Thread: How long would one straight razor last you?

Saw this post on another forum and thought I would ask you guys. I know there are lots of variables here but wanted to see what you guys think. Lets just assume the razor is your average 5/8-6/8 german steel razor. The razor is being shaved with 5-7 times a week. I know this varies greatly between person to person and razor to razor but wanted to see what SRPs opinion on the subject was.

I feel like the razor would probably not last a whole lifetime (but still a good 15-20+ years as long as nothing crazy happens like it being dropped ).

Considering that we have razors from 1700s that are still in use, I'd say they last several life times.After a hundred years they may be 1/32" less in width though.

My life time plus. But i said that on the other forum too so i guess my comment dont count.

Longer than you'll probably need it!

Mike

Originally Posted by criswilson10

Considering that we have razors from 1700s that are still in use, I'd say they last several life times.After a hundred years they may be 1/32" less in width though.

While there are razors from the 1700s still around they were not being shaven with every day since the 1700s. I am talking about a razor that gets used every day. ALSO I am talking about a razor that is the only razor in rotation. Obviously, if someone is using more than just one razor every single one of those razors will last longer (say I have 2 razors then each razor will last twice as long since it is getting used only half of what it would be if it was the only razor).

I am saying one razor that is being shaved with every day how long would it last. Not a razor sitting in a drawer being used once a year or however often it was used until this time. Not interested in hearing how little metal a razor you have lost when it is in a rotation with several razors.

Depends on who's using it.
I have a Gotta razor that I use for experiments and different hones, I must have set the bevel on it 5 or 6 times and countless finishers. Still only minimal hone wear. I reckon a quality razor in the right hand can last a few lifetimes.

JUST ONE?!?!?! DON'T EVEN JOKE ABOUT THAT!

Seriously though, I would think it depends on a number of things like how heavy your beard, if you do a full shave or just trim a beard, goatee, mustache only etc. Also how much and how well you hone and whether you tape the blade or not. Taping the spine HAS to greatly extend the life. I get them that are not that old that are worn slap out then I get them a century and a half old or more that are in fine shape. Of course I don't know their history but if I had to average it all out I would think a lifetime and live to be an heirloom for most of another generation...as a guess...

Originally Posted by Christian1

While there are razors from the 1700s still around they were not being shaven with every day since the 1700s. I am talking about a razor that gets used every day. ALSO I am talking about a razor that is the only razor in rotation. Obviously, if someone is using more than just one razor every single one of those razors will last longer (say I have 2 razors then each razor will last twice as long since it is getting used only half of what it would be if it was the only razor).

I am saying one razor that is being shaved with every day how long would it last. Not a razor sitting in a drawer being used once a year or however often it was used until this time. Not interested in hearing how little metal a razor you have lost when it is in a rotation with several razors.

OK, so my grandfather was very thrifty. He had one razor all of his life. It was a Union Razor Cutlery Company 5/8 square point. He received it as a birthday present in 1912. He religiously believed in being clean shaven, shaved every day of his life, imparted not leaving the house unless clean shaven to his children, and apparently at least one grand child (me). The last time I honed his razor was in 1982, 70 years after being bought and used every day, it was still a 5/8. Now I will admit that I didn't measure it that last time, but I know that it was a lot closer to 5/8 than 4/8. He didn't use a pasted strop, just plain leather with no linen before hand. He sharpened with black arkansas holding the spine just off of the hone.

So 70 years, every day, proper honing, and proper maintenance; for at least one life time - less than 1/16" of metal lost.

There is absolutely no reason a straight can't last an entire lifetime and more. At this point in time we see all these razors on Eboy that have been treated poorly but have managed to survive through the years. Back in the day many a razor was passed down from generation to generation and they remained in mint condition.

When I started it was with one razor, a 5/8 (Bowdin’s Blue), brush, strop and a 6 inch Translucent Ark. I bought the works new from my barber, he ordered it from his supplier.

He honed it, showed me how, and to touch it up on the Translucent and to strop. I chipped it once and he honed it out, while I watched. I stropped and occasionally touched it up and shaved with it daily for over 10 years. It never had the bevel re-set after the chip removal.

On day in 1985, my bride and I walked into an Antique store looking at furniture and there was a case full of pristine, NOS in the wrapper razors for sale for $5, used ones sold for $1-2 and I bought a fist full.

I dropped it and chipped the toe off about ½. I made a shorty and still have it. The width is still near original minus the 1/16 in chip. 10 years of a Translucent and stropping did nothing to it, still looked new, even kept the blued tang and cracked ice scales, to this day.

As long as you don’t drop them, they will outlive you, a couple times. The razors I shave with are well over 100 years old, some more.