global_dev straight journal

[global_dev]

Last 2 shaves... spent a couple days polishing a new to me razor JLP 6/8s with lots o' oxidation. great shape, 1/4 hollow to near wedge. horn scales, looks never used, definitely had no honewear, but in terrible condition. lots of elbow grease, but i think this one could easily benefit from a light regrind refresh. very light pitting under the oxidation and lots of steel.

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The lighting is not helping the sanding/polishing I did (~180 -> 800 grit). probably could have gone way lower, but i did't find anything much lower until after I had finished and was putting stuff away. Honed up pretty easily and finished on a mottled black thuringian /schwedenstein..

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Yesterday afternoon. GD.66 worked a wonder, very smooth, plenty sharp.. grabbed a new puck of Saponifico Varesino Tundra Artica.. I was not expecting the rose forward profile. I was expecting more agar wood forward... not disappointed, very nice and worked well, great shave..

Today's shave was with JLP .. HMW badger, i think some home-made artisan (maybe sliceoflife?) soap that is similar to MDC ingredients if not mistaken. Followed up with one of the fine vetivers AS.. great blade, great edge, love the thumbnotch, and weight of the blade.. very nice..

 

[Seveneighth]

Great job on the polishing

 

[global_dev]

Great job on the polishing

Thanks, looking at this one in natural light from different perspectives shows slightly different reflections that make me slightly disappointed. I had to stop at 600-800 because it kept getting more shiny, but it still had some imperfections that didn't require more shiny-ness. I'm on the fence of having done it, I'd probably would have likes to just keep the oxidation and basic clean it up and hone.

So this one reminds me of the the thumbnotched heljes, the manaslu's, and some others but with a sweet barbers notch. If I could find more, I'd love a 7 day set of it.

 

[global_dev]

i’ve notice a common theme in some of my posts, tiredness. I’m not normally tired, i think it just comes to me as to whether or not I can give enough attention to the shave to not hurt myself accidentally.

but today was beautiful shave this late morning, nowhere to rush to and already had a cup of coffee and no distractions.

Two passer with the JLP, Thater boar, and RR freedberg tallow (emperor?). I’ve also been trying the grooming dept preshave. fantastic feel, skin is comfortable and clean. no complaints, followed by some alum, a shower and then some Fine Platinum AS.

 

[global_dev]

another great shave with the JLP recently but todays shave was vintage 5/8s Le Grelot. smaller than i really like and i noticed that the tang is kind of slimmer than i like too. just not used to it and appreciate the wider tangs of 6/8s+.

 

[global_dev]

Spent a minute or two refining the edge on this smiling Williams 6/8s on a jnat after a quick rehone. Shaves very nicely.

CH2 best what a great brush
ARKO - i love this stuff and paired it with ADP ASL, AS nutrient cream and ASB. phenomenal kit!

 

[Seveneighth]

Spent a minute or two refining the edge on this smiling Williams 6/8s on a jnat after a quick rehone. Shaves very nicely.

CH2 best what a great brush
ARKO - i love this stuff and paired it with ADP ASL, AS nutrient cream and ASB. phenomenal kit!

That looks like a lovely razor. I love a good smiling blade. Excuse my ignorance, is it vintage

 

[global_dev]

That looks like a lovely razor. I love a good smiling blade. Excuse my ignorance, is it vintage

no, not vintage. a Robert Williams SRP group buy from a couple years ago

 

[Seveneighth]

no, not vintage. a Robert Williams SRP group buy from a couple years ago

They a new to me. Just been on his Facebook page - the razors look excellent.

 

[global_dev]

Wonderful afternoon shave - no distractions, been up since 6am for 4 hours of soccer and more soccer at 6. Sunshine but brisk outside.

Geo Wostenholm & Son Pipe
Thater Boar
B&M Baudelaire
Torolf

 

[global_dev]

Sunday (of 7 day set)

 

[global_dev]

Razorock Dead Sea
Paladin Sumo
Grelot

 

[global_dev]

Santa Maria Novella
Paladin Sumo
Big blade

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Phenomenal shave, edge was so smooth, SMN is wonderful, love the Sumo handle, wish i had the Simpsons version.

 

[global_dev]

Today’s shave couldn't have been more different thab yesterday’s. Honed up a 6/8 blade this afternoon after cleaning it up a bit, could use a proper restoration though. Shave was smooth and nice, i expected a bit more keen.

Dorko 12 - finished on Escher after chosera run
Thater boar
Tabac soap

 

[global_dev]

Spent a couple days playing around with that Dorko and a GD. Found I really prefer honing on the side of my choseras rather than the face. It would slightly better in between both sizes though.

Wanted a super soft dense brush today and to get away from scents while I dial in these edges.

 

[global_dev]

todays shave was fabulous

edge was velvety butter
GrDept Lav preshave
combo of GD tacit & SoZ
Zenith 502NK manchurian/horse
TdH flight to finish it off

 

[global_dev]

Beautiful shave this afternoon

Monnoyer 6/8
Zenith mixed
GD Verbrannt
Fine Plat

 

[global_dev]

Did some research on Monnoyer, the last razor I used. It's definitely more wedge than hollow. so smooth and shaves so well, but the stamp is/was difficult to read. I just assumed it was a cutler from France. Close, but not exactly. StRazor historical page helped start the search but I found some more info trawling google books. Feel free to let me know if my info isn't correct.

Monnoyer was a Belgian cutler, out of French speaking Namur, Belgium. Namur, alongside Paris, Thiers, Solingen, Toledo, Seville, and Eskilstuna, was one of the best known European centers producing fine-quality cutlery.

In a passage from 1847 Sharpes London magazine, Vol 4 titled "Rambles in Belgium" - there is a paragraph that describes entering Namur.

No VI Namur & Huy
FROM the moment I set foot at Ostend on Flemish soil, to the time of my departure from Waterloo, I seen nothing but a flat, level, though fertile country. The scenery on the road to Namur, however improves at every step. The banks of the Meuse are beautiful. After passing Sombreffe and Temploux, the road a devious way through a most luxuriant valley, on side of which may be seen the lovely river gliding on, skirting banks and rocks covered with vegetation in richest garb; and every now and then adorned with picturesque chateau. There was one point in well to Matlock,- the same masses of ivy covered rock the same sort of trees growing in every occasional crevice and the river below like a glittering snake, all bright the glowing sunshine. There is a hill before Namur be entered, which is very steep, and adds to the of the striking situation of the old town. There is drawbridge and several very tortuous alleys all had to be crossed and traversed, before I could reach Hotel de Harscamp. I was astonished to see the of cutlers' shops in one of the strange irregular streets, forgetting for the moment that I was in Belgian Sheffield.

The mark on my straight as originally stamped would have appeared as

MONNOYER
COUTELIER DU ROI .
NAMUR.
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"Monnoyer Coutellerie, Namur" received King Leopold's Royal Decree Honorable Mention in 1852.

From Coticule.be another interesting Namur passage was found
"The cutlery industry has greatly diminished in Namur ; towards the middle of Nineteenth century there were still several manufacturers, among others Joseph-Pierre Monnoyer who exhibited in London in 1851 and 1862 and in Paris in 1855"

 

[global_dev]

Had a really nice shave on Thursday with a dorko 12, still want to tweak the edge though.

Last night had a phenomal shave with a big hollow Guillermo Hoppe 14. Has a logo of the Henckles twins but doesnt say anything other than solingen.

I remember why i loved the 14s style blade. So easy to use, lovely edge

 

[global_dev]