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Velvet squeegee

Until about a month ago I did not believe that the velvet squeegee existed. The Mythical razor that effortlessly slides through the hair with no tugging and no harsh skin feel, an almost effortless BBS. I had tried shaving with a true straight multiple times and each time I went back to my Japanese style Feather as every straight I tried tugged and pulled was not adequately sharp and did not give me as good a shave as the feather. I tried some nice razors, some expensive razors, that were professionally honed and still the shave was inadequate. I had come to the conclusion that NO STRAIGHT could match the sharpness of the feather and would always have some painful pull. Then I decided to try ONE LAST TIME. On a whim I bought a Filarmonica 13 Barbas Duras and everything changed. Completely effortless glide through the whiskers even ATG. BBS every time and absolutely NO irritation. Just as sharp as the feather and infinitely smoother. The Velvet squeegee does exist. So, my question is: How common is this level of performance? Was I just unlucky with my prior razors (which included some very nice custom razors (un named), Hearts, WBs etc. honed by "masters"). Is every quality razor capable of achieving this level of performance and it just depends on the level of honing? Those of you with large collections, how many velvets do you have? Is it the construction and hollow grind of the filly that allows this. Are fillys just "that much better". Are velvets more common in hollow grinds? Anyone have a Wedge Velvet? How rare is this bird and what are your recipes for finding them? In fact show us your velvets!
 

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Wow, that is a nice Especial! Congrats! I too have have had this kind of success with my Filis and Hayashi Diamond razor. A lot depends on how it is honed, but some razors are easier to hone than others.

I know what you mean about a razor feeling like a velvet squeegee. When the edge is perfect as well as freshly honed and your technique is dialed in right, there's nothing like it.
 
Very nice!

I'd say that velvety smooth shave is due to both the blade and the honing. Some of my blades definitely can take a better edge than others, although the difference is not always huge. However they need to be properly honed, and I believe that is the biggest factor in getting that magical shave!

Congrats on finding your perfect blade!
 
The problem is that now I want more of these shavers.... Def fueling my RAD! Need... more ... velvet.
 
I have good news and bad news I'm afraid. The good news is that many many high quality straights are capable of this level of performance. The bad news is that to achieve it regularly will require you to learn honing so that the edge is perfectly tuned for your individual face. The shave you got from that razor is the shave that keeps us honing nuts buying rocks and practicing endlessly. Sorry, but you are done for now! :sob: Might as well get to reading the honing forum and start learning the art/science so you can produce it with regularity.
 
Until about a month ago I did not believe that the velvet squeegee existed. The Mythical razor that effortlessly slides through the hair with no tugging and no harsh skin feel, an almost effortless BBS. I had tried shaving with a true straight multiple times and each time I went back to my Japanese style Feather as every straight I tried tugged and pulled was not adequately sharp and did not give me as good a shave as the feather. I tried some nice razors, some expensive razors, that were professionally honed and still the shave was inadequate. I had come to the conclusion that NO STRAIGHT could match the sharpness of the feather and would always have some painful pull. Then I decided to try ONE LAST TIME. On a whim I bought a Filarmonica 13 Barbas Duras and everything changed. Completely effortless glide through the whiskers even ATG. BBS every time and absolutely NO irritation. Just as sharp as the feather and infinitely smoother. The Velvet squeegee does exist. So, my question is: How common is this level of performance? Was I just unlucky with my prior razors (which included some very nice custom razors (un named), Hearts, WBs etc. honed by "masters"). Is every quality razor capable of achieving this level of performance and it just depends on the level of honing? Those of you with large collections, how many velvets do you have? Is it the construction and hollow grind of the filly that allows this. Are fillys just "that much better". Are velvets more common in hollow grinds? Anyone have a Wedge Velvet? How rare is this bird and what are your recipes for finding them? In fact show us your velvets!

Congrats on the great score. If that doesn't deliver the "velvet squeegee" I don't know what else would.
 
Your post is very encouraging to me. I've never been able to get that feeling from even a pro-honed straight and was about to resign myself to DEs and injectors. I'll need to keep at it I guess.
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
I have good news and bad news I'm afraid. The good news is that many many high quality straights are capable of this level of performance. The bad news is that to achieve it regularly will require you to learn honing so that the edge is perfectly tuned for your individual face. The shave you got from that razor is the shave that keeps us honing nuts buying rocks and practicing endlessly. Sorry, but you are done for now! :sob: Might as well get to reading the honing forum and start learning the art/science so you can produce it with regularity.


I have to agree. I have many razors that yield a velvet BBS every time. Some I like better than others, but the difference is not great. I also re-hone - touch p on the finisher - after 4-6 shaves, I can feel the edge start to produce a bit of razor burn after that if I'm not careful. I don't maintain with anything but leather.

Cheers, Steve
 
I have been blessed this once in my VERY limited straight honing and shaving experience. A Geneva Pyramid that I honed like the others and gave it one test shave before shipping it out to a friend in Idaho. That is what I strive for now. I've come close, but not the effortless smooth shave experience that that Geneva exhibited. Happy that my best effort went to a good man, sad that I can't shave with it every day. I suppose it is the hunt for perfection that makes this fun.

Happy hunting!
 
"Might as well get to reading the honing forum and start learning the art/science so you can produce it with regularity."

yup came to that conclusion my self... just got my first JNAT yesterday... I'm toast! Oh well in for a Filly, in for an Asagi :blush:
 
"Who honed it?"

The "weird" thing was it CAME honed like this. From ebay no less....I emailed the gentleman and he used a pretty standard progression of naniwa SS stones and finished on .5 diamond on felt. And then to quote him" then strop, strop and strop again, them more strop and edge is good" AMEN, to that cuz it worked. Now I have to figure out how to get my other straights to the same level.
 
That is one beautiful blade. Congrats on the smooth shave! Now you "get it":) Let the stone collecting begin..
 
"Might as well get to reading the honing forum and start learning the art/science so you can produce it with regularity."

yup came to that conclusion my self... just got my first JNAT yesterday... I'm toast! Oh well in for a Filly, in for an Asagi :blush:

That's a good line! You need to post more!
 
Not sure what to show you. It has more to do with my actions on the hone than the razor. I have old vintage Sheffields that will do it. Newly made quarter hollows that will do it. 5/8 to 7/8ths. Near wedge to full hollow. Now I must admit that I have been exceedingly careful to pick up only very high quality blades, but past that it has everything to do with my actions on the hone. Put me behind my favorite coticule with a little time on my hands and I can produce edge after edge on my razors that are perfect for my face. Perfect stone, perfect strop, perfect face prep all play as important a role as perfect razor.
$P1060008.jpg
Now if you have a love for full hollows that will produce an excellent shave this Wacker Ground Dorko fills the bill.
 
Not sure what to show you. It has more to do with my actions on the hone than the razor. I have old vintage Sheffields that will do it. Newly made quarter hollows that will do it. 5/8 to 7/8ths. Near wedge to full hollow. Now I must admit that I have been exceedingly careful to pick up only very high quality blades, but past that it has everything to do with my actions on the hone. Put me behind my favorite coticule with a little time on my hands and I can produce edge after edge on my razors that are perfect for my face. Perfect stone, perfect strop, perfect face prep all play as important a role as perfect razor.
View attachment 473491
Now if you have a love for full hollows that will produce an excellent shave this Wacker Ground Dorko fills the bill.

I have the same one... Smooth as silk
 
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