- Joined
- Wednesday July 20, 2016
- Location
- Sunny Cornwall
I have never tried an oil shave before but you can be sure I will be sometime very soon.Hone Type 15a - Shave #4
I like to do an oil shave with new razors. I like oil shaves because the results can be extremely close, yet skin friendly. I don't like oil shaves, because they aren't fun.
- Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream
- Hot Towel
- King of Shaves Sensitive Shaving Oil
- Hone Type 15a
- Voskhod blade (1)
- Alum block
- Cella Eau de Lavande
I did an all oil shave with the brass Type 15 not too long ago, so I'll compare.
I find it helps to apply the oil to my face with the left hand only and hold the razor in my right hand. There will still be oil on the razor and my right hand, but not too much.
The aluminium Type 15a feels a bot more grippy when oily. This could be due its lack of weight. The brass Type 15 needs more concentration when oily.
Again, I noticed that the head of the aluminium Hone is not as slick as the brass one. The brass just seems to have better glide over lather or oil.
The four pass shave was uneventful. One thing I like about oil shaves is, that at the end you can rinse your face with warm water and feel for any bits that could do with a little touch up. No need to reapply oil. There will be enough oil on your skin to go over those bits again. And again. With no irritation. I'm left with a perfect shave. Alum block and after shave have no complaints whatsoever. My skin is smooth, supple and relaxed. Wonderful.
To conclude, the aluminium Hone is easier to handle than the brass version when oily, but again, the brass Hone feels slicker (and hotter) on the face.
More to come...
It's a bit weird. You need to remember where you have already shaved. You can't tell by the lather.I have never tried an oil shave before but you can be sure I will be sometime very soon.
Yes that would be unfortunate!It's a bit weird. You need to remember where you have already shaved. You can't tell by the lather.
And don't do your first oil shave with a brass Hone over a priceless porcelain sink
Good man, I hope you will be very happy with it.
Your posts are never dreary @riverrun !About a month later I had this to say about the Hone 15a:
Hone Type 15a - Shave #7
I realised today that I haven't had a single DE shave for four weeks. So I looked at all the DE razors in my den and the one I fancied the most was the Hone Type 15a. Good choice. Paired with a fresh Personna medical blade and all my favourite citrusy products I had a wonderful shave. That's it really. No need to go into dreary details.
- Castle Forbes Lime shaving cream
- Omega Hi-Brush 46751
- Hone Type 15a
- Personna medical blade (1)
- Cella Colonia Classica as ASL
- Castle Forbes Lime ASB
A tough question this early after receiving the 15a but which of the two Hones do you prefer over all?I'm posting here as a lead-on from the August 2016 Acquisitions thread, in order to give some first impressions of my newly-acquired Hone 15a.
Firstly, I chose the 100mm long handle version, as I prefer long handles. I've also decided that I like a long handle on a lightweight (in this case, aluminium) razor, as I feel I have better control over it. Obviously, it's a bit heavier than the short handle option, but I couldn't say how much.
For a first go, I'm using a Feather blade, Wickham's Club Cola, and dishing up lather with a Plisson synth. I decided on a WTG, XTG and touch-up approach. The usual YMMV qualifications apply.
I like this razor very much. Provided that you don't mind a lighter instrument, teamed with a quality sharp blade (similar sort of thing to old Techs and other Gillettes), then it will likely suit you. Again, it's just my opinion, but I don't think that Derby, or some (most?) German and Indian blades would bring out the best in the 15a. I do have some of these, and may, in a spirit of self-sacrifice, see how they perform; but for the next two days, I'll enjoy the 15a with its present blade.
- Compared to the brass version, the 15a is a fraction of the weight and is therefore a lot easier to manipulate (or "throw around"). It gets into some of the more awkward spots a tad more easily.
- Whilst the best working angle is pretty much the same for both, I found it easier to hit it quickly with the 15a. I think this is because of the lightweight responsiveness, combined with a certain amount of tactile and audible feedback. These are transmitted through the 15a, far better than the heavier, "absorbing" 15.
- My impression is that the 15a is very slightly more aggressive than the 15, in which I have also used a Feather. This might possibly be so because there is less concern about control with the lighter razor, and/or the lightness encourages a bit more pressure.
- As with the 15, with this blade and a good soap, the end-result is a very smooth and irritation-free shave. I do have the impression that the 15a is somehow a little bit more "efficient".
- Of course, both razors are beautifully made, and cover the blade tabs; something I really like. Mine is the black model, which, if other black razors are anything to go by, will need more cleaning to keep it clear of soap residues and white marks. These don't bother me.
Downsides? I've now got another favourite razor, thus making my choices even more difficult. Life's tough like that.
A tough question this early after receiving the 15a but which of the two Hones do you prefer over all?
I have not received my 15a yet but I think the 15 is going to be hard to beat, but then I absolutely love the origanal and everything about it.
Thankyou for your reply, I hope you continue to enjoy using both of your Hone razors.This is bound to be a bit "off the cuff" at this stage, but I'll try to answer that.
I like the brass version, not least for the quality, but it did take me a while to get the hang of it. I also find that I need to concentrate a lot to achieve a good result, mainly because of the razor's mildness.
Possibly through knowing the ways of the 15, I found the 15a instinctively much easier to use from the off, and to get a close shave. The handle length may also have some effect, and it could be that I'd not get on too well with a short-handle 15a. There's also the novelty factor, but, on balance, the 15a seems to suit me better.
Ferrum
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?