Testing My Honed Edge on the M. Jung 6/8 Straight Razor
Good morning and welcome back to CMW. I honed the M. Jung 6/8 on camera a little while back. What I didn’t say afterward is that the edge from that video wasn’t good enough. I had to go back to the stones. So today we’re testing the real edge, the one I actually finished.
The Rehone
After that honing video, I took the M. Jung to the face and it started tugging. That was the verdict. Back to the 3K Shapton Rockstar, then the 6K, then the 8K, then finished on the translucent Arkansas again. Same stone family, but this time I got it right. I didn’t want to pretend the video edge worked when it didn’t. That’s not how this goes.
One side note on Arkansas stones: I’m not a geologist, but my read is that translucent arks and hard black arks are probably pretty close to the same thing. Different names, similar stone. The naming might be more marketing than mineralogy. Either way, as a finisher, the arc produces a comfortable edge.
The Soap: TCB Berry Chill
I’ve got two menthol soaps to choose from today, Citrus Freeze and Berry Chill, both from The Cajun Blade. Citrus Freeze is my favorite of the two, so I figure Berry Chill deserves some camera time.
Honest take: this is not my favorite scent out of everything the Cajun Blade makes. I don’t think I’ve said that about any of his soaps before. But it works on you as the lather builds. It gets better. It reminds me of those blue slush puppies, or one of those blue daiquiris you can get in Louisiana.
The notes are blackberry, mulberry, and muscadine, berries that are native to South Louisiana. Tart fruit up front, settling into soft amber and clean musk. And menthol. We’ll get to the menthol.
I’m loading this in a mini tub today. Some people say you can’t lather from a tub this size. Well. I did. My Bobby (Sawdust Creating Studios) cypress wood handle running a 26mm Griffith boar knot pulled a solid lather without much trouble. That knot cost me around eight or nine bucks and broke in fast. You can’t beat that price.
The Menthol Situation
I just cut the grass. It’s 87 degrees outside. South Louisiana summer is here and it’s not leaving until October at the earliest. Menthol is not optional right now, it’s a requirement.
The Berry Chill delivers. The cooling is genuine, building with every pass of water. Solid, consistent. The Cajun Blade has put real work into getting this base to hold up against that level of menthol. A lot of artisan bases struggle when you push the menthol load up. This one doesn’t fall apart.
He’s also got a new White Walker base version coming that I haven’t gotten my hands on yet. When I do, I want to shave with it and compare it directly to this version. I’m curious what he did with the menthol on the new formula.
I finished with Skin Bracer to push the chill even further. I’m in South Louisiana in June. No apologies. Also, Chucky the shrimp kept trying to get into the menthol earlier. That shrimp is a rascal.
Testing the Edge
First stroke of the M. Jung 6/8 and I knew immediately: we’ve got an edge. Clean. Smooth. No tugging, no drag.
Three passes, about two and a half days of growth. The razor handled it without complaining. Against-the-grain on the neck is where a finishing stone really shows itself, and the Arkansas came through. Very smooth. The kind of smooth that makes you want to keep honing just to see how far you can take the skill.
That’s what this is about for me. When you hone your own edge and it shaves, you own that. You don’t need to send it out or wait on anybody. You did it yourself. There’s something good about that, even when you had to go back and redo it because the first attempt wasn’t good enough.
The Brush
The Griffith boar knot has been solid for months, almost no shedding. Today it decided to let go of about ten bristles. Still got plenty. These cheap knots punch above their price. About eight bucks for a 26mm, fast break-in, works well. The expensive part of most brushes is the handle. The knot doesn’t have to cost much if you know where to look.
Quick Shoutout: DK (DamnFineShave on YouTube)
While I was on the subject of the space: DK (DamnFineShave on YouTube). He’s been in wet shaving a long time and he just came back and started making videos again. His stuff runs shorter than mine or Chris’s or Rabbit’s or Wes’s, which a lot of people will appreciate. He shaves around a full beard, which makes his content a little different from what most of us are doing. Worth checking out.
The Verdict
Edge works. Soap lathers well. Menthol is solid for a hot day. Berry Chill is not my go-to from the Cajun Blade, Citrus Freeze still has the top spot, but it’s a good soap and it earns more respect with every use. Check thecajunbladestore.com if you want some.
Thanks for watching. Hope this helps, and stay cool out there.