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Kingfisher's open blade (straight razors and shavettes) journey
- Thread starter kingfisher
- Start date
Thanks!
Thanks! Since straight razor shaving is mostly about muscle memory, it's been challenging to change the technique this late in the game. Almost like starting over, although nowhere near as daunting because at least I am not afraid of the razor anymore like I was at the very beginning.
LOL. Those jackbox games are actually pretty fun. My favorites are Quiplash and Patently Stupid.
CCLVI this morning.
Stuck with the Mighty Mite since it was great yesterday, and also stuck with Soapy Science since I LOVE these soaps. Switched to Lollipop Citrus for this morning's shave.
Again, stuck with the newer technique I've been working on; first pass Chimensch-style, second pass sort of the exact opposite, neither pass being a strict WTG. Reduction after two passes is definitely better this way. Working hard on developing new hand-eye coordination for the jawline area, which has always scared me enough that I pretty much just clean it up with the DE or SE. This morning I did better there, but still required a fair bit of clean-up.
Clean-up once again with the Schick injector. This baby is smooth and really easy to use. I love it. Tomorrow it will be my primary razor, since it's going to be Sunday and I don't use straights on Sundays.
A bit later today I am taking the whole family up to "Christmas Town" at Busch Gardens. We'll ride some rides, take in a show or two, and check out the lights display. Should be a good time.
I hope you are all well and that you have a great weekend.
Hmm...sounds like I need to check out your new technique! Have fun at "Christmas Town!"
We had a riot, but near the end it was overly crowded. My wife, my youngest son, and I left at about 8:30 or so; my eldest son and his wife stuck around for another hour or more and rode a couple more rides.
It was awesome.
Today was a day off straight shaving, as always for Sundays. I used AoS Lemon cream again, as usual, too. For hardware I used a Schick injector.
Two quick passes to CCS+/DFS-. Nice, smooth shave.
Hope you all had a great Sunday.
Happy New Year to you and your Family Randall!
Thanks! Same to you, a few days too late, lol.
Thanks, Don. Same to you and yours.
CCXLVII yesterday and CCXLVIII this morning (that's 237 and 238).
For my New Year's shave, I popped open a brand new tub of Soapy Science in the Mint Mint scent; I had been working in the yard during the morning, putting away all the Christmas decorations and it was unseasonably warm, so I felt like the cooling of the Mint soap would be nice. I used the Mighty Mite. Two passes plus touch-up with the injector; great shave.
This morning I did exactly the same thing; different brush and different aftershave, but same soap and same razors. Same result, too. CCS+. One tiny area of irritation just to the right of the Adam's apple, but not a big deal.
The Mint Mint is nice; scent strength maybe 3-3.5/5, cooling effect minor but present. Lather is awesome.
I spent New Year's Eve at home with my family, playing board games and just having fun. It was nice.
Back to work this morning, unfortunately. My son and his wife will be flying out tomorrow to get back to their real lives, too. But we had fun while it lasted.
Hope y'all have a great day.
Thanks, Chris.
No time for a straight razor shave this morning, so I loaded up my MMOC with a fresh GEM blade. Lathered up the Mint Mint again and did two passes.
End result was DFS-, with a tiny bit of irritation at the left corner of the mouth.
I haven't used the MMOC for a little bit; when I get back to it, it always amazes me how efficient and smooth it is. What a razor!
My son and daughter-in-law are flying out today to go back home and get back to their regular lives. That's probably nice for them, but I am going to miss them.
Hope y'all have a nice day!
Yep. They didn't get home until probably about 1 a.m. this morning their time. Plane from here to Chicago, then from Chicago to Salt Lake City, then a train from Salt Lake City to their home in Provo. We might go out to see them in the summer.I am sure they will be back soon.So weird being all grown up. I bet my parents feel the same way whenever my wife and I leave.
CCXLIX (249, wow!) this morning. I stuck with what has been working; viz., Soapy Science in the Mint Mint scent and the Mighty Mite! Today I pre-soaked the soap while I showered with just a bit of water for faster loading. Got an amazing lather.
I continue to change up my technique with the straight razor little by little every day, taking different angles, going in slightly different directions, and even applying differing amounts of pressure in an attempt to maximize the efficiency of each pass. I am definitely getting more reduction with my new techniques, but occasionally it feels a bit awkward. Today I got a tiny bit of sting with the Mysol F./Extra aftershave, telling me that I applied a tiny bit too much pressure or too a tiny bit too steep an angle.
