How Many Razors have you Ruined?

Just before I buy a more expensive razor, I'd like to gauge whether it'd be a safe investment with a few questions:

1. How many razors total have you owned?

2. How many razors have you ruined/cracked/scratched/dinged/etc. during shaving? How were they ruined?

3. Do you still have your first straight razor?

4. How long have you owned the straight razor that you owned longest? Please provide it's size, grind, and blade material.

5. How many inches would you expect me to remove from a razor if I used it daily during my lifetime? A whole 8th of an inch? A 16th of an inch?

Thanks so much to all who answer :D

Well...

1. I have 10 razors, currently.

2. I've managed to knock a razor four times while rinsing them under the tap, though I've only chipped two.

3. I still have my first razor.

4. I've owned it for about eight or nine months.

5. No idea.

All that said, I'm not sure what relevance this has to whether or not you buy another razor, as what I've done with my own razors has no bearing on what you—intentionally or otherwise—do with yours, right?

I'm just gauging; never having owned a razor before (I just got one on whipped dog yesterday). Say, if dinging a razor was highly probable, and the community's near unanimous response was 50% of the razors that they've owned, they chipped, I'd be more intimidated at buying a more higher end razor.

But if only one person on this forum out of many had chipped his razor, and that was just a huge accident that would never happen again, then I'd feel more safe in a costlier investment.

I lost count after about 300 razors so I really cannot say how many I have.

I have ruined none of them.

Dinging a razor is highly improbable, though it can happen of course. Of all the razors I have been sent to hone I would say around 0.05% of them needed rehoning because of a ding or chip. The main issue people have in the early stages is ruining the edge on the strop or with technique, which has nothing to do with whether something is a high end razor, a normal razor, or a low-end razor.

James.

I have only dinged one razor and that was my first one, and it happened several years ago. It was sent to a pro for repairs, and is currently still being used by a friend of mine. That was about 3 1/2 years ago. Since then the only chips/dings I have had to deal with have been on used razors bought on ebay or at antique stores. If you pay attention and treat it right, there is no reason why any razor could not last a lifetime with proper care. Anyone who is careless/clumsy or otherwise prone to breaking stuff should adjust expectations accordingly.

As Jimbo said, a catastrophic event that will ruin a razor is not likely to happen. I'm at about 30 or so razors, have been using them pretty much daily for 4-5 years or so, and have had a grand total of one ding. You're worrying about a potential event that has a very low probability of occurring.

My advice? Figure out your budget, choose a razor within that budget that speaks to you, relax, treat it well, and enjoy.

1. over 50. I tend to give my razors to friends too much.
2. so far I've ruined one razor because I tried to fix the frowning edge and after that could never get it right. I was so embarrassed I just threw it away. (got it at an antique store)
3. No, I gave it to a friend who wanted to start SR shaving- and he is still using it. I get to hone it once in a while though, lol.
4. 16 years. Dovo Best Quality 5/8. It still looks and shaves like new.
5. That is hard to answer because it depends on your beard, your razor, your honing skills, etc. Most razors can, in the right hands, last at least 2 lifetimes. I would imagine that a 7/8 razor over 50 years of shaving might go down to 6/8- but I don't know.

To the question you didn't ask. I think you only should need about 7 razors (one for each day of the week) and you could then never have to buy another one.

1. How many razors total have you owned? - lost count

2. How many razors have you ruined/cracked/scratched/dinged/etc. during shaving? How were they ruined? - zero

3. Do you still have your first straight razor? - no

4. How long have you owned the straight razor that you owned longest? Please provide it's size, grind, and blade material. - as long as I've been on the forum, minus a few months. I have several I've owned that long across the range of grinds and sizes.

5. How many inches would you expect me to remove from a razor if I used it daily during my lifetime? A whole 8th of an inch? A 16th of an inch? - for just touchups I would guess maybe 1/16, but that's a very rough guess indeed.

1. Absolutely no idea. More than needed, less than wanted...

2. none

3. Yes I do. A Bergischer Löwe from Dovo. It is a full hollow 5/8 razor that I still use and very much enjoy.

4. About 3,5 years by now.

5. No idea, but a lot less than one might expect if it is cared for properly.

Ruined the first few I honed,far to much pressor.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...econe/drem.jpg

Thanks for all the great answers, but this left me one more question, in response to hole grouper.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 1holegrouper

To the question you didn't ask. I think you only should need about 7 razors (one for each day of the week) and you could then never have to buy another one.

