Having your razors confiscated is just one more reason I hate college dorms...

Aside from the nasty bathrooms, people taking a poo while you're trying to shave, kitchens with mice, closet-sized rooms, shoebox-sized closets, sketchy stains on the carpet, broken in roof, peeling paint, obnoxious music from your floormates, intrusions of your RA...

Aside from all that, you can have your 3,000 dollar razor collection confiscated and be required to take the risk of shipping it back home. That's what happened to me today, because somebody reported to the campus police that I had knives in my room. Now the worst part is that I almost never go to my room, because I stay at my girlfriend's room and I was beginning to move all my shaving stuff to her room. I had basically moved all my razors by last week except for a few rusty blades that I was planning on taking home to buff.

Well, the campus police came today and inspected my entire room. The guy even admitted that it was clear that I used them for shaving and not as weapons. He asked me if I had any others from the ones in my room, and I was dumb enough to admit to having 10-15 at my girlfriends. Those 10-15 were, of course, my nice blades...he asked for all of them except two or three that I could keep to shave with. He said that having 15 razors in a college dorm was inappropriate, but he didn't say because it was dangerous. It was "an issue of perception" whatever the hell that means...it really sucks because I had basically stopped keeping them in my room and had stopped shaving with them in my floor's bathroom. If I had just made this transition a little earlier, maybe no nosy student would have seen them and reported me for having them...

But I guess that's what I get for not wanting to search for an apartment in Manhattan. You get (less than) what you pay for and you deal with the utter lack of privacy when you sign that contract to live in campus housing...

Thanks for letting me rant :boohoo:

Unfortunately, it is private housing. There is a chance you could scour the housing contract to make a case, but chances that it will work are unlikely. I was an RA, so I got to deal with this stuff from both sides. Trust me, it's not fun from either.

I have to say, given that they care about perceptions, I think you are lucky that you can keep 2 or 3 to shave with. They could have told you you couldn't have any.

Anyway, I feel your pain. And I'm curious which ones you'll keep with you... Lots of great ones to pick from.

Seriously, what damage could you do with 200 or 300 razors that you can't do with 2 or 3 razors. If they are perceived as dangerous, then you should have had to get rid of all of them.

Morons.

Sorry for your "loss."

What do you want for $40,000 a year ? :shrug: or is it $40,000 quarterly ?:eek:

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Originally Posted by Utopian

Seriously, what damage could you do with 200 or 300 razors that you can't do with 2 or 3 razors. If they are perceived as dangerous, then you should have had to get rid of all of them.

Morons.

Sorry for your "loss."

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That's exactly what my girlfriend said.

And why is it that every suite I've been has been allowed to keep sets of very sharp and very pointy steak knives when these razors aren't allowed?

My only worry now is that they don't get lost in the mail.

I'm happy they at least let me keep a few. It's just the whole process that was ridiculous to go through. What I kept:

-8/8 Heljestrand MK 134
-13/16 Globusman
-6/8 Puma 89
-13/16 Filarmonica 13

I guess I got pretty spoiled by living in a real house.

Dude, you're too honest, you should never have admitted to the ones they couldn't see.
At least you get to keep some. You needed to explain the concept of "resting a blade" .
They might have let you keep a 7 day set :)

That's ridiculous, yet understandable at the same time.

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Originally Posted by bassguy

That's ridiculous, yet understandable at the same time.

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I know what you mean. It was very frustrating from my perspective, but I also see the other side.
I try to think about how I'd feel if my next door neighbor had a ton of razors and my only exposure to that type of thing had been Sweeney Todd. I'd probably be weirded out or scared, too.

That Sucks!

Time to find a private apartment to move to. Why cant people just mind their own business? Does someone have a beef with you?

I have no idea if this is practical in your dorm, but you might want to consider advertising and hosting a "shaving class" in your dorm. You can introduce the concept of straights and DEs to them. (You're more likely to create more actual converts if you include DEs, as any idiot can use them.) You can also teach about the advantages of brushes and soaps as opposed to canned crap. The whole thing can be couched in terms of how much more environmentally friendly and economical these options are.

If you educate them, they'll be less afraid of your toys and you're less likely to get a repeat visit from the campus police.

