So today I decided to shave with this straight, which I frankly bought cheap off eBay so I could use it to practice sharpening/honing.
Somehow, it got so sharp that it would effortlessly whisk hair off my arm, so I decided that I must use it on at least one legitimate shave to see how it performed in real action.
It's a Temperite, made by Case, the pocketknife company.
The other tools are PAA Pineapple Bay Rum soap, lathered up by the Fire and Ice two band badger brush, and finished with a very masculine Lonestar aftershave from Noble Otter.
First off, the badger brush rocked the soap. The PAA Pineapple Bay Rum produced a cloud of thick lather, so much so that I just kept on shaving until I'd made three full passes and a bit of cleanup, and still there was seemingly a gallon of it left. It felt like a crime to wash the leftover down the drain.
This was a noisy shave. The first pass, I could have used hearing protection, it was like a grader blade down on a gravel road. The second and third passes were more hushed, but still louder than with a safety razor. The last swipes across the hide produced a satisfying hiss as the very last whisker survivors were nicked off.
But, the shave ended up being very good quality. Plus, very minimal blood, and blood is always are real risk with a straight.
Finishing this off with the leathery smell of the Lonestar was perfect. A great shave with an el-cheapo straight, but one that was at the same time plenty sharp and up to the job.
Keep up the great shaving posts. I plan to make the switch to your methods very soon (albeit with a safety razor first). What are your favorite soap/aftershave combo's??
ReplyDeleteThanks much. I like most of the Nobel Otter soaps, but especially the Black Tea and Vanilla. For a cream, my fav is TOBS Grapefruit. Aftershave favs right now are Nobel Otter Lodestar and Summer Break's Teachers pet, smelling like old leather and apple cider, respectively.
DeleteYou should also consider that PAA Pineapple Bay Rum. It's got a spicy, rich scent, and lathers very well. For aftershaves, also consider Proraso green, it's my standard.
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