GearNoir
“The Disney Princess’s Apprentice”
Indeed.
The Shaving Cadre
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An Unexpected Journey: A Newbie's Walk In Wet Shaving
- Thread starter Blade-meister
- Start date
Waking up today brought this to mind. Then I put a new blade in the Variant and had a good shave.
Great shave today. I had a couple of day's growth and it always feels good to get cleaned up and smooth again.
I haven't put on snow shoes in a VERY long time. But from what I remember...man that was some hard work. Glad the cabin faired well!
No time really. I managed to finish up my Native American flute bag before things started getting interesting in the country. If things settle down I have a couple of axe heads to hang on new handles that I will make out of staves of hickory. Still too much snow to go metal detecting, but there is this one clear spot in my yard I may go out and try to find some modern coins
It was a lot of work breaking trails, but the animals are using them as super highways now. I was up there this past weekend in boots and I could comfortably walk the trails quietly. It was nice to put on my winter cammies, grab a rifle, grab my belt axe in sheath, and strap on my mountain man knife for a jaunt in the woods to clear my head. Being in the woods right sizes me and the problems around me. I always walk out with a clear head and understand how small I am really. I was standing about 10 yards from this guy on the property next to mine and he didn't even see me. It was funny to see his sixth sense wanting to tell him someone was there, but he didn't listen and kept on walking feeling a little spooked I could tell.
The last dream before waking up this morning was me having this terrible shave. I was using this cart and it was grabbing so I was applying lots of pressure cuts everywhere. Well that wasn't a confidence booster for the shower shave this morning, but it ended up being a truly great shave. My lather was spot on, and with the feather blade being near it's end I thought the dream might play out some, but nope, great shave.
Once again...feeding my dreams of getting somewhere remote!
Sometimes shaving is just one of those little pleasures that starts the day off right. Often times it's the little things like shavingthat inspire us to hold the line in our lives. Other times it's the flag, or seeing that WWII vet stand up out of his wheel chair saluting the flag. It takes courage to hold the line and at other times it's just being the one person willing to stand up straight in a group of others unwilling. Whatever that line is in your life, hold the line. Look into your children's eyes, and hold the line.
My favorite junk shop has been closed for some time. I finally caught him open and he says he's been keeping closed due to COVID. I was able to find some great things in there and came out $40 lighter. I did end up with 5 woodworking chisels, a new blacksmith hammer handle, and a moulding plane. Not bad at all!! The chisels were very rusty, which by the way is how I like to find my old tools. I get a great deal of enjoyment out of bringing them back to life, then putting them to use. I also love that when you clean the rust off you never know what you might find.
I've been wanting for some time to start assembling a set of woodworking chisels. Not the kind you buy at Harbor Freight, but antique and vintage tools made to do the work of a craftsman. I cleaned mine up yesterday and got them ready for handles. Boy was I surprised! After getting the rust off them I found 2 Witherby's, 2 PS & W Co's and one blacksmith made. For those that know the brand names of old stuff, Witherby chisels are top notch and so are the PS & W's. All said and done I paid about $3.50 each for them and they are easily worth 10 times that. I still have to clean up the cutting edges, put new handles on them, then sharpen, hone, and strop them before they are ready for proper woodworking.
For those who've been following my journal, I've spoken about my belt axe and the shoulder sheath I was making for it. It's been done for several weeks and I've had it out in the woods for several hikes and treks. I love it and it performs the way I expected it to. Looped over my head and across my chest it puts the axe right at belt / waist level. Dang handy when your axe is very sharp. Tucking a sharp axe like mine in your belt would be a very bad idea, so the shoulder sheath is great. I barely know it's there when out in the woods. I copied a colonial design and it cants the axe slightly. I didn't know the purpose of this until I sat down. It keeps the axe handle out of the way when seated, so I thought that was pretty cool. The leather is tanned deer hide. I hand stitched everything and I'm not the best sewer, but then again the mountain man out on his own did the best he could too so I'm not worried. I forged 2 iron rings to hold the strap to the sheath. The rings bear all the weight and save that stress on the stitching. The stitching was done with artificial sinew. The axe head is an early to mid 1900's Sandvik hatchet head. You can't beat Swedish steel. I worked the handle down from a stave of hickory and hung the the head on it properly. I love this thing!
I've been wanting for some time to start assembling a set of woodworking chisels. Not the kind you buy at Harbor Freight, but antique and vintage tools made to do the work of a craftsman. I cleaned mine up yesterday and got them ready for handles. Boy was I surprised! After getting the rust off them I found 2 Witherby's, 2 PS & W Co's and one blacksmith made. For those that know the brand names of old stuff, Witherby chisels are top notch and so are the PS & W's. All said and done I paid about $3.50 each for them and they are easily worth 10 times that. I still have to clean up the cutting edges, put new handles on them, then sharpen, hone, and strop them before they are ready for proper woodworking.