Another thought:
Contact the chief of campus police and let him know that you'd like him to have a better understanding of what you are up to. That is, that your razors are a hobby at least as much as they are utilitarian devices, and as a hobby it is perfectly reasonable to have many of them. The best way to provide him the necessary information is to give him the URL to this forum. Hopefully he has a natural sense of curiosity and will do some reading here. Again, the more they know the less likely you are to be hassled.

:aargh:

At least you get to keep some good ones. I would probably try to escort the rest of the collection back home personally

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Originally Posted by speckey

That Sucks!

Time to find a private apartment to move to. Why cant people just mind their own business? Does someone have a beef with you?

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Know what's worse? I think someone must have crept into my room at some point while my door was open in order to see these. I got reported today, but the razors haven't left my room (in the open at least) in over a week and a half. Campus security is usually very quick to respond, so I highly doubt that someone reported me two weeks ago and they've just now gotten to it. I think that a breach of my privacy by some bum floormate is more likely...

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Originally Posted by Utopian

I have no idea if this is practical in your dorm, but you might want to consider advertising and hosting a "shaving class" in your dorm. You can introduce the concept of straights and DEs to them. (You're more likely to create more actual converts if you include DEs, as any idiot can use them.) You can also teach about the advantages of brushes and soaps as opposed to canned crap. The whole thing can be couched in terms of how much more environmentally friendly and economical these options are.

If you educate them, they'll be less afraid of your toys and you're less likely to get a repeat visit from the campus police.

Another thought:
Contact the chief of campus police and let him know that you'd like him to have a better understanding of what you are up to. That is, that your razors are a hobby at least as much as they are utilitarian devices, and as a hobby it is perfectly reasonable to have many of them. The best way to provide him the necessary information is to give him the URL to this forum. Hopefully he has a natural sense of curiosity and will do some reading here. Again, the more they know the less likely you are to be hassled.

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Unfortunately, the person that came to my room was the chief of campus police. He said it was clear to him that I collect and shave with these things and that they're not just a weapons collection, but that for "appearance's sake", it would be "inappropriate" for me to have 15 razors in a college dorm. They seemed uncomfortable and weirded out by it in general, I think.

Thanks for the suggestion on the class. I'm really just done with staying on that floor, though. I'm just going to stay at my girlfriend's for the rest of the year.

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Originally Posted by hoglahoo

:aargh:

At least you get to keep some good ones. I would probably try to escort the rest of the collection back home personally

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I thought of this, but saw some people recently posting that their razors had been stolen out of their checked luggage. What would you guys suggest? Ship or put in checked baggage?


...oh and yea...I really think I'll be ok with the razors I kept. That Globusman from Sham shaves unbelievably. And I guess I do have a Filly EPBD in the mail on its way to me and the campus police don't need to know about it...

Pretty crappy that some 'hero' felt the need to rat you out.

Wait, I just had a thought. How many strops do you have? Clearly you could use them for corporal punishment or a threatening weapon. What about your brush (or God forbid, your brushes)? Couldn't they be used for poking out eyes with those nasty badger bristles? What about all those soaps? Surely some chemistry major on campus could convert all the soap into an incendiary device. Obviously you got off easy.

That is terrible. Not so much the police reaction as I can at least see that perspective, though limiting the number isn't logical it should be an all or none. But another student reporting it seems far worse to me. Either he saw them in use and understood exactly what you had them for or he was looking where he shouldn't have been. The way airports are these days and all the theft that occurs with checked luggage I'd go for mailing them with plenty of insurance. I was worried about how my school would react if I started straight shaving which is one of the reasons I delayed my journey for a couple years. Glad I did too knowing the way my school was if I was ever found I'd probably be ordered to undergo pysch therapy for my "dangerous behavior" best of luck getting you razors where they belong.

So, do you need 10-15 more razors "from your girlfriend's place" to hand to the police? I've got plenty that you can let them have, so that you don't have to give them any of your good ones.
Drop me a line and there's a chance they can get to you on Saturday.

I am going to be the unpopular one, but I can see it from their point of view. Or at least, I understand why they did the things they did (not that I agree of course).

Suprisingly the security guy was honest about the problem: it was about perception. If you have a large collection of 'knives' then you become known as 'obsessed' with them. For some reasons, soemone saw fit to report you. Perhaps he saw too much saw or sweeney todd movies. Point is, security ended up at your doorstep.

