Thread: How many razor do you own ?

Originally Posted by Bruno

I have 2. 1 Otto Busch Solingen weltmeister which I got from my wife when we were still dating, black plastic scales.
And 1 John Barber which was my first restoration.

No Mappin lancet edge?

Originally Posted by ericr999

Woa... some people here have over 50 razors ?
When the average price of a razor is around 100-200$. So if we some math...
50 * 150 = 7500$ Minimum!

In some case, the invested amount is not small! For some people at one point, straight shaving is not a question of trying to save money, its really a hobby!!!

Bear in mind some of these guys were buying razors when they were much cheaper. But collecting anything involves cost.

To shave with a straight you don't NEED more than 2.

I own exactly one razor which cost me more than €100. I got my #14 blades for an average of $50. It's a matter of patience (vs greed), research (vs buying hyped brands), and knowledge of local sources (vs buying Solingen razors on eBay via Japan) .

That, and a lot of trading instead of buying.

If you enjoy collecting, restoring or just plain using the number of razors you have does not matter a bit. Just don't go into debt over it or expect them to pay for your kids university or your retirement, chances are pretty good they won't. My idea is to enjoy a hobby not analyze it to death.

Bob

Originally Posted by ericr999

Woa... some people here have over 50 razors ?

And some people have a swimming pool, others a spare car or a motorcycle and some men collect shoes. Go figure. At least razors don't take up lot of garage- or yard space.

13 straights
2 safety razors
1 old Braun electric
1 Schick Hydro
3 serviceable Rolls Razors

The safety razors I am keeping for my boys but still use them now and then (one new, one vintage)
The Rolls I love and use from time to time, a gift from my dad 30 years ago - bought a couple more beaters for spare parts.
The Braun and the Schick? I keep them around in case I ever get serious hand tremors.
The straights? I use six of them, the rest were for figuring out what I liked/hated. The spares are for the boys if they want them and handouts for the right guys with interest and motivation.

I started out to save money, then RAD kicked in.
Set the limit to 50 shave ready in rotation.
I never rotate. Use probably 7 on a regular basis.
Going to sell some, and like the others said, When the right person comes along, We PM them and send them one of ours.
I do this as a functioning hobby. Sometimes I dont restore for months at a time. Others I find the correct hones to bring out the best in that steel.
I am still sorting it out. German Full Hollows in 6/8ths are what I enjoy best today. The more I use them the more acclimated I become and the shave gets better. Go figure

A good time for a yearly count; right now I am at 51 razors that are or could be nice, functional razors. I have a good 10 junkers that either came in lots or were dud purchases. So way too many.

Of those 51, 16 are ready for use. Note that I actively use about 5 of those 16. The other 35 are in various states of refurbishment and most of those I will likely not keep - had most of them for a good year or two. I have 20 or so that I would like to keep. I'm working on a collection of Swedish razors myself and aim at having razors by as many different manufacturers; one of each. But this might be subject to change, as there are (were) a lot of manufacturers in Sweden.

The most I ever paid for any one razor was €70. Which was arguably too much for what it was (a common Japanese brand). I have also paid too much for a celluloid rot tainted 9/16 Daniel Peres without scales based on bad pictures. Still, a nice razor with a lot of character (it really does not look as bad as you would think) but I still paid at least four times (but really closer to eight times) as much as I should have - in relative perspective an insanely bad buy. I still "only" paid €40 for it, but it is a prime example why I will not spend more than €100 on any one vintage razor (prices are very personal illustrations to my point rather than valuations).

For me, collecting razors is a welcome hobby, something that I genuinely love and love doing. I have invested time, effort and patience in my collection, so I am attached to it and I love everything about a beautiful, well made, functional razor. But this attachment is more to the thing in abstraction ("collection of cut-throat razors") than to specific razors (although I have ones that I will positively never get rid of, but they are few - maybe 5). I feel my investments have paid themselves off in satisfaction with what I have; I really appreciate my collection and do not feel any need to accumulate just for the sense of accumulation.

A wise man once said (well, I am paraphrasing):

'It is easy throwing money around and buying whatever you want. It is much more difficult and satisfying to keep sane and enjoy in moderation, especially when you can afford not to - gluttony is a mortal sin.'

Live and let live, different strokes, birds of a different feather and you should not be judgmental. But I am, ever so slightly. Call it a character flaw if you like. I acknowledge we are all adults; we can do whatever we want (within reason).

But. I find amassing whatever you want, on whims, without as much as considering the possibility not to just plain silly. Even when concerning something as small and inconsequential as collecting tools, such as razors. I am funny like that.

As for the question 'why do we buy so many razors?', I think very often it is just a simple case of overshot enthusiasm, fuelled by all the beautiful collections on display on sites such as SRP and purchasing euphoria. For a while it was for me, even if I never made any real high-dollar purchases. I did not hurt anyone, it did not hurt my finances, but it felt empty. My purchases mostly just ended up in drawers and I went on looking for another nice Heljestrand.

This pops up every so often.
Here are a few of mine.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/attach...ion-razors.jpg
Lost count along the way?

V/R
Tim

14 by design. It started with one, then three. So I had a cabinet built to store my shaving stuff. Then I modified it with rare earth magnets so theyd hang freely.


Although, I did just purchased a 16 loop knife portfolio. So maybe 30?

Well I have 3 straights and it looks like I'm just starting thanks to everyone pressuring me to keep up with 50. Just kidding . And now I'm getting into honing and restoration It is a slippery slope. But if anyone has something they don't want to go to waste. Toss it my way. I'll make sure it has a good hone....I mean Home.