Thread: FOR BEGINNERS: Some Thoughts on Buying Razors.

I wouldn't be worried about that, I didn't even notice!

My grammar, spelling and English is shocking... The amount of times i go back and correct the English in my posts is ridiculous lol

I once had SRAD. Went through 7 razors before shelling out $260 for a razor that didn't give me a great shave compared to a few others I got at bargains. It was then that I realised I am quite happy with what I have and didn't need anymore. HAD though is something I am still battling.

Just don't go for things that look pretty.

Originally Posted by DerekC

Excellent post, my friend.

For myself, I've formulated a (loose) "List" of razors I wish to one day own. So far I have my Sheffield wedge, French-pointed set in bone, and a Solingen razor. I'm still looking for an NOS Puma (with tang-grip I.E. - Birnando's), Thiers Issard French-pointed in Rams Horn, Dubl Duck Wonderedge, and the list continues...

When I started out, I set a goal of trying to get representative razors from the USA, Germany, England, France, Sweden, and Spain. Naively, I wanted one vintage razor and one new razor from each country until I discovered new razors were not being manufactured in England, Sweden, and Spain.

Doing a lot of reading on SRP gave me a real education on specific razors for each country. I then started searching for those brands and models. In the beginning, I bought some cheaper versions (over-honed and in poor shape), not realizing they were not good representatives but gradually I learned what to look for and also learned what the going market value was for a good razor for each area.

Some of my goals and purchases include:
(x = not yet obtained) (n = new)

• USA: Case Red Imp, Union Cutlery Spike, J. R. Torrey, Hart Steel (n), Waterville (x), Genco (x)
• Germany: Dovo (n), Revisor (n), dubl duck, Henckels, Wacker (x), Boker, "Les-Croix" Breidohr Solingen (x), Dorko (x), Globusmen Gold (x)
• England: Geo. Wostenholm, Wade & Butcher
• Spain: Filarmonica (Inox NOS & DT 12 NOS), DT 13 (x), DT 14 (x), Barbas Duras (x), Novodur (x), Corte Cabello (x), Medallon Taurino (x)
• France: Thiers-Issard, Thiers-Issard Le Grelot (n), Le Grelot P-Hospital
• Sweden: Heljestrand, Strega (NOS), Swedish Frameback (x)

I have built a 28-day collection. Now I will spend my time refining the collection by selling one in order to buy one. I have little hope of building up a Filarmonica collection but I do have two very good representative models. I enjoy having this variety more than having one brand, one size, or one grind. It is certainly not a "Collector's Collection" but rather a "User's Collection." It satisfies my goals and gives me pleasure as I use a different razor each day.

One of the interesting things is when you read individual reviews that tout a brand and model that is simply better than all the other razors out there. In my limited experience, I have found that, "if they are sharp," every single one of my razors will give me an excellent shave. With an improved technique, I am finding the differences between razor brands and models to be rapidly diminishing and the differences to be very subtle. Yes, there is a razor I prefer above all others (Thiers-Issard Le Grelot) but it is only one of a great number of good razors. In the area of razor preference, I strongly believe in "to each his own."

While the hunt will never end, I do spend time thinking of which razors I would keep for a single 7-day set. LOL

Great post. I'm someone that never got into razors. I just use them as tools to an end effect. I worry about beginners that buy several razors chasing an exceptional shave, when in reality those shaves live in the hone and strop.

Hello, DLB:

I like your comments. They are profound and clearly presented. Good philosophy.

Regards,

Obie

DLB,

That is a hell of a lot of wisdom for 226 posts. I don't know how long you have been it this art/hobby, but you nailed it well. I suspect that most areas of your life are in order as well.

Thanks.
Alembic

Originally Posted by Alembic

DLB,

That is a hell of a lot of wisdom for 226 posts. I don't know how long you have been it this art/hobby, but you nailed it well. I suspect that most areas of your life are in order as well.

Thanks.
Alembic

Thanks, Alembic,

I am 68 years old and although I just started using straight razors six months ago, I have wet-shaved my whole life. Before razors, I was heavily into collecting vinyl records, a hobby that has many of the same rewards and pitfalls as collecting shaving items. I don't know about wisdom. I could post an awful lot about the stupid mistakes I made that brought me to my philosophical ideas. Certainly our failures generally teach us much more than our successes, as in, "I hope I never do that again!!


Thank you for your kind words.

Great post, DLB! Thanks for taking the time to write it.

Re: your description above of your goals and purchases--my approach has been a lot less organized but I too learned a lot just reading up about razors here, and 2 of my first 3 razors came from the classifieds here (the 3d came new from SRD). 2 others I bought from other members here through their own websites, another from the classifieds here, and 3 others I won in eBay auctions. Like you, I figure out what I'm willing to pay for it on eBay and that becomes my max bid. I didn't know exactly what I wanted going in, but I really prefer vintage blades to new ones. Not sure why, I just do--of the nine I have, only one is a new one. And I didn't know exactly how many razors I wanted, either. Turns out, 9. I've got 7 in rotation, my new Dovo mostly is for travel now, and I've got an old Wosty wedge with a cool etch that I got on eBay several months ago and still haven't gotten restored. I'm not really a collector, I guess--I passed up bidding on a pretty C-Mon the other day, and didn't lose any sleep over it. It looked nice but just didn't do anything for me. Seemed like I had a touch of RAD up to a point and then got what I wanted and didn't need to buy any more. I have what I'm going to use, I guess, plus one Thanks again for a great post.

"Certainly our failures generally teach us much more than our successes, as in, "I hope I never do that again!!""

Another way of stating one of my basic philosophies: Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

Originally Posted by coloshaver

Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

I can't aggree more!

Then I guess that i should have really good judgement from that amount of mistakes that i have made.... Too bad that's not the case with me hehe