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CBLindsay's brain droppings

We are right there with you on the woes of the public school system. My daughter is in 2nd grade this year and they are still teaching adding and subtracting because a few in her class just don't get it. The only saving grace in her class is that they have a little time each day to work on different learning programs online. She actually used that to teach herself multiplication last year.
 
Quijote said:
We are right there with you on the woes of the public school system. My daughter is in 2nd grade this year and they are still teaching adding and subtracting because a few in her class just don't get it. The only saving grace in her class is that they have a little time each day to work on different learning programs online. She actually used that to teach herself multiplication last year.
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My daughter uses a couple online programs at school and at home to enhance her reading and math education, fortunately they DO have value. About 2-3 weeks ago she watched her it sister doing math that involved exponential multiplication the a week later she writes a series of exponential expressions (1-10 with exponents 1-10) on her chalk board. My wife was called into her room to “check” her work...all of it accurate. The math itself isn’t hard but the concept and execution is beyond third grade. My daughter is smart but there are several other kids in her class that are as smart or more so. We are planning to move forward on the virtual school thing but acknowledge that the work load for my wife is going to be significantly increased, sadly not every families can afford the parent coach time,
 
Chris, I have learned that following passion is far more rewarding than following academics. If she can combine the two, nirvana.
 
Monday 5/7/18
Straight Shave #836

Stirling Boar
Chiseled Face Ghost Town Barber
ZY "special"
GTB aftershave

Ghost Town Barber makes a Monday much more bearable. This morning's shave included the always wonderful GTB lathered by the Stirling Boar and removed with the nicely honed ZY. Last night I swapped out the razors on deck and couldn't resist grabbing this razor, it has been a great performer since it first entered the rotation. I spent more time "conditioning" my new Ark and developing various honing solutions but decided to pull out my little Thurangien and do a quick refresh of the ZY on it. Since this edge has been very good all along, the time on the Thurangien was a test to see if it can improve an already performing edge (or if I can total botch a refresh). The end result was an edge that felt pretty much as it had before the refresh, plenty keen and average feel. I concluded the shave by lathering up the Thuri and doing a dozen soapy laps before stropping on linen. I may hit the Ark then shave test again, who knows, I might be able to kick it up a notch.

A Quick weekend re-cap-
Saturday I shaved with one of my C.V. Heljestrand razors and found it average (as expected). Saturday Night i hit the Ark then did a good long run on my little diamond encrusted leather strop which I also loaded with a bit of Maas polish. The end result was a very shiny bevel. Sunday morning i stropped it up on the Bison strop then set out to shave. Sunday morning was also when I tested my newest batch of soap, testing two things at once...why not.

The lather was good but the edge was great. I could appreciate the difference in efficiency during the shave but didn't know until after the shave just how close i was able to get without any hint of feedback from the alum. My face had "that" feel, the one that feels like you might have shaved so close the surface cells are BBS. My face also looked glassy, like I never had whiskers to begin with. I credit the combination of soap and edge for delivering a truly exceptional result.
 
Great read and shaves Chris!
Great job on the Trans Ark!
What did you do to the Trans Ark?
 
Phenomenal Sunday and Monday shaves Chris! That's interesting that you used Maas on one of your strops...I hadn't even thought of doing that until you mentioned it. now that I think about it, it really would kick up the polish on the edge, smoothing out the edge.
 
clyde72 said:
Great read and shaves Chris!
Great job on the Trans Ark!
What did you do to the Trans Ark?
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Per Dave’s recommendation I have been rubbing the 0000 steelwhool on the surface (lubricated with WD-40) and trying to “polish” with super fine diamond grit. I have also been regularly cleaning the stone with a nylon scrubby and soap to ensure I am not leaving a bunch of metal embedded in the surface. Although I don’t have a super mirror surface I think I am done with the steelwhool. I used a firm piece of leather encrusted with 100000 grit diamond to further rub the surface, leaving it about as smooth as I can get it.

Dagwoodz said:
Phenomenal Sunday and Monday shaves Chris! That's interesting that you used Maas on one of your strops...I hadn't even thought of doing that until you mentioned it. now that I think about it, it really would kick up the polish on the edge, smoothing out the edge.
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I don’t normally put abrasives on my strops but I picked up a 3x8 hunk of strop leather for the sole purpose of loading it with abrasive so I can use it post honing or between stones while not having to go to the den and strop. I figured since it is a great metal polish it might be just the fine abrasive I wanted. I suspect it’s polishing ability is part chemical but the residue left in the leather did a good job of leaving the visible bevel very shiny. The true test will be when the strop gets dark like the rag usually does when you polish the blade.

