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Credit where credit is due

BlacknTan

Well-Known Member
Just a short note to heap some praise on one of the members here.. Gary Haywood.

I've learned more about my coticules, various other stones and honing in general over the past few weeks under Gary's tutelage, than I probably learned on my own over the past year of just mucking about on my own!
Gary works his stones every day. I did also, but not to the extent that Gary does. He's always experimenting, trying new things, and putting new combinations together, and he has inspired me to do the same. I can honestly say that my shaves have improved and that my face feels better... And if it doesn't, I know how to correct it.. than at any time in the past!
Gary gives freely of his knowledge, but also makes his pupil feel competent to press on...and perhaps to try techniques they thought they were not capable of..
I don't wish to embarrass Gary, but his skills are second to none, but he also has great abilities to teach, and more importantly, to inspire one to learn..

I also need to praise this site, because without it, and all the good members, the progress I've made would have never been possible!
 
thank you bill, i absalutley enjoy and love honing , and its great to share good results with others, as we have. Its good to compare notes. I'm always learning somthing new.

cheers gary
 
:thumbup: :thumbup:

May I just add, having met Gary in "real" life, he is one of the nicest and most honest people I have the pleasure of knowing, whilst I am sure he is no saint(unlike me of course! lol)he truly is one of the few that give selflessly, simply for the pleasure of sharing.

Regards
Ralfson (Dr)
 
Gary was the one that got me into coticules 4 months ago'ish and he mentioned he had naniwa's that he wanted rid of and I couldn't afford that sort of cash so he advised me to contact steve at the invisibleedge and grab a coti bout which was certainly cheaper and I'm so glad I did.

The next 2-3 months involved alot of emails with loads of questions which Gary always answered. I also bought a strop from him and he sent up some crox and white TI paste which, although I really do appreciate it, to be honest, I've used it once or twice as my coti edges are good enough to shave happy, which I can only attribute to Gary's tutelage. I also had that feeling that I had learned more in two months with a coti, than I did in 5 months with synthetics.

So if anyone's looking for some crox and TI paste, I'm happy to pay it forward, I'll pay for postage an' everythin, and thanks again to Gary being a great guy and honemeister, I still can't believe the speed you can sharpen a razor at with a coti, its scary :scared:

many thanks, Alex
 
tanxs alex it was apleasure, that strop was the invisable edge custom? if so how is going, i hardly got chance to brek it in, has become more supple and it more moulded:thumbup:

gary

good to se you getting nice edges with aid of paste .I still use paste now and then and i catuly quite like the crox on balsa. its always handy to have as you never no, you might need it, you ca use it as an inbetween and still finish with coti, and further touch ups.
 
I know I really should use it more, but today in fact I got the nicest edge off my jnat :w00t: if all else fails, I always have options

the strop is lovely, been using it pretty much exclusively now, the leather is nice, right in the middle in terms of draw and the leather has a sort of super soft suede feel to it, makes stropping so easy. I know what you mean about hanging strops and paddle strops now, I went back to the paddle once and it felt like I couldn't work it, I was used to the slight flexibility of the hanging strop so much.

regards Alex
 
I agree with Gary's thoughts completely.

Gary encouraged me to try the TI paste, which pleasantly surprised me, and ChromOx, which was a revelation. I may not use them all the time, but they're great to try, if for no other purpose than to experience the different edges they produce. Individuals may like how they refine an edge, or may not, but the experience is useful in our continuing education, and in our pursuit of the "perfect" edge.
It's nice to share with our fellow shavers, and I understand completely, but using different techniques to approach shaving Nirvana is one of the most important things that Gary passed on to me.
 
the j nat is also a very good stone, and get you were you want, glad the strops working, i don't think you can beat a hanging strop:thumbup:
 
using different techniques to approach shaving Nirvana is one of the most important things that Gary passed on to me.

Well I might not be giving the paste enough credit, the two razors that I've given to friends, were pasted, to make sure they were there in terms of keenness and smoothness, but I love getting edges off the stones for razors I use myself, mainly for the accomplishment factor.

regards Alex
 
I just had a cracking edge of my lv, it was the smoothest shave i had for a while, i think i struck gold with this lv:thumbup:
 
I'll second everything already said about Gary's abilities and the way he conveys the info.
Not wanting to embarrass Gary, I will just say that now I can hone a razor properly with a single bevel:thumbup: .
I would put myself in the 9 razors out of 10 catagory.
One on one instruction time with Gary is time well spent as far as I'm concerned and can't reccommend this enough.
As for TI cox, this is excellent stuff, if I max my edges out on the stone and then as few laps as possible on a tight hanging strop with TI crox, I find these edges are unbeatable:w00t: .

Joe
 
I'll add to the fanfare and salute Gary for his stand up attitude, and willingness to help.

Thanks Gary.
 
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