On the straight and narrow

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This morning, I felt my face had recovered enough from the lamentable Zorrick blade experiment, so I drug out my Wadsworth straight razor.

I did my usual prep with loads of hot water and a hot towel treatment, then lathered up with a Vulfix brush and Proraso green cream.

The Wadsworth was carefully honed on the strop I purchased from Tony Miller the The Well Shaved Gentleman, so it was time to get that steel on skin and start shaving.

And I’m happy to report that with the exception of a tiny nick (that a spot of cold water sealed right up), I hadn’t lost the basic techniques I was developing, prior to the Mama Bear shaving soap experiment. A very respectable shave, if I do say so myself.

I’m not yet proficient enough with a straight razor to produce a BBS (baby bottom smooth) shave, but I can regularly get results at least as comfortable as I ever got with a multi-blade cartridge razor. I’m hoping that with practice, the results will improve.

I’m confident enough with my straight razor progress, I’ve picked up another straight for the collection. I’ve been looking forward to getting a restored razor from Bill Ellis at Billy’s Blades and he flagged me up that he had a new assortment of razors available. I saw a Lutz round point razor that caught my eye, so I’ve got this one headed my way from California -

Lutz Staright Razor view 1

Lutz Straight Razor view 2

I’ve been lusting after one of Bill Ellis’ razor restorations for quite a while and I’m really looking forward to getting this one. Bill is quite a master at making blades and restoring old ones. Alas, I’ll likely never be able to afford one of Bill’s customs (which are actually quite reasonably priced, BTW), but if you’re into eye candy, then look at his Custom Stuff page. Wear a bib, because you will be drooling. All those thumbnails will expand if you click on them. Remember, I tried to warn you about the bib. Whilst I’m not getting one of these beautiful customs, I’m still excited about getting one of Bill’s restorations.

I did get a care package in today’s mail — another lot of Mama Bear’s shaving soaps, with some samples of her aftershaves, as a special treat. Woot! I got another tub of Mama Bear’s Hydrogen, a tub of Mama Bear’s Dragon’s Blood, a tub of Mama Bear’s Brute, a tub of Mama Bear’s Lime Oil, a tub of Mama Bear’s Spicey Lime and a shave stick of Mama Bear’s Bay Rum. I’m sitting here, willing my beard to sprout some stubble, so I can give this tub of Dragon’s Blood a test drive. Ooops, it looks as if I needed a bib of my own.

I’ve tried to do my homework with my selections of shaving paraphernalia and it certainly has paid off on a personal level. I’ve been able to meet and strike up friendships with people like Giovanni Abrate at Razor and Brush, Mama Sue at Mama Bear’s Soaps and Bill Ellis at Billy’s Blades. And to date, the product I’ve received from these fine folk have all been excellent.

Well, Giovanni did send me that Zorrick blade…