I have noticed that razors are sometimes sold in sets of seven. One for each day of the week. Why sets of seven? Is there something wrong with using one SR every day?
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I have noticed that razors are sometimes sold in sets of seven. One for each day of the week. Why sets of seven? Is there something wrong with using one SR every day?
Why not? There are seven days in a week. It was something sold to the "Well Heeled ". As big spendur once said, just a nice luxury, and yes one will do, but why have only one? Tc
With a set of seven you or your valet did not have to worry about stropping the blades and they could be regularly stropped by someone else during the week and the gentile or his man servant need not worry about such a menial task.
Considering the number of razors some people own. I am surprised there isn't a 30 day set.
On an unrelated note. Someone can make a killing making 30 razor boxes for this crowd.
Why 7 day sets ? Because a 365 day set would be too heavy!:roflmao But seriously,there is nothing wrong with shaving with the same razor daily. But it is nice to have that second or third (or seventh)shave ready blade handy in the event the first one is damaged or is in need of a honing. A seven day set assured the owner that he would probably only need the set honed once per year.
I really don't know about the 30 day sets. I do remember My grandfarther and him shaving. He had one razor. He shave about once a week or two weeks. Sometimes he would use soap and sometimes just hot water. I would think along the same line as RezDog. The more to do folks had the seven day sets and someone else would see to it that they were honed.
I had wondered about honing being a factor. It would make sense for people living in isolated regions, on campaign, or traveling, to have multiple razors to tide them over fir a year or more. I'm really imagining it starting as a necessity for an officer or wealthy traveler turned into a luxury item and mark of status.
It was tongue in cheek.Quote:
Originally Posted by rhensley
What about months with 31 days?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rami
I've seen set's of two, three and of course seven, all had the idea of rotation of the razors and to spread out the maintenance.
With a 7 Day set, you or your servant could pop down to the local barber and have the entire set refreshed and you'd be good to go for another few months.
And let's not forget the old tale that many thought the edge needed to be allowed to, "fin" or reset for 24 hours between uses...so more than one was a good thing. You'll also see frame backed razors that came with two, three and seven different blades that you could swap out.
And of course, good marketing existed back in the day as well; hence exotic scale materials and fancy spine work and etchings....:D
Maybe a different set 30/31 day set for each month and of course an extra February set with 29 blades for leap year.Quote:
Originally Posted by JTmke
Not that anyone around here would have 394 razors... :o
Hard to get good servants nowadays. Mine quit when I told him to hone my 7 day set after he brought me my smoking jacket .......... :rolleyes:
Maybe have 2 sets. It would drive me nuts if I have to skip a razor in a set. I would get uneven wear.Quote:
Originally Posted by JTmke
On a more serious note ...... I've had a number of 7 day sets come and go. I've seen even more up close and personal that belonged to friends. In many cases, most in fact, only one or two of the seven were used. Sometimes very old sets were in mint condition. They were probably given as presents and the owner kept them as new. I still have one set which was mint when I got it.
One of those Souvenir of Solingen sets with the names of prominent German cities etched into the belly of the blades. I keep it because it is a Wilhelm Mandt, an obscure German maker whose razors I began to collect. I've honed all 7 and shave with them from time to time. It is the only set I've got that didn't bore me to shave with. That is the main 'problem' with sets for me. Maybe that is why so many only have one or two used.
I have a 4 day set marked with Wales on the tang for country of origin. Probably made in Sheffield though. I've read that the 2, 3 and 4 razor sets were made to accommodate those who couldn't afford the more expensive 7 day sets. Sounds reasonable. Some of the most beautiful razors I've seen have been ivory scaled Sheffield wedges in two razor sets. Never lucked out on one of those but a friend had a gorgeous set from the 1830s.
Yes, the gentiles shouldn't have to be bothered!Quote:
Originally Posted by RezDog
Well. I grabbed an ivory handled Sheffield set thanks to you. And to be entirely honest it's more as an heirloom for the kids than for actual use. I wanted something with a link to my roots. However indirect. It's unlikely that I will come across any Ivory in the land of oz.Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
That 'buy it now' on the bay I linked to in another thread ? I had it in my watch list and saw it was gone. Nice set. Glad that you got it. :tuQuote:
Originally Posted by Rami
(full disclosure ....... I didn't know the seller, and had no interest whatever in whether it sold or didn't)
Back in the day, 7 day sets were a symbol of manhood. When you wanted to impress a young lady; you took her into the Shave Den & whipped out your 7 day set. :beer2:
If I didn't know any better, I'd say you made that up:rofl2:Quote:
Originally Posted by Hirlau
,,,,,:shrug:,now would I do something like that ?
