Collecting ?

Being a bit of a hunter gatherer I collect a number of things.

Razors is a new one... I have had a couple of "shavers" for years.. but only very recently have I had the desire to dabble in collecting them.

Now, here is the dilema i have had in all collecting fields.... Where do you set the boundries?

There are dozens of auctions ending every day... the danger when starting out is going wild (as I did)... and suddenly having 20 razors you may not even really like when you REALLY look at them.

So instead of just buying.... I am going to try and set a limit... choose 2 or 3 "kinds of thing" to collect...

1) A specific maker.... "Gebr. Christians Solingen"
2) Specific styles "BIG!"
3) Plain black or white scales.

I have found in other collecting fields that if you concentrate you dont throw money out with both hands... and you more often get what you are going for.

Having said that... if I really like a piece, I can still make an exception and buy it...

How do you guys set your limits?

All the best
Chris

Here the maker, size and scales all fell together :-))

um 1910 - Rasiermesser CHRISTIANS SOLINGEN Feinster Silberstahl | eBay

I have been cursed with the collecting gene too. Since I was a kid collecting comic books when they were a dime. Anyway, I think of a basking shark in terms of early collecting habits. He cruises through the water with mouth wide open inhaling everything in his path. When he is sated he regurgitates it all and begins again. That is what is to be avoided. I just buy what I like nowadays. I shoot for quality. Plain Jane, vanilla stuff is not at all on my radar. Less is more kind of thing.

I guess if you are seriously collecting then rare new in the box unused items are what you are looking for to be salted away never to be used. I don't think that applies to most people who wind up with a collection of things and are defacto collectors. Personally I like to collect items in very good condition that I will use. I generally stick to one manufacturer but will buy others if they are unique enough to tickle my fancy. It takes a while to really figure out what you like so you do wind up with odds and sods at first. There are always items that are too cheap to pass up even though they don't really fit in. But yea, try to stay focused by having a mostly clearly defined purpose and limits.

Bob

I don't collect.

Stuff just seems to accumulate rapidly.

I don't collect straight razors. I just shave with them. Because I can be two-faced at times, I need a much bigger rotation than most. I really enjoy over-bidding on big razors then taking a bath later when I try to unload them.

Well, whats interesting about the whole SR thing is how many different ways there are to collect.

1) Mint condition in the box - the classic way.
2) Great condition... but used to shave!! what would a stamp collector say if you said "Got a great stamp.. and mailed a letter with it!
3) OK condition, and totally overhauled... !! What would a coin collector say if you said "Have this coin with 100 years of patina... and I cleaned it!!"
4) OK condition and polished and new scales added ... shaves like a dream!! What would a gun collector say if you said "Had this Muzzle loader, polished it all up, replaced the Wooden bits... now it shoots really well!!!

So... there are liberties accepted in the straight Razor community that few other collecting fields accept!

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Originally Posted by Chribo

How do you guys set your limits?

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What's this thing you call limits? This word is foreign to me. :w

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Originally Posted by Chribo

Well, whats interesting about the whole SR thing is how many different ways there are to collect.

1) Mint condition in the box - the classic way.
2) Great condition... but used to shave!! what would a stamp collector say if you said "Got a great stamp.. and mailed a letter with it!
3) OK condition, and totally overhauled... !! What would a coin collector say if you said "Have this coin with 100 years of patina... and I cleaned it!!"
4) OK condition and polished and new scales added ... shaves like a dream!! What would a gun collector say if you said "Had this Muzzle loader, polished it all up, replaced the Wooden bits... now it shoots really well!!!

So... there are liberties accepted in the straight Razor community that few other collecting fields accept!

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No, I don't think there are more liberties taken in the straight razor community than in other fields. Your #1 definition is in the strictest sense what a collectors is. OTH anyone with more than one of the same item has the basis for a collection and people that don't collect tend to view that as a collection in the broadest sense or the word. Then there is the huge area in between of varying strict adherence to the #1 definition. In practical use the term collector is pretty flexible.

I used to make real collectors cringe by redoing the stocks on 1950s Brno small ring Mauser rifles and bedding the actions to make them more consistently accurate when shooting. Other members of the shooting community thought I was a collector having a dozen or so of the same type rifle. Personally I did not care as I was doing what I liked doing.

Never did the same with cameras but always put at least one roll of film through them to make sure they were working. If not working properly I fixed them or sent them out to be repaired. That is something a #1 definition collector would cringe at doing.

The decision and difference is one of deciding if you want to start a museum or use the darn things as intended.

