Moving from shaving like my dad toward shaving like my grandpa

meanpr · Oct 27, 2016

About ten years I started my DE journey, moving away from the cartridge world. I've always wanted to try shaving with a straight, a few months I tried a parker shavette and it was a complete disaster. I started a web search hoping to get ideas to improve my technique. Instead I stumbled upon an article which argued shavette are the worst intro to straight razor. After more research I decided to try a Feather DX, and then after reading doc47, wanted to try a real straight.

Starting my journal a little late to capture everything, but better late than never!

meanpr · Oct 27, 2016

Day 1, woke up too late to get in a morning shave. Got home from grad school and dusted off the Feather DX. Shave was going well until I got to my trouble spot underneath my chin. After a small weeper, cut my losses and finished off the first pass with my EJ 89 w/personna red. Finished shave with XTG with the EJ 89. Looking forward to Sunday to try out the Craftsman Wedge SR.

Razor: Feather DX w/Light Blade
Razor: EJ89 w/Personna Red
Brush: EJ Badger
Cream: CE Sweet Almond Oil
AS: Witch Hazel followed by Brut A/S
styptic pencil for chin nicks :tongue_sm

View attachment 698613

Billski · Oct 27, 2016

Welcome to Badger and Blade.

Oh yeah. You've been here since June.

Try out that Craftsman Wedge SR.

I'm here early but I'm no expert.

Smattayu · Oct 27, 2016

Welcome to the world of straight razors! I've heard good things about the Feather DX but have yet to try a shavette. The pass around razors will have a great edge on them. Looking forward to reading your thoughts and progress. :thumbup:

meanpr · Oct 28, 2016

I want to get in on the pass-around, but the I already had two straights, not sure if that would fly. I was given a Dovo Solingen, that turned out to have a crack in the blade. The other is a Craftsman Wedge I got on ebay seven years ago, that I never got around to getting honed. I share my thoughts and experiences on my DE with different blades, my DX learning experience and blade experience as well. I'm also going to try out a GEM 1912 w/GEM Personna blades and share that experience as well. Last and definitely not least I'm going to share my experience with the wedge. Thanks for reading!!

McVeyMac · Oct 28, 2016

I would recommend that you get the Craftsman honed by somebody here on the forum that knows what they are doing. When learning a straight razor, it is often suggested that it will take 100 or more shaves to become truly competent. I found this statement to be true in my case where I can consistently get exceptional results, with an occasional grail shave thrown in for good measure. There are several folks that offer honing services for a reasonable fee, but it is not unheard of to have honemeisters offer up their services gratis for the exposure to various blades and to keep their skills sharp (no pun intended). There is a honemeister running a PIF on honing services in the Hones/Honing subforum right now, just pay shipping both ways. But, he does have a disclaimer regarding wedges. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/502533-PIF-honing-keeping-my-skills-up

It looks like your DX is a Kamisori style, or non folding handle, but I cannot tell exactly what it is from the picture. I have a Kami style DX that I got after I learned the western straight, and I can say there are differences, albeit minor ones in the ergonomics of the shave compared to a western straight.

meanpr · Oct 28, 2016

I got a seriously amazing PIF from CBLindsay, he honed the Craftsman Wedge for me close to a month ago. He also honed the Dovo and discovered it had a crack in the blade. I used the Dovo once, but after stropping I could hear it catching and stopped stropping. I've put it away and probably won't be using it. I'll stick to the wedge and my DX which as you noticed is Kamisori style.

sskim3 · Oct 28, 2016

Good luck! I highly recommend jumping on the straight passaround. You need to figure out what type of straight works for you the best. It is a whole other world and a very cool opportunity. You won't regret it. And folks are REALLY helpful around here.

Smattayu · Oct 28, 2016

It would be worth it to ask Dan about the pass around. Owning a traditional straight will probably not disqualify you, since part of the point is to expose people to several different grinds and types of straight so they can see what works well for them before dropping any serious coin on it.

The GEM 1912 was love at first shave for me, and is still high on my non-straight favorite list. I hope it treats you right. :thumbup:

SirChangalot · Oct 29, 2016

Good luck!

meanpr · Oct 29, 2016

Shave 2, I probably shouldn't call it day 2, since I'm not shaving daily. Used the Craftsman Wedge today, with a sample from Stone Cottage Soapworks Suède de Kashmir cream, my EJ badger brush and EJ 89 DE as back-up. First pass WTG, checks and mustache went well, small nick trying to get my shave my troublesome chin area. Usually I start my 2nd pass XTG with my DE, however had time this morning and was feeling adventurous so I went for it with the wedge. I got a couple nicks on my neck and around my mustache area, which I didn't feel. Did a final cleanup with my DE.

I wonder if my technique with the SR is off? I'm getting a slight bit of razor burn, that I don't get with a shave with the DE. Could it be my shave angle is off? Something I should concentrate on for the next straight shave?

meanpr · Oct 29, 2016

Smattayu said:
It would be worth it to ask Dan about the pass around. Owning a traditional straight will probably not disqualify you, since part of the point is to expose people to several different grinds and types of straight so they can see what works well for them before dropping any serious coin on it.

