A Shave Worthy of Comment...

I brought this 4th in with a bang, my friends!


I got what was undoubtedly the best straight shave I've ever had today. 99.9% BBS, 0 irritation and using all American products (well, one German product by way of Canada, but close enough. The Germans were allies in the Revolutionary war, and Canada is PRACTICALLY America).

The shave really was great. That Genco responded beautifully to the touch up honing I gave it--and the edge produced by the Nakayama stone is something else. Smooth as velvet...really, I didn't need any aftershave at all today, but I used one out of habit.

Here's the thing. The edges I've been getting with my latest honing trials are not the sharpest possible. When compared to the edge I had on my Wapi, for example, they don't cut as smoothly on the initial pass, and with the Nakayama edges I can feel the blade kind of "gripping" the hairs as it cuts them. However, it is sooo comfortable--a really sharp edge, like the Wapi or the edge on my Henckels, is a faster, smoother cutter but somehow less gentle. After a shave with a really sharp edge, my skin feels tender, a bit abraded. After the shaves from these Nakayama edges I've been getting, my skin feels like it hasn't been TOUCHED by a sharp edge. No abrasion, no nicking, no nothing. It takes longer to shave, but the end result is much more desirable in my book. The longer time is the only reason I didn't give this a higher score on the ol' Daily Shave-o-meter...I had to really really take some time and take my touch-up pass slowly and carefully (which I need to train myself to do anyway) to get my face really smooth.

But I did it. With an edge I honed myself, and a truly comfortable face.

Now, I'm not saying that these edges I've been putting on my razors are the best. I could do with a touch more sharpness (as well as consistency); my true goal is to balance the super-close, effortless cut of a really sharp edge, with the velvety smoothness of the edges I have been getting off the Nakayama recently. I know it's possible: those are the edges that already exist on my Kawaguchi razors. So a really good bevel, polished and maintained on a really good stone. That's what I want, and I aim to get it.

Until I do, though, I'd be more than happy if I can keep getting shaves like I got Today.

Oh, and Happy Independence Day, all you Yanks out there!