First straight razor shave today

First straight razor shave today, only slightly excruciating. I'm using a couple Chinese razors I've honed up, and have concluded I will start with a new bevel on them tomorrow -- terrible pulling.

However, I only had one small weeper, no razor burn to speak of, and my cheeks are actually quite smooth. Had to finish my chin with my cartridge razor, wasn't comfortable with getting the straight down there underneath yet.

I suspect getting a razor decently honed and some good shaving soap (was using Barbasol gel, which isn't worth much and still stinks an hour later) this won't be a terrible way to shave.

I think I need to fix up (or change) my 3000 grit stone, it was loading up really badly when I was honing and I suspect I have too many 1k scratches on the bevel, didn't take the time to look on the microscope because my mouse shorted out on the MacPro and I don't have the software on the laptop to use it. Will do so tonight, I think, and go back to the stones.

I also have a seemingly unused Torrey I will try to hone as well, I suspect it's closer to actual usability than a Gold Dollar 66 and won't take long to get up to shave ready.

Peter

I had the same trouble with the gd66. Ive come to think of the 66 as a razor that shines in the hands of a pro. The come with a lot of weird geometry issues that are not easy for a beginner (such as myself) to diagnose or understand how to fix. I had much more success honing two vintage razors that i had. Even figured out how to hone a frown that the previous owner had managed to hone into a blade that was designed to be a smiling blade.
Good luck!

Keep at it as it sounds like your on the correct path !

I do have some vintage blades in good condition, may try honing them up. I ran an ancient Watts Sheffield over my Panama hone and I think it's actually as good as the GD right now.

Peter

I have never used a panama hone. Have you gotten razors to shave ready with this stone before? Could be it is too course to be a finishing stone. Is it a barbers hone?
To squeeze every last bit of performance out of it, you could put lather on it and use only very light pressure. Holding the stone in one hand and the razor in the other always afforded me the ultimate amount of control. Honing with the stone sitting on the table always seemed awkward to me.

Panama hones (made in Chicago!) are two sided "barber's hones", one side is either petrified wood (or something that looks like it) or a synthetic brown material, and the other is a synthetic black material that is quite fine. Mine is rather battered, it was in my Grandpa's second hand woodworking stuff (from Great Uncle Charlie). Fine side is very fine and slow, brown side is fine but fast cutting.

They are reputed to be highly desireable, but I've not read a review of one and don't have the experience to say on my own. None of my razors is currently in any condition to try one out, most of them need quite a bit of coarse grinding to establish a decent bevel, let along a finished edge.

Peter

I've never owned a panama B-Hone, but like you said, they have a reputation for being very good stones. I've heard a few guys put them up there with 00's and the like.
The fact that it was your grandfathers just makes it that much better!

Yeah cool history on that hone. Keep at it; if you learn to make the most of the stones you have, you will be better off than someone who buys a better/finer stone to try to get a razor to shave. Sounds like the course side could be a good bevel setter, you just might have to work at it a while. If you dont have the patience though, the dmt fine stone will set a bevel right quick.