Whittling down

I'm getting rid of stuff at a crazy pace...

So to pay for 1.) my recent Tamahagane purchase and 2.) my upcoming trip to the States and the connected shopping spree I'm planning, I need money. I've gotten rid of some things that I thought I never would, but that on retrospect I decided I didn't actually need--like my Especial Para Barbas Duras--in the hopes of breaking even and maybe coming out far ahead enough to cover some hones. Funny thing it, it's not as hard as I had thought. I've pretty much broken even and I have some good stuff coming in, for less money, and yeah...simplify? Maybe?

But at the same time, the whole local hone thing has set off some real stuff with me. Some new leads, some new connections and friendships, and some new ventures. So there might be NON-MATERIAL developments in my shaving life, which will be new; the acquisition brings its pleasures, but also its own problems...financial, spiritual, familial. It's also a good way to teach myself some discipline, and being a little more reflective about what I need and don't need.

So...that's where I'm at. What I'm doing. I'm not cutting out new stuff, not at all. But rethinking what I DO get, and why.

Meaning stones, of course.

Progress?

Well, I've polished up the ol' Tamahagane...

What do you think?
Just to remind you, here's a before:


And after:







I like it...now to hone it up again!

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In other news, I have found something so EXCITING!

I live in Yamaguchi prefecture, in western/southern Honshu, on the Seto Inland sea. I'm not far from Iwakuni City, which has an American air force base and, apparently, a NATURAL HONE MINE! I just found out today...I stumbled on a blog written by a carpenter in Iwakuni, who found the mine and met a miner who worked there, and now has some stones from that mine. There is a full range, and they even have some finishers that rival the famous ones from Kyoto!

I am so so excited about this. I've gotten in touch with the blogger, and hopefully I can arrange to meet the miner as well. And, of course, see if these stones are any good for razors!

AAAAAND, in enlisting my wife's help in the search for stones, she stumbled on a little shop here in Hikari called, get this: Kobayashi Hone-stone workshop (小林砥石工房）. What a day! What fun! Why don't I have any money!?

Oh yeah, I bought the coolest razor in history, that's why.

Hmmmm....

Anybody want to buy a Filarmonica?