To be simplistic about it, a degree of correlation with elements that contribute to wear resistance - carbon content, alloying elements, heat treatment - might be in order 😁
Technique-wise, I use a very wet lather preparation, and I keep shaving angle low to optimize cutting efficiency and to favor compressive loads at the edge over shear loads.
WestMan is under appreciated IMO. Eufros fits that category as well.
The edge has hit its stride and – at peak smoothness now – is a joy to use.
Yes, an edge can be too sharp. I actually like that feeling, but I associate it with a new edge that I know will soften with a couple of uses. I’m still thinking that stropping is a highly overrated activity.
August 20, 2024
Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave
Fragrance: Guerlain - Jicky - Eau de Toilette
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave. $headless $FriodomRiders #NoStrop
The closeness of these shaves backed down from exceptional during the first 3 or 4 days, and has remained pretty steady since then. Comfort increased, though, and the combination of comfort and closeness that I’m getting from this entire setup has been stunning. After the shave, I still have BBS everywhere except around my Adam’s Apple, but that area dries down to BBS after about 20 minutes. It is very difficult rate this experience anything but “Excellent”.
Tomorrow I’ll make my third microscope photo of the edge.
August 18, 2024
Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave
Fragrance: Guerlain - Jicky - Eau de Toilette
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave. $headless $FriodomRiders #NoStrop
To all of you who honed your straight razors this weekend: Congrats! Especially those who are newer to the honing process. To those who are old hands, I say, “Why bother?!”. Get rid of that vintage carbon stuff and get you some of this new fangled stainless! No honing or stropping needed and I (at least) get more (18 so far) comfortable BBS shaves from a stainless straight than I do from a DE blade (10-12 - @[email protected] not withstanding).
[ Ok, admittedly, I’ve never had more than ~15 shaves on a DE blade. I notice a softening of the edge around this point. The issue is that, once you get your technique down, shaves with a straight razor are much more comfortable than shaves with a manufactured blade. (IMO, YMMV, smoke 'em if you got 'em) ]
Your no strop project seems to show a bit of edge deterioration, if I read your SOTDs right.
The edge has become more comfortable over time, and closeness has just started to diminish but it’s a very small change that I only notice hours after the shave. I think that Str8_Razor is having a similar experience. I’m thinking that this is wear resistance of the steel.
August 17, 2024
Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave
Fragrance: Guerlain - Jicky - Eau de Toilette
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave. $headless $FriodomRiders #NoStrop
Here we are 17 days without a hone or any stropping and, if anything, the edge is more comfortable than it was a week ago. Closeness is very slowly diminishing, but I can only tell this 4 to 5 hours after the shave. I continue to be astonished. I mean, why bother honing or stropping at all?!
give the Frio a fresh new edge
Have you noticed much change in the edge over time?
August 16, 2024
Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave
Fragrance: Guerlain - Jicky - Eau de Toilette
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave. $headless $FriodomRiders #NoStrop
Really different projects. Nobody but @sgrdddy will suffer 5 passes for a workplace acceptable shave for 575+ shaves. Str8_Razor and I are getting the same performance from Frio 14s that haven’t been stropped in 15 shaves.
I wouldn’t do this with a carbon steel razor. The stropping helps dry the blade at the apex. But, yeah, there might be some heavy lobbying by big cow-hide going on here.
August 15, 2024
Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave
Fragrance: Guerlain - Jicky - Eau de Toilette
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave. $headless $FriodomRiders #NoStrop
Fifteenth excellent shave on a straight that has not been stropped. I’m in uncharted waters. With straights that I strop after every shave, I know I can get about 30 shaves before a refresh, but I generally do an edge refresh after about 10 shaves.
I have no idea what’s going on with this setup.
August 14, 2024
Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave
Fragrance: Guerlain - Jicky - Eau de Toilette
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave. $headless $FriodomRiders #NoStrop
Well, I guess all this stropping business is highly overrated. Here is the microscope photo of the razor’s edge after 14 days without stropping. You can look at the album to compare today’s edge to photos of the same area in the past. My shaves have been as consistently good as this edge since day one. I did not expect this at all.
August 13, 2024
Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave
Fragrance: Guerlain - Jicky - Eau de Toilette
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave. $headless $FriodomRiders #NoStrop
I was on autopilot today and was done with the shave before I realized it. And I had yet another BBS, comfortable, no drama shave. The last couple of days, I have noticed stubble reforming earlier in the day than I would normally, but I can’t help but rate these shaves excellent. By this time in the month I fully expected to change from my “ignore the grain” 2-pass pattern to my more traditional 3-pass pattern. I need practice on the latter, so I’m hoping that tomorrow’s microscope image shows some wear.
I’m absolutely loving the Darkwing base. This is my only Chicago Grooming soap, and I fully intend to remedy that.
I gave a lot of consideration to using Roman Spice for AA, but I go nose blind to it almost immediately. I get hints of the fragrance, though, after everything settles down.
I rinse the tub also. I could care less if it wastes a little soap. It satisfies my sense of orderliness (i.e. OCD).
Welcome back! Glad you’re not dead!
August 12, 2024
Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave
Fragrance: Guerlain - Jicky - Eau de Toilette
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave. $headless $FriodomRiders #NoStrop
Another excellent shave, but I just started to use my “dulling edge” technique.
I normally shave with a very keen edge and my technique for that is to use a very low angle (for cutting efficiency) and very light pressure (to minimize irritation). As the edge dulls, I keep the same low angle but increase pressure on the bevel, and not on the apex. This pressure lowers the bevel and the apex into the area where the whiskers poke through the skin. Raising the spine and directing more pressure into the apex (which is more natural) drives only the apex into that area. For me, this approach does not cut as well and can result in some irritation.
As the blade dulls, I’ve found that I am more inclined to raise the spine and press harder, and while this feels “right”, it does not work as well for me.
August 11, 2024
Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave
Fragrance: Guerlain - Jicky - Eau de Toilette
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave. $headless $FriodomRiders #NoStrop
“It’s Déjà vu all over again”, Yogi Berra
Today I felt the beginnings of change in the edge. It feels just a little softer and more accepting of more pressure. Comfort and closeness are still where they have been, but if I wanted to, I could get away with a sloppier shaving style.
August 21, 2024
Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave
Fragrance: Guerlain - Jicky - Eau de Toilette
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave. $headless $FriodomRiders #NoStrop
Edge Condition Album
Pretty much a status quo shave, but perhaps a little less close than the last few shaves I’ve had. I took a microscope photo of the edge and also added it to the album.