Wet shaving!

Discussion in 'Geek Cave: Computers, Tablets, HT, Phones, Games' started by FlySweep, Dec 27, 2016.

  1. dubiousmike

    dubiousmike Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    269
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Los Angeles
  2. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,960
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Irvine CA
    Indeed. All stainless steel. I think most safety razors are heavy brass.

    90g is a great weight IMO.
     
  3. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,960
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Irvine CA
    So just wanted to share this with you guys (specially those interested in straight razors). I went down to South Coast Plaza, and into Plaza Cutlery and had the guys take a look at my Dovo 6/8 full hollow Best Quality blade. These are the data points:

    1) The blade has too much damage in the spine, and fixing it would be too much work. Not worth it given this is an entry level piece ($70). They strongly adviced against honing w/o tape, and made a comment about how much disinformation is given to people @ forums.

    2) The fact that I took too much metal (given advice to hone 30 min w 1000 grit) and drove into the shoulder was not such a big deal. But the damage to the spine, specially since it was uneven, was a big deal.

    3) The guys checked out the existing edge I put on the blade and were surprised at how sharp it was. This is my least sharp razor and had 2 shaves with it before going to the store. I was told that it was definitively shave ready or close, and they would only give it a 10k to 20k grit pass. They did sell some pretty expensive and esoteric Japanese stones there.

    4) Because the bevel was a bit uneven and too long, I was told that the sharpness of the razor would not last long and would need to be sharpened often. This blade is the one I have to sharpen the most. More than the GD 208 and it seems in this case this is due to the bevel angle.

    5) I was told that a wedge razor will keep it's edge longer, but it would not be very smooth. A full hollow would need to be sharpened more often, but it would be much more smooth. This is due to the fact that the blade deforms less on coarser grinds, but don't seem to take as good of an edge. I was told that a half hollow (such as my pro sharpened Dovo) would proly need less sharpening, but it would not cut hairs as readily as a well sharpened full hollow.

    6) As far as disposable blades (think Feathers, Dorko, Astra, Personna...) they are extremely sharp. Sharper than most "shave ready" straight razor. And would actually keep an edge longer than a straight razor. This because the angle of the micro bevel tends to be larger than when honing a straight using the spine. I believe the honing on disposable blades is done by machine and quality controlled.

    My most sincere thanks to the Plaza Cutlery guys. I really appreciated their candor and the fact that they didn't just took my money. If I was going to buy a new and nice Dovo next time, I would buy it from them next.

    So, the Dovo is now in the tools cabinet, and so is the GD 208. They shave well, and may use them from time to time. But I did damage them after listening to shit advice.

    I can say based on my experience, that a GD 208 and above can take on a Dovo. Regardless of what you hear on SRP. So I'm keeping my half hollow Dovo, and just got a GD 300 which I will attempt to sharpen myself with what I've learned. If all things come out right, I may record my sharpening approach and post it.

    I'm somewhat disappointed at the straight razor forums. Specially SRP. Few folks take a jump into straight razors for a variety of reasons. On basic maters like this, allowing self appointed experts give shit advice is not helping bringing back the love for this approach into wet shaving. Here, if someone asked me for an entry level, cheap headphone that will not break the bank I would immediately stir the dude for a Porta Pro or a KSC75. Putting GD straight razors in the nutty corner of shitness and giving shit advice that will certainly put your razor (expensive or not) into shit land is bullshit (IMO). I'm a bit pissed. I'm sure I will get over it and be happy about it later.

    More over, one will need to learn to hone a straight razor. Depending on how often one uses the straight, it will need to be sharpened or hone refreshed at least with a 8k stone. If using it as the main approach (say every night), I wager it will need to be stone refreshed every 1 to 2 weeks. Specially if one does all 3 passes. The strop can only do so much.

    A straight razor makes absolutely no sense if one wants convenience, performance, and lowest price. It makes sense if one wants to master a skill which may also improve performance when using other types of razors. Maybe if I can get a Chinese $11 razor sharp w an $8 stone it may start to make more sense. But while it obviously possible to make a straight razor shave ready, I don't think it's going to be sharper than a Personna or the likes disposable blade. And no. A straight razor will not last one forever. It will obviously wear off as one sharpens it.

