Thread: Collecting vs. Accumulating

Originally Posted by markbignosekelly

Only 12 Jaime, that surprises me. With the razors you've shown only a few have made the cut.

But if he test shaves with the ones he honed, why have a collection at home when there's others coming and going.[emoji38]

Originally Posted by outback

But if he test shaves with the ones he honed, why have a collection at home when there's others coming and going.[emoji38]

Yeah and if I was Jamie some of those razors coming wouldn't be going

Bump for posterity

Since I started the thread,a couple of years have passed and an age related downs size was necessary
I still retain a few razor projects but sold the rest when my living space has no place to showcase my accumulation.
Since they were out of sight in storage, they gave me no pleasure.
Enjoy that which gives you joy and ass on what you tire of. . .

JMO
~Richard

Bump for the weekenders!

Start at the beginning page.!
~Richard

This is an interesting thread!

As a relative newcomer to SR shaving (3 years now), so far I've been more interested in accumulating in order to try different types of razors and other related gear. However I've been accumulating with the goal of eventually, once I've found what I like and don't like, be more into collecting. As it is, even with the beater razors I have that I use to practise honing, I have everything listed, along with approximate date, price paid, last time honed, etc. I plan on doing the same with hones, although they're more expensive so it will take more time. My collection will always be functional, however. I don't see the point in owning a razor without being able to use it.

My next step is to weed the razors & gear I don't plan on using, and using my modest budget to form a higher quality collection.

Did I mention I'm a librarian? This is my basic collection development strategy, in library-speak.

I feel like I'm always fighting the urge to simply accumulate so I really appreciate the distinction between it and collecting made here. I definitely started off with a strong emphasis on the plain and functional and, indeed, that is still where my preference remains. Because of that, though, my razors are all pretty much characterized by being 5/8, used with minor hone wear, fairly plain, and almost all in need of new scales. That in itself has actually been great and I love the few (5, if I recall) razors I do have, but I've come to the point -- in my attempt to at least control my RAD -- that any new razors I buy at this point are going to be new, NOS, or mint; a bit more than just functional, which is to say not simply just plain; and, with a few exceptions, 6/8+.

I think Richard's original post is still an interesting semi-philosophical discussion to kick around in our hobby that many would consider exotic, esoteric (or just downright weird lol!). I for one have been fortunate to build my humble collection of about 3 dozen razors for the most part from either my rescales of old blades purchased from lots here or on ebay, as well as from guys downsizing much larger collections and selling them here for prices that were often too good to pass up.

Though there are still many blades and razors I would like to own, I have also reached the point and maybe the age where I want to simplify, to down-size, to pass on. So I sell a razor here and there, give away the odd rescale as a gift, or make a strop and razor kit for a young buck to start with like I did for one of my former Scouts (now a grown man) recently. My only requirement is that any razor I pass on must be USED to actually shave with-no drawer queens for me!

In fact, I've got a couple of real-looker NOS razors (with the original box and tag, plastic wrap, factory edge) in my display cabinet that I'm frankly starting to resent for the space they occupy. I guess they qualify as collector's items, and I don't want to hone them, but they haven't really "earned" their place in my stable because they're not shavers, though they could be with a few minutes of work. I'm thinking about selling them, again because I don't like the idea of "drawer queens."

For what it's worth, I felt the same way when I played guitars (including a Gibson Les Paul Custom), and had a rather larger gun collection (including a couple of sweet Weatherbys that were the finest shooters I ever owned, and just gorgeous rifles). "Collectors" just about made vintage Martins and Gibsons out of reach for the average player starting in the 80's, and of course the same happened to some razor brands in the Ebay era. Much the same has happened to some old cars, watches, and many other old niche items.

In that sense, I like to think of my/our razors are tools, albeit sometimes expensive, beautiful tools. Just my 2 cents on the issue.

Now having said all this about drawer queens, if I could get my hands on a reasonably-priced 60's era Colt Python 6" .357 in that legendary blueing they were so justly famous for, I'd polish it weekly, keep it in a safe, and probably shoot it once or twice if that-but those things get snapped up instantly for crazy prices, so there ya are.

Funny, but one of the things I do on a kick around Saturday evening like this is, I'll take my razors and re-strop them one at a time (whether they need it or not) while watching Law and Order SVU reruns. Fortunately, I can strop and watch Mariska Hargitay at the same time lol! SHD/Aaron out.

OKay I'll chime in. I started down the " I need a 7day set " trail a few years back. Got attached to Ducks as many of you know. Well I started all that numbering and making stands and I wound up accumulating a mass of Ducks. Now you just can't throw them in a drawer and expect to find anything but pinholes in red blades if you collect Ducks so I have kept them in a glass case right next to me for all these years. I have gotten to the point that I never run across a duck I don't already have. Now you may think that after 15 or 20 you would have all there is to see as far as Ducks go but I have proof that is a wrong assumption. I may have that many different Satinedges. I do have a plan and actually started implementing it last week end. I am building a web site to show my collection and get as much info on Ducks in 1 spot as I can. The Good is I have over a hundred razors, the Bad is that I have to do that document thing and take a lot of nice pics and the Ugly is that a lot of them need restoring still. I have some that are beyond hope but the fact that they exist is enough for me to save them. I.E ever heard of a Silkedge ? I have included in my collection anything with Bresnick on the tang. And today I finished a gallery of 10 with a tang that simply reads C S Bresnick. I have a bunch more Bresnick some with Twin Duck or Dubl Duck or Bresduck on them and there is a variety in that bunch. What I have learned about collecting is that just when you think you have everything you need to complete your goal another Special No1 comes along proving you don't. When I get this site somewhat presentable you guys will hear about it I promise. I have been working out of town the last year and hopefully in another 5 or 6 weeks I will be home on weekdays. This will speed things up. There will be an open invitation to correct or add any info I miss or put out incorrectly. I may need some help with the history. Shuffling razors around to get them in order isn't doing it LOL.

I for one know of your wonderful collection and the pics you've shared of them.

While you used to post quite often but then took a 'hiatus' you have posted a bit here and there recently---I'll tell you straight out---You have been missed! :

Keep in touch.

I get itchy feet when I get past more than 14 or 15 razors, I like to use them all and I have a non-collector personality, I'm a bit OCD and that includes my life and home, every few months I have a purge all paperwork files clothing anything deemed surplus to requirements goes out, my files are up to date everything I wear or own gets used my head works better and my life is better with fewer things.