What's New?
ShavingUniverse.com

Register a free account now!

If you are registered, you get access to the members only section, can participate in the buy & sell second hand forum and last but not least you can reserve your preferred username before someone else takes it.

Progress

Matt

Matt

Well-Known Member
Welcome gentlemen,

Okay, before I start, I'll feed the cats, they're wandering around and meowing 'move your ass and get something to eat!'

Done.

Well, so it's yet another post on getting it right with coticules. I seem to get it more and more consistent, getting there with Dilucot on my #25, occasionally screwing up something (probably with diluting) and then I get away with taping and moving to Unicot. My last two or three honings after a big holiday break were successful Dilucots, though I was getting HHT-0/1 off the hone which substantially improved to HHT-4 after good stropping. Which just proves how vital stropping is (and maybe gives a hint that there's still a lot ahead of me, too :)).

However, a fully comfortable ATG is still beyond me, no matter if it's Unicot or Dilucot. I think I'll just have to live with this damn skin/stubble. Or it puts all that I wrote above into perspective. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Just wanted to share.

Have a nice evening!

my best regards,
Matt
 
Great news Matt, thanks for sharing.
I know how you are feeling since I am also still lacking consistency in getting keen edges off my cotis. But whenewer I do I just feel great. I really hope that the coti pilgrimage will give me some insights into this secret wisdom of coticule honing. And of course I'll take my black cat with me :D

Cheers
BlueDun
 
Guys your talking about the number one concern for those who are starting or have been honing for a short time. I went through the same thing as most of us do. There is no magic method or shortcut. They key is plenty of practice which you can also get by looking over ebay and buying junker razors for cheap and practicing on them (no Pakistan garbage though). That way you never need to worry about messing up a nice razor.
I think most other people will agree that even after a year your just getting fairly good at honing but you never in a million years stop learning about technique, stone types and characteristics of stones and razors. That's part of the fun though:)If you are honing and get frustrated stop! When you get aggravated you will learn nothing give it a break and come back to it later.
 
Well Said Gunner, consider buying a double arrow to practice with, despite what people that sell razors may tell you, they make very good shavers

And above all "Hone Happy" :thumbup:

Best regards
Ralfson (Dr)
 
On the Coticule weekend, Gary performed a shave on my good pal Kris. I consider Kris to be an experienced shaver. We started out with straight razor shaving several years ago, with only a few weeks in between. Of the two of us, I consider Kris the better shaver. He hones his razors on his La Petite Blanche, n°4 of the Vault. Gary shaved him with his own razor, a Friodur with a number of shaves on the counter after the last honing. Great razor, perfect edge. Gary goes to work. "Hmm", I hear him mumble, "You're one of those guys with very coarse beard and sensitive skin. A difficult combination". In the mean time he shows us a thing or two about beard prep. I already see it coming: this is going to be humbling experience... Like when you're a seasoned guitarist that feels like throwing away his instrument after visiting a Jimi Hendrix concert... We see how Gary gives Kris the shave of his life. Perfectly smooth, without a speck of blood nor a hint of irritation. Something that Kris since long accepted he could not achieve both at the same time, certainly not with this particular interval of beard growth (about 3 days).
But Gary wields the razor with an angel-like, light touch and a certain swiftness, marked by perfect angle and motions. It's hard to explain, but true craftsmanship can usually be instantly recognized.
And all who were present learned, once more, that a good shave is at least at much in the hands as it is in the razor, even if that razor is perfect.

Matt, if I read between the lines of your post, I think you're trying to escape that logic of "it's in the razor, it's in the edge, it's in the hone", and I hope my little tribute to Gary's shaving skills help you with that. :thumbup: Seeing him do it would help you more, though.:)

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
I couldn't agree more Bart. Over the years as my shaving technique improved so did the performance of my razors. In my case a combination of honing experience and shaving technique have made the whole experience much more pleasurable and effective.
 
Wonderful wonderful post Sir Bart, I bet Gary was made up :thumbup:

Mmm the only problem I have now is that I need a Thursday off, to drive over to Gary and get a shave!!

Best wishes
Ralfson (Dr)
 
tat2Ralfy said:
Wonderful wonderful post Sir Bart, I bet Gary was made up :thumbup:

Mmm the only problem I have now is that I need a Thursday off, to drive over to Gary and get a shave!!
Click to expand...

Do that. I'm already planning to pass along the proverbial hat among a bunch of Belgian shavers, so we can pay his trip and get the man over here for a demonstration. He's that good.

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
Bart said:
tat2Ralfy said:
Wonderful wonderful post Sir Bart, I bet Gary was made up :thumbup:

Mmm the only problem I have now is that I need a Thursday off, to drive over to Gary and get a shave!!
Click to expand...

Do that. I'm already planning to pass along the proverbial hat among a bunch of Belgian shavers, so we can pay his trip and get the man over here for a demonstration. He's that good.