    All of the above I say in all honesty. I eat my own cooking, and I will report back on that GD 300 that cost me $12, and will sharpen myself. Will see if I can propose a straight razor approach that will not break the bank, a la KSC75.

    Here are some videos that I found interesting and instructive as well (dude not happy with SPR either. I think they do have great info there. But things can indeed be misleading):






    (BTW. In regards to the last video. One does have to manage expectations w a straight. IME, "shave ready" or "Pro shave ready" straights are not as sharp as a shavette using good modern DE blades. Good technique will overcome the difficulties, and indeed will result in improved results when using other approaches. Like I said, I used the Equinox shavette and got awesome results. And all that said, I also love and shave well with the straights I have. Just sucks that I fucked the spine in a way that it makes sharpening a pain in the ass. Also, in the last video, the worst thing he had was that "Russian" blade, which has no spine left! It's basically trash at this point.)
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2017
  4. Velomane

    Velomane Acquaintance

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Great post Ultrabike. Thanks for taking the time.
     
  5. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,960
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Irvine CA
    Got my GD 300 yesterday, sharpened it, and shaved with it.

    Awesome blade.

    Got it for $12 with leather pouch included off from eBay. Some corrections were done to the geometry and the blade came in sharp. The scales were more secure and much more handsome than the GD 208 I got for $35, and the shoulders are still there. Scales are cheap plastic. Unlike the GD 208, the GD 300 blade has jimps both on the bottom and top of the tang (will post pictures later) like the Dovos I have. Much nicer blade than the moded GD 208 I got, and IMO on par with the Dovos I have.

    While sharp, and maybe allegedly shave ready, it was not shave ready for me. So I sharpened it (WITH TAPE). Honing it was no problem at all (unlike the Dovo 6/8 clusterfuck I got from Amazon for $70). Did the hair test before sharpening, and it was not doing it's deal. Did the hair test after sharpening and it was definitively ready to mow some hair.

    Shave was as good as it's going to get. The Dovo 5/8 half hollow I got that was professionally sharpened (and probably QA by the seller), shaves just as well. This GD 300 and my Dovo 5/8 look very similar in many ways, though the GD 300 is heavier. I'll post some pics side by side later. Both are great shavers and look nice. The scales on both are cheap plastic of comparable mediocre quality. One cost me $73 (sharpened by SRP forum approved pro honing dude - and he did a nice job), the other one $12 (eBay sharpened but did need some fine tuning there, the bevel was sort of set nicely though).

    Will try to polish my GD 208 since I learned to hone with it, and it's not nearly as nice as this GD 300 and the Dovo 5/8. The Dovo 6/8 is proly now 4/8 after loads of unsuccessful attempts to make it last more than one shave sharp enough. Once I get the GD 208 polished I'll post some straight razor porn.
     
  6. Aleatorius

    Aleatorius Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2016
    Likes Received:
    90
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Dallas
    Just out of curiosity did anyone go to the Maggard Meetup I linked here?
     
  7. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,960
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Irvine CA
    Would have gone. But I'm in SoCal.

    BTW, more razor porn. Here are my current 4 straight razors (including shavette):

    From left to right: Equinox shavette (loaded), Dovo Best Quality 5/8" half hollow black acrylic scales, GD208 modified by vendor (no shoulder), and GD300 stock 13/16" full hollow blue acrylic scales (about the same quality as Dovo and tight).

    IMG_5537_small.JPG

    A different angle:

    IMG_5538_small.JPG

    My current preferred one in terms of looks is my GD 300. It shaves wonderfully and the blade seems more polished than the Dovo. The Dovo and the GDs hold an edge very well.

    The GD300, like the Dovo and unlike the GD208, has jimps above the tang:

    IMG_5539_small.JPG

    Here are the Dovo and the GD300 next to eachother:

    IMG_5540_small.JPG

    The GD300 is much wider and thicker. Obviously heavier and easier to control IMO. Unlike the GD208 I got, this GD300 does not seem to have obvious geometry problems, and again, the scales are tight and feel as good as the Dovo. The bevel is well set and I'm already on shave number 5 with it (3 passes) w/o any problems.

