Plain Stropping - Looking for Advice

[Tony Wilkins]

I've started using Cella too; good stuff. Still like my Tabac on occasion too though. Not a straight razor guy yet, using a DE. Thought about it but haven't taken the plunge.

[Winton Applegate]

Aaaahhh . . . yah
stick with just a few strokes on the palm.
Fifty could easily be enough to attract lightening bolts.
You were lucky (this time).

[Winton Applegate]

David W. and David B.,

And I thought I was a sharpening nerd.
You two take the cake.
Fun to read about.
For woodworking I am already way over sharpened (15,000 stone ) being able to shave curls off a single hair on my arm.
. . . but . . .
. . . you know . . .
. . .hmmmmm . . .
I could go for curls shaved off of a single curl . . .
THANKS
I now have a "good" reason to buy that new microscope I been eying.
Sweet !

PS: when you guys start talking soaps and creams it makes me think I tuned into an episode of Frasier and a discussion between the brothers. You know . . .
cucumber facial goops and phrases like " . . . w i t h__ j u s t__ a__ h i n t __ of vanilla"

Any other forum you could get beat up for talking like that.

I like Frasier by the way. I have the complete ten season, plus, set.

PPS: I am working on my own "signature" sharpening "system". It is centered around a quantum particle "focuser". One puts the set up in the window and by the end of the day (or week; depending on your launch window ) your "sadly inferior", merely butt stropped, edge is "properly" prepared by the focused bombardment of particles coming off the sun. The focuser only allows particles to pass in the early after noon and only on Thursdays.

I assure you, dear reader, it is worth every penny and will be available soon at all "reputable" tool emporiums world wide.
Long term financing available.

PPPS: Now you are talking about wrinkly butts. And they want to throw ME out of the forum for being inappropriate.
YOU GUYS !

[David Barnett]

David W. and David B.,

And I thought I was a sharpening nerd.
You two take the cake.

YOU GUYS !

Winton—thank YOU! I enjoyed your middle of the night post. And you're right—I've taken more than my share of cakes, and it shows. I'll further admit my a posteriori quest for horse butt stropping knowledge is, in hindsight, nearing its end, soon to bottom out.

I now have a "good" reason to buy that new microscope I been eyeing. Sweet!

You may laugh, but I occasionally roll out my vintage, huge built-like-a-mid-century-Buick B&L zoom-boom stereomicroscope from the micro-machining room to my woodshop for those late-night OCD hone-fests.

The newer 'scopes stay at the jeweler's bench and faceting mac... or should I say... facetating machine. Great for sharpening, too.

PS: when you guys start talking soaps and creams it makes me think I tuned into an episode of Frasier and a discussion between the brothers. You know . . . cucumber facial goops and phrases like " . . . w i t h__ j u s t__ a__ h i n t __ of vanilla"

If only you knew.

“This is provocative in the best possible ways as the civet does indeed hit you strong, but it's well situated against the leather, cardamom, and the oud. Given those notes alone, you know this is going to be a stinky scent—and definitely not one for the faint of heart. Personally, I find that the civet attenuates quickly, and what remains is a rich, almost dusty animalic dirtiness..."

Basenotes — for the truly scent obsessed

In no time you'll be slinging terms like chypre /ʃiːpr(ə)/, enfleurage /ˌäNfləˈräZH/ and sillage /sēˈäZH/ around the gang and trying out new self-defense techniques.

And two incredible reads: the first, a biography of biophysicist Luca Turin—the second, by the great man himself.

The Emperor of Scent: A True Story of Perfume and Obsession, Chandler Burr.

The Secret of Scent: Adventures in Perfume and the Science of Smell, Luca Turin

I am working on my own "signature" sharpening "system". ... I assure you, dear reader, it is worth every penny and will be available soon at all "reputable" tool emporiums world wide. Long term financing available.

Shell out the wampum for early production or hold out for the AsSeenOnTV™ knock-off? Hmmm.

As for body hair edge testing, it does have its limits. Any extant hirsute regions are those I can't reach, which on my generous topography are considerable, further which the neighborhood cats now resemble Mr. Bigglesworth.

[Derek Cohen]

Here in Oz we have to hone our razors at high cutting angles as it is well known that Australians have interlocked beards. Most hone at 60 degrees to avoid razor burn (aka tear out).

