The Learning is in the Practice..There is an Element of Self Discipline & Focus..You Need a System as a Foundation as I have shown Earlier in this Thread with Related Video's..Follow One Persons System that You can Connect with & Stick to It & You will Find You're Way..Now I really need to get my hands around the honing thing. No time for that for a few days but am looking fwd to it.
Sounding Good Karl..Before You Know it You will be Selling All You're Gem Blade SE s..Day 5 of learning the wedge blade SEs. Today was a switch to my Louis Rasoir. I've always liked the looks of this razor and I've used it before with a modern GEM and shims. I'm still coming up the learning curve but the result was a super smooth face with all the face rubbing goodness that comes with it.
Still a harsher experience that what I'd get with the GEMs but each shave is improving. I'm liking the wedges.
T&H Ultimate Comfort PSO
Castle Forbes Lavender Shaving Cream
Savile Row 3824
Louis Rasoir
C.V. Heljestrand (3)
60 laps before/40 laps after
T&H Classic After Shave Balm
View attachment 18329
Karl
Yeah..All these SE Hollow Ground Razors are only as Good as the Blades..It all about a properly Honed & Sharpened blade & that's Why there are Few that Use them..This French 'Tip Top' may be of interest to readers of this thread, I bought it a while ago in a fairly rough state in its original tatty box and seven or so blades.
Sadly only the blade in the picture and one other that has a chip are any good all the others are write offs.
The razor actually has cleaned up well and it shaves pretty well though I'd like to find a few moreView attachment 18401 View attachment 18402 View attachment 18403 View attachment 18404 blades.
Nice One Tom..It can Only Get Better..Tonights Shave with a Wedge
I just received this Heckles with 3 blades. I took and honed up one last night. I had a very nice shave with it. Mind you it could be better, but for my first attempt at honing it was a complete success. There will be many more shaves with a Wedge for sure.
Tom
They are 2 Different Animal's..A Properly Sharpened SE Stropping Blade will Blow a Current Gem Blade Out the Water in Terms of Sharpness & Smoothness & Efficiency..
A Properly Honed & Sharpened SE Hollow Ground Blade in the Correct Hands is Sharper & Smoother again than an SE Stropping Blade..I am Talking of Real Time Shaving Sharpness here..
SE Hollow Ground/Wedge & Stropping Blades might not Feel Sharper to the Touch than a Fresh Factory Blade but in My Humble Opinion a Factory Blade is a Step Backwards on Overall Comfort & Quality of a Shave..This is all Down to the Skill of the Users Honing & Stropping Skills & of Course their Skill in Using the razor..
There is a Gentleman from the USA that uses Hollow Ground SEs & he has recently acquired a Mongoose & a Cobra..I have heard him say that his Hollow Ground Blade SEs offer as Close of an All Over BBS as Both of these Razors..He Sorta Laughs about it..
Billy
Hi TomYes I am finding the wedge(hollow ground) to give a supreme shave. Mind you I am only 1 month into wedges but the shaves are as smooth as anything I have experienced.
I also find the shave to be virtually irritation free. I am able to get my trouble areas under my jaw. In fact it is mo longer an issue.
I plan on finishing out this month with my wedges, then return to se stropping blades for a month.
Tom
Hi Tom
That's where these Hollow Ground Blades come into their Own..Comfort is the Operative word here..Factory Disposable Blades are Fine & Dandy but like anything Else that is Disposable there is No Relationship or Attachment that You get with a Natural Steel Blade that you have Honed & Sharpened..
All things Disposable were Thrust upon the Modern World by Manufacturers because they are Cheaper to Produce & Don't Demand Skilled labour..Most Folks are Happy with Instant Gratification & Ease of Use..Convenience Doesn't Mean its a Better Product..Usually the Opposite..
Of Course Most Folks would Rather Watch Football or East Benders than Spend some Quality Time Honing their Own Blades & Reaping the Rewards..
The Irony is of Course that we Live in the Age of Modern Lapping Film & Synthetic Stones that have made the Job of Honing & Sharpening a Lot Easier..
Billy