    On the mail are now two ZY razors which differ from the GD in that they come w/o shoulder from factory and are stainless steel. Scales are wood instead of of acrylic. They ZY Grandslam was $16 and the ZY purple blade was $14. We'll see if it's a screaming deal as the GD300, currently my best blade.
     
  8. Dr. Higgs

    Dr. Higgs Boson - Member

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2015
    Likes Received:
    781
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Roswell, GA
    I just had the best shave of my life with a 1957 Gilette Superspeed Blue-tip with Personna med-prep blades.

    Best balance between mildness and efficiency I've come across so far (better than my ASD2). I also snatched it up for $30, not sure what else can compete for that price.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Daveheart

    Daveheart Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Likes Received:
    566
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Oh man, I just got a '59 Fat boy E4 that's out of this world. It's probably pretty similar other than being adjustable. I really like the vintage Gilletes.
     
  10. FlySweep

    FlySweep Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,412
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    A few nights ago, a finely whipped batch of Proraso and a mastered Parker Variant (in the background) gave me a shave so perfect, I swore I had visions of Gandhi.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Properly blended Proraso shave soap is so fuckin' exquisite. Will have a review of the Parker Variant up here soon.. along with some general tips for newcomers to wetshaving (with DEs).
     
  11. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,960
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Irvine CA
  12. Velomane

    Velomane Acquaintance

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Winnipeg
    Hi guys,

    I've got some brushes, stones and a straight I would like to sell. Can I post these in this thread?
     
  13. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,960
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Irvine CA
    Usually sales are handled through the F/S forum, and it may have Friend level access restrictions. Talk to @shotgunshane about it.
     
  14. nithhoggr

    nithhoggr Author of the best selling novel Digital Jesus

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    429
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Boston area
    Tabac really is a love-it-or-you-hate-it sort of scent. It reminds me of the barbershop I went to as a kid...sorta like stale tobacco with a bit of a powdery note, some subtle citrusy notes in there too. It's a very nostalgic smell for some people (including me...it's one of my favorite soaps), but some people find it repulsive. Amazing lather, though...a very nice tallow soap. Used to be that you could get the same lather with a less controversial smell with Irisch Moos (it smelled like a grown-up version of Irish Spring), but now the Irisch Moos soap is discontinued and probably literally impossible to find by this point.
     
  15. fishski13

    fishski13 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    366
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Twin Cities, MN
    Great thread! I completed my 5th DE shave last evening. I've been considering DE shaving on and off for awhile and finally decided to take the plunge after my stock of cartridges ran out. So far so good, but I definitely need more practice.

    I can grow a decent beard. I've always loathed shaving, so much so that I usually only do a complete face shave once every 10 days or so with a clean up on the neck once every few days in that time. I'm finding a DE shave to be less irritating with a new blade, but the quality drops on the 2nd and 3rd shaves and I experience more irritation. Nothing terrible but I can feel the difference. I'm using a Merkur 34C and Astra SP blades. The Merkur is supposed to be a milder shave. Maybe I should try a sharper blade?

    For soaps, I've only tried The Blades Grim - Smolder and Razorock XXX. My water is hard and my water softener sucks. I don't think I'm getting great lather. Maybe my Perfecto badger brush sucks, my technique is weak, or both. I've been face lathering. I have a Stirling "Kong" arriving tomorrow along with a few 1oz sample pucks and aftershaves. The Kong is supposed to be a lather monster. Stirling soaps seem to be well regarded.
     
  16. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,960
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Irvine CA
    I'm not sure about the Astra SP blades. I had great luck with the Persona comfort coated blades. I shave 3 passes with them and they last me 1 to 2 weeks. I believe the coating keeps the blade longer but that could all be in my mind.

    Also the Perfecto badger brush looks exactly the same as my Tweezerman brush. You can get good lather out of it, but it takes more effort. I have a higher end brush with more and softer bristles that my parents gifted me some time ago (dunno the brand actually, seems hand made of some sort). After some time with it I can get much better lather with it and quicker than with my entry level Perfecto-like brush. It's just more work with the Tweezerman brush for me.

