DE Shaver Goes Straight: tkocloser's Journal

[Tkocloser]

Shave 9
I lose focus for one second, and a cut above the lip. Yikes. My own dang fault and I still love my straight. Revisited my Feather for the first time in weeks (I usually use a disposable on the road and now a straight at home.) The Feather DE was superb and I actually used it twice this weekend.

Alfredo, one more thing sir: I plan on touching up with the balsa later this week and hopefully and I can keep a sharp edge! Thanks for the recommendation

[Kentos]

Nice job! You will find your DE shaves may improve as you get better with the straight.

[Tkocloser]

Kentos, you are right. My DE shaves are superior now that I’m using a straight. Straight razor shaving is forcing me to revisit angles. I see limitations with my Feather DE that I only sensed before with regards to closeness and also comfort. There is nothing closer than my straight razor (and I’m still barely getting DFS). For now, I’m only using the DE when I’m travelling for business or when my toddler is bouncing around our bathroom tugging at me. Not a good time to get cut!

[Tkocloser]

Shave 10
Took Doc226’s advice and sharpened up my blade the balsa that Larry included in my sight unseen deal. Boy, that seemed to sharpen us up again! I find it hard to believe that the blade really dulled but between my newbie shaving technique and newbie stropping, heaven only knows how I’ve dulled this first blade. Great call on the balsa, love it.

[Tkocloser]

Shaves 11-16

Largely unremarkable 2 WTG pass shaves. A nick or two per shave, mostly in the mustache area. I'm underwhelmed by my stropping technique. I'm going to reread the wikis and focus on technique. Currently, I'm stropping post-shave so she's ready to rock come shave-time

[Tkocloser]

Shave 17

After the WTG, I tried a XTG pass. 11 nicks at last count. I kept stopping the treat them before carrying on the shave! The worst was when I was lining up my first pass (nose to ear) and I actually laid the blade on my face north to south, and when I say lay the blade I mean the sharp edge, not laid flat like a proper gentlemen should. Right down the middle of my chin like an absolute moron. I totally and completely deserved the blood that followed (which really wasn’t that bad) but reminded me to NOT get too comfortable with the blade. Lay that bad boy blade flat, tilt it up a pinch, then shave away with no pressure. Again, while I had many nicks I can feel how smooth it will be once I master the XTG technique.

I closed out with 50 laps on the strop firmly laid and anchored on the counter (which I have now successfully nicked the hell out of multiple times), a coat of mineral oil, and off to bed.

[Tkocloser]

Shaves 18 & 19

Unremarkable but the nicks are getting worse, not better. It is time for a course correction. I’m taking some tactical steps to step up my game. Most of these tactical steps include upping my knowledge and my technique. Namely:

1. I ordered two more “sight unseens” from Larry @ Whipped Dog and also another poor man’s strop since I’ve nicked the deuce out of my initial poor man’s strop, just like y’all said I would. These have already arrived.
2. I’m revisiting several stropping videos and reworking my strop technique. Specifically, I’m going to shift from counter stropping to hanging my strop. Also, I’m going to strop v-e-r-y slowly and focus on light, light pressure
3. I’m buying this piece of granite (Seraphim, thanks for the recommendation & link on the “Lapping Films, Try ‘em” thread) http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/200...2-A-Grade.aspx. I'm probably dulling my blade with poor stropping technique. Time for me to learn to sharpen them back up.
4. I’m buying a Big Daddy strop from Star Shaving (Slash McCoy, thanks for the recommendation on one of the threads, I forget which.) http://shop.starshaving.com/New-Desi...Strop-0049.htm. I will still practice on my poor man strop for a while but I believe the big strop will enable me to stop thinking about Xs and focus on angle, no pressure, etc.
5. RickBoone1, I will be buying some lapping film in the next day or two
6. Noahinpictures mentioned a jeweler's loupe somewhere in a thread (probably his journal) and I'll pick one of these up too so that I can examine the edge of my blade. I'm not too excited about the HHT test but at a minimum, I will start looking at my edges pre/post stropping, honing, and shaving
7. I’m going to start trying WTG, XTG, ATG more consistently as opposed to two WTG passes
8. ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OR COACHING WELCOME!!

I’ve learned so much from y’all on these threads! Special thanks to Seraphim, Slash, Luc, & Noahinpictures for your thoughtful, well written posts. My DE shaves are even better as I reorganize my thoughts but the damage is done. My Stainless Steel Feather DE is now a backup, revisited only when I’m too tired or too pressed for time for the full smash with my straight. Plus, I have a special order TI Spartacus Dreadnought on the way. I plan on saving this until I’ve got my act more together with straights.

[Tkocloser]

Shave 20

Razor: Today, I shaved with one of my two new sight unseen Whipped Dogs.
Prep: Clarisonic, then Proraso Pre/Post
Shave Cream: Nancy Boy Replenishing with 3 drops of glycerine
Brush: custom D03 Shavemac from Bernd
Blade sharpness: fresh out of the package from Larry i.e., damned scary sharp! Whoo hoo!

