Thread: Collecting direction/guidance question

Ok, I must be hooked.

I have been using a straight razor few only a few weeks now and I find myself owning 13 razors already. I have already reground and started rebuilding a couple of those and I find myself contemplating redesigning my belt grinder in order to make my own razor from scratch. The bug has apparently bit and left its mandibles implanted.

So here is the issue. If I am going to start a collection I don't want to go about hap-hazardly buying razors with no direction. I see a lot of new custom knife collectors do that and a lot of times they eventually get bogged down and lose interest in collecting. I have an idea about how to give my future collection some direction and end up with a collection of quality razors with a common theme.

I live about a half hour south of St Louis and I notice a lot of the razors I am finding on Ebay have a St Louis connection. I think the local flavor is kind of a cool way to go. It would give my collection some direction without being too narrowly focused. Shumate, Keen Kutter, Simmons Hdwr, Shapliegh, and other hdwr store razors have a St Louis connection. From what I can tell most are either US made or Solingen made and appear to be good quality makes.

Does this sound like a feasible way to approach this? Any of you long time collectors have any input?

Thanks,

Ray

IMO depends what you want, do you want to have razors from different razor making regions, such as Sheffield, Solingen, Swedish, Japanese, American? Or do you prefer to focus on one region only?
If I were to really start a collection, I'd go for razors from each region, with examples of different grinds ,sizes, makers.
If you are aiming towards practicality more than just collecting, then you need to consider your own preference to steel, grind, size maker.

I think a geographic connection is cool! Lots of St Louis on lots of razors. The ones I have seen are all of good steel. An added bonus is they come less expensive in general. Now you need to find an American Lines St. Louis in one of many makes, and the elusive Spirit of St. Louis Razor!

I'd say it's too early to know what you will eventually enjoy collecting. It's a little like deciding what you are going to buy before you get in the clothing store. I would advise anyone intent on collecting razors to delay the decision on what to specialize in until you "try on" a bunch of razors. Of course I didn't do that, and now I have a bunch that I'm trying to sell. There's nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't do it that way if I had it to do over again.

Will you be collecting razors just to look at or to use. If you are going to use them I agree with Ace in that you should collect what you like to use and the only way to find the best match is to try a bunch. I guess people would say I have a collection. They are from many makers, places of origin, styles, grinds and sizes. All my razors are in my shaving rotation and grouped in similar batches. Some are grouped by grind, some by size, some by maker ect. I always enjoy the change in razors and the change in groupings. In the end, only you can decide what to collect but I would suggest that you not limit yourself right out of the gate. If you get a chance to go to any straight razor meets do so. It's the best place to see and possibly try many different razors w/o having to buy and make them shave ready. Good luck.

In the beginning I bought razors from known makers without much discrimination. Whatever caught my eye. I accumulated quite a few and then began to focus on condition. Now it isn't excellent + or better I don't mess with it no matter who made it. So condition, condition, condition is my main qualification nowadays.

That brings up another aspect of it. I am actually enjoying restoring the couple I am working on. I enjoy messing with stuff like that. I guess rebuilding or restoring a razor is different than collecting razors with all original parts. As long as the blade wasn't honed away beyond regrinding, condition has not bothered me TOO much.

I have tried to get razors in decent condition with maybe a little hone wear or a cracked scale I can replace. However, new old stock or mint condition hasn't been that important to me since I have the tools and interest to mess with reconditioning.

Ray