Thread: Stop me before it is too late.

Until today I haven't enjoyed a new razor. I have been buying and learning with old Ebay special blades for quite a while now. 3 were shave ready and at least one really was while most were in a sad state but came back to useful life. I have bought some from the usual other sources of old razors some of them in remarkably fine condition and have honed every razor I own with the exception of the ones I just received and I am stuck.

I have a seven day set of JA Henckels #53 5/8 razors which have never been honed. They have some kind of factory edge which will strop up to a sad level of sharpness I won't put on my face. Some of them had residue of an oil or rust preventative but they are all pristine save for some darkness near the pivots on a few. Only one or two have even the light circles indicating they have been opened a time or two over the years and the scales look like they have never been handled.

Ever have a birthday cake which looked so good you just didn't want to cut it? I am inclined to hone one and send one out to be honed. I can shave those two and save the others. I feel conflicted about taking something old and using it up. Or is this just another Escher label issue? In other words is preservation important OR do those of us who collect these items do so primarily to use them? I am inclined to believe from my simple investigations to conclude the latter. Unless someone stops me with a compelling point of view it would seem the virgin steel is about to be wed to a course old stone.

Photos to follow.

If you treat them well, your great grandchildren could use them.

That being said, just using two just doesn't seem right...I say hone/use all seven or just sell it for a nice price and buy two really nice razors with the money and use those...

I would hone all seven and use them, but I am not a collector so my opinion would vary from a collectors stand point. Even if you send them out having them honed wouldn't really ware much of the spine and if they or you use tape wont do any. You could use a 7 day set for along time before they would even need to be put to a stone again. Like the above post I don't think honing one or two would do the set justice.

IMHO razors are tools to be used and enjoyed.
I recently got a New in Box razor and honed it and it shaved wonderfully.
If they were mine I would hone them all up, use them once, and put them away for special occasions - but that's just me and I always hone with tape.
I also have razors that were owned (apparently) by the Lone Ranger and I've done the same thing with them.
I share your dilemma though.

Close your eyes and visualize who will get them after you are dead and in the ground. I wonder what they will do with them ? If you want to be a custodian for artifacts from the 20th century keep them as is. For myself, I would want to kick the tires and take them around the block.

That was option 1. Option 2 ..... Full disclosure .... I have two 7 day sets in pristine condition that I've never done anything but wipe off and admire. I'm a custodian on these ....... so far. I have another 7 day set that had some rust here and there and hone wear on one of the blades. I've honed and shaved with all of them. I also have a 4 day set .... yes, 4 day in a 4 day fitted case .... marked A.W. Stanifoth Cutler, Cardiff, with horn and 1/4 hollow blades. I've honed 'em all and enjoyed shaving with them. So I guess it depends. Someday I may break out one or both of the pristine sets and use them, but not today.

I don't buy razors I'd be conflicted on using. Hence, all of mine were purchased in really bad shape, and are now in really ok shape... I understand your dilemma, but it seems you'll have to make that call yourself. Sorry buddy.

They have been in a coffin for a long time.
If they were mine I would bring them to life and let them shine on and do what they were meant to do.

Oh man, those are dying to be used! You can just tell!

I believe I was watching the recent auction that your set may be from. If so, I wondered who got it and now I have a chance to say congratulation on a fine looking set. It is a difficult choice to decide if you are a collector for investment purposes or user for the enjoyment factor. Personally, I try to have nothing that I find too precious to use. By use I don't mean abuse and that set if used moderately often and taken care of will last a long time and retain a decent portion of value in the end. The difference in value between unused pristine condition and a well cared for lightly used set I would amortize over the years used and consider it the cost for the privilege of enjoying a fine set of tools. That is just me though. Let me know if you ever want to let them go I can supply a good home.

Bob

If you don't use it you will be hunted with RAD, for the rest of your natural life. I say use them, enjoy them now, because in heaven I doubt you will get to use them. Besides, you will cure RAD for ever, knowing you can't buy a better 7 day set, like the one you bought!

Double O