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An Unexpected Journey: A Newbie's Walk In Wet Shaving
- Thread starter Blade-meister
- Start date
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
But I was getting the details for my next video....
"Trying this new technique of building the lather on my chest..." Who knows, maybe your subscriber base would double?
I'm sure the post would go viral and soon mammoth painting would be featured on Saturday Night Live in a spoof
Ok, so I received a nice little box in the mail from Nurse Dave that held a Hawk SE razor in it and some blades. I was really excited to try the SE after having a so-so experience with the vintage GEM's. A big hearty thanks to Nurse Dave for his generosity! My initial impressions of the Hawk is that I was really liking the metal construction that put it a step up above anything with plastic. I really like the look and feel of it. The knurling was adequate as well.
Getting to the shave this morning.....When I put a blade in the Hawk I looked at the blade gap and thought that it looked pretty mild compared to my Variant setting of my daily driver, but hey what do I know about shavers? Not too much still. So after a good face lather with MW Sandalwood Vanilla, I got right at the first pass. The Hawk was really smooth and I toyed with angles until I found was seemed to give me the best audio feedback and feel. After a rinse I found it to cut slightly better than the GEM's. Hmmm, so I gave it the XTG second pass and it was smooth and after a rinse I found it to be about where I was at after 2 passes with the GEM Junior. On the third ATG pass I could tell it just wasn't going to get me where my Variant DE gets me, but gave it a chance. After a rinse I was probably in the DFS / DFS+ area which surprised me. I'd watched guys online try the Hawk and they were just amazed at how smooth and close the shave was. I actually went back for an extensive clean-up 4th pass with the Variant just to get me to BBS / BBS-.
So maybe I'm doing something wrong? Maybe my expectations were too high? I dunno really. Then I thought that maybe my BBS is really everyone else's DBBS - tough to tell. I'm not sure what to think. I'll keep trying the Hawk to see if perhaps there's some operator error going on.
On the personal side of things, I had an enjoyable experience last night. I had a customer drop by and want to do a partial trade for some tomahawks he wants me to make. In the end I walked away with some great bear claws, and Indian headdress, a large alligator skull, and some other little items. I think things worked better back in the old barter days when Joe the blacksmith traded his work for lumber from Jack the logger, etc. I've gotten some great things over the years trading. The sign of a good trade isn't so much the monetary equality but that both parties walk away feeling good about the trade. Now I've got enough bear claws to make that killer necklace I've wanted to make for myself. This winter I hope to tackle some projects for myself. I have a few mountain man knives that I'd like to make working sheaths for. I have a beaver tail in the freezer just waiting for its day to be made into a sheath.
Getting to the shave this morning.....When I put a blade in the Hawk I looked at the blade gap and thought that it looked pretty mild compared to my Variant setting of my daily driver, but hey what do I know about shavers? Not too much still. So after a good face lather with MW Sandalwood Vanilla, I got right at the first pass. The Hawk was really smooth and I toyed with angles until I found was seemed to give me the best audio feedback and feel. After a rinse I found it to cut slightly better than the GEM's. Hmmm, so I gave it the XTG second pass and it was smooth and after a rinse I found it to be about where I was at after 2 passes with the GEM Junior. On the third ATG pass I could tell it just wasn't going to get me where my Variant DE gets me, but gave it a chance. After a rinse I was probably in the DFS / DFS+ area which surprised me. I'd watched guys online try the Hawk and they were just amazed at how smooth and close the shave was. I actually went back for an extensive clean-up 4th pass with the Variant just to get me to BBS / BBS-.
So maybe I'm doing something wrong? Maybe my expectations were too high? I dunno really. Then I thought that maybe my BBS is really everyone else's DBBS - tough to tell. I'm not sure what to think. I'll keep trying the Hawk to see if perhaps there's some operator error going on.
On the personal side of things, I had an enjoyable experience last night. I had a customer drop by and want to do a partial trade for some tomahawks he wants me to make. In the end I walked away with some great bear claws, and Indian headdress, a large alligator skull, and some other little items. I think things worked better back in the old barter days when Joe the blacksmith traded his work for lumber from Jack the logger, etc. I've gotten some great things over the years trading. The sign of a good trade isn't so much the monetary equality but that both parties walk away feeling good about the trade. Now I've got enough bear claws to make that killer necklace I've wanted to make for myself. This winter I hope to tackle some projects for myself. I have a few mountain man knives that I'd like to make working sheaths for. I have a beaver tail in the freezer just waiting for its day to be made into a sheath.
