We Cannot Take it With Us.

,,,, So what will you do with your collection when you pass?

This topic was briefly visited in a conversation that I had via PM with Ron (Utopian), when Pixel (William Barber) passed away. Ron stated that he would start the thread on this topic, but it has been a while & I will get it going for him. Ron can jump in when he returns.

The passing of Pixel really hit home to a lot of us & immediately the question of how to handle the large quantity of shaving equipment that he had at home came up. This question was first asked by his wife. Advice was given to her by the SRP Administration & myself on the options that were available. I spoke with Pixel's wife & offered her the assistance of our community here. To date, I have not heard any more from her and I have no idea what the family finally did with Pixel's shaving equipment.

Ron & I felt that a thread was appropriate so members could share ideas & information related to the disposition of their shaving equipment.

Some questions pertaining would be;

Do you have someone designated to take possession of your equipment?

Do you really know how much you have?

Do you know what usually happens to estates that go unclaimed?

Is your equipment in a will or do you even have a will?


We enjoy a lifestyle with wet shaving that has shaped each of us in one way or another. In the past 2 years we have lost a Master strop maker and a Master brush maker. Will your skills pass with you or will someone else carry the torch?

Thoughts,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Yep! I may as well announce this here and now. A great conversation with our great friend and mentor, Geezer (Richard) has revealed he wishes to part with a majority of his collection/tools/ supplies. Skills to possess notwithstanding, he has a lot of nice razors, mugs, scuttles, hones, supplies, etc.
A man such as Richard has put a great deal of effort into his passion and wishes to pass some on as he shall be downsizing and moving along soon.
We all know and love Geezer, so let's help him find new homes for his nice things? Pricing would be, of course, up to him.
I have suggested he put chunks in the classifieds. If anyone is looking for anything in particular, PM him.

Speaking for him, I can honestly say he had rather his things go to fellow enthusiasts here. Seems only natural!

Me? I am gonna insure mine and catch it all on fire! :rofl2:

Yes, I have spoke with Geezer too. I'm under the impression that he is just moving and not leaving us, so to speak.
I hope this is the case.

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Originally Posted by Hirlau

Yes, I have spoke with Geezer too. I'm under the impression that he is just moving and not leaving us, so to speak.
I hope this is the case.

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Oh, absolutely. Still he is at a point to downsize. Good time to sell-off to those who care about it.
I am proud of his decision to do so. Must be hard.
We will all arrive at that point in time. No doubt.

My son has been given instructions on what to do with my shaving equipment when it comes time.

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Originally Posted by Hirlau

My son has been given instructions on what to do with my shaving equipment when it comes time.

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So, I get all the pinuad lime?

I've been having those types of thoughts on and off for the past year. I'm certainly not planning on downsizing (my AD's are incurable) but have forced myself to slow the acquisition rate. I have been mulling over a field of several fellow members to designate one that would be willing to handle disseminating my stuff (wait in fear and trepidation for that email asking for your assistance.) My kids currently think I'm a little nuts with the emphasis I put on wet shaving and I'm sure they have no idea as to the worth of my accumulation. Not a huge sum to be honest, but enough to buy a few rounds or so in memory when that time comes.

Enough of the doom and gloom. Laugh, drink (if you do) and be merry and may your lather be rich, thick and cushiony.

I spent many a days & nights in homes trying to reach out and find loved ones on death notifications.

Some thoughts;

Even if you have a will, where/how is it kept?

If something happens to you when you are alone, is there a contact person listed in a place that would be obvious to a First Responder? This is so important for many reasons.

On the refrigerator or kept on the table top, your cellphone, with your medication, pinned to the kitchen wall; these are all good places.