The GEM 1912 was love at first shave for me, and is still high on my non-straight favorite list. I hope it treats you right.

Do you have a preferred blade for your GEM 1912?

Smattayu · Oct 29, 2016

I've only used the Ted Pella PTFE coated blades for it so far. The first shave can be a little harsh if I'm not careful, but it smooths out after that and they last for quite a while. I'm not sure how they stack up against any other blades though.

If that's your first time using the wedge, you're off to a great start! The two main causes of irritation with a straight for me have always been angle and pressure. How steep has your angle been? I usually start with the spine no more than one spine width away from my skin, and for some razors even go lower. I've only shaved with a wedge once but I think you might want to try it with the spine almost on your skin, then see how much stubble you're removing on the first pass before changing it. No pressure was the toughest for me to overcome. Having been indoctrinated by decades of shaving with carts to believe that if the shave isn't close enough I should press harder took a while to get out of my system, and I went through more than my fair share of razor burn and irritation before it finally sank in. Weight of the blade only is about all you should need to get a close shave. Good luck! :thumbup:

SirChangalot · Oct 29, 2016

meanpr said:
Do you have a preferred blade for your GEM 1912?

I know you didnt ask me, bit I have had great success spining a feather fhs blade

meanpr · Oct 29, 2016

That's sounds like a great option, has that been talked about in other threads on this forum? What's your process for spining the feather blade?

meanpr · Oct 29, 2016

Smattayu said:
I've only used the Ted Pella PTFE coated blades for it so far. The first shave can be a little harsh if I'm not careful, but it smooths out after that and they last for quite a while. I'm not sure how they stack up against any other blades though.

If that's your first time using the wedge, you're off to a great start! The two main causes of irritation with a straight for me have always been angle and pressure. How steep has your angle been? I usually start with the spine no more than one spine width away from my skin, and for some razors even go lower. I've only shaved with a wedge once but I think you might want to try it with the spine almost on your skin, then see how much stubble you're removing on the first pass before changing it. No pressure was the toughest for me to overcome. Having been indoctrinated by decades of shaving with carts to believe that if the shave isn't close enough I should press harder took a while to get out of my system, and I went through more than my fair share of razor burn and irritation before it finally sank in. Weight of the blade only is about all you should need to get a close shave. Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback, I think paying more attention to my angle is the key. I'm going to try to maintain a more steep angle next shave, see if that makes the difference.

SirChangalot · Oct 30, 2016

meanpr said:
That's sounds like a great option, has that been talked about in other threads on this forum? What's your process for spining the feather blade?

You take pliers and grab hold of the back end of the GEM spine, making sure you only hold the part of the spine that does not clamp down on the blade itself, and slowly wiggle it free. I have found a movement perpendicular to the plane of the blade to be most effectve. Then you simply put the GEM spine on the feather blade and clamp the pliers down on it to secure the spine.

good luck

meanpr · Oct 30, 2016

Thank you, I'll give that a go :thumbup:

meanpr · Oct 30, 2016

Shave 3 used the craftsman wedge, sample from Stone Cottage Soapworks Suède de Kashmir cream, my EJ badger brush and EJ 89 DE as back-up. I tried the suggestions to pay more attention to my angles and 1st pass WTG went well on cheeks. Kept my angle on my chin and was able to shave with more comfort and actually cut the hairs. Re-opened a weeper on my chin from yesterday and had another small weeper on my jawline below my cheek. Because of the weepers, decided to go with my 2nd pass XTG, with my EJ 89 w/personna red blade. Finished off with cold water rinse, witch hazel, pinaud clubman and nivea a/s balm.

Small adjusts can make huge dividends, just a slight adjustment to a more vertical angle with the SR has helped tremendously with the razor burn. It also seems to facilitate shaving the chin, which has been giving me fits. Something to really concentrate going forward!

meanpr · Nov 1, 2016

Shave 4, had to take my son to DMV so played hooky from school. Had the morning off so used the extra time to get in a straight razor shave.

SR: Craftsman wedge
DE: EJ 89 w/personna red blade
Brush: EJ Badger
Cream: Stone Cottage Soapworks Suede de Kashmir.
A/S: Witch Hazel, Brut and Nivea Shave Balm

1st pass WTG, concentrated on my angle and was able to complete the 1st pass with only small weeper by the corner of my mouth and reopening small weeper on my chin. The small weeper on my chin is just not healing quick enough for daily shaves. The other weeper happened when I remembered mid stroke that I was starting to grow my mustache. We're doing a fund raiser in school for the DC trip we have in school and growing a mustache is the focus of it. See the following link for more info

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/504911-Movember?highlight=

I think I'd be fun seeing all the suggested mustache styles that get mentioned.

Still having issues under my chin, I was able to shave without nicking myself, but it wasn't very close at all. Everywhere else I had a good shave.

Chickened out and finished off the 2nd pass XTG w/DE.

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Moving from shaving like my dad toward shaving like my grandpa

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Here I am, 1st again.

Smattayu

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