Incidentally, I have used the same shaving mug for 40 years, an Old Spice. The soap has been replaced (with various) a few times



Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Weaver]

PS: when you guys start talking soaps and creams it makes me think I tuned into an episode of Frasier and a discussion between the brothers. You know . . .
cucumber facial goops and phrases like " . . . w i t h__ j u s t__ a__ h i n t __ of vanilla"

You should see the soap discussions when the soapies are among friends. Attempted straightforward talk about why $160 worth of $4 really is a good deal or other such things. Or "essential" things to have in your "soap rotation". or "brush rotation" or other such not very essential things.

[Steve Friedman]

Here in Oz we have to hone our razors at high cutting angles as it is well known that Australians have interlocked beards. Most hone at 60 degrees to avoid razor burn (aka tear out).

Derek,

That must be because the sink drains counterclockwise. Thanks for the laugh. Just managed to avoid spewing coffee all over the computer screen.

Steve

[David Barnett]

Incidentally, I have used the same shaving mug for 40 years, an Old Spice

...Elias Hasket Derby's privateer frigate on 'er second sailin' out o' Salem, Mass., she was, 170 years t' the day afore my own launchin', 'twas—fell in w' the right dandy 130-ton Brig Providence that self same day, deliverin' 'er en prise, 'ostilities as there were, the day followin' t' be libeled 'n' sold stripp'd o' 'er guns, she was, aye.

There remains an active trade in that mug, Derek, much admired as it is.

As for your down under mates' interlocked beards—I've 'eard rumors t' be sure, & times have changed... still...

[bridger berdel]

scanning electron microscope pictures of stropped steel show that bare leather does abrade steel. very lightly, but it does. this was with straight razor steel, which is a little hsrder than a typical woodworking tool.

[Charlie Stanford]

...Elias Hasket Derby's privateer frigate on 'er second sailin' out o' Salem, Mass., she was, 170 years t' the day afore my own launchin', 'twas—fell in w' the right dandy 130-ton Brig Providence that self same day, deliverin' 'er en prise, 'ostilities as there were, the day followin' t' be libeled 'n' sold stripp'd o' 'er guns, she was, aye.

There remains an active trade in that mug, Derek, much admired as it is.

As for your down under mates' interlocked beards—I've 'eard rumors t' be sure, & times have changed... still...

Not sure how old this one is. It was my wife's grandfather's. My dad's was lost after his death - he had a Ship Grand Turk one like Derek's.

006.jpg

[David Barnett]

Not sure how old this one is. It was my wife's grandfather's. My dad's was lost after his death - he had a Ship Grand Turk one like Derek's.

Here's a couple links for identifying and dating Old Spice mugs—one for the earlier pottery, the other for glass.

Old Spice and Yardley lavender were two family standbys and I associate both scents with childhood. I have my father's shaving mug and my great-grandfather's monogrammed barber shop mug. My uncle has my grandfather's mug and my great-grandfather's shaving bowl he kept at home. I use a very old Japanese rice bowl and a low, thick pâte de verre lidded bowl I cast about ten years ago.

As for wooden shaving treen, I've made several stands and quite a few brushes over the years. My favorite is a triangular wenge handle with a best badger knot.

[Winton Applegate]

strop with some Simichrome

George,
Serious question. I promise to not get silly.
With the simichrome are you using it mostly on high carbon blades as opposed to the A2 LNs and Varitas plane blades ?
When I experimented with all the stopping abrasives I got nut'in out of simichrome. It just did not work on A2 where the yellow cake, the green cake and the diamond paste really went to town as far as making shiny, sharp and . . . well you know my thoughts on edge rounding.

[Winton Applegate]

what remains is a rich, almost dusty animalic dirtiness

. . . there goes the ball game
just when I thought we might fly this thread under the radar of the moderator and remain unejected from this forum for a few more episodes . . . you go with that line.

solipsistic in here

solipsistic with out a doubt,
with more than just a hint of lipflapalot

[Winton Applegate]

zoom-boom

SWMBO says she may allow me to get one of those; she wants to know more about it. She wants to know about the quality of the espresso and how many shots it can do at a time.
She said we can get one if it does decent shots.
(just play along)


I know when I have just tasted a decent shot of espresso because my eye balls clack together like two billiard balls and I see a spark.

PS: One of these days I predict you may wake up late at night, go to your micro machining room and imagine that you see me there in the room attempting to steal the zoom-boom micro scope. These visions of the future come to me occasionally; I'm a bit psychic.
Don't concern yourself, it is only a dream, go back to bed and fall fast asleep.
it is only a dream
it is only a dream
it is only a dream

[David Barnett]

. . . there goes the ball game
just when I thought we might fly this thread under the radar of the moderator and remain unejected from this forum for a few more episodes . . . you go with that line.

Oops... I did it again. Truly wouldn't want to transgress.