I must say that I am rather remiss in my preparations for my departure. I work a moderate to high risk job and you would think as such I would have plans in place and clear communications made. I have a wife and a handful of kids, and no one has a plan. By default it all goes to my wife. She is a serious minimalist, so it will all have to go somewhere. I expect that in the coming year some plans will be made and I do have to organize certain things so that my collection is in part given to people that will appreciate what it is, and not sold off for pennies on the dollar. In my mind I would rather give an item to a good home than get a few cents for an unknown home. I have to figure out all kinds of other details as part of estate planning. As for my collection, I need to make my ideas clear.

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Originally Posted by RezDog

I must say that I am rather remiss in my preparations for my departure. I work a moderate to high risk job and you would think as such I would have plans in place and clear communications made. I have a wife and a handful of kids, and no one has a plan. By default it all goes to my wife. She is a serious minimalist, so it will all have to go somewhere. I expect that in the coming year some plans will be made and I do have to organize certain things so that my collection is in part given to people that will appreciate what it is, and not sold off for pennies on the dollar. In my mind I would rather give an item to a good home than get a few cents for an unknown home. I have to figure out all kinds of other details as part of estate planning. As for my collection, I need to make my ideas clear.

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So do I get all the Henckels? :D

Well unlikely you would get all of them. One of them belonged to my great grandfather. I am hoping a nephew or perhaps a grandchild might get that one. There are not as many Henckels as I would like there to be. I have a lot of stuff. It needs to be organized, displayed and sorted. Soon I will be past all of my other construction obligations and will be working through that. It will not look quite as elaborate as the shave museum you have though.

I'll find out when I have kids.

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Well... Mine is a bloody mess at the moment.
At least I have taken a leap of faith that ensures organization and display in order to enjoy it more.
At some point, the eggs should be in line? Only then can instructions be established.
Will make it easier in the eventuality of life.
I reckon?

This is a nice thread Hirlau.

Pixel and Neil's passing hit me hard as well.

Miss Neil's wit, and the forum just ain't the same without Pixel calling, "bullsh&t!" and laying down some one-liners that used to have me in tears. Nearly broke my heart when I saw him starting to sell some of his treasured Palmera's. I remember I had posted a pic of a razor with what I thought was just the box it came with and he was on that thread faster than a fat kid on a smarty proclaiming, "That's a genuine Palmera razor coffin box", wish I had of had it, would have sent it to him.

In terms of my collection, my son is already wading through it, has been using a Gillette Fatboy, and loves trying the different soaps, he doesn't want to try a straight yet, but he knows he will and really wants to, and he knows how much I cherish my collection and it goes to him.

He knows which razors I consider the one's I'd never part with, and I said if you were to sell any of them, these are the one's I'd want you to keep...geez? Can you guess which one's?? :D

But the boy get's them, and after that, it's up to him what he does with them....

And I have a will, and that stuff is in there, same with the few watches, guitars and some other crap I have that has some sentimental meaning to me....

I'm sure that mine will be all boxed and sent off to some church sale(with out even asking for a tax slip).



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At this point in time, I'm 28, it is agreed that my father will wade through my supplies. Possibly my brother snagging some stuff as well. We've always been prepared, as my grandfather died in his 40's. I'm probably the most materialistically sentimental, so any pahysical things from my family aren't valued at much nor would the be upset in the afterlife if I pitched everything. As for my razors, I only have a few that are important and neigh everyone knows about them.

This topic has been on my mind as well... I don't have a huge collection, but I do have other collections that need paring down as well.

I don't have a *family* per say, only the Mrs. and I'd rather not have her just chuck out all the stuff after I'm gone. Best I pare things down a bit, and the rest... well, I'll make a note in my retirement present, a book titled "I'm dead, now what?"

Hopefully, I've got a long way to go, but the thought crosses ones mind.... 120 years old does seem a bit far fetched.....<sigh>

So, I'm going to try and divide the pile I keep moving back and forth with the "for sale" box remaining empty. I neither need, nor use everything I have.... I do like to mix it up a bit, but only because I feel guilty ignoring this razor or that strop, never mind some of my natural hones.

Thank you Hirlau, it's something worth thinking about now and then, instead of just filing it away with all those collections I never seem to do anything much with.

