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Ok, I get the "One razor for everyday of the week" part, but why?
Why not just use your one razor every day? I think I read in wikipedia there was a theory that a razor "had to rest" and therefore that was the reason for 7-day sets.
I wanna know:rant::rant::rant::rant::rant:
Oh that theory just developed as was a way to allow people to convince their significant others that they needed more razors (ok maybe not, but who knows)... They make seven day sets because there are seven days in a week and because they can and people will buy them. You certainly could get by with one razor, but what's the fun in that? Just sit back and let the RAD (razor acquisition disorder) sink in.:beer1:
there are a few different theoris about this going around
one is that resting the razor will let the edge realign by it self and reduce the need of stropping
another theory i find intresting is that depending on where you lived you didnt have the option to visit a barber to get your blades sharpened werry often and it would reduce wear on each razor
im sure theres more theorys out there but that seems to be 2 popular ones
It's just like other things that the well-off have...why have one when you can have LOTS.
Why does someone buy a Lotus when they can get there in a Hyundai?
Why does Jay Leno have a hundred or more cars when he can only drive one at a time?
The simple answer is two-fold; 1) They have more because they can have more and 2) They have more than the average guy has :)
Back in the days, contrary to what we are doing now, razors were not maintained by their owners, but were taken to a professional sharpener, or the barber, if he offered that service to be honed.
So, 7 day sets were created for the wealthier gents to use one razor a day, and have them sharpened not that often...
cheers,
Nenad
Quote:
Originally Posted by superfly
+1 on that - and it was one neat marketing ploy!
It gave your manservant a chance to catch up. Especially during the shooting season when he would need time to clean your guns.
Often called a "fowling piece" :)Quote:
Originally Posted by welshwizard
....and of course they would be a matched pair!
There are two schools of thought here.
The one you mention is that the microscopic striations on the edge need time to realign between uses, hence 7 day sets and the recommendation that you have at least two razors.
The other school (and the one I have found to be true) is that it doesnt really matter! Stropping is the key to keeping your razor in good condition and as long as you strop before and after each shave you will keep your edge in good condition. Oh, and making sure you dry it off correctly before storing it.
When I started out I only had one razor (as most of us did) and I used it every day for several months with no ill effect. I just did my normal stropping (25 material, 50 leather before and 10 material and 15 leather after) and made sure I dried the razor off properly and it was absolutely fine.
So you CAN get by with just the one, but wheres the fun in that..? :-) If you really want to make the "7 day set" guys go crazy, get yourself a 365 day set..! Hehe! And feel the RAD!
Interestingly, none of the old farmers and ranchers I knew when I was a kid in rural east Texas had more than one straight razor at a time, and they sharpened their razors themselves. The idea of someone else sharpening thier razors was completely unheard of. Also, they didn't spend any time fussing over honing technique.
We Americans look at things a bit differently than our British cousins. As an example take shotguns. Our American shotguns were heavy, robustly made and not particularly attractive field pieces. They were tools, that's it. They did their job very well putting meat on the table and dispatching vermin.
The Brits on the other hand made elegant shotguns, highly engraved and stocked with the finest walnut. Balanced perfectly, they were often made in matched pairs (an expensive proposition even with today's CNC machinery). They were (and still are) works of art.
Straight razors are probably similar. To us, a tool, nothing more. It removes facial hair. Why on earth would you spend extra money getting seven of them, with fancy handles and engraving even! Why it made no sense to our country's settlers!
But to a "refined gentleman" of means? Why works of art are in order! That is why we have Purdey shotguns and Ferraris, Saville Row suits, and custom made fedoras.
A tool is a tool. I will use a Craftsman wrench, but I love to use my Snap-Ons!
So why do Americans like their gas guzzling muscle cars that come with a gazzilion cup holders, soggy suspension and more horse power than you will ever need as long as you are not towing your own house?Quote:
Originally Posted by flylot
Compare that to the european cars that emphasize the functional aspect of a car, and try to be as economic and efficient as possible.
:)
Does anyone have a photo of a misaligned striation to compare to a striation that is aligned properly? This concept confuses my simple mind :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Stubear
Because we need a reason to use the word "gazillion" :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
But our country's settlers were British...Quote:
Originally Posted by flylot
Hmmmm. Porche, Mercedes, Maseratti, Lamborgini, Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Ferarri, Astin Martin. I think Europeans like their version of the American gas guzzling muscle car. But they cost a gazzilion euros insted of having a gazzilion cup holders. :tuQuote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
Holland and Holland & Purdey still make elegant made to measure shotguns. I've just read the review for an H & H , yours for £40,000. The sad thing is that the basic working shotguns that I grew up with; B.S.A., Webley & Scott and Greener, to name but three, have been superceded by foreign imports. My first shotgun aged 9,was was a Webley .410.Quote:
Originally Posted by flylot
Originally the big gas guzzlers from the 60s and before were made because in general Americans spent way more time driving than Europeans and in general the roads were in far better shape than in Europe so it was thought people wanted a large car to cruise the interstate system in luxury and comfort with large engines to stand up to high mileage usage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
I remember riding with my brother in his 1964 VW Beetle with a top speed of around 70MPH. You would start up a hill at top speed and by the time you reached the top you'd be lucky to be doing 40.
It was unsafe and uncomfortable.
They just wanted to get 'er done, they had vegi-tables to pick, and pigs to slit from ear to ear, cows tooQuote:
Originally Posted by sffone
Status,,,,,,,,
So, what do you guys suppose is the hardest day to find in good shape? When you find them, what day seems to have been worn out the most? Just curious :shrug:
The only thing missing from this thread is a Tardus....:o
Attachment 249610
Ahh ha ha! Wasn't even looking at the date :gaah:
It was "whoever" who took the journey down the wormhole...we just went along for the ride....:)Quote:
Originally Posted by xiaotuzi
Same answer that sprang to my mind when this thread was started in 2010:
Insufficient funds for 30-day set. ;)
In the meantime; I think we found a worthy contender for the Howard Carter award of the month.
B.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Wednesday, its just squished there in the middleQuote:
Originally Posted by xiaotuzi
One thing I know for certain is that I don't need a 7 day set. That doesn't mean I don't want one! Why? Well, 'cos I just do!
