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October 14, 2023
Nice shave. Although I tend to prefer my Stirling Tuxedo (one of the softer versions of this style knot), this Maggard one is very nice to use sometimes. It has a tad more backbone and it works great.
October 14, 2023
Brush: Wild West Brushworks Blue Space 26mm Cashmere
Razor: Ralf Aust 5/8 Stainless Full Hollow Spanish Point (Straight Shave 352)
Lather: Noble Otter - Monarch - Soap
Post Shave: Noble Otter - Monarch - Aftershave
Post Shave: None
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.
Travel shave. Amazingly good. Enjoying Monarch a lot.
RAustFrei++;
Been feeling a bit ill and frustrated by some sort of persistent low grade coldvid. At some point I check the mail and a couple Kismet blades for my Weck from @[email protected] were there! Thanks again. Wasn't quite feeling up to it until last shave a couple days ago I used the blade that was in there, a Fromm according to the spine (but perhaps a decade or more older as it came with the Weck in a lot). And today I tried the Kismet.
Really enjoyed that shave. Been a while since I'd used one of my shavettes or a pasted blade and I do enjoy the extra bump in sharpness, help me be really present with it and use a tight angle with a vanishingly light touch. However it came with a tiny weeper that sort of highlighted two pores, easly dealt with by alum but still, tsk, thats unusual with my less lasery natural edges, especially WtG. Managed AtG without adding to that and overally pretty happy with this blade. And the Weck generally, glad I didn't let it go when I was thinking pfff I have straights. It's a good benchmark and something to strive for with pasted edges.
...though I also saw why I haven't been back to this much since getting a few JNATs, definitely ended up with a bit more in the way of ingrowns.
Today I gave the Kismet a try and had a similar result (weeper moved though and had a twin this time). Also WtG because I decided I'd leave off AtG for fewer ingrowns although the extra sharpness is definitely appreciated there so it was tempting. Overall I really enjoyed it and consider it a resounding success because that was a fresh blade with nearly the comfort of one with 3 shaves on it and I didn't even palm strop it (On that note: @[email protected] you might consider palm stropping for fresh GEM blades, I find it helps those in particular quite a bit for me).
Overall though I think I mainly like the Weck: it wasn't hugely better than the vintage(ish) Fromm so I might try the current ones when I eventually use these up as I think there are more options for me to source those. Kismet was probably my favourite new-blade-in-a-shavette though I think the Captain Titan Mild AC comes close.
Er, to make this more SoTD I guess I should point out I was using DG Darkfall and a 23mm Muhle STF.
Get well soon. Wife and I have a similar annoying thing. I tested negative a few days ago but I'm going to test again when I get home.
Thanks and you too. I had two negative tests but saw some anecdotes that these kits have a very high (like >50%) false negative rate (but few false positives) so I'd probably have to do a bunch to really say anything conclusive. Especially since they apparently do even less well with current variants.
Ugh, we've also been playing ping pong with some covidesque cold in my family for weeks a month ago. Seems to be the new normal 🫤
Get well soon! And I'm glad you liked the Kismets!
Thanks! Things are looking up so here's hoping... also hope you guys rid yourselves of it soon enough.
I've channeled my inner SHAVE⭐DANDY in this first shave with yesterday's acquisition, the white Thiers Issard "Le Dandy". It was a nice experience to go to a real brick and mortar wetshaving store, even if their straight razor offering only includes Dovo and Thiers Issard. This dandy came in a simple cardboard box and flapless leather pouch.
I now have one more data point to add to yesterday's discussion of relative quality w.r.t. other manufacturers of Thiers Issard razors: The factory edge on this Thiers Issard is not great, certainly nowhere near what I got on my Ralf Aust razors. But you get what you pay for, I guess, and this razor wasn't pricey. I have to believe that it's a bad strategy to sell entry-price straight razors with anything other than a stellar edge, but I'm no business person. On the other hand, I really enjoy the whole maintenance aspect of using straight razors, so I'm looking forward to getting this edge to sing.
The geometry of the blade and point reminds me of a scaled-down version of the Koraat Sparschweinchen including the sharp corner in the point. It's a geometry I'm well familiar with, and I felt right at home. Good shave, albeit a tad tuggy. I think I will enjoy this razor quite a bit after I've given it a good edge.
