

5 micron: ~100. Looking for these things:

1. Water on the film not being pushed ahead but flowing over the edge onto the blade, along the whole blade.
2. Able to cut the odd arm hair passing the edge above the skin.

3 micron: Roughly 80 laps. Looking for the same things as 5 mic. but better on test 2. I continuously lightened any pressure until just barely gliding on the film.

CrOx on Balsa: 20 laps
Felt strop: 20 very light laps
Leather strop: 60 laps paying close attention to technique.

I will see tonight, when I shave, how the edge of off the 3 mic. and CrOx is and report here when I'm able. I am also interested to see how this edge holds-up or maintains itself with just stropping.

[noahpictures]

I am very interested in the results. I recently honed a wedge razor and didn't use CrOx or Iron Oxide and the shave was very smooth.

[Great White Shavealo]

I, too, look forward to your results, Grips. Thanks for sharing your technique.

[Raithskar]

I am very interested in the results. I recently honed a wedge razor and didn't use CrOx or Iron Oxide and the shave was very smooth.

+1 A Red Imp that is just a beast of a little razor!

Jon

[Grips]

Shave #46 (3 micron results):

Here is the follow-up shave to my ending the honing on th e3 micron film followed up by the CrOx on Balsa:

Before starting I inspected the edge under my loupe. It didn't seem as polished as a 0.5 micron edge but was even, consistent and smooth. I did not attempt a HHT in case it biased my judgement of the shave. I had 3 days of growth so I was interested in how the edge would deal with it in terms of mowing it down and being robust enough to not break-down.

Pre-Shave Strop: 20 Felt/60 Leather. VERY close attention to technique.
First Pass (WTG): Definitely resistance due to the growth but the edge never got "caught" and was hung up at any point. As usual I had to use noah's technique for the chin and moustache to reduce the whiskers there.

Second Pass (WTG): Very smooth. The edge was definitely less keen than a 0.5 micron edge but more than sharp enough to do the job. I would have normally stropped again before this pass and after the first but I didn't this time as I wanted to see how the edge held up after the first pass. Verdict: The edge still felt as fresh as it did before pass one.

Third Pass (XTG): Again, less sharpness but no less ability. The edge also seemed more forgiving. I did have to make sure to use guillotine and slicing strokes on my tough areas. However, I almost always have to do this in the chin and moustache area no matter how the edge was finished.

Touch up around chin and done.

Results: DFS almost all over. Less than the usual amount of irritation. Overall I'm very satisfied with the edge. I have very course whiskers and am confident a well-finished 3 micron edge is, at the least, shaveable for most people. It is definitely more forgiving but also less sharp than the 0.5 micron edge. It will be interesting, again, to see how it long it maintains itself before needing to go back on the film.

As I've mentioned, I have not used 1 micron to finish and thus am not able to compare. However I can see why veterans stop at the 1 micron stage.

[Gustav]

Good job on saving the razor, wounds will heal especially coming from a straight. Congratulations, you seem to be doing really well!

[Grips]

Good job on saving the razor, wounds will heal especially coming from a straight. Congratulations, you seem to be doing really well!

Thanks for the words. I am happy with my technique. Just searching for that elusive "perfect" edge.

[noahpictures]

Thanks for the words. I am happy with my technique. Just searching for that elusive "perfect" edge.

12µ (1200 grit) might be the missing link. My understanding is that 15µ is 600 grit, that might be too much to set bevels on.

[Grips]

12µ (1200 grit) might be the missing link. My understanding is that 15µ is 600 grit, that might be too much to set bevels on.

I am thinking that I need the 12 to do the bevel and the 1 to finish. I agree with your point.

Having shaved off both a 3 and a 0.5 micron edge I believe the 1 micron would be the happy middle ground. I might have to just buy more than I need from Thorlabs. I can't find them here and the company on Amazon doesn't ship to the Great White North.

[noahpictures]

I am thinking that I need the 12 to do the bevel and the 1 to finish. I agree with your point.

Having shaved off both a 3 and a 0.5 micron edge I believe the 1 micron would be the happy middle ground. I might have to just buy more than I need from Thorlabs. I can't find them here and the company on Amazon doesn't ship to the Great White North.

