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  1. Gasquolet

    first straight

    That's exactly how I started too. No strop 'an all... I took the advice though and didn't use the razor a second time before my stop arrived. Just as well, I now know why. I did buy a second razor before my strop arrived though... :p Enjoy!
  2. Gasquolet

    Some Sailors. Please show yours as well.

    I've found you an extra 4mm: My Pro Gear Realo measures 119mm from nib tip to piston knob end. As near as damn it identical length to the Platinum #3776 when compared that way. Quick edit to mention; mine is the older Pro Gear, the newer Pro Gear II has different components, most notably the...
  3. Gasquolet

    a modern Dinky and 1936 Edward VIII stamps:

    Lovely little pen and unusual resin. What is it called? I've never seen that particular combination. I was feeling particularly like a Conway Stewart day today after starting with Blenheim Bouquet soap and my favourite Joseph Allen razor this morning so I've been using my brown whirl...
  4. Gasquolet

    Could some expert in fountain pen explain this?

    Yes, That'll be fun! My Duke has a similar nib, maybe a little broader again as it is a three tine nib but less refined than the Jinhao. The effect is the same; the 'fude' brush pen effect is pronounced when you use the pen in the way you would a brush, altering the angle through a stroke. I...
  5. Gasquolet

    Could some expert in fountain pen explain this?

    A bent nib upward or down? Fude or posting? All these questions... I'm intrigued. I have a Duke 551 which is great fun. No idea why I bought it as I can't draw and apart from hilarious signatures I can't see what else it's for but I went through a convertor full in an hour just doodling.
  6. Gasquolet

    Could some expert in fountain pen explain this?

    One of the American fountain pen men of repute, Richard Binder I think said of the fountain pen generally that it is nothing more than a controlled leak. The basis of the control is that the ink is drawn by capillary action onto the paper from the reservoir, via the nib and feed and as that ink...
  7. Gasquolet

    Joining the straight brigade

    I can only speak from experience but yes, the quality of the shave comes with practice, this won't be rushed. I found I was getting really good, clean areas after a few shaves; cheeks, sideburns etc - the easy bits. Then almost randomly I would get a good shave over larger, more difficult...
  8. Gasquolet

    Where to buy good paper at decent price in Britain?

    Rhodia R is nice. A friend writes to me on it, An Oxford seyes pad! Head stapled too, must be for the local market as you say. I've not seen that before. Some of my Oxford notebooks are marked Made in EU and others Made in Germany. Hamelin, who own the Oxford brand talk prominently of their...
  9. Gasquolet

    Joining the straight brigade

    From my recent experience, over the last few months or so: 1. This is a good mechanism for indicating you are not going too far too soon. 2. You know that slightly wet lather that some people complain they can't get past with MWF? More hydration is good. The SR shows which soaps are good and...
  10. Gasquolet

    Where to buy good paper at decent price in Britain?

    I agree, give Oxford a try when you see it again. I use Oxford notepads at work and home for 90% of my writing. The Optik paper is 90gsm and in my opinion is superior to Rhodia paper, and to some degree Clairefontaine (same company, slightly different paper). Tastes differ on this matter; the...
  11. Gasquolet

    Joining the straight brigade

    This. I just sold three DEs, I'm keeping two; one for emergencies at home and one in my travel kit. Not sure if this is a universal thing but I find the SR had improved my DE shaving too. Don't quite understand how but it has.
  12. Gasquolet

    Just pens, some subtle and others not so subtle

    That is a superb story. I am a fatalist in many parts of my life, despite being an engineer of sorts and, moreso a logic programmer, about as far from fatalism as you can get. It's a poignant thing that you met your grandfather's pen in a repair shop yet lost it to theft. I like the idea that...
  13. Gasquolet

    Over stropped?

    Hmm, Yes, I was one of those guys... I do still recall what a freshly honed blade is like, I'm sure this has not been that good in the time I've owned it but oddly it has given me some decent shaves, it seems in my hands to be inconsistent though. Not something I can say of the J. Allen blade I...
  14. Gasquolet

    Over stropped?

    Thanks for these insights. I think it makes a lot of sense. I try not to lose sight of the basic things, hence not having any stones or a selection of strops so far. In fact I have kept it boringly simple for the most part, trying to learn the basics. I am happy with lathering, having been a DE...
  15. Gasquolet

    Leather Razor Pouches

    Hmm. That didn't work.
  16. Gasquolet

    Leather Razor Pouches

    A bit of a deviation from what you show so far but have you considered something like this? If you were in a position to make your own interpretation available, I'd happily give you some business. It's a re-purposed pen roll but as you can see it's too short so not ideal. This is how I keep my...
  17. Gasquolet

    Over stropped?

    Armed with this information and having read back through the good advice offered before about maintenance I have found a decent but inexpensive paddle strop online and won't use the now red side of that linen hanging strop again. Will have a go at recovering this one myself but am mindful about...
  18. Gasquolet

    Over stropped?

    Yeah, looking back at my rationale for using the pasted strop I'm realising this might have been ill-considered. Additionally, the razor in question has been tricky for me since I got it (from an acquaintance who bought it new). Looking at it under the loupe as Alan suggests I see the bevel...
  19. Gasquolet

    Over stropped?

    This is a first for me: having been some months at this now, I'm hooked and generally happy with each shave. At least I usually know when I make a mistake why and what I did wrong, they are getting less too. However... I decided to take a (stainless) razor to the linen strop with a bit of red...
  20. Gasquolet

    My First Straight Shave, thoughts

    Brilliant! I'm feeling the same way, perhaps a bit further into it but still thoroughly enjoying the experience. Something I've recently learned is that the odd, and sometimes not so odd shave doesn't go so well. For any number of reasons, the learning process sometimes slows or goes...
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