Now I'm sitting in the Paris-bound high-speed train to meet up with @PorkButtsNTaters666. We have never met before, but I went extra heavy on the Glorious Old Man Stank® (++), so he shouldn't have any trouble finding me in the crowd 😊
Stank ++;
Curious to hear how the honing goes, some say the steel is noticeably different and I've seen a fair few pictures with crazy looking bevels that imply a challenging geometry. My only TIs have been vintage and fairly straight so I've yet to explore these.
Oh the Kismet blades arrived, thanks again! Recently did a control shave with what I had in there and will try it next.
crazy looking bevels that imply a challenging geometry.
Brad Maggard mentioned that about the modern Thiers Issard production.
I'll report back here how it goes with this particular one.
Oh the Kismet blades arrived, thanks again!
Glad you finally got them! It took long enough 😅
My TI was used, and came with a good enough edge.
By the way, now I can't post with Jerboa m, but Voyager seems to work.
I also can't understand why some manufacturers sell straight razors with anything less than a perfect edge. It'd certainly detract beginners from ever shaving with one again. Compared to DE razors, where you just pop in a blade and you're good to go, most people (myself included) lack the proper skills, time and funds to get straight razor honing right. I think that's why Böker offers a honing service for their straight razors.
Dovo had that, too, but they take it one step further, and in the first year after buying one, you can send in your razor for a free honing
I'm glad to hear you caved and went into the store 😀
😊
I didn't stand a chance
Congrats on the TI! Though I would have been surprised if you didn’t buy a razor at that store :)
The geometry on my two TIs has not been an issue. I had both of my razors honed by their respective sellers because I wanted to get experience of edges done by someone other than me. So no experience with a TI factory edge. That said, the only factory edge I have liked so far is Koraat’s.
I would have been surprised if you didn’t buy a razor at that store :)
Yeah, same 😅
The geometry on my two TIs has not been an issue.
That's reassuring to hear!
That said, the only factory edge I have liked so far is Koraat’s.
The only other factory edges I've tried were on my two Ralf Austs, and those were great. Did you not like yours?
I know that Brad Maggard hones Böker razors before he sells them, but not Ralf Aust, which leads me to suspect that Böker factory edges might also not be great.
I did not give my Aust edge much of a chance because I bought that razor about a month after buying my high-powered microscope. I had already honed my TI Le Grelot when I received my Aust and its factory edge was not as clean as what I could produce. At that time I was relying far too much on visual results and had far less experience interpreting edge condition at very high magnification.
I did not give my Aust edge much of a chance
I'm still using the factory edge on mine. They're really good!
At that time I was relying far too much on visual results and had far less experience interpreting edge condition at very high magnification.
Time to get serious and use an AFM to take 3d measurements 😅
Time to get serious and use an AFM to take 3d measurements 😅
I’ve considered this (as you might have guessed) :)
SOTN 14.10.2023
Much thanks to djundjila for not only sending one, but 2 unscented soaps to me!
Today I used DG Unscented for a 2-pass head shave. I actually had the whole week off (paid leave), but didn't shave much except for a swift one with gel and the Headblade. I experimented with various beard styles but am back into beardstache territory (the stubble will go tomorrow with my Sunday shave).
Unscented soap is kinda weird - it smells a bit like wet dog (or wet bison since it's DG?). I suppose it's the tallow scent. However, I was able to do two passes with a fresh GEM blade and it didn't flare up my eczema side too badly. One tiny weeper on the other side, but that's expected after a long pause.
Went with mostly scentless post-shave too and actually... It works, but it's dull. I might have to get in the habit of alternating between unscented head shaves and scented face shaves to actually get some enjoyment out of the hobby again. Much thanks to djundjila though for the soap, I'll put it to good use!
You're welcome! I'm glad the milksteak seems to work and keep irritation low!
the tallow scent
If you get the chance, grab a sample of Stirling Sheep, now that's some tallow funk! 😅
alternating between unscented head shaves and scented face shaves to actually get some enjoyment out of the hobby again.
And switch up razor styles? It scratches my itch 🙃