Thread: Does RAD + ADD = Divorce?

A quick note: People like me with ADD tend to hyper focus on what interests them.

SRP has ruined me (curse you Lynn)! I was interested in straight razor shaving for years, but never knew how to start. Just over a year ago I found this veritable bastion of expertise on the subject.

In March of this year I bought my first razor on ebay. It all just knda flowed from there. I bought an Acme Razor bcause I like the Roadrunner cartoons as a kid. It was cheap and I figured that would do for starters. I remembered that Henry Sears sold all kinds of razors in his catalog and I magically ended up with a Sears Crow razor. In consideration of genuine American vintage marketing I fondly remember the Fuller Brush man coming to the door once a month (yes I am that old). Of course I saw a gorgeous blue ship themed Fuller Shaving Scuttle and later had to buy it. I wanted a better razor and liked the vintage look Griffon Carbo Magnetic. It was Mint and less than $20 with shipping and swooped in for the purchase.

Straight razor shaving started to become a religion with me. Speaking of religion I am LDS so when I saw a vintage Joseph Smith it started knocking at my door (so to speak). My name is Jim Webb, so I saved up and bought a fully restored Mappin & Webb Trustworthy. My heritage is also evenly divided in perfect sections (25% each German, Polish, Scotch, Irish). So moving across the great waters I bought a Triton razor, and Maher & Grosh (Anchor Razor). I had to have an Old Spice Shaving mug and aftershave to go with the Ocean and Boat anchors theme.

To fully honor my German Heritage I bought a Puma / Dubl Duck, Merkur, vintage Dovo (memorial engraving to honor the bombing of Wald during WWII). While I was on the subject to WWII I bought a NOS Bohler with Star of David for my Jewish Co-worker (gonna hate to give this one up). I also bought Henckels Zwillingswerk, Henckels Platinum, Henckels Blue Steel and a Henckels "Barber Use".

On the subject of Barbers razors I adopted a massive vintage Wade & Butcher with barbers notch, and could not pass a Wade & Butcher "Barber Only" that I stole for less than $70 with shipping. While I was on the subject of British steel and thinking of my other heritage I discovered great buys for a Morley & Sons Clover Brand with Barbers notch and a Scotch leather / Irish linen Strop to go with it. I also picked up a huge butchers blade Wade & Butcher chopper.

Since my mind was on chopping a Boker Keen Kutter and George Washington King Kutter volunteered to join the party. Washington brought along a Lincoln Cutlery razor.

I was pondering that Washington and Lincoln as presidents were both Commander in Chief. So I adopted a Koken The Chief to make them feel at home. At the same time I saw The Chief I also saw a Koken "Laminated Steel" (beautiful patterning on the blade) that refused to let me ignore it.

Being impressed with the patterning on the Koken Laminated Steel, I found a Boker Damascus Magnetic. Boker makes a great Boker Red Injun. The Red Injun needed company, so along came a Rah Tan Rus Red Devil. The devilish red theme sparked my interest, so I now own a Case Red Imp.

While we are on the subject of Cases, my wife said with all this razor collecting she would have a very good case against me in a divorce. In fact she said that “If I buy one more razor that will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back”!

Speaking of the camel's broken back, I just bought this razor with a beautifully engraved spine. (I think I'll hide it!)

Seriously, I now own more shaving products than my wife has beauty supplies. Elk and Deer antler, 11 varieties of exotic wood for restorations, bench sanders, buffers, scroll saws, sandpaper. I now own 5 hones, 3 strops, and over 30 razors that I already know I will NEVER part with. Not to mention another 30 or so odd razors I promised my wife I would restore and sell (SELL is such a cold harsh word)!

If there is an inoculation for RAD it's too late, I'm infected. In fact I seem to be a carrier. My brother is infected and I feel my son and co-worker may come down with RAD after they open their Christmas gifts.

I need professional help... and NO, it will not help if I give some to you, because they would just have to be replaced!!!

Thanks in advance for your advice.
Jim Webb

...by the way can anybody recommend a good Polish manufactured razor?