McVeyMac said:
It sounds like the Trans./diamond combo might be a hard one to beat Chris.
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I’m struggling to get a superb edge right off the stone (any stone) so I often do a quick run on either the pasted balsa or a hanging cotton strop. The is the first I’ve used pasted leather.
 
Caught up on some very good reads and terrific shaves, Chris! Bummer about the soap batch, I know that is a sinking feeling when you realized something was off but it was too late to save it. You'll get em next time!
 
Tuesday 5-8-18
Straight Shave # 837

WD/Firehouse 30mm HMW badger (The Fireman)
CFG Sherlock
ZY Special
CFG Sherlock AS

Well, I decided to give the ZY a run on the Sx Black Ark and finish on pasted linen to see if my Heljestrand experience could be duplicated. Yes, the edge was improved but failed to deliver the molecular level BBS. All in all I will call it a successful job. I also took a chance in using the Fireman brush, it is just a floppy mess that prefers to be used for a bowl lather set up. I did spend a lot of time on the soap, adding water and working to get the brush full of lather. The end result was a good lather that was just enough for 3 passes ....with 30mm of brush i expected to have a ton of extra lather. The shave itself was fast and close, can't ask for anything more.

On the hone/honing front. While i had the stones out I touched up the little blades that are used in the Henckles safety razor and similar. i really do enjoy these little safety razor set ups. I also honed up for its maiden voyage the Everite safety razor. I got this rasor NIB and the edge was in pretty good factory condition but needed the touch of a quality stone. Needless to say, these wonderful razors will see some use in the coming days.

I also tried a little something different. My son's razor needed a refresh, leaning toward a full bevel up re-hone, so I made use of the Sx Ark and one of the most unique Coticule "slurry" stones I have ever encountered. I made a fresh and thick coticule slurry on the surface of the Ark and progressed through a dilucot routine before finishing on the Ark using a honing medium (1/2 sulfated castor oil & 1/2 odor free mineral spirits with a shot of simple green) then running water. The feel of the slurry on the Ark was VERY gritty, bordering on 250 grit sand paper feel but the results were impressive. The whole process was very fast, with the time being split between slurry dilucot and plain/clean ark. A quick strop on linen then leather left the edge HHT5 along the entire edge. I may have to steal this one to give it a proper shave test so i can speak to the quality of edge.

I mention the most unique coticule slurry stone I have ever seen. I got this stone along with a very roughly cut and strange hunk of Coticule (that is also very strange and unique). It is just better than 3" long, 1" wide and 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick so it can almost be called a hone in its own right. It is a solid hink of Coticule with one side SO hard it simply will not create a slurry, even on the Ark. The other side is soft enough the provide a quick, chalky slurry ...all while being part of what looks to be a single naturally occurring stone. I have used this as a hone but not really explored its full potential. The rock it came with is about 4x5 with one side being the hardest stone I have ever seen with veins of what looks like Coticule, BBW and quartz and the other side being a rough cut and unlapped layer of Coticule. once i get this thing properly lapped i don't expect the Coticule layer to be very thick. Despite being mostly lapped flat i am not sure the odd stone side will be a very good hone ...but I'll rub a razor against it and see what happens.

I'll post a photo of these stones when i get a chance (probably in the Hones/Stones thread)
 
Good shave.

I have a couple of ZY 430s that I am going to use for practice when I start honing. It is nice to hear another Cadre member using them. It makes me think I may be able to get a decent shave out of one some day.

I am looking forward to reading more on your honing journey.
 
dkeester said:
Good shave.

I have a couple of ZY 430s that I am going to use for practice when I start honing. It is nice to hear another Cadre member using them. It makes me think I may be able to get a decent shave out of one some day.

I am looking forward to reading more on your honing journey.
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ZY and Gold Dollar are good options, the ZY might be preferable if only because they don't have the extra thick shoulders like GD. In any case $10 and some patience will get you a Zy or GD perfect for honing practice AND shaving.
 
Nice read Chris...looking forward to seeing that Coti when you're done conditioning it.
 
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