Thread: How Many Razors Do Newbies have?

2, Started off with a new Dovo and acquired a throw down razor for practicing stropping but is a good shaver as well

Been shaving with str8s for about 5 weeks, total so far 26 razors. Two gifted form a friend (his dad was a barber, also came with a nice lather riser.) Then an ebay purchase. Flea market purchase. New Dovo from Superior Shave. And a bunch more ebay purchases. I DON'T HAVE RAD THOUGH. Lynn currently has 4 of my razors to hone, one is a Manhattan wedge that I can't wait to shave with. I have started restoring the first ebay purchase (and might be developing TAD.) I now have razors from: Wade and Butcher, Case, G. Wostenholm, Dovo, Manhattan, Boker, Drees, Torrey, a Genco and a few others. What exactly is RAD anyway?

Originally Posted by whavens

Been shaving with str8s for about 5 weeks, total so far 26 razors. Two gifted form a friend (his dad was a barber, also came with a nice lather riser.) Then an ebay purchase. Flea market purchase. New Dovo from Superior Shave. And a bunch more ebay purchases. I DON'T HAVE RAD THOUGH. Lynn currently has 4 of my razors to hone, one is a Manhattan wedge that I can't wait to shave with. I have started restoring the first ebay purchase (and might be developing TAD.) I now have razors from: Wade and Butcher, Case, G. Wostenholm, Dovo, Manhattan, Boker, Drees, Torrey, a Genco and a few others. What exactly is RAD anyway?

I'm pretty sure RAD is when you purchase more razors than weeks you've been shaving. So a guy could shave for a year and have purchased 52 razors and be okay. I guess I've been shaving about 5 weeks daily, and have purchased 5 myself. (3 this past weekend...I had to make things up! ) Oh, but I also inherited two and got a freebie when I bought a strop from an antique store.

So, just over a month in:
C&S - Inherited
FWE - Inherited
Genco Gold Seal - Bought
J Wostenholm - Freebie
Sterling - Bought
W&B - Bought
Boker - Bought
??? - Bought (it's in the mail yet)

Sheesh...when I look at it that way, it's no wonder my wife think's I've gone nuts. That list doesn't even include brushes, strops, soaps, or shaving mug. Maybe I do have RAD. But I now also have NMD (No Money Disorder) so I think that'll kill the RAD...or maybe at least put it into remission.

So far I just have 1 but I think 2 would be practical. Then I would have one while the other is out being honed so I wouldn't have any downtime while waiting for a razor to come back in the mail. I do have a collecting personality though so I might get the bug. What I really love looking at are custom made brush handles. Technically almost anything can be made into a brush handle as long as it's a comfortable size to hold and has a hole the right size to put a knot into. There are some really cool one-of-a-kind brushes out there. I have a feeling brush making and collecting is what I'll get into.

Lori

I've been straight shaving for 4 months now and have accumulated these;
Grandfathers:
1 No name
1 Red Point
Mine:
1 - Smith Brothers
3 - TorreysBoker
2 – Bokers
1 – Geneva
1 – Puritan
1 – Trimble
1 – Bingham
1 – Noonan and Sons
2 – Pakistani blades (practice)
1 – Barbie doll size (hand made)

Only one was shave ready when I started, now all but two are and in rotation.


But I've not been to the antique store this week (oh, I did pick up a carborundum pocket hone this week, but that is that other dreaded disease....)

I have two straight razors and two double edged razors.
1. 1 5/8 dovo buffalo
2. 1 5/8 Henckels Friodur
3. 1 Edwin Jagger DE 89 (pretty good for the money, but slightly more dangerous to a newbie than 4).
4. 1 Feather DE stainless (My favorite so far, being a noob and all.)

I plan to buy one or two more beaters (e.g., $20 or less) from an antique shop so that I can practice honing.

When I started I bought two straights:

Genco Red Cross 5/8 Full Hollow
Unknown Mfr (possibly Sheffield) 6/8 Half Hollow

Now 2 & 1/2 months in I have accumulated two more:

Taylor Eye Witness 6/8 Half Hollow
Clover 5/8 Hollow

I also own 2 W&Bs ready for resto and have a custom razor being made for me.

I started using straight razors in December of 2010. As of today, I have acquired 25 straight razors and 6 DE razors.

Later this year, I will probably reduce the straight razors to 14 [two seven-day sets] and the DE razors to 3 but, right now, I am enjoying trying a variety of brands, sizes, and grinds. I use all 25 in a planned rotation and take notes on each shave. After six-months, I will see whether to (1) keep them all, (2) trade some, or (3) sell some.

My final analysis is that a Newbie needs 2 razors; one for shaving and one for backup.

Wait a second! Are you telling me I have to count all those razors? Sorry, I'm too busy surfing the Classifieds.

I had started with one for a while. I just started building what will be a fantastic collection, however, and I'm up to five, although one will likely be up for sale. I'll probably use those proceeds, however, to fund my next.

I'll have a seven day "set" very soon.