I had a 4 day growth (yes, I looked like a convict) so 4 passes today (2 WTG, 1 XTG, 1 ATG). This is my first ATG straight attempt. Respectable shave! I went very slowly (took 30 minutes start to finish). I focused on skin stretching and angles. Still got 3 nicks and one cut but hey, trying a lot of new angles and new grips with a new blade as I push to advance beyond pure WTG shaves. I always stop and treat the cuts with alum or stypic before proceeding with the shave.

Post shave, I gave it ten slow passes on the red balsa and ten passes on the green balsa from Larry at Whipped Dog. I also tried something that I read in a post from Slash McCoy to get more “in tune” with my blade stopping on the balsa. Specifically, I held up the balsa in my left hand (with the base of the balsa on the counter) and stropped s-l-o-w-l-y with my right hand, taking care that my spine never left the balsa and no pressure. I really like the feel that holding the balsa gave me while stropping. Also per a post from Slash McCoy, prior to tomorrow’s shave I will give her fifty slow laps on my new (second) poor mans leather shaving strop which I prepared today with neatsfoot oil and lots of rubbing. Coated the blade and the tang with mineral oil. I’m feeling good about the changes I’m implementing because over time, these modifications will result in the breakthroughs I’m seeking.

Finally, I slapped on some Proraso Pre/Post and put my lasers on work for the day.

[Tkocloser]

Shave 21

Used the new Whipped Dog again yesterday

Prep: Clarisonic, then then Proraso Pre/Post
Shave Cream: Trumpers Coconut Oil
Brush: custom D03 Shavemac
Blade Sharpness: no test but one shave in, I’d guess damned sharp. I gave her 10 slow laps on my new hanging poor man’s strop (in addition to the balsa which is now part of my daily post shave routine)

I’d love some guidance for grips if anyone feels like sharing.

Yesterday I got the worst cut of my 18 months of wetshaving. Neither the alum block nor the styptic stick would stop the bleeding. I have a fairly deep cut north/south right under my sideburn. You can literally see where I set the blade on my face for my XTG pass. Ouch!! Maybe I’ll get a cool scar out of it. Thankfully, SWMBO and daughter were asleep in the wee hours of the morning so I was able to dispose of all the bloody paper, etc. Cleaned up with the DE and also hit the balsa prior to putting it up.

My takeaway is that I need to adjust how I approach my face with the blade and of course, I’m still finding my way with my grips XTG and ATG. I switch hands depending on which side of my face I’m shaving. I will search the B&B wiki again for grip information and also Youtube. This bump in the road is another step in the journey. I will not be deterred.

[Tkocloser]

Shave 22

Prep: Clarisonic, then thin coat of Nancy Boy Signature Scent
Shave Cream: Nancy Boy Signature
Brush: Shavemac D03
Blade Sharpness: using my newly arrived jewelers loupe, I saw a sharp, sharp edge on my Whipped Dog coming up on my third shave with it. This is a testament to Larry’s honing skills. Also, I think hitting the balsa after every shave will help keep it sharp

Best straight shave ever today. Still DFS, but today I saw the potential of what my shaves COULD be. 3 passes (WTG, XTG, ATG). Adding an XTG and ATG is definitely helping. Three observations today:

1. Worth noting is that due to whisker mapping, on my cheeks XTG is ear to mouth (or vice versa) but on my neck XTG is south to north. On my cheeks, ATG is south to north. On my neck, ATG is outside to adam’s apple. A few nicks, just one weeper behind my jaw and under my earlobe.
2. I worked on my grips for ATG and XTG and they felt great!
3. I found a zone today that I can only describe as entranced. The jeweler’s loupe had something to do with it in a weird way. I felt like I had super focus. I felt like I could SEE & FEEL the blade laying on my skin magnified with major focus and that I was wiping the whiskers right off of my face, riding the fine line between cutting off skin and cutting off whiskers. The audible also seemed enhanced. I could hear the razor gently separating the whiskers from my skin. Each pass was productive with lots of whiskers and boy, was it smooth.

I felt like I was on drugs or in a slo-mo deal like Neo dodging bullets the movie The Matrix. I felt like I was praying a good rosary at my church when it’s empty. Like I was more in touch with my razor, lather, and skin than ever before. Smooth. Gentle. But potentially deadly. Awesome. Still some stubble, a little redness, not perfect but the potential for something better than my beloved Stainless Steel Feather DE could ever offer is real. I cannot wait to shave tomorrow. Plus, in addition to my jewelers loupe, my granite from Woodcraft came today. As soon as my lapping film arrives, I’m pursuing ultimate sharpness.

[Tkocloser]

Shave 23

Prep: Clarisonic, then Proraso Pre/Post
Shave Cream: TOBS Jermyn Street
Brush: Shavemac D03
Blade Sharpness: jewelers loupe magnified a very sharp edge. Since implementing Slash McCoy’s advice of hitting the balsa ten laps red, then ten laps green post shave is helping keep this Whipped Dog sharp! I also give her 20 laps on the leather strop before shaving.
Post shave: Proraso pre/post. My wife is 8 months pregnant and it is the only smell she likes. She says it smells “clean.” It is the only shave product that smells good to her now. God Bless her, I agree, this stuff is clean. My 500 mL Proraso pre/post is getting a lot of mileage these days.

