Getting back on the Horse

SmallYetDeadly

SmallYetDeadly

Brotherhood of Fanbois
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
Been developing a hankering to get back on the straight razor bandwagon again.

I took all my razors out for some touchy/feely on the weekend and took my self honed razor for a few laps on my linen and leather strops to see how the muscle memory was fairing. It felt surprisingly natural for something I haven't done in around 2 years.

I do have to say my initial feelings of trepidation about taking one to my face has certainly returned. As I flicked a few hairs off my arm and the razor "plinked and plunked" I was wondering how I ever did it :laugh:

The Mrs has promised to get me a 1k Naniwa Super Stone for my Birthday at the end of November so I am confident that I will lose the last elements of doubt about proper setting of my bevel that alway lingered in my mind when trying to do it all on my coti.

i'll use this as my update thread. i think it's going to be back to square one in terms of shaving. I will make a more concerted effort to learn to use my left hand this time around :)
 
Excellent welcome back. Just this morning i spent hours working through my stones with one razor only to end up not being able to shave with it. Straights have there highs and lows!!! I am still chasing a consistent razor burn free hairs scrape off like butter shave. Achieved it a few times tho.
 
Took my Harmonie over the Coti for a touch up as I had left this one unoiled in storage. A bit of oxidation in the slurry. 50 laps in very light slurry. 50 laps on water. 80 on fabric. 50 on leather...crunch time.

Just a WTG on both cheeks and a slide down the neck WTG on the bit I remember being the easiest. A bit of faffing with angle at the start and a sprinkling of fear haha! Reasonable reduction, no cuts and a few things to take away for next time like needing a slicker lather than DE. I'm calling it a success. Tidied up with a 34c merkur.

At least the blade has met the face again :)
 
Been mucking around on the naniwa 1K. Got the bevel just about sorted on a Yankee razor. Starting to get my head around honing...I think. If this one comes up well I have a Swedish frame back that needs some TLC to get stuck into.

Been too busy to shave with a straight since my toe in the water. Will try to have a crack this weekend.
 
On experience , I've found that its best to start off small. You don't have to shave completely with a Str8 right off the bat. Shave the parts of our face that you find the easiest with the straight and use the DE for rest. You also don't have to use the Str8 to go ATG until your comfortable with it.
Good luck!
 
Cheers John. I got reasonably handy with a straight a few years back but I have been on hiatus.

I will be building back into it again as you have suggested.
 
Straights are like bikes in respect to memory, I am sure you will be enjoying super close super smooth shaves that DE shavers only dream about ;-)

If the blade feel smooth on the hones and then smooth on the strop it should be smooth on the skin, I found that the smooth feeling or feedback more important than hanging hair tests etc
 
Man my technique is sloppy/out of practice!

Last night two WTG passes just leaving the goatee and moustache areas alone for now.

Drag, tug, pull. Then get the angle right and swipe off a bunch of whiskers effortlessly.

Alum had a little more bite than usual but overall a good result in the end.

I had done a bit more with the Dixie on the hones and a little on the coticule. I knew it wasn't really there in terms of shave readyness but I have the bevel down pretty pat as it is easly sharp enough to shave just the smoothness is lacking compared to my shave ready tools.
 
Good Job on getting back on the bike!

Late to the party I know, but if you already have a coti, that's really all you need! I use mine for bevel setting (using heavy slurry) down to finishing with just water. I do have a chinese 12k I sometimes use to touch up with, but it isn't really necessary....
 
Great to see someone else getting into cut-throats again - well done.
I've just got a Naniwa Chosera 1K and don't have anything to hone on it yet.
Ah well, back to the workshop - there's a 7/8 Filly waiting to be pinned and honed
 
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