For those who've been following my journal, I've spoken about my belt axe and the shoulder sheath I was making for it. It's been done for several weeks and I've had it out in the woods for several hikes and treks. I love it and it performs the way I expected it to. Looped over my head and across my chest it puts the axe right at belt / waist level. Dang handy when your axe is very sharp. Tucking a sharp axe like mine in your belt would be a very bad idea, so the shoulder sheath is great. I barely know it's there when out in the woods. I copied a colonial design and it cants the axe slightly. I didn't know the purpose of this until I sat down. It keeps the axe handle out of the way when seated, so I thought that was pretty cool. The leather is tanned deer hide. I hand stitched everything and I'm not the best sewer, but then again the mountain man out on his own did the best he could too so I'm not worried. I forged 2 iron rings to hold the strap to the sheath. The rings bear all the weight and save that stress on the stitching. The stitching was done with artificial sinew. The axe head is an early to mid 1900's Sandvik hatchet head. You can't beat Swedish steel. I worked the handle down from a stave of hickory and hung the the head on it properly. I love this thing!
GearNoir
“The Disney Princess’s Apprentice”
Nice cleanup of the chisels! Looks like they still have a few lifetimes of use!
Good work with the axe sheath. For some reason I was imagining a harness that could shift it to be kept either at the waist or the back...too many fantasy movies I guess
With such a step edge, how do you keep it from slicing up its own sheath?
Good work with the axe sheath. For some reason I was imagining a harness that could shift it to be kept either at the waist or the back...too many fantasy movies I guess
With such a step edge, how do you keep it from slicing up its own sheath?
Thanks Chris.
There's just enough room so there is a buffer allowing the axe blade to rest a comfortable distance from the leather on that end. I see a lot of end times and apocalypse prepper axe sheaths slung to the back and I'd think that would be hard to withdraw the axe safely. I like to be able to see what I'm doing when getting it out of the sheath because it is so sharp. One other thing is that this sheath isn't made for quick draw defense, but rather to ensure I don't lose it while woods traveling.
One thing most don't realize is that a proper axe should be sharp enough to shave hair and you treat it like you would a fine blade. I grew up seeing my dad pull the old axe out, abuse it, then put it back into the garage. I never saw him sharpen it ever. After about every use you should sharpen or hone the axe blade to get it back to where it should be. Sheaths help protect the blade and you from the blade when the axe is not in use. Since using sharp axes I noticed a huge difference from the dull ones most people use.
I stumbled across an old picture of me and noticed that it was about 3 pm and I had a 5 o'clock shadow going on in my cart shaving days. I'll tell you, wet shaving makes a huge difference in comfort and closeness. I visited a friend on Saturday and I'd skipped shaving that morning. He commented how I'm always clean shaven. I told him I skipped shaving and normally I can grow a beard pretty quick if not for wet shaving. We talked a while about it so I may have a convert in the works! He said he wanted to try a SR first and I hope I talked him into just trying a mild DE to start. It got me to thinking though just how much happier I am with shaves since starting wet shaving a few years ago. Take time to think back about your journey today and those terrible cart shaving days long in the rear-view mirror. I'm sure you've all seen the poor guy with razor burn and red bumps all on his neck with 3 day growth, man I feel sorry for that guy now and you just wish you could tap him on the shoulder and tell him about wet shaving.
I'm trying to brother...it's hard sometimes...but I'm trying to!
A lot of really good stuff packed into your last few posts. I enjoy your thread much like reading a good novel. I am dead serious about this too. Might be able to read every post...but get something out of the one's I do.
In this charged environment we find ourselves in, I'm turning to posting movie clips to express myself. It's up to the viewer to conclude what they want from it and it helps me express something as well. Here is today's thought:
The funny thing about the Indian flute is that I found instructions on the net to play certain tunes, but I find myself just going at it on my own making my own music that comes from inside. It feels right, whereas following finger positions on a paper just felt frustrating. I'll just pick up the flute and start playing it. I feel like I enjoy it more and each time something new is added.
You Don are in a strange time with a newborn. It's wonderful and taxing all in the same time. When we had our twins, I had to at times just grab a rifle and head up into the woods. I'd walk, listen, see, and hear for as many hours as it took. This soaking in was almost like an exchange of my stress for that peace. The woods also right sizes me and my problems. Stand next to a big old cherry tree for a little bit and watch the wind move it. For me, it shows me how small I am really. The woods kinda swallows you and you realize you are just a part of it. I'd encourage you to find some time to right size yourself and your stress in whatever way that's possible and yes, hold the line brother.
I haven't been writing much due to time, so I'm glad someone enjoys my mostly non-shaving content.
Well said my friend, well said. And much needed!
When things seem strange and so out of whack, I do hold onto hope that someday all things will be made right just when we think we've all but lost hope. Do not lose all hope and do not forget our great flag and what it stands for.
It's taken me a while, but I finally got into a spare room in the house and got some stuff back on the walls. Many here have elaborate shaving dens, but my "den" is more of a museum of sorts where I set up all the things I've made, found, and collected over the years. Many things are family stuff passed onto me along with their rich stories.
The wall is a little crowded, but at least things are up and can be appreciated
The wall is a little crowded, but at least things are up and can be appreciated
Some say it's going to be a long dark winter. It is my sincere hope that TSC can be a light in any darkness that may happen this winter.
Love it!!!
