Thread: Did the "Seven Day" sets have a function or were those a fad?

Originally Posted by Legman

A few years back DOVO produced a seven day set of 5/8 Round point Pearlex. Many years ago, before I started straight razor shaving I saw a seven day set, don’t Re the brand but I remember they were German. They had genuine elephant ivory hand carved scales. They had never been used. They were made in the late 1800s and came in a beautiful Mahogany Velvet lined case. No scratches on the case. This was 1979 I think. The lady wanted $500.00 and I nearly bought them just for a collectible. I have quite a few razors. I keep 8 razors shave ready and shave with a different one each day so the edge on my razor last a long long time! When the time finally comes to refresh one I tune all of them up at the same time.

Back in those days straight shaving was something a few folks did in the closet and you could buy any razor for next to nothing. Typical razors in good shape you had to pay for folks to take.

As late as 2005 on eboy if you searched straights you got maybe 1200 razors. Now its's over 10 times that amount.

In 1964 on my way to High School every day I walked right by the Duble Duck Store without giving it a second look. Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda, or if I only knew then what I know now.

Originally Posted by gcbryan

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This is my 7 day set. It's not really a 7 day set but it's what I have ended up with after buying and selling a lot of razors and I finally decided I just wanted to end up with 7 razors total that I really liked and to sell the rest.

There are five pictured here that I'm keeping (not the one on the far left), one that isn't pictured and one that hasn't arrived yet. My total cost including the wooden cigar box is $400.

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oooh...you don't have something holding the blades in place? I've been wanting to do smthg like this, but am struggling with some way to find something to hold the blades in place, can't find anything (u know, 7 day sets usually have a tray like thing with slots for the razors). Do you just use this as storage then?

This is the 7 day set I put together but I like the first three so much they are the only ones I use now. Those three are Prezioso speciale 97 Italian razors which aren't made anymore. I have used a straight my entire life and they are the best razors I have ever used. For some reason I made the Sunday scales longer than the others, hence the bad fit

Originally Posted by Tony A

This is the 7 day set I put together but I like the first three so much they are the only ones I use now. Those three are Prezioso speciale 97 Italian razors which aren't made anymore. I have used a straight my entire life and they are the best razors I have ever used. For some reason I made the Sunday scales longer than the others, hence the bad fit

that box is awesome, did you make that?

Sometimes when I'm questioning what day it is, I think back to what razor I used that morning.

For a long time, it was common folklore that a razor needed to “rest” between shaves for up to 48 hours, so the fin could “grow back”. Dovo still states this in their Guidelines for Wet Shaving, as do a number of other sources.

This myth probably began with pre-modern steel that was less hard and required honing more often as stated, and even then, most probably a marketing ploy. Knowing full well that the “theory” could not be disproved, at that time.

Marketing is marketing, as the well-known lore, of the advertiser that guarantee to the Alka Seltzer company that he could double their sales overnight. He started the Plop Plop, Fiz, Fiz campaign and instructed users to take 2 tablets as opposed to one, as previously directed. Sales doubled, overnight.

So, folks using a 7-day set, were amazed at how long one could go without honing, it is just a matter of numbers, 7 razors will out shave 1 any day. Add to that, 7-day set became a status symbol and in addition to numbering were more elaborately embellished and cased as show pieces of the makers wares.

It’s just marketing.

Originally Posted by Tjh

that box is awesome, did you make that?

My son made the box but I cut out the inside razor slots and covered the inside with red velvet. I also made the scales of olive wood and engraved the days of the week on brass. I
also engrave a brass name plate for box cover.

Originally Posted by Tony A

My son made the box but I cut out the inside razor slots and covered the inside with red velvet. I also made the scales of olive wood and engraved the days of the week on brass. I
also engrave a brass name plate for box cover.

awesome. I have a box but not sure how to do the inside part, what did you do btw? Any tips? cuz it really does look great.

Tjh, it is pretty simple to do. Just take a couple of pine rectangular lengths of wood. Cut to fit in the box. First cut the slots, one side for the tang and the other for the end of the scales. You will have to do a little sanding after the rough cut. Glue the in the box then cut and fit sticky felt to the flat areas. If you do that I will engrave the days of the week on a sheet of brass for you. Be sure to leave room for them.

You can line a box with paper or fabric, then make a false bottom with dividers, made from foam core, wood, bookbinding board or cardboard, then drop the false bottom into the box.

It is much easier than trying to line the box with dividers. If you make dividers make them shallow or with finger cutouts so you can access the razors.

Here is a good series of box making and lining boxes from a book binder. Using his techniques. I have lined many a wooden cigar box, ($1-2), buy an extra box and it can be cut up to make dividers or custom boxes. Spanish Cedar is easy to work. Fabric, leather and paper makes a great liners.

Sage Reynolds