Best shave with straights yet. The course corrections I shared in the post for shave 18 and 19 (and the research/reset that followed) are largely responsible for the progress! More on that below. As far as the shave today is concerned, the trance returned today. The focus helped the stress pour right out of my tense muscles. WTG, XTG, ATG, just one nick and one weeper (nick on upper neck, weeper on chin between lower lip and curve of jaw.) Again, my grips which once felt so very, very awkward are starting to feel second nature. I’m learning how to hold the razor now for different passes. Dare I say, properly executed, 3 passes with my straight is gentler than 3 passes with my Stainless Steel Feather DE with Feather blades? Closer shave, too.

Again, the balsa and my upgraded stropping technique on poor man strop #2 are keys to my progress. I’m keeping another sight unseen razor from Larry pristine and untouched until my lapping film arrives. Then, I will take my razors to the film and compare them to Larry’s professionally honed edge. Oooh, it’s like a sustainability test! Can I really do this on my own? I hope so and I plan too.

[global_dev]

Sounds like it is all coming together. Nice... I agree that straights are great at given close and comfortable shaves...its a great feeling when all the things seem to make sense and get better.

[Tkocloser]

Thanks Jon, I agree!

[Doc226]

I would not do any ATG passes yet. I rarely do, I get DFS to BBS with WTG and XTG passes. I found out most cuts come when first placing the blade on the face. The key is move as you bring it to the face. If you place the razor on the face and then start to move it, you are more likely to cut your self. It takes some practice but you are getting there.

If your first razor needs a touch up, PM and I'll do if for the cost of shipping.

[Tkocloser]

I would not do any ATG passes yet. I rarely do, I get DFS to BBS with WTG and XTG passes. I found out most cuts come when first placing the blade on the face. The key is move as you bring it to the face. If you place the razor on the face and then start to move it, you are more likely to cut your self. It takes some practice but you are getting there.

If your first razor needs a touch up, PM and I'll do if for the cost of shipping.

Alfredo, you are a thoughtful & generous man! What a great offer. Sir, I will decline only because my lapping film arrived in the mail yesterday. I'm going to give the touch up a go myself. Here's hoping a man with two left thumbs can make lapping film work.

[Tkocloser]

Shave 24

Prep: Clarisonic, then Proraso Pre/Post
Shave Cream: Nancy Boy Replenishing Cream
Brush: Shavemac D03
Blade Sharpness: jewelers loupe magnified a very sharp edge. I also give her 8 laps on my #2 poor man’s leather strop before shaving.
Post shave: Proraso pre/post.
Result: DFS. BBS is still a little ways off.

Two nicks, no weepers. A few times during XTG I felt I was going too fast and was about to cut myself. At those moments, I took a deep breath and counted to five, then started again. My angles felt a little clumsier today. I wasn’t able to find the trance. Rather, I was a little distracted thinking about work and so the intense focus I need to maintain was off. Still, DFS. I will work on slowing down and focusing tomorrow.
I find myself rewetting my lather more frequently and I think this is also helping. Gave her ten laps on the red balsa and another ten on the green balsa before coating her in mineral oil and putting her up.

[Doc226]

Alfredo, you are a thoughtful & generous man! What a great offer. Sir, I will decline only because my lapping film arrived in the mail yesterday. I'm going to give the touch up a go myself. Here's hoping a man with two left thumbs can make lapping film work.

Very good, lapping film is as easy as it gets. If you screw it up (hope and doubt you will) offer still stands

[Tkocloser]

Thanks Doc226! I never stop being amazed at the generosity of the folks @ B&B!

[Tkocloser]

Shave 24

Prep: Clarisonic, the Proraso Pre/Post
Shave Cream: Castle Forbes Cedar & Sandalwood
Blade Sharpness: still pretty sharp. Balsa post-shave is really helping

Another cut today, a ¾ inch cut running north south on my left cheek. Happened on my first WTG pass. Dang! So I shaved around it WTG, XTG, and ATG with excellent results. My left cheek remained whiskery!

Lesson Learned: I think the tip of the razor did the damage, actually, I need to recheck my angles.

[Tkocloser]

Shave 25

Prep: Clarisonic, then Proraso Pre/Post
Shave Cream: Nancy Boy Signature
Blade Sharpness: still sharp going into shave 5 with my new whipped dog and again, hitting the balsa post shave and the leather preshave is helping. I think of this as my Stropping Bookends.

WTG, XTG, ATG. Smooth, slow, great shave. Took a full thirty minutes today. Still DFS, not BBS, but very very nice. Still had some whisker reduction to do on my lower neck but I stopped during touchups because I knew another pass had a high probability of razor burn.

Lesson Learned: I might need a shaving mirror with magnification to get the most out of my straight shaves. I also am surprised at how much I'm enjoying my Stopping Bookends. I remember reading in Noah's journal (noahinpictures) how much he enjoys maintaining his blades and I think this effect is starting to show on me too.