Kind regards,
Bart.
Click to expand...

Your not helping :sneaky: ..hahaha
seriously I would try as hard as I could to come over with him for sure, and I must say Bart its very very nice to see you again my friend

Kind Regards
Ralfson (Dr)
 
Bart said:
tat2Ralfy said:
Wonderful wonderful post Sir Bart, I bet Gary was made up :thumbup:

Mmm the only problem I have now is that I need a Thursday off, to drive over to Gary and get a shave!!
Click to expand...

Do that. I'm already planning to pass along the proverbial hat among a bunch of Belgian shavers, so we can pay his trip and get the man over here for a demonstration. He's that good.

Kind regards,
Bart.
Click to expand...

Maybe when I come over :sneaky:
 
richmondesi said:
Bart said:
tat2Ralfy said:
Wonderful wonderful post Sir Bart, I bet Gary was made up :thumbup:

Mmm the only problem I have now is that I need a Thursday off, to drive over to Gary and get a shave!!
Click to expand...

Do that. I'm already planning to pass along the proverbial hat among a bunch of Belgian shavers, so we can pay his trip and get the man over here for a demonstration. He's that good.

Kind regards,
Bart.
Click to expand...

Maybe when I come over :sneaky:
Click to expand...
Why not? What's your planned date again, Paul?

Bart.
 
I haven't nailed it down precisely just yet, but I'm planning for early June or late May (most likely early June). I'll be bringing my lovely wife, and I may bring my daughter. You know, help her develop her perspective early in life ;)
 
It sound like that will match with his second trip...:D Please understand that I haven't even mentioned this idea to Gary, and we need to see if he would be willing to do it. But I am serious though.
The Coticule.be Fellowship for traveling abroad. :)
 
Lovely post, Bart, thank you - it made me grin to my monitor several times :) And made me want to get such a fantastic shave, too. :)

Of course, there's always the Indian apart from the arrows. I'm far from stating there's nothing to my technique, [big]BUT[/big] I made some interesting observations this weekend (actually me and my Anna both did).

My regular shaving intervals are three to four days. Not that my stubble grows that slow. The day after is perfectly OK (I always shave in the evening) and I could do it on the second day, as far as the growth is concerned. Now here it comes. The day after the shave my skin feels great (great I mean it, cartridges hear this!), but another (2[sup]nd[/sup]) day it starts to itch, burn here and there, and depending on how things go, I can have a next shave no sooner than three or four days later, until the skin settles a bit. If I dare to shave on 2nd day, things will get hectic, and I will be nicked hard.

On sunday morning my Anna made some interesting observation that seem to confirm what I suspect. She loooked at my neck noticing it's still a bit sore (I had a really close 3-pass shave a few days earlier) and she realised there are quite many ingrowns here and there. I usually get hardly any nicks during my shaves - so my idea is that my stupid hair somehow have difficulties with growing back out, and this is the time I get most itching and discomfort. Some grow through, some apparently can't make it. I was thinking that maybe some peeling or some other crap like this might help?

Still it all indeed has nothing to do with comfortable ATG. I'm sure some learning from the masters would help. But this second day discomfort made me wonder a little?

Sorry for another rant on this subject. :)

best regards,
Matt
 
Bart said:
It sound like that will match with his second trip...:D Please understand that I haven't even mentioned this idea to Gary, and we need to see if he would be willing to do it. But I am serious though.
The Coticule.be Fellowship for traveling abroad. :)
Click to expand...
I think I learned the quote thing. (is there a tutorial anywhere:-/ ) Where is Gary from London? I can get there for free in a company aircraft. I am not inviting myself, especially since I don't have the days off, but it would be a wonderful thing to do someday.
 
I wonder how many of us, myself included shave at night? I do it so I don't have to hurry and I can take my time and enjoy it:)
 
Gunner777 said:
I wonder how many of us, myself included shave at night? I do it so I don't have to hurry and I can take my time and enjoy it:)
Click to expand...

I tend to avoid morning shaves because I end up with tremors from drinking too much coffee! If I shave in the AM, I've learned to lay off the caffiene.:scared:

I understand what you mean, Bart, about technique.... my very first traditional shave was from an old Barber here in my town, and he was a master! It was the single best shave I've had.... ever.... except the one (second attempt;) ) i gave myself with the razor Gary honed for me. The edge he put on that blade was so smooth and keen, and my shaving technique has reached the level where I was able to appreciate that fine, fine, (damn fine!) edge. I've considered going back to that old guy for another shave, now that I'm a little more learned on the subject, if just to see what exactly he does differently and what I can learn from him. (hhhmmmm.... I am due for a hair-cut....:sleep: )

Cheers,
-Chris
 
Something interesting with my old barber. We were talking about my buying his razors etc and he told me the reason he no longer does straight razor shaves is his insurance won't cover him should a person be nicked!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top