Regards

Christian

Condolences on Pixel..

What a depressing subject.

I guess I should sell everything before I die and buy drugs with the proceeds haha or at least some thing useable that will give me pleasure.

Disclaimer : I do not condone drug usage , I was merely attempting to be funny :angel:

Personally, I think the best thing to do is to have a legal Will written up for the disposal of your estate. As long as the possible executors/executrixes know where the copies of the Will are you are done. Even then, as in life, there are no guarantees you will get what you want. That being the case, stop worrying about it and enjoy the here and now.

Bob

Nice thread...interesting. I have told my family they can go through my collection and keep what they like. I have tagged my father's Gillette Executive and asked them to keep that as a family heirloom. I told them to sell the rest on eBay or sell to a collector if they can locate one.

They say you can't take it with you when you you go, but I might just pack a small Dopp kit with a few essentials...you never know. I would hate to get to the other side and find everyone growing beards because no one thought to bring a shaving kit with them. And where I will end up it will likely be very hot...

We have a will and our son will get the stuff.

What my wife wants is a pictorial record of all the stuff with as much info as possible included.

This is a good idea. I doubt few of our family members would know the difference between a Livi and a GEM. In particular, her Grandfather's razor (my first) needs to be preserved and marked.

The thought of it all going to Goodwill in a box makes me a bit ill.

So, this is a bit of a wake up call to myself to get the documentation under way. I would really rather go to the dentist.

I don't have any sons or daughters to leave my shaving collection to. None of my brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, or friends have shown any interest in wet shaving either. I would like to ensure they will be used and enjoyed. So I am leaning towards donating the collection to the monthly giveaway on SRP.

But I'm hoping, and God willing, that time is still far in the future. :angel:

I guess I should start selling off most of my stuff.

Not that I am anywhere near the end....hopefully

The hardest part is making the listings.
If it weren't for that I would have only the few that have special meaning to me.

I have more razors than I would ever use in my lifetime.

I think if everyone donated ONE to the giveaway, that would be a GREAT IDEA!
Let someone get a SUPER NICE razor that shares our LOVE of this lifestyle/hobby...

Just a thought.

Now to go through and find one to donate...
Duck...or something else? :thinking::hmmm:

Have thought about this before but haven't shared my thoughts with the family. I don't have a large collection (unless you ask SWMBO) but a few with some value. only one son with a mild interest who i'll most likely put in charge. two razors i'd like saved one of which was a gift from said son and the other a gift to myself on my 50th. the rest can be sold on Ebay and a few donated to the SRP give away. hope they treasure the brushes i've made though.

I was going to start a similar thread, due to some circumstances that recently developed in my life, and I still think I will, because the warning I want to offer is on the topic, but pertinent to the point to the extent that it deserves a stand alone thread.

Anyway ......... I'm going to be 68 years old, if I make it, in less than 2 weeks. I'm in pretty good shape physically, AFAIK, and exercise daily. Still, we all have to go, and in general we don't know the day or the hour.

Due to the aforementioned recent experience I have been thinking of this inevitable eventuality, and I'm planning on making a will. I've got a lot of 'stuff' and no family, so probably will be leaving the swag to my church for them to reap whatever profits my hoard brings.

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Originally Posted by rolodave

We have a will and our son will get the stuff.

What my wife wants is a pictorial record of all the stuff with as much info as possible included.

This is a good idea. I doubt few of our family members would know the difference between a Livi and a GEM. In particular, her Grandfather's razor (my first) needs to be preserved and marked.

The thought of it all going to Goodwill in a box makes me a bit ill.

So, this is a bit of a wake up call to myself to get the documentation under way. I would really rather go to the dentist.

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Turning 70 last week triggered similar thoughts. My wife and daughter think such an interest in shaving is silly, and my son has had a beard for 10 years, so there is no one who would want my stuff. Making a pictorial record is a good idea, as my son is a computer expert and could easily list my razors on eBay, so at least my wife would enjoy the income. A few of my favorites will go to people who were generous with their time to mentor me when first starting out, and have remained friends.

