My Experience with the George Butler "Shakespeare"

[rbscebu]

My antique (about 1870) George Butler "Shakespeare" SR arrived early this week. Details can be found here.

I have refined the razor's edge on my diamond pasted balsa stops and given it a coat of Renaissance wax, so it is all ready to go. As I experience this razor. I will report back here.

 

[rbscebu]

Just to remind you, here is my GB "Shakespeare".

High carbon Sheffield steel, 6/8, full-hollow grinde, Dutch point, with ivory scales.

After examining the blade under a good light, I noticed that it has a slight belling on both sides.

This razor is due for its first use on Sunday as I am currently getting use to my Revisor 6-0035.

 

[Mastropiero]

That's a lovely razor, looking forward to hear all about it.

 

[rbscebu]

This morning I made a little velvet bag for my George Butler SR.

 

[rbscebu]

Sunday morning and my first shave with my George Butler "Shakespeare".

Since receiving this SR, I put it through a full diamond pasted balsa stop progression. This improved the edge's performance in the TTT.

My shave this morning was my normal preparation and using an Arko stick. This SR is my lightest (in mass) of any of my SR's coming in at about 47g. This lack of mass was definitely noticeable during the shave.

The GB was VERY comfortable to shave with. The only downside was the shave result. Where I expect a DFS+ result with two passes (WTG & XTG), I only got a CCS result. My fool's pass showed me that this blade's edge needs some more work to get it up to my shave-ready standard.

When I have time over the next few days. I will give the GB's edge some more love to see if I can better dial it in.

 

[bald as]

Hi @rbscebu you may well benefit from an actual bevel setting 1000k hone. King or Sihero [?] make very good hones. And not too expensive. Unless the bevel is set and verified a blade will never be shave ready.

 

[rbscebu]

The bevel was set but the edge did need some work. I took it back to a 10k stone and then progressed up finishing on my 0.1μm diamond pasted balsa stop. It is now tree-topping with ease at 20mm or more.

Tomorrow morning I'll take it for a shave to see how it now performs.

 

[rbscebu]

Since my last post and shaving again with this SR, I came to the conclusion that the bevel really needed to be reset. @bald as was right.

I reset the bevel on a 4k whetstone and then progressed up, finishing again using my diamond pasted balsa strops. The next shave was much improved by still not quite there. For the next four shaves, I have been putting the GB through a full diamond pasted balsa strop progression after each shave.

I am still noticing an improvement in this SR's shave quality with every shave. This morning's shave was just right, except... My normal two-pass shave (WTG +ATG) was smooth and comfortable, producing my expected DFS+ result.

The only area where I was let down was the result from my fool's pass. This morning's fool's pass was comfortable but did not result in a BBS upper lip. I'll keep on giving the GB a full balsa progression until the upper lip gets to a BBS result.

I probably could have sped this blade's edge development up by dropping back to some of my finer lapping films, but I prefer to take things slow and steady with this SR. At least I am now confident that I can get the edge on this razor dialled in to where I want it.

 

[bald as]

I'm glad to hear you had better luck with the GB "Shakespeare". Everything for the shave starts with the bevel. It can take quite some time to get it set but then it is simply refining the edge from that point on.

The only area where I was let down was the result from my fool's pass.

From my own experience it is aptly named

At least I am now confident that I can get the edge on this razor dialled in to where I want it.

I have a couple that give good shaves but not great shaves. - Back to the bevel.

 

[rbscebu]

I have a couple that give good shaves but not great shaves. - Back to the bevel.

I didn't take your advice the last time (yes, my mistake) and I won't take it this time (probably another mistake for me). I will consider your advice once/if my GB stops improving off of the diamond pasted balsa strops and my fool's pass is still not BBS.

Just consider me a slow learner - but I do learn.

