Going Straight

[Slash McCoy]

Sounds like you got it.

[chuckr9]

Sounds like you got it.

+1 Excellent progress

[Great White Shavealo]

Thanks Slash and Chuck.

I had another excellent shave this morning. I am so close to BBS all over! Touching the alum block to aid in stretching is a huge help for me! (Learned that little trick watching a YouTube of a fellow who has been straight shaving for 30 years).

I touched up my TI with some CrOx and then did 25 laps on the linen and 50 laps on the Russian leather.

With the improved stretching has come far better shaves. I have honestly lost count of the number of shaves, but I am pretty close to fifty.

I have continued working on ambidextrous shaving and I can now use my left hand just as well as my right hand. However, the right hand still likes to be a little too strong on pressure. It's like that hand has a mind of it's own sometimes.

I ended my shave at the strop with the same number of laps on both linen and leather.

[Great White Shavealo]

Inspired by another member here, I gave my coticule another go.

My honing vicitim: Union Cutlery 4/8.

I dulled the blade on a glass until it couldn't cut arm hair. I then set out to work the unicot method. I took my time and about 1.5 hours later I stropped my blade and had a weak HHT3 from toe to heel. I decided I would shave with the blade any way. By "weak HHT3" I mean that the hair would catch and cut, but it wasn't a crisp or hard popping where you can feel it in the blade and hear it as it pops. And, it wasn't an HHT 2, the hair was cutting cleanly.

I shaved with the blade and mustered a DFS in three passes (WTG, XTG, and ATG). I always do three passes, even if I don't need the third pass, because I want the practice. In this case, I needed all three passes and could have used a fourth, but the blade just wasn't sharp enough for me and caused some irritation around my mouth and so I didn't add in the additional pass (I have been spoiled by much sharper edges!).

I will dull the Union Cutlery blade and get it back on the coti and keep working at it.

Edit: I want to add that having gotten used to shaving with 5/8 and 6/8 blades, I am not finding the 4/8 enjoyable. I might have to purchase another 6/8 blade just for honing practice on the coti and give away the Union Cutlery blade.

[Beatnik]

^^^So it sounds like you went right from the coti edge to the strop ...yes? Have you considered using CrOx paste or some diamond slurry to perhaps get the bade up to HHT4? I understand trying to go for the pure coti edge, as this is what I will shoot for when my coti arrives in the mail later this week ...Jarrod @TSS is having a great deal on coti's! Anyhow, please report back on how you next effort goes with the coti.

[Great White Shavealo]

^^^So it sounds like you went right from the coti edge to the strop ...yes? Have you considered using CrOx paste or some diamond slurry to perhaps get the bade up to HHT4? I understand trying to go for the pure coti edge, as this is what I will shoot for when my coti arrives in the mail later this week ...Jarrod @TSS is having a great deal on coti's! Anyhow, please report back on how you next effort goes with the coti.

Yep. Went from the coti to the strop, since the goal wasn't to reach HHT4 (which I can accomplish with my synthetic water stones, lapping films and pastes); but my goal is to learn how to get the best edge I can off my coti alone. I have a coti from Jarrod, too. I think you are going to really like your coti, as I like mine quit a bit. Thanks for reading.

[Beatnik]

Yep. Went from the coti to the strop, since the goal wasn't to reach HHT4 (which I can accomplish with my synthetic water stones, lapping films and pastes); but my goal is to learn how to get the best edge I can off my coti alone. I have a coti from Jarrod, too. I think you are going to really like your coti, as I like mine quit a bit. Thanks for reading.

I'm assuming your using a dulicot process with your coti. If so, it might be interesting after going through a full dulicot to put an additional piece of tape on the spine and make a secondary bevel, a la unicot, with just water and finishing type x-strokes. This is supposedly a good way to feel (and create) what a maxed out coti edge is like. I read this in another thread that was posted by garry haywood and some other serious coti users an found it intriguing. Anyhow, I would be curious to know how you get along with using the coti alone for your edge as this is something I would like to try as well.


edit: silly me, I just re-read your post before last where you clearly state that you have set out to work the unicot method, so never mind my post here. -regards

[Great White Shavealo]

I'm assuming your using a dulicot process with your coti. If so, it might be interesting after going through a full dulicot to put an additional piece of tape on the spine and make a secondary bevel, a la unicot, with just water and finishing type x-strokes. This is supposedly a good way to feel (and create) what a maxed out coti edge is like. I read this in another thread that was posted by garry haywood and some other serious coti users an found it intriguing. Anyhow, I would be curious to know how you get along with using the coti alone for your edge as this is something I would like to try as well.

Nope, up in post #124 I write I am learning Unicot. Although, I could follow the method much closer. Using the tape on the spine when finishing is to create a primary edge that does the actual cutting. The secondary edge gives strength to the primary which, theoretically, should allow the primary edge to hold up longer. It is a practice also used in sharpening chisels and knives.

I will post up how my coti honing experiences go. I am not sure how much time I will have to use my coti right now, but stay tuned. :)

[Beatnik]

Nope, up in post #124 I write I am learning Unicot. Although, I could follow the method much closer. Using the tape on the spine when finishing is to create a primary edge that does the actual cutting. The secondary edge gives strength to the primary which, theoretically, should allow the primary edge to hold up longer. It is a practice also used in sharpening chisels and knives.

I just caught that you are learning unicot and was editing my post the same time you posted this. What you say about the secondary edge giving strength to the primary is interesting and makes sense ...thanks.

[Great White Shavealo]

I just caught that you are learning unicot and was editing my post the same time you posted this. What you say about the secondary edge giving strength to the primary is interesting and makes sense ...thanks.

It is a pretty cool idea. I know it works with knives and chisels, since I have applied a primary edge to both, but I don't how well it works with straight razors... yet.

[Great White Shavealo]

Started this morning's shave at the strop. 45 laps linen and 90 laps on the leather

Shaved with: TI Red Stamnina 6/8"

This morning's shave came with some micro-weepers. Nothing a splash of water couldn't take care of. However, this shave is BBS! Absolutely the best shave I have gotten to date! In fact, the shave's just keep getting better.

I continue to work on angle, pressure, and stretching. I am having no problems with ambidextrous shaving. I am happy I stuck with learning to shave with both hands. It makes my shave go much easier.

I ended this morning's shave at the strop. About the same number of laps as I started.

One thing that I have noticed is that if I spend just a little more time at the strop, then the edge of my blade seems to improve. I have been focusing on solid stropping technique this week and it has paid off. I took a blade from an HHT3-ish to a solid HHT3 with just stropping.

I think that is about it for journaling my shaves. I set out to seriously learn straight razor shaving on February 27th with only about ten straight shaves under my belt since I had bought my Dovo in early November of last year. I have retired my DE blades and shavers and now exclusively straight shave. I have accomplished what I set out to do. I enjoy shaving with straights and will stick with them. I can only see the shaves getting better and as of my past three shaves, they have been better than my DE shaves.

If you have been reading my journal, thank you. I have very much appreciated the input everyone has given here. Even Slash's attempt to turn me to the dark side of using lapping films! The advice and support has helped make me a better straight razor user. Thank you!

You'll likely see me posting in the honing forum and the blade restoration forum.

[Beatnik]

Thank you Jim for the very informative and inspiring journal! Look forward to your posts in the honing forum (and the resto forum, when I get to that part of the hobby).