They admit that shaving is ok, but the large collection raises questions. And perceptions are everything in US politics. The guy admits you are not a probelm, however, if somehow you should go postal and do something, then the security guys and administrator are going to get hammered for 'not doing anything'.

This is very similar to today's security theatre in US airports where 3 year olds are harrassed, paraplegic kids have to walk through the metal detector without their braces and women get groped on the inside of their underwear by the TSA.

I doubt that having an apartment in Manhattan would have been any better than (what is almost certainly) a PC campus. Bloomberg would take yours razors (and guns, and trans fats, and salt shakers) and put you in jail in the bargain.

Shoot....when I went to high school, I carried a switchblade and never got so much as a second look, not even from the teachers.

Fast forward to going back to college many...many years later and I carried a Case medium Stockman. Mainly to open boxes and to trim the fingernails and everyone freaked out! :confused: These days, younger folks see any bladed instrument as a weapon.

When I went to high school I carried shurikan (throwing stars) and knives and no b@stard came near me...:D.


Mick

Hones are even more dangerous. They can be used as missiles and would therefore present a grave danger if combined with the ability to procure the culpable act of lets say throwing them at bystanders below your window...of course with malice aforethought!

Lethal I tell you, lethal.

In all honesty, a straight razor is not that dangerous, but it is indeed a matter of perception. The average person 'could' be very threatened if you were to hold one up and assault them with it.

I would just hide them somewhere. Its against your rights to be thoroughly searched, well I dont know about in the US actually. But just hide them.

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Originally Posted by heirkb

Well, the campus police came today and inspected my entire room.

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If your college dormitory is anything like mine was, I shudder to think of all the really dangerous and illegal sh!t the campus cops passed on the way to your room to get at your razors.

Best of luck with a prompt resolution to all of this...

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Originally Posted by Bruno

I am going to be the unpopular one, but I can see it from their point of view. Or at least, I understand why they did the things they did (not that I agree of course).

Suprisingly the security guy was honest about the problem: it was about perception. If you have a large collection of 'knives' then you become known as 'obsessed' with them. For some reasons, soemone saw fit to report you. Perhaps he saw too much saw or sweeney todd movies. Point is, security ended up at your doorstep.

They admit that shaving is ok, but the large collection raises questions. And perceptions are everything in US politics. The guy admits you are not a probelm, however, if somehow you should go postal and do something, then the security guys and administrator are going to get hammered for 'not doing anything'.

This is very similar to today's security theatre in US airports where 3 year olds are harrassed, paraplegic kids have to walk through the metal detector without their braces and women get groped on the inside of their underwear by the TSA.

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I know what you mean. I think the straight razor thing freaks people out. Somehow they think of it as more dangerous than other knives. I honestly think I could cause more damage with a Swiss army knife than with a straight, which has a super delicate blade and a wobbly pivot (relatively)...and don't get me going on again about all the super pointy steak knives and kitchen knives that every kitchen in these dorms has.

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Originally Posted by heirkb

... super pointy steak knives and kitchen knives that every kitchen in these dorms has...

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Please. I've sharpened enough kitchen knives to know they are dull as cardboard. In the end, a person could use damn near anything to inflict serious harm to another person. Not saying, just saying.
edit: i guess my point is that most people's perception of what is sharp tends to be very far from truth.

So wait, are there any knives in the kitchen, or are those not allowed either?

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Originally Posted by markevens

So wait, are there any knives in the kitchen, or are those not allowed either?

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There are plenty of knives. And whether they're dull or sharp, it'd probably be much easier to stab or cut someone with one of those than with a straight which is relatively flimsy in comparison.

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Originally Posted by red96ta

Shoot....when I went to high school, I carried a switchblade and never got so much as a second look, not even from the teachers.

Fast forward to going back to college many...many years later and I carried a Case medium Stockman. Mainly to open boxes and to trim the fingernails and everyone freaked out! :confused: These days, younger folks see any bladed instrument as a weapon.

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Incidentally I graduated from college 2 years ago (it could have changed), and the rules were very clear.. Knives were allowed as long as they were under a 4" blade... me and most/many of my friends carried pocket knives to class etc. Professors even learned who had the knives when they'd need something done, and one of us would volunteer.

In our case, I can imagine a straight razor being considered a knife over 4"... then again I don't think I'd attempt shaving with a straight in a public restroom anyway.