My wife and I both have wills leaving everything, house, cars, and personal property to our trust. Legally in California handling possessions this way avoids any need to have the Courts involved. Our son is our trustee and distribution of the estate is completely up to him. Since my son straight shaves and smokes a pipe, all my razors and pipes will be his.

Just got here, Thanks John!!:chapeau

Kicking the bucket isn't the problem! At 76, with no pension 'cept Antisocial Insecurity, the move to smaller quarters is! The responsibility and cost of running an older home through four distinct seasons is getting a bit much.

Even with the razor displays, there is too much stuff to have in anything but boxes/ and totes...and? Then comes...where to put those boxes is next. Yes there are some things I will want to keep. Personal re-scales are among them. I am getting a bit shaky so I am concerned about long term difficulties.I hate to get rid of the small machine shop but, needs must.

As far as a will, that is done and checked every couple of years to assure that it will stand the tests of new regulations.
I have all the signed paperwork that immediately gives anything left to my kids, one in particular as owner. ( Short aside: IF you have not set up your financial living will in a long time...DO IT! The gov't has changed many rules to get what we thought was our bequest. New paperwork is necessary. )

If I keep all the stuff, the highest probability is to have it all disappear into a box at an in-law's to then deteriorate. Then to be thrown out later or to sell to a shop for pennies on a dollar. ( I was called by a shop keeper to evaluate a large tote of shave gear from an estate. I gave him a valuation of $1-6K. He told me later that he paid USD $125.........................)

I would have hoped to sell the accumulation of shave stuff as a single sale but........................

Think now avoid painting yourself into a corner ( Thanks Tom!! )

~Richard

Good idea for a thread-I too certainly miss Neil and Bill's expertise, and Bill's gruff, no-nonsense posts and beautiful brush postings.

As for myself, my collection is modest compared to some, but still I have some very nice custom gear. I'm sure I will divide it up between my two sons, who will both hopefully use and treasure it, and remember "dear old Dad" each time they use one of my brushes, razors, or strops for a shave. I will also have to divvy up my guitars and my fly-fishing gear (that will go to my youngest, as the other one has no interest).

As for a will, the wife and I have talked about it for years. Both in our early 50's, but you never know. We need to do it asap!

Having recently been the executor of two, Trusts and wills. It is especially true that creating them is only half the work. 2 years later, I am still dealing with one of the trust.

For trust, the vast majority make a trust, then never fund the trust, transfer property in to the trust, making the trust useless.

With wills, as said make sure your executor knows, that you have a will/ trust, what you want and where ALL the documents are and the assets/property, (E.g., storage).

A small safe, file or bank safe deposit box are good for keeping all the documents in one place.

If you use a safe or bank safe deposit box, make sure the executors know the combination or where the keys are stored, and that they are authorized access to the safe box. Yes, as executors they will eventually be allowed access, if they find the trust and will and know where to go, (which bank), but it can take time.

Additionally, now days, many institutions are going paperless, so if you don’t have statements, for the executors to follow a paper trail…

If it is in a computer, make sure they have all the user names and passwords.

Proper planning and letting those responsible know, where everything is, and annual updating, (it is easy to accumulate assets and not include them in the trust or for thing to change, marriages, births, deaths), will make completing your wishes possible.
Unfortunately, most folks, will not have the same level of passion/obsession for our possessions, and will simply be in the blow it out mind set. I see this all the time at auctions and Estate Sales.

So, you may be better off selling it off yourself, at least knowing that whoever is buying it has some passion about it and not just buying wholesale to make a small profit or just letting it rust and rot away.

I have been thinking about making a detailed list with descriptions of items I have and values so they can get sold one day and the money used wisely. I was thinking about giving that to my wife for safekeeping, then I thought twice. I'll revisit the idea in 5 years and see how I feel about it. Probably I will think twice again.