    Upgrade your brush. More bristle density may make a difference. It did for me.

    I recommend you try shaving cream such as Proraso. It might be easier to get good lather with it. Hell, I've even tried good all el-cheapo Williams soap. It works, but I find it also a little harder to use. In the end, it all works out with practice. To me the difference is in the effort to make some of the products work well.

    You also might find that once you master the DE, using the cartridge will be much easier as well.
     
  17. nithhoggr

    nithhoggr Author of the best selling novel Digital Jesus

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    429
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Boston area
    You should get a blade sampler pack from someone like West Coast Shaving...you never really can tell what blade will work best for you until you try it. Though if you're finding that your quality of shave drops off significantly in the second or third shave, you indeed might need a sharper blade, like Gillette Yellow, Super Iridium, or Feather. (I might just be biased towards sharp blades, though...my annoying combination of sensitive skin and a thick beard results in me needing a very sharp blade and a relatively aggressive razor.) If you're experiencing irritation, pay close attention to your shaving technique...are you unconsciously compensating for a duller blade or milder razor by applying pressure? It's a very common mistake, and can lead to some real irritation. You might also try mapping your beard again to make sure you got the grain right.

    Have you watched Mantic59's intro to wetshaving videos? They're how I first learned to wetshave -- a very good resource.

    I used to live in an area with hard water, and face lathering was nigh impossible for me. Have you tried bowl- or hand-lathering? I always found those easier with hard water...easier to adjust. Plus, bowl lathering is easier to start out with anyway. I'm not familiar with the The Blades Grim, but I can assure you that Razorock soaps can absolutely give you great lather...I have a few of theirs. Your brush probably isn't making the difference...at least in my experience, you can get a good lather out of just about any shave brush; nicer brushes are more about face feel and ease of control while face-lathering.

    ED: Also, try loading your brush with more soap. You'd be surprised how often just using more soap fixes things.
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2017
  18. nithhoggr

    nithhoggr Author of the best selling novel Digital Jesus

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2017
    Likes Received:
    429
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Boston area
    I'd just qualify that by saying that's mostly a face-lathering specific thing, at least in my experience (YMMV)...bowl lathering tends to be much more forgiving of sparse or floppy brushes. Also, a very dense brush can have its own issues...if he goes straight to something like the Simpson Chubby, he might have a bit of a learning curve dealing with its lather hogging, soap destroying nature.

    I tried Williams once. This is what I subsequently did to it in my desperation to get it out of the mug I'd stupidly put it in.

    [​IMG]

    The lather wasn't awful, but the smell was just horrendous. Why would you make a shave product smell like a urinal puck?

    This is absolutely, 100% true. Using a light hand, short strokes, and multiple passes helps immensely with cartridge shaving as well. It's just that cartridge razors have been engineered to be forgiving of terrible technique.
     
  19. Eric_C

    Eric_C Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    364
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Just started on Proraso (the white one), it's my first cream after using Tabac sticks for a while. Both lather alright but I appreciate the convenience of a cream--the Tabac stick in particular was tricky, once you get to the last bit of soap.
    My Proraso lather's a bit airy/less dense than I would like at the moment. How much do you guys use? Just a dab, or more?

    (Also, in case anyone's considering Proraso's styptic cream: I just started using it, and it's much more expensive than alum, but again, a lot more convenient.)
     
  20. fishski13

    fishski13 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    366
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Twin Cities, MN
    Thanks for the tips gents!

    I have sensitive/dry skin and have been shaving much more frequently since i started DE shaving - maybe every other or 3rd day. There's no way I could have done this with cartridges and the same shaving technique I've been using for the last 25 yrs. Unlearning and relearning will take some time. I always had this one shaving pimple in the exact spot on my neck for all of these years. Not anymore! I'll pay more attention to how much pressure I'm applying.

    I'll try bowl lathering. My first shave was with Cremo and what I used with cartridges. It doesn't lather with a brush, but I was impressed with my first DE shave.
     

Share This Page