If I get my hands on some I'll let you know :)

[Grips]

If I get my hands on some I'll let you know :)

If you have any you want to sell at a premium, I will buy them and pay full costs of all shipping of course. I have tried again to order off of Amazon but they do not ship to Canada. I can find 15,6,5,3,0.5 and 0.3 at stores here but no 12 or 1. I think I will have to buy some from Thorlabs even though I don't need 10 sheets of each at this time. I am also trying to save up for a nice coti (which I have always wanted to try) so buying those sheets in bulk (sort of) will eat into that process.

But I am getting shaveable edges with what I have right now; so it isn't really a big problem.

[cameraflier]

I only have one sheet left. (just two in my origional order) I'll send you a PM before I restock. Hopefully you'll be set-up before then, but ....

[Grips]

I only have one sheet left. (just two in my origional order) I'll send you a PM before I restock. Hopefully you'll be set-up before then, but ....

Thanks for the offer. I will probably order some 12 and 1 micron in the next few days. I know I will use it regardless.

[Grips]

Shaves #47 - ~62:

It's been quite a while since my last update so I certainly won't give a shave-by-shave rundown. Do to extreme busyness I had to throw a few DE shaves into the mix as well. I found those shaves much improved with the skills I've picked up with straight shaving. In particular, doing skin-stretching like you're using a straight with the DE resulted in two-pass almost BBS results.

Main Points:

1) I gave up on the 3 micron edge. It was very forgiving & lasted well but just didn't give me the sharpness I needed to get as close as I wanted. It seemed no matter what I did, there was stubble left around the chin that the edge just couldn't cut any closer. So I went back to the film to finish on the 0.5 micron....which leads to the next point.

2) The last time I finished on the 0.5 micron I did not use wetted paper underneath. I did not like the edge as much, so this time I went back to the wet paper under the film. Much better. Whatever the reason, the edge is just....better. Not sharper, but smoother and less fragile. I am still guessing that a 1 micron edge finished on CrOx (strop) will be the happy middle-ground between keenness and robustness of the edge. So after gaining some info as to who was selling film (thanks again Noah) I ordered a Full-Set from rickboone1. I will start all over to setting a bevel with the 12 micron and work to a finish on the 1 micron. Watching the mail for my film to come.

The fragility question also leads me to my next major point: stropping.

3) Stropping. I had become good at keeping the spine down, not nicking my strop and getting an impressive (to me) speed with my stropping. However the question of the "fragile" 0.5 micron edge kept nagging at me to re-think my stropping. So I stropped as before but really analyzed it.

I was definitely keeping the spine down. I was making sure the entire edge was stropped. However, my increased stropping speed was causing me to slightly "slap" the blade down on each turn. Not enough to lift the spine and roll the edge but it wasn't an easy turn. You could hear a slap. So, I slowed down, eased the turn, eliminated the slap and....my edge was holding up much better. So I recommend to all those that are having trouble keeping that fresh off the hone edge, to re-examine their stropping and ease up on the speed and pressure.

Anyway, I'm off to shave then bed. Hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently once things calm down at home and at work.

[Beatnik]

I was definitely keeping the spine down. I was making sure the entire edge was stropped. However, my increased stropping speed was causing me to slightly "slap" the blade down on each turn. Not enough to lift the spine and roll the edge but it wasn't an easy turn. You could hear a slap. So, I slowed down, eased the turn, eliminated the slap and....my edge was holding up much better. So I recommend to all those that are having trouble keeping that fresh off the hone edge, to re-examine their stropping and ease up on the speed and pressure.

Interesting observation regarding the "slap" during the turn. This is something that I am now doing with my stropping as I have increased speed as my skill develop. I'm going to try to eliminate this in my stropping as well. Thanks for taking the time out fo your busy schedule to keep up your journal ...I really have enjoyed it and its been very helpful. -Cheers.

[noahpictures]

Great stuff! I also catch myself slapping the edge when stropping.

[cameraflier]

Good observation. I've been focusing on my stropping. The flip is something I should start paying more attention to. Thanks.

[noahpictures]

Great stuff! I also catch myself slapping the edge when stropping.

I found a fix (at least for me). I moved the strop higher so it is vertical (wall) instead of horizontal (floor). I stropped three razors and didn't slap the edge. It should also reduce chances of cutting the strop.

[Beatnik]

I found a fix (at least for me). I moved the strop higher so it is vertical (wall) instead of horizontal (floor). I stropped three razors and didn't slap the edge. It should also reduce chances of cutting the strop.

I'll have to play around with this too. My strop is currently horizontal with the floor. Thanks for sharing!