As said above, safe deposit box, yes...but... take the time to have the future executor signed into the bank/ credit union system and to already have a key in their possession! Assure that they know...as above... where other documents are and the key you have for the box.

Final planing, if prepaid, do your executor a favor, get the best deal you can and have a membership card with you and another one with the future executor. Burial costs continue to climb. Similar services to those I paid for 20 years back are now double or more. Watch the fine print. Some services require an escort to accompany the remains from where they were to the main facility. Watch for huge chapel/ meeting room charges and so on. Those, for some providers, are how they make their biggest money. Veterans may be able to get free interment after mortuary preparation.
For instance, My Mother had a chapel and 300+ persons came to pay their respects. We rented a chapel for my Dad's remembrance and 3 people showed up. Ten years made a big difference in the available audience.

Think now and talk to others about what may be best for you!

Remember the funeral directors and sales persons want you to see the coffin and smell the flowers in their sales talks.

Be well!
~Richard

An addendum to my earlier post. I think I will likely scale back my collection when it is clear to me the end is near (...that's if I have any say in the matter). As I read the posts in this thread it makes me reflect on some of my collecting habits (bordering on hoarding)...and I realize that accumulating for its own sake is probably not doing anyone any favour. It is always "...just one more razor"...but really they end up cleaned and polished and honed and then stored neatly in a tote box to be used only once in a while. (Some more or less than others). I think I need to consider a more modest collection of some favourites and put the rest into circulation for others to enjoy. As for a will...yes, all that is in place.

I'm only 36 so hopefully I'm not going too soon and my boy is just over 1 so who knows if he'll get into straight shaving.
In August I was in hospital with Encephalitis which is a virus to the brain, pretty rare apparently and by rights I should have been a gonna. I had some time to think. I've got good life insurance so my family will be looked after, a few things my boy can have to remember his old man by and the rest can go to the fine people here at SRP.

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Originally Posted by mainaman

I have been thinking about making a detailed list with descriptions of items I have and values so they can get sold one day and the money used wisely. I was thinking about giving that to my wife for safekeeping, then I thought twice.

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If my wife knew how much I've spent on stuff I think I'd be shaking hands with Death a lot sooner than expected.

On a lighter note.

Bob

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mW5_QDkx-k

As many might recall I did a lighthearted piece on this some time ago. It's in the blog section.

I too have a trust so everything is taken care of.

However my buddy Mr L tells me in return for allowing him to vacation at my place on and off he will allow me to take everything with me AND I can have all the ice water I want.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Due to the aforementioned recent experience I have been thinking of this inevitable eventuality, and I'm planning on making a will. I've got a lot of 'stuff' and no family, so probably will be leaving the swag to my church for them to reap whatever profits my hoard brings.

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I would love to know when that church sale is!:D

Recently we went through pictures of my grandmothers. Many of them got tossed because no one knew who they were.

My "collections" are for me no one else. They can do with them after I die what they want. I believe that you should set your children up early in life. Help them. $1,000 to help them through school at 20 is much more important than $100,000 when you die and they are 50. By then either they are doing well and don't need it or they will waste it anyway.

Last night I watched a season of Detectorists. I laughed and thought that I should get a map of where my things are buried or one of these guys is going to find them in the future!:rofl2:

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Originally Posted by 32t

My "collections" are for me no one else. They can do with them after I die what they want. I believe that you should set your children up early in life. Help them. $1,000 to help them through school at 20 is much more important than $100,000 when you die and they are 50. By then either they are doing well and don't need it or they will waste it anyway.

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Yea, basically my attitude also.

Bob

Have 3 sons and 6 grandsons so far. Am happy for them to have what they want and the rest be sold, even if they are just displayed.
My wife is aware of their value, and I have been thinning the herd. With the popularity and value of SR and DE razors and related items on an upward trend for some time many members collections here would be worth thousands of dollars on the open market, so well worth thinking about.