Is that what you oldies used to call it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Hirlau
Well I whipped out a set or 2 in my day.
Sadly,, I never had a 7 day set,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:rofl2:
I always come up short, 4 day sets for me. lol
They do have 18 set razors Boxes out there, I believe they are called Salemans boxes or display boxes there a couple up on the Bay right now. I got out bid by somebody in the last hour on one, it from $44.00 to $72.00 in about 40 to 30. minutes. Too rich for my blood.Quote:
Originally Posted by criswilson10
Would you mind linking the auction?Quote:
Originally Posted by THORandODIN
My barber friend had 5 razors. 3 in his shop and 2 he rotated at home. I remember him showing me his pride and joy he used at home with ivory scales. He used it so often over 60 years the scales looked black and worn and you could barely make out the make. I think the blade started at 7/8 and was probably 4/8 now. I have a magnetic stand with 7 of my favorites. I am thinking of putting day labels on it so I can remember which one to use. I will probably also need a calendar to see what day of the week it is but that's another story. When I get to the point I can't remember if I shaved or not you will see a lot of razors in the classified.
Hmmm...some interesting theories. Metal resting, one for each day of the week, marketing ploy, prestige, travel sets. Still, it seems odd to me...why not sets of 3 or 5 or 8? Pairs seem common enough. Unless seven was viewed as a lucky number. One of life's unsolved mysteries I guess.
It's really not that much of a mystery. It's along the lines of why our numerical system is base 10. We have 10 fingers and so it was convenient.
For a razor rotation, days of the week afforded a convenient repeated cycle.
Like Ron said, 7 days in the week, 7 in the set. Here is a 4 day set in case the customer didn't want to spend as much as the 7 dayer. A.W. Staniforth, Cardiff (Wales). I assume these were Sheffield made, but possibly made in Wales ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Whizbang
Attachment 240256Attachment 240252Attachment 240253
A Wilkinson 2 day set, and an Ivory scaled Wilkinson that is not part of the set.
Attachment 240254
A very old Heljestrand set in horn. These came to me with one never touched, and the other super shave ready out of the box. The never touched one might be as well, but I've never used it.
Attachment 240255
These days they don't mean much even though a purchase of one from say TI will set you back quite a bit.
Back in the day sets were top of the line razors with silver or ivory scales or some other precious material and it was something wealthy folks bought as a status symbol.
I saw one 7 day set that had an 8th razor.They had a name for it but I can't remember what they called it. It was to use when you sent your razors out to be honed. It had a space in the box so I don't think it was just made up by the seller but who knows. I will try and find it, it didn't end that long ago.
I'm pretty sure that gents who could afford to have butlers and staff did not bother with shaving themselves... They would have the barber visit on a regular basis to shave them in their own home. Thus the need for "Barbers Only" wide razors... they would hold more lather before needing to be wiped off... the barber, who was not working in his own shop, would need to improvise on things, thus the reason to minimize having to wipe the lather off the razor.
2, 3, 4 and up to 7 day sets were for those who didn't quite have the money to pay for servants or barber visits. I'm pretty sure the main purpose of these multi razor sets were to stretch out the need to send the razors to the local barber for honing... few gents would hone their own razors like we do today. Those who could not afford to purchase a 2 or more razor set, were more than happy when King Camp Gillette invented the safety razor with it's inexpensive, factory sharpened blades. In fact, looking at how the straight razor took a dive in the 50s and 60s, Mr. Gillette was on to something when he figured that the average gent would prefer to purchase his blades over maintaining a straight, never mind keeping a steady hand using it!
Today, we make a hobby out of shaving with straight razors, having untold amounts of money to spend on hones of all kinds, multiple strops and heaven knows how many razors!
My father made a living as a barber in the mid 1900s, he had a steady stream of customers, each and every day, who came in for a proper straight razor shave. But, my father never shaved with a straight razor himself... nope, a Gillette safety razor and Wilkinson Sword blades were his choice. He spent many an hour honing and making pasted strops to keep his razors going for work, but for himself, the DE blades were more than good enough, and they were cheap too! And no.... there was no such thing as a 3 pass shave at home.... 1 pass was good enough. At work, a customer would get a 2 pass shave normally, one with the grain and one against. I don't recall anyone getting a 3 pass shave, but then... I was just a kid and I spent most of my time reading the comics dad had in the shop whilst waiting for closing time.
Regards
Christian
Awesome story - thanks...:DQuote:
Originally Posted by kaptain_zero
There's a barber down the street from me, we've talked straight razors, he uses a DE as well for his customers, won't use a shavette....had him give me a shave as well, goes to show you, technique is King...