Bob

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Originally Posted by Theseus

What's this thing you call limits? This word is foreign to me. :w

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Still buying my last razor, ONE AT A TIME.

you'll get no help with limits here !:D

Ain't that the truth. Just like AA only in reverse.

Bob

Ah man...here we go again. I collect a variety of things: military binoculars, knives and more. I have recently started shaving with a straight razor again and the collecting bug is starting to gnaw. I'm not sure where this will go but, at the moment, the chief obstacle appears to be what started this thread: I don't even know where to begin.

Collect away,but do so with the fact in mind, 99% of the time you will lose money on a re-sale with razors unless you can hold them for at least 10 yrs.
Collect for the enjoyment the finest razors money can buy in mint or N.O.S condition with orig boxes and paperwork.
Do not collect anything with the addicts mentation of,hey, this is an investment,very few razors are.
have fun

I don't collect stuff. I just gather it up! :D

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

I don't collect stuff. I just gather it up! :D

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A buddy mine measure his collection by the pound. I've started doing that as well. It keeps the Missus mollified so I guess it's working.

My purchasing philosophy seems to be buy high, sell low. I don't expect to make money on anything I get -- rarely I have but it's an accident. I mostly buy "collectibles" for the joy of owning something I enjoy and appreciate. It's an attitude that's served me well.

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Originally Posted by mumpig

My purchasing philosophy seems to be buy high, sell low. I don't expect to make money on anything I get -- rarely I have but it's an accident. I mostly buy "collectibles" for the joy of owning something I enjoy and appreciate. It's an attitude that's served me well.

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Whacha got to sell? :w

Just kidding. :p

Well, Wullie -- given my present success at and enjoyment of straight razor shaving, it won't be any of my straights anytime soon. I appreciate the question tho. :-)

I went out of my way to buy razors in shapes and sizes I didn't yet have, until I finally lucked into the one that is, for me, ergonomic and shaving perfection. Now that's the only thing I'll take a second look at. Don't yet have one by a Swedish maker, or an American maker, or a French maker. So that's how I've done it. Willy-nilly with a purpose, and now I've discovered my specific focus. Haven't bought a new blade for several months now. Got a strop, though, and a new razor box...

I collect from different countries.

I also enjoy collecting, but as of late I've become a little more discriminatory. For example, I recently bought a razor that says on it "Campbell." My reason for buying it you ask? Because I'm of Scots-Irish heritage and so is the name Campbell. And, I recently bought a Hibbard, Spencer and Bartlett. It is the original True Value Hardware store razor and thought it would be nice to own an original. I also bought an Army/navy razor for my son (he's presently nine years old) to commemorate our annual enjoyment we have when those iconic teams play one another. I also try buying "local" razors. I managed to find two razors from the same co., one in 5/8 the other 6/8 that are from Troy, New York and I live a little South of Troy in the same county - so I thought that's a pretty neat thing too.

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Originally Posted by cflaageriv

I also enjoy collecting, but as of late I've become a little more discriminatory. For example, I recently bought a razor that says on it "Campbell." My reason for buying it you ask? Because I'm of Scots-Irish heritage and so is the name Campbell. And, I recently bought a Hibbard, Spencer and Bartlett. It is the original True Value Hardware store razor and thought it would be nice to own an original. I also bought an Army/navy razor for my son (he's presently nine years old) to commemorate our annual enjoyment we have when those iconic teams play one another. I also try buying "local" razors. I managed to find two razors from the same co., one in 5/8 the other 6/8 that are from Troy, New York and I live a little South of Troy in the same county - so I thought that's a pretty neat thing too.

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So, YOU'RE the one who who snagged that one from me! It sounds like you'll appreciate it more than I would've. Happy hunting!

Thank you all. This has been some very enjoyable reading.

I've always taken the view a collector is one animal and an enthusiast is another. Usually an enthusiast accumulates whatever comes his way he likes. Often times when he gets bored he sells things off. On the other side a collector usually has some aim or focus and rarely sells his collection unless he has duplicates. Now, you can be both. You can decide you want to collect DDs like me but at the same time pick up what comes your way that strikes your fancy. Over time you might sell and acquire items but in my case I would never sell any of my ducks. You may own 100 razors of all types but you may decide you have an interest in say old English Wedges made before 1900 and maintain a growing collection of them. Many of the non English razors come and go but those particular pieces remain always.

Usually the collector is very serious and methodical in what he buys while the enthusiast is more willy nilly.