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I would like to catalog my collection of SR, SE and DE razors. I am thinking I would like to photograph my collection, and create some type of catalog of their main characteristics (type, date, where purchased (If I can remember...and price)). I will need to build a light box to consistently photograph my collection (suggestions on this would be helpful as well).
Has anyone done something like this? If so do you have any tips or suggestions for organizing a collection.
No, haven't done that but there are some tips here Category:Photography - Straight Razor Place Library
Bob
Yes. It can be a pain sometimes.
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I keep an excell sheet log of mine and a folder with pics but nothing that links them together except me
Started to, a couple times and gave up. I do have some sorted in plastic shoe boxes and hand written list.
Was planning on a simple Excel spread sheet, not too sure about photographing, that is a lot of work… Not so much the photographing, but the organizing and sorting the photos with the sorting info. Probably assigning a number, or alpha numeric number, then assign the number to the photos.
Tips and Tools for Digitizing a Museum Collection
The best thing is a program that would be searchable and easily updated.
Something like this is what I had in mind, there are a lot of good ideas in this post on coin collecting. Coin community forum.
The trick is to start early and keep it updated. Mine would be a full-time job.
I havent but if i did i would probably use excel because you can sort by any column you like.
I never did it for razors however I have a large mineral collection which is cataloged. No pictures but this was done many years ago and I have a 3x5 card for each specimen with my number and the scientific classification number and it's description and where it came from and chemical composition.
One of the members here posted a database that he created for just this. It was a few years ago.
I know of two. One had the database software on his site; the site is still up but the link to download the database software is no longer working (was brought up recently in a thread brought back from the dead). The other was a good friend of mine who happened to work with databases and made one for himself. Don't know if he ever distributed it.
Yes, I do this or at least try to. I save each razor in a folder on my computer with pictures and also info on a template, just a document with a table and spaces for stuff like maker, grind, size, scales, restored?, tape for honing?, notes, etc..
What usually happens is I neglect to do it for a while then have to do some catch up work.
I started to and then things kind of went sideways and I never finished. I had planned to have a detailed photo catalogue online here as well as on a thumb drive, and of course on my computer.
The information on the photo boxes is very helpful...they look simple to make (I like simple). I may talk to some of the tech guys at work and see if they can set me up with a simple spreadsheet to serve as a catalogue. I wont be doing a lot of buying over the winter, so this will give me a chance to work on this project.
Excel works great! I have em all cataloged. I was originally just trying to keep track of what i spent on each razor but over time the spreadsheet grew. Besides all the basic info about the razor itself i have a column for web links related to each blade, i keep a history of each razor and what work I've done on it, how many shaves I've done since honing.. etc. You can insert pics into excell cells. Throw the spreadsheet on Google Drive and you have an online accessible database wherever you go!
I would love to do something similar on my site with interesting information about my razors. Manufacturer materials year etc.
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I used excel, made a separate page for each razor, then an index page hotlinked to each razor. Gave up after I passed around 35 razors, but it works great because you can insert pictures and all sorts of things.
I have yet to do my razors, yet. Mainly, because I don't have that many (21 SR, 8 or 9 DE and 4 SE). However, now is the time to do it, before it gets too large.
I do, however, have all of my firearms cataloged. As a gun dealer, I have a pretty good personal colletion. For those, I started years ago, photgraphing each (both sides and close-up of make/model/serial numbers. Since I started this pre-computers, they were not digital. Hiwever, now they are digital. BUT, I ALWAYS have a hard copy of the phot. And NOT one printed on a home printer (after about 10yrs, the ink in home printers break down and start dissappearing). While labor intensive, I still hand write on the back of each photo. I do have a pre-printed 'home inventory' card(s), I got from the ATF. I keep them sitting on the counter for customers to take for free.
One thing about computers and digital photos. Who is to say the format you use will even be accesable 10, 20 or 50 years from now...upon you passing. Hand written or even typed and printed print will always be around. Look at some of the pictures taken back 100yrs ago. While possibly torn and faded, most of the hand writing is still there and legible.
Insurance companies LOVE inventories. As do dealers who are the ones to give estimates for collections after a loved one passing away. I have spent, literally, weeks inventorying and valuing firearm collections for widows. Anything that is reasonably inventoried by the owner makes my job soooo much easier.
All that being said: Maybe this winter would be a good time to start my razor inventory (before it gets out of hand)
I keep a list, but the problem is that I buy/sell/trade so frequently it is rairly correct.
I use an excel spreadsheet to track all my shaving gear except soaps and lotions. It helps me keep my shave den in perspective. har! I need to add the soaps and creams for a better reality check. :rofl2:
This seems like a good idea, I downloaded a free database that was specifically designed to track my movie collection. Obviously there isn't anything like that for straight razors as the people collecting them are fewer in number.
Excel would be a good place to start and you should be able to link photos in there too. Or if you have the time you could use Access or some other database software.
The main problem with Excel and putting in the cost of each razor is the AutoSum feature. You might scare yourself with that total ;) even worse your wife might see it :rofl2:
Good luck with the project.
I use excel to track all of my collections. I track the basics on the razor plus I track the cost, original seller, when it was had a full hone or restore, and other details.
All of these are are on a thumb drive so when it comes time to dispose of the stuff my wife or kids won't get taken by someone saying that mint condition, 21 jewel, Waltham pocket watch is old and not worth much....
I'm ripping apart one of the rooms in the house and getting it ready for a new stand. I'm currently cataloging everything I'm going to throw in it. [emoji16] http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2017...b01e367056.jpg
Not to much.... hopefully I'll have room for the rest....[emoji53]
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I keep my razors in cardboard boxes which are labeled by brand or similar. In each box I keep a handwritten log on how each razor was most recently honed, the stone progression from bevel to finish, how much tape if any.
I should start doing this with the razors I have and keep it safe. Great idea on the actual photos. Where is the best place to find values of straight razors?
Would be good for insurance or if something happened to me. After all I am spending the boys collage fund on razors and guns hahahaha