The Shaving Cadre
Welcome to The Shaving Cadre, a forum dedicated to gentlemanly discourse about wet shaving and other topics of common interests. Membership is always free so register today and join in the fun
Kingfisher's open blade (straight razors and shavettes) journey
- Thread starter kingfisher
- Start date
91/128 this morning.
ZY razor, Soapy Science LC scent. Got another great lather this morning; you know, the one that is slightly better than the usual but you have no idea why? I got that lather. It was delicious (figuratively).
Changed up the clean-up tool, too, from the AS-D2 to my Everready Streamline, which I loaded up with a fresh blade last night.
First pass went very well, second even better. Third pass straight XTG on the cheeks was great. Cleaned up along the jawline and anyplace else that seemed like it needed it using the Streamline.
Wow. Fantastic shave.
One more story, from yesterday, that will show how far my wife has come along. There was a guy who used to go to my church congregation who moved away a couple of years ago. He is an avid wet shaver and uses both DEs and SEs, and has for many years. In the days when he lived around here he would come over every once a while to check out my newest razors and soaps. Anyway, he was back in our church building yesterday because he came out here for his sister's wedding. I only got to see him briefly because I was on my way up to play the organ.
As I walked by him (he was sitting on the back row of the main section), I told him that I had switched to straight razors, to which he responded "Traitor!"
Later I told my wife this story. She said, "But you haven't switched entirely, have you?" I replied, "I use a straight razor 6 days a week." She said, "Oh." Then I told her that my friend tried straights a long time ago but gave up. She looks and me and says, "You have to stick with it," as if to say that my friend had given up too soon.
To me it was an acknowledgment that she no longer considers straight razor shaving a horrible option. More and more I think she was just afraid that I was mangle my gorgeous face, lol.
Have a great holiday, gents!
ZY razor, Soapy Science LC scent. Got another great lather this morning; you know, the one that is slightly better than the usual but you have no idea why? I got that lather. It was delicious (figuratively).
Changed up the clean-up tool, too, from the AS-D2 to my Everready Streamline, which I loaded up with a fresh blade last night.
First pass went very well, second even better. Third pass straight XTG on the cheeks was great. Cleaned up along the jawline and anyplace else that seemed like it needed it using the Streamline.
Wow. Fantastic shave.
One more story, from yesterday, that will show how far my wife has come along. There was a guy who used to go to my church congregation who moved away a couple of years ago. He is an avid wet shaver and uses both DEs and SEs, and has for many years. In the days when he lived around here he would come over every once a while to check out my newest razors and soaps. Anyway, he was back in our church building yesterday because he came out here for his sister's wedding. I only got to see him briefly because I was on my way up to play the organ.
As I walked by him (he was sitting on the back row of the main section), I told him that I had switched to straight razors, to which he responded "Traitor!"
Later I told my wife this story. She said, "But you haven't switched entirely, have you?" I replied, "I use a straight razor 6 days a week." She said, "Oh." Then I told her that my friend tried straights a long time ago but gave up. She looks and me and says, "You have to stick with it," as if to say that my friend had given up too soon.
To me it was an acknowledgment that she no longer considers straight razor shaving a horrible option. More and more I think she was just afraid that I was mangle my gorgeous face, lol.
Have a great holiday, gents!
Catching up, more good stuff
92/129 this morning.
I couldn't remember why I switched from the Noonan back to the ZY; boredom or a slightly dull edge on the Noonan? So last night I tried treetopping with the Noonan and it seemed less than stellar. So I took it to the CrOx for just a few passes (15 or so), and then stropped it up good.
Wow. This morning the edge was amazing. Sharp and smooth. First pass reduction was really good, and after three passes I was DFS on the cheeks. I cleaned up a tiny bit with my Streamline and ended up with a wonderful shave. Lather was Soapy Science in Doc's Special Blend, which I still love. These soaps love to be bloomed with hot water; if you do that, they lather up really easily and provide for a wonderful shave.
Edging (pun intended) ever closer to the "magical" 100th shave, lol.
Hope everybody had a great holiday weekend and that your first day back to work isn't too bad.
I couldn't remember why I switched from the Noonan back to the ZY; boredom or a slightly dull edge on the Noonan? So last night I tried treetopping with the Noonan and it seemed less than stellar. So I took it to the CrOx for just a few passes (15 or so), and then stropped it up good.
Wow. This morning the edge was amazing. Sharp and smooth. First pass reduction was really good, and after three passes I was DFS on the cheeks. I cleaned up a tiny bit with my Streamline and ended up with a wonderful shave. Lather was Soapy Science in Doc's Special Blend, which I still love. These soaps love to be bloomed with hot water; if you do that, they lather up really easily and provide for a wonderful shave.
Edging (pun intended) ever closer to the "magical" 100th shave, lol.
Hope everybody had a great holiday weekend and that your first day back to work isn't too bad.
You doing Great!
I really have. At or about 25 shaves, I would never have believed what has happened, that's for sure. I'm glad I didn't throw in the towel. I got very close.
93/130 this morning with the Noonan again and Soapy Science in LC scent.
I slept in a bit so I was in a hurry. I thought about ditching the straight razor in the interest of time. The Streamline was loaded and ready to go. But I decided, instead, that I would just shave very quickly with the straight.
It all started pretty well. Cruising along the first pass on the right cheek like a Porsche 911 across northern Nevada. Picking up speed and confidence. The blade felt great, and reduction was good.
Then, I tried to Vincent VanGogh myself. Yep, got a bit too close to the earlobe on a quick windshield-wiper like move and nicked the ear right where it connects. I think I also kind of forgot that the Noonan has a square point (the ZY and the Tilquin are both round-point razors). I felt just a little twinge and knew I had hit it, but I shaved on. The rest of the first pass went well.
Second pass, and an XTG third pass on the cheeks went fine.
The nick on the ear was actually quite small. Barely got it. By the time the shave was over it wasn't even bleeding anymore. I used a styptic on it anyway.
Just a reminder to keep a bit of distance between the point of a straight razor on the ear lobe, lol.
Overall, a good shave.
Have a great day.
WildWest74
Could be John Wayne
That was some fun reading to catch up on, Randall, despite the 
ear disaster!
How in the heck did I miss the fact that you are in my backyard?!?! I live in VB, and all of my kids have been patients at CHKD at some point (thankfully not in your area of expertise). Now that I know there is a cadre member living so close, perhaps we should arrange an Southeastern Virginia meetup and make some of those desert dwellers come to where it's nice and humid!
ear disaster!How in the heck did I miss the fact that you are in my backyard?!?! I live in VB, and all of my kids have been patients at CHKD at some point (thankfully not in your area of expertise). Now that I know there is a cadre member living so close, perhaps we should arrange an Southeastern Virginia meetup and make some of those desert dwellers come to where it's nice and humid!