---

What's wrong with owning a single razor? Provided I don't get SRAD (which I probably won't, I've been using DE's a long while and never had an AD 'cause I'm a minimalist), what can 7 razors provide me besides variety that I cannot get with a single razor?

A single razor will last you a life time if cared for properly. Many of us want a variety in our day to day shaving. It is pretty safe to say we all started out with one razor if even for a day, and some of us wanted to try them all. Hey............variety is the spice of life right? Your question is simple. Own one and you will be just fine. If you hone them on your own even better. If you do not hone, you may want two, one to have one when the other is sent off for honing. Other than that- one single razor will take care of your shaving needs if taken care of properly.

There's nothing wrong with owning a single razor. It just means that, unless you learn to hone it, it will be out of action every time it needs honing. And it will need honing more often than if you had a couple of razors, since the purpose of owning more than one (apart from some kind of addiction :)) is to rotate them so that you get an overall longer non-honing period.

Apart from that, people find that as they gain experience they gain curiosity. We don't all know at the beginning what kinds of razors we prefer, or indeed what kinds might be out there. It is unusual, though not unheard of, for people to stick with just the one they bought initially. Most of us look around at what else is out there and sometimes pick another one or two (or 500!) up along the way.

James.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimbo

There's nothing wrong with owning a single razor. It just means that, unless you learn to hone it, it will be out of action every time it needs honing. And it will need honing more often than if you had a couple of razors, since the purpose of owning more than one (apart from some kind of addiction :)) is to rotate them so that you get an overall longer non-honing period.

Apart from that, people find that as they gain experience they gain curiosity. We don't all know at the beginning what kinds of razors we prefer, or indeed what kinds might be out there. It is unusual, though not unheard of, for people to stick with just the one they bought initially. Most of us look around at what else is out there and sometimes pick another one or two (or 500!) up along the way.

James.

---

:rofl2: Unusual indeed- Especially on this forum

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Ruined the first few I honed,far to much pressor.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...econe/drem.jpg

---

:gaah: Thank God your better at making brushes & looms! :rofl2:

1. 15 or so

2. none

3. No, it was given to me and I in turn gave it away to someone else.

4. Since June 2010, 5/8 Stainless Steel hollow ground round point.

5. no idea

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Toucan

Just before I buy a more expensive razor, I'd like to gauge whether it'd be a safe investment with a few questions:

1. How many razors total have you owned?

2. How many razors have you ruined/cracked/scratched/dinged/etc. during shaving? How were they ruined?

3. Do you still have your first straight razor?

4. How long have you owned the straight razor that you owned longest? Please provide it's size, grind, and blade material.

5. How many inches would you expect me to remove from a razor if I used it daily during my lifetime? A whole 8th of an inch? A 16th of an inch?

Thanks so much to all who answer :D

---

1. Less than 40

2. None

3. Yes

4. I've owned it for 3 years; it has been in the family since the 1830's.

5. Who knows? How are your honing skills?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Toucan

Just before I buy a more expensive razor, I'd like to gauge whether it'd be a safe investment with a few questions:

1. How many razors total have you owned?

2. How many razors have you ruined/cracked/scratched/dinged/etc. during shaving? How were they ruined?

3. Do you still have your first straight razor?

4. How long have you owned the straight razor that you owned longest? Please provide it's size, grind, and blade material.

5. How many inches would you expect me to remove from a razor if I used it daily during my lifetime? A whole 8th of an inch? A 16th of an inch?

Thanks so much to all who answer :D

---

1. About 150
2. Zero
3. Yes, a 5/8 full hollow that was my Grandfathers.
4. Same answer as 3 and several years.
5. Tough question, I have no idea how long your lifetime may be.
&
Your last question: You can certainly get by with one straight razor if you are prepared and able to take care of it which includes honing and touch ups as needed.

Enjoy you new razor,
Bob

There is nothing wrong with owning just one, until you need to shave and it's won't and you don't have the time to hone it. So it's nice to have two as a backup.

I've never ruined a razor. yea a ding once or twice but I was able to fix it no problem.

I bought my first razor back in 1985-86? and yes, I still have it. Butler "Art" razor with the Shakespeare portrait on it.

I have ