Shaving.... like a man

[B.D.F.]

Yeah, the hanging hair test. Loved by some, despised by others. But it IS an indicator.

I use the thumb pad test and 'tree topping' to check the keenness of an edge. The thumb pad test is where you gently drag the stupid hand's thumb pad into the upward pointing razor edge. When it is shaving sharp, it will grab the skin with zero pressure; you will not be able to slide it down the thumb pad at all because it 'bites' immediately. This is all done with less than an ounce of pressure and no lateral movement of the blade so it will not cut you. But when the blade is really crisp, it feels like the edge is trying to penetrate between skin cells. Very hard to explain but it can be felt. Tree topping is just running the razor above some body part (easy boys!) and seeing if it will clip hair at least 1/4" away from the skin. This is sort of a hanging hair test but harder because the hair is being cut root- in rather than root out as it normally is done. Hair has 'shingles' along the outside of the shaft and that is what the razor is catching on. Holding the hair so the root is on the opposite side of the razor as the hand holding it is 'root out' and the shingles point the right way for the blade to catch. Root in, the way tree topping is done, is far harder. If the razor will cut arm hair 1/2" or further away, and there is no tugging before the hair is severed, the razor is truly sharp (0.1 micron wide edge, or just under 4 millionths of an inch).

Brian

How sharp is your blade? This video might help give you an idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF-ayPofWpY

[Cuda]

Shaving like a CAVE man



To each their own ....

[timsatx]

I think all those test methods are subject to interpretation. I figure the individual needs to find out what works for and use it.

[B.D.F.]

Absolutely, they are all subjective- hence the 'hate / love' emotional responses about them.

Aside from that, sharp is sharp and it CAN be quantified. It is just difficult to do at home without any equipment. What does vary from person to person is how sharp that person wants / needs the edge to be. Some people shave happily for months with the same cartridge razor. I get about 5 or 6 full face shaves with a DE blade before it starts to draw blood and cause discomfort.

By the way, the thing I used as a comparison was a Feather DE blade- considered by most the definition of sharp. Hang one of those in a straight razor style holder (a shavette) and do all the comparisons to that. It takes quite a bit of learning and effort to equal or exceed that edge.

Brian

I think all those test methods are subject to interpretation. I figure the individual needs to find out what works for and use it.

[B.D.F.]

I don't think cave man shaved.... human facial hair will only grow about a foot or so long for virtually everyone. And in those days, they probably singed / wore off / didn't live long enough for beard length to be a problem.

Brian

Shaving like a CAVE man



To each their own ....

[Rhino]

I don't think cave man shaved.... human facial hair will only grow about a foot or so long for virtually everyone. And in those days, they probably singed / wore off / didn't live long enough for beard length to be a problem.

Brian

Then how do you explain duck dynasty or ZZ Top? 

[B.D.F.]

Do any of them really have  facial hair much beyond a foot long?

Hair length is controlled by the rate it grows combined with the lifespan of each individual hair, on average. That is why, for example, body hair (easy boys!) never reaches any appreciable length, some Mediterranean women excepted (yeah, I am gonna' get punished for that but it IS funny). Everyone seems to wonder how hair seems to know how long it is supposed to be but of course that is not what is happening; the hairs just fall out before they are in existence long enough get too long. So each hair type on a mammal has a natural length based entirely on statistics.

Or, put more simply, a human's beard just will not grow endlessly. Now will head hair or.... nevermind.

As far as explaining ZZ Top, I would say that while a bit odd perhaps, they are talented people who have and do generate something with some cultural value. I cannot explain Duck Dynasty in any form or level and I have never seen the show actually. As the story goes..... The chairman of the FCC made a statement back in the 1950's that people purchasing and viewing televisions would see a vast wasteland. He received over 100,000 letters asking what time and network "Vast Wasteland" was on TV. Sixty plus years later, little has changed other than the wasteland getting even more vast with more waste to choose from and more methods of waste delivery.

Brian

Then how do you explain duck dynasty or ZZ Top? 

[VirginiaJim]

Then how do you explain duck dynasty or ZZ Top? 

Yeah, what he said..

[PH14]

Do any of them really have  facial hair much beyond a foot long?

Hair length is controlled by the rate it grows combined with the lifespan of each individual hair, on average. That is why, for example, body hair (easy boys!) never reaches any appreciable length, some Mediterranean women excepted (yeah, I am gonna' get punished for that but it IS funny).


Brian

Why do Italian men grow mustaches? So they can be just like dear old mom. Running, ducking, building a fort.

[B.D.F.]

Actually, I was picturing middle- aged Albanian women wearing thongs at the beach. Shiver me timber. Now I can't get that image out of my mind. 

Off to shave now and for the first time, I am sorta' hoping I slip....

Brian

Why do Italian men grow mustaches? So they can be just like dear old mom. Running, ducking, building a fort.

[Cuda]

How do you identify the Bride at a _______ wedding she is the one with the braided arm pit hair!

[B.D.F.]

Wuss! You can't leave the ethnic part of an ethnic joke blank and still have a man-card! C'mon, pick a nationality. And no Roman or Carthaginian garbage either! We want current ethnicities only!

Saw a sharp looking razor on the 'Bay today but missed it by [that] much. Really on the seeing the razor part, just assuming on the sharp part. Just not willing to reach too far without seeing it in the flesh.... so to speak.

Brian

How do you identify the Bride at a _______ wedding she is the one with the braided arm pit hair!

[B.D.F.]

Commonly misstaken words in English, part 97: sything vs. slicing.

Scything is the act of cutting as a scythe would, which is a slicing cut at or near the surface of something. For example, people use scythes to cut grain off at the base without actually penetrating (easy boys!) the soil.


Slicing: the act of cutting something by actually driving a cutting object into it. The act of slicing leaves the original surface separated to some degree, in some cases completely.


Now let's take a look at an example of the proper use of these words in a graphic format.







Notice this idiot has confused these two words. While shaving with some small degree of skill and using the proper scything technique to slide the razor both down and across the skin at the same time, he neglected to note that the very edge of the razor was not scything  but actually slicing. He actually saw the tip of the razor slicing under the skin. Fortunately, at least in this case, the clotting factor has one again overcome the lack of care factor that I think is the very reason we are all still here today. And this was a small cut, quickly closed and spilling not even a drop of blood although the Witch Hazel rinse after the shave served to again reinforce the point... to watch the point. And now we know why they make several different types of straight razor tips or points, one of them being round.

Brian

P.S. Note the look of contemplation in the eyes of our lowly example. He is about to shave under the jaw and down his neck and he simply cannot remember which side is the jugular vein and which side is the carotid artery. And one o' dem a stypic stick just won't work on....

[Son of Pappy]

Pics posted up in the media area under the Son of Pappy album. 
It shaves, barely.  Lots of work left, not sure it will be a regular use type razor, which is OK, all part of the learning curve.  It will easily shave the arm hair, and if, just if, the hair catches just right it will occasionally "treetop".  Down to 1 micron
Long ways to go.

[B.D.F.]

Nice looking razor- almost no hone wear and cleaned up nicely.

One micron, or about 14,000 grit, is fine enough to shave from directly if the blade is stropped well after honing. Stropping really will make all the difference in the world after that level of finish. In the olden days, barbers hones' were around 8K and that was it- although they did have stuff they used on hanging strops to further refine the edge such as wood ashes and chalk, which is still used to this day as a pre- strop strop dressing (cotton or linen used before clean linen, then leather).

Good luck with that thing and happy shaving. :-)

Brian

Pics posted up in the media area under the Son of Pappy album. 
It shaves, barely.  Lots of work left, not sure it will be a regular use type razor, which is OK, all part of the learning curve.  It will easily shave the arm hair, and if, just if, the hair catches just right it will occasionally "treetop".  Down to 1 micron
Long ways to go.

[Son of Pappy]

Thanks Brian!  Not done yet, I still have more polishing to go in the belly area, I want the total mirror shine for self gratification.  I also have the scales to make.
This is what I am using http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=33004&cat=1,43072 .  Ordering some of these up next http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=68943&cat=1,43072 .  I plan on getting smaller glass plates made up for ease of use.  I will be adhering an oak block to the bottom to raise the plate up for knuckle clearance.  As it is I have a large plate with 15, 5, and .5 micron strips (I took another look at what I have) on three sides. 
My concern is some of the pitting is close to the edge, which would make for a bad shave, so this may become a piece for learning and eventually a piece for looks.  I did a shave with it using canned cream, unnerving for sure (used a belt for a strop) but I can see myself making this a regular habit.  I'm looking forward to an ADV ride and doing a shave in the middle of nowhere with my old fashioned blade-"Shaving.... like a man"

[stevewfl]

they use nair

http://youtu.be/ou9AabR6_1w

[Son of Pappy]

I bet they don't use nair for that bikini line   I would volunteer my services though

[Rick Hall]

Started shaving with a solid blade 20-30 years ago. Don't do it often now, much too hard to get a smooth shave on the jaw line. There must be a reason men in the 1800's had a beard

I have one favorite straight edge, out of four?, four brushes, an "Old Spice" soap cup, an old stone hone that I never use, and a piece 'O crap retro strop.

It's kinda fun slinging the soap and stubble off the blade into the sink, knowing full well I could hit a fly at 7.8' ... if I had to

Rick

[B.D.F.]

I use film from Thor labs myself- http://www.thorlabs.com/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=1350  Best prices and a decent selection. Use the Aluminum Oxide- a package of 10 sheets, each 9 X 13" is enough for a long, long time. The prices are very reasonable and the service superb.

I use a pair of 1/4" X 4" X 14" glass plates as a surface for the film. Water and a squeegee will keep the film stuck down (vacuum) and keep the surfaces of contact on the film clean. They MUST be clean because any debris of any size at all will make a lump that the razor will skip over. I use a silicone spatula (stolen from the kitchen.... ssssshhhhhhhh) to squeegee the back of the film, then the glass and finally to squeegee the film, abrasive side up, onto the glass so it is extremely flat. Some water, a drop of dish washing detergent or shaving soap and away you go.

Canned foam really isn't the right stuff for a bare blade or a DE razor. A tallow based soap, whipped up with a brush is really in order here. A little pre- shave oil or hair conditioner (yep, the stuff in the shower) goes a long way to make a smooth shave as well. Some prefer a glycerine based hard soap, and I have had those work well too. Whatever you like but the canned 'auto foaming' stuff provides little lubrication or protection.

As far as corrosion goes, unless entire areas of the blade near the edge are absolutely gone, the razor will usually clean up and show an edge of good steel under the pits. Even the occasional pit right at the blade's edge is too small to cause any problem as long as it is a 'flea bite' and not a rotten area.

Glad to hear you are progressing. It is an interesting journey and one that holds satisfaction at the end if one likes completing a task alone. There is also a certain amount of pride in scraping the hair off your face using the most essential tools with the added benifit of knowing you took care of the entire process from honing to getting a transfusion. :-)

Brian

Thanks Brian!  Not done yet, I still have more polishing to go in the belly area, I want the total mirror shine for self gratification.  I also have the scales to make.
This is what I am using http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=33004&cat=1,43072 .  Ordering some of these up next http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=68943&cat=1,43072 .  I plan on getting smaller glass plates made up for ease of use.  I will be adhering an oak block to the bottom to raise the plate up for knuckle clearance.  As it is I have a large plate with 15, 5, and .5 micron strips (I took another look at what I have) on three sides. 
My concern is some of the pitting is close to the edge, which would make for a bad shave, so this may become a piece for learning and eventually a piece for looks.  I did a shave with it using canned cream, unnerving for sure (used a belt for a strop) but I can see myself making this a regular habit.  I'm looking forward to an ADV ride and doing a shave in the middle of nowhere with my old fashioned blade-"Shaving.... like a man"