Also remember, "shaving" is probably ranks very low on the list of most popular hobbies, thus an odd perception.

I'm also curious about the decision to store $3,000 of anything in your dorm-room. I think if someone had walked off with the entire contents of my dorm room including the school's furniture they might have had $2k worth (most of which being my laptop)

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Originally Posted by bbshriver

I'm also curious about the decision to store $3,000 of anything in your dorm-room. I think if someone had walked off with the entire contents of my dorm room including the school's furniture they might have had $2k worth (most of which being my laptop)

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I'm of like mind myself. Dorm thefts are not unheard of, and besides my computer, I wouldn't have anything of great value in a dorm room, especially a collection of some sort.

We live in an era of paranoia, political correctness, emasculation, and prissiness. I was reprimanded on a different forum (not regarding shaving) for posting a picture of my gun collection and it would have been OK except one of the moderators thought that ONE of the guns was an assault weapon. It wasn't but that didn't matter. Those folks do just fine now without my participation. These are just signs of the times and it's getting worse everyday.:soapbox:

I only kept the razors in there for a while and the door was kept locked. They were then moved to my girlfriend's room, which is a closed suite style (imagine a 5 bedroom apartment) and I trust everyone in that suite.

What else would I do with my razors? Most of what I do with my money involves buying and selling razors (and food and cooking stuff), so they'd have to go somewhere. Honestly though, if I was ever worried about something being stolen, it would have been my computer. Most people I've met don't think razors are nearly as valuable as they actually are.

Ouuuchhhh :gaah:. I feel your pain Ehsan and as Oz said, you are too honest. But I also see the other side of the coin as well. If they allow you to have blades, they will have to open up this to everyone and not everyone will have honest intentions. one incident and that's it...it becomes national news and homeland security gets involved.

Finish your studies as fast as possible and get the heck out of dorm-room living.

At least, you have something to look forward to every time you come home:beer1:

Yeah, times have changed. In my dorm room, I had a SCUBA tank filled with air at 2100 psi, a speargun and a diver's knife bigger than the knife Jack the Ripper probably used. The dean's office was downstairs from me and I scared the shit our him one evening when I told him there were strange sounds coming from my closet. He opened it to find my wet suit stuffed and standing with an ugly rubber mask for a face and the 8 inch blade in his hand. After the initial shock, he laughed like hell. Sure the college had a no knife policy but he wasn't worried about it. We also didn't have students who felt it their civil duty to go to the authorities over petty shit like that. I guess those were more civilized times.

I'm glad to know that there are other deeply disturbed individuals on this forum!

I knew I felt rght at home among these desterbed people, I persionally think that before the campus should have done anything they should have checked into it a bit more, meaning looking seeing that you are not some sick person that would play sweeny todd and that there are lots of(sorry to say) nuts out there that love having multiple razors and that you are using them proplerly. If they would have looked at it in this point of view they might not have taken your toys.

Heck, I carried a gun to school everyday. The subways were dangerous. Sorry about your trouble. There is a reason the Chief came to see you not a mere mortal.

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Originally Posted by heirkb

I only kept the razors in there for a while and the door was kept locked. They were then moved to my girlfriend's room, which is a closed suite style (imagine a 5 bedroom apartment) and I trust everyone in that suite.

What else would I do with my razors? Most of what I do with my money involves buying and selling razors (and food and cooking stuff), so they'd have to go somewhere. Honestly though, if I was ever worried about something being stolen, it would have been my computer. Most people I've met don't think razors are nearly as valuable as they actually are.

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Actually I'd be more worried *because* people don't think they're valuable. i.e. steal them as a prank, etc. Or people who don't understand how ridiculously sharp a proper razor is "playing" with them, that kind of thing.

I don't think razors are at the top of the average burglars steal-n-pawn list I'd just be worried about having that much dollar value in my dorm room period.

Personally I think you got hosed. I would make a case out of it just because it is right.

When I was in college, I knew guys that had everything short of guns in their rooms. You had to store your guns with the campus cops, but you did bring them to your room after shooting to clean them.

They did try to ban guns from campus but at an Ag, school that went over like a fart in church even with the liberal arts and womens studies majors.

Now I think they allow CCW everywhere but in the dorms, don't quote me on that though.