 

[bald as]

Hi @rbscebu, I have never used pastes of any kind so I cannot make any valid comments. I have learned from my own razors that no matter how sharp a blade seems, if the bevel is not 100% clean and set I never get it's full potential. Out of curiosity I got one of the modified Spanish point Gold dollars, I think the same as you modified with a smile removal. It seemed very sharp from the factory and it cut whiskers but after setting the bevel and then refining the bevel it is a very good blade. now zero effort to shave with.
@Pbgoose uses CBN as a final finish and I believe that is very fine. I have seen the way that works and I'm very impressed. Personally I've never had any problems with a leather paddle strop I made. I have heard people say pastes can give a harsh edge but that is possibly from over doing the paste, I don't actually know.
Do you have any links to pasted balsa or pasted leather strops? Their creation and use. There must be a video or two on line
I look forward to a continued discussion on this matter as I'm always up to adding more info to my honing arsenal.

This video is long but does explain the bevel very well.

 

[Gargravarr]

Do you have any links to pasted balsa or pasted leather strops? Their creation and use..

Here you go - rbscebu's treatise on the subject

 

[bald as]

Thanks and I will certainly look at it.

 

[rbscebu]

@bald as take a look at this thread:
https://paste-and-cut.com.au/community/threads/how-to-use-diamond-pasted-balsa-strops.6465/

If you have any questions, just ask in that thread and I will endeavour to answer them.

 

[bald as]

I found a chrome oxide strop and used it tonight. The edge was visually very good but the blade feel with the shave was certainly not to my liking. I won't pursue pasted strrop/balsa as I have no issues using a clean leather paddle strop with my Jnat honing.
@rbscebu I read your post and it is an excellent resource.

Steve

 

[rbscebu]

The secret with using "hard" pasted strops is to perform about 10 to 20 short X strokes at the end. This removes any micro burrs and puts an X scratch pattern on the bevel. This scratch pattern helps the blade slide more smoothly over your skin.

 

[Pbgoose]

Hi @rbscebu, I have never used pastes of any kind so I cannot make any valid comments. I have learned from my own razors that no matter how sharp a blade seems, if the bevel is not 100% clean and set I never get it's full potential. Out of curiosity I got one of the modified Spanish point Gold dollars, I think the same as you modified with a smile removal. It seemed very sharp from the factory and it cut whiskers but after setting the bevel and then refining the bevel it is a very good blade. now zero effort to shave with.
@Pbgoose uses CBN as a final finish and I believe that is very fine. I have seen the way that works and I'm very impressed. Personally I've never had any problems with a leather paddle strop I made. I have heard people say pastes can give a harsh edge but that is possibly from over doing the paste, I don't actually know.
Do you have any links to pasted balsa or pasted leather strops? Their creation and use. There must be a video or two on line
I look forward to a continued discussion on this matter as I'm always up to adding more info to my honing arsenal.

This video is long but does explain the bevel very well.

Yeah, and who's gonna argue with him. Sounds like the Godfather. Buddaboom! You gonna set the bevel or else @bald as will break your fingers. I'm not gonna argue with that....I'm lookin' for a $5 razor and a 1K stone now!

 

[bald as]

It only confirmed my opinion that pastes can [not always] induce harshness into a blade. A Japanese hone introduces a "sandblasted" style of edge that any other scratch pattern seems to interfere with. This changes the finish from a Jnat to whatever the last paste used was. I work hard to get a particular edge character from the hones and plain leather only enhances that. That is the great thing about honing. We all find what suits us.

@Pbgoose I presume you are referring to Keith, or am I now a cut throat gangster??

 

[Pbgoose]

It only confirmed my opinion that pastes can [not always] induce harshness into a blade. A Japanese hone introduces a "sandblasted" style of edge that any other scratch pattern seems to interfere with. This changes the finish from a Jnat to whatever the last paste used was. I work hard to get a particular edge character from the hones and plain leather only enhances that. That is the great thing about honing. We all find what suits us.

@Pbgoose I presume you are referring to Keith, or am I now a cut throat gangster??

Whaddaya mean ‘am I now’?

 

[bald as]

@Pbgoose , I will accept the title ... I think!!