Finished up with the MMOC and got a good shave, though, so all is well.
Hope y'all have a great day and that you have the weekend off!
Still using balsa with CrOx and FeOx. I have some diamond paste but I haven't obtained any balsa of my own. I should probably make that one of my New Year's resolutions, I suppose. The balsa I'm using now came attached to the paddle strop I bought at Whipped Dog almost a year ago. Still don't have a good strop, either; just using the cheap paddle strop still. Seems to work pretty well. Stropping is mostly about technique. Having said that, I will probably invest in a better quality strop sometime this year.
Sunday's shave, not a straight razor shave, was one of the best shaves I've had in months. I lathered up the AoS lemon and got the water ratio perfect. I didn't shave at all on Saturday, which is very rare for me. I shave every day mostly because I have dense, thick stubble that grows fast, and if I skip a day, the next shave is always tuggy and painful regardless of what type of razor I use.
Well, the MMOC with a GEM blade on its third shave or so (probably its sweet spot) proved that I could get an easy, comfortable shave on 2-days' growth. No problem at all. I could've stopped after one pass; close to CCS. No tugging, no problem. But I decided to do a second pass, and I used an injector for that. After two passes it was DFS all the way; comfortable and smooth.
Straight razor shave number CCL was this morning. I used the Noonan, and I lathered up Soapy Science Lollipop Citrus with my Rubberset. All the stars should have been aligned, but weren't. I was running late, using my newer techniques, and rushing. This resulted in 4 tiny weepers. One on the right earlobe (seriously small). Two right next to each other on the left cheek (can't see them now, but had to use a styptic), and a tiny one near the left sideburn that I neither felt nor saw until after the shave. Can't see that one now, either. In fact, the shave I got this morning turned out to look and feel great.
I tested for sting by switching from my usual balm to Myrsol F./Extra aftershave splash and I had no areas that stung except for the small weepers on the left cheek. I was experimenting with a different stroke on the left side of the chin and the skin of the middle of my left cheek was too slack, and the tip took a tiny bite.
Note to self: If trying brand new things, don't also be in a rush. Or, perhaps it could be better stated like this: If in a rush, don't try new things on that particular shave.
Anyway, no harm, no foul. The end result was a good shave. Clean-up was with the MMOC, which I can shave with as easily as with an Atra or a Mach 3. For the life of me I don't understand why everybody doesn't absolutely LOVE the MMOC. It's fantastic. Perhaps the best razor in my stable.
I hope y'all have a great Monday and a great week!
Yesterday I didn't have time for a SR shave, so I replicated my Sunday shave with MMOC first pass and an injector for the second pass. Only difference was that I used Mystic Water Rosalimone soap instead of the AoS lemon. What an awesome shave! I got a perfect, fragrant lather out of the Rosalimone and enjoyed the shave immensely.
This morning was SR shave CLI. I stropped up the Japanese shorty last night and went at it with the MW Rosalimone again.
I almost never get the "disappearing lather" phenomenon with MW soaps, and I have been using them for a long time. But this morning I got at least a small taste of it; it didn't really disappear per se, but it looked much better in the bowl than it did once I got it on the face. It thinned out some, making it so that I could see through it in places.
Here's the thing, though. It still shaved well and still had an amazing post-shave face feel. It just didn't LOOK as good as it did yesterday. I think maybe I overhydrated it a little bit. But no matter. I did two passes with the shorty and then cleaned up with the Schick injector. Got a nice shave. I think the shorty needs a balsa refresh; it's not quite as keen as I'd like it to be.
Remember when I told you that I nicked my left cheek with the Noonan while trying something new a couple of days ago? A half-hour after the shave I couldn't see the damage, but now I can, and this morning when I was using the injector I opened up a tiny part of it again and it oozed a bit. So I guess it was a bit more of a cut than I initially thought it was. Still pretty small though. Don't think it's even gonna leave a scar for any chicks to dig.
Otherwise, things are going pretty well. I'm having a new heating unit put in at my house today; the old one was starting to go bad pretty quickly. Oh, well, I didn't need those $6000 anyway (insert sarcasm smiley and crying smiley here). Yikes! On the other hand, the house is almost 19 years old and it was a builder-grade heater. What can you do? Stuff gets old and goes bad, especially mechanical stuff.
Hope y'all have a great day!