Sounds like a pretty good trade there.
As far as what I call a BBS v a DSBBS is BBS may still feel like a DFS until the face has fully dried. At that point it should be smooth. If you are smooth while still rinsing and applying AS that is what i consider a DSBBS.
As far as what I call a BBS v a DSBBS is BBS may still feel like a DFS until the face has fully dried. At that point it should be smooth. If you are smooth while still rinsing and applying AS that is what i consider a DSBBS.
As far as what I call a BBS v a DSBBS is BBS may still feel like a DFS until the face has fully dried. At that point it should be smooth. If you are smooth while still rinsing and applying AS that is what i consider a DSBBS.
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Interesting......I'm generally smooth while rinsing with my normal shaving routine and when it dries I'm really smooth. Maybe I'm riding the dolphin and didn't know it!
Perhaps this is a good discussion. What does everyone else consider BBS, DSBBS, DFS, SAS????? Chime in.
[/QUOTE]
Interesting......I'm generally smooth while rinsing with my normal shaving routine and when it dries I'm really smooth. Maybe I'm riding the dolphin and didn't know it!
Perhaps this is a good discussion. What does everyone else consider BBS, DSBBS, DFS, SAS????? Chime in.
PREACH!!Interesting......I'm generally smooth while rinsing with my normal shaving routine and when it dries I'm really smooth. Maybe I'm riding the dolphin and didn't know it!
I did a video on this at one time. Back when I was young, I realized I was rating my shaves BBS when my face was wet and still slick. Just like you mentioned. Then I realized most guys rate it BBS after all their post shave routine and their face is dry. Long story short, I must have gotten what most would call BBS long before I thought I did. And I was chasing the dolphin. Now it's good to know what will dry down to BBS if I'm not in the mood to risk the increased chance of sting to hear the dolphins.
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Their just letters to me. I don't care, I don't grade my shaves. I do three passes, and if I feel like it I'll do some touch up. Some shaves are better than others.... that's all.
That's why I stopped doing an ATG pass.
That's not very engineery
I like that approach KJ and some day I hope to feel the same way. I think for me I'm always looking for that consistent super great shave. I'm almost there. I think I could be really happy once I convert over to SR 3 pass shaves.
The act of having is an art, not a science.
This morning I pulled the Hawk out again with the same soap and tried experimenting with angles. I still settled in on an angle that seemed to cut well with good audio feedback and a good feel but still came up with a mildish shave. In fact, I went right over the same areas with my Variant set at 4.75 or so and it found plenty to cut. I must be doing something wrong with the Hawk. I finished up with the Variant and got a beautiful BBS++ shave. It feels much better than the shave yesterday.
I'd be interested in hearing others give advice on angle with the Hawk. I really like the razor but feel like if I had some input from some who've used the Hawk I might have more ideas of where to start with it tomorrow.
On the personal side of things I'm planning on putting the loft window in the cabin this weekend and hopefully the prehung metal door to replace the barely there current door. If there's anyone out there who has window installation experience, I have an issue with the window for the loft. It's a replacement window I picked up off Craig's List a while back. I was thinking it had the nailing flange on it, but obviously replacement windows don't have them. I have some ideas about how I'm going to put it in, but would love to hear some advice from people who know more about this than I do. Somewhere here on TSC we must have some contractor types who've attempted this. I'd sure appreciate some advice.
I'd be interested in hearing others give advice on angle with the Hawk. I really like the razor but feel like if I had some input from some who've used the Hawk I might have more ideas of where to start with it tomorrow.
On the personal side of things I'm planning on putting the loft window in the cabin this weekend and hopefully the prehung metal door to replace the barely there current door. If there's anyone out there who has window installation experience, I have an issue with the window for the loft. It's a replacement window I picked up off Craig's List a while back. I was thinking it had the nailing flange on it, but obviously replacement windows don't have them. I have some ideas about how I'm going to put it in, but would love to hear some advice from people who know more about this than I do. Somewhere here on TSC we must have some contractor types who've attempted this. I'd sure appreciate some advice.
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Not a contractor but pretty sure you had st make sure it is shimmed well for placement and screw from inside sides of window into the studs on replacement windows. You probably knew this and are looking for more detail but that's all I gots....
Thanks Dave, yeah that part I know. Shawn was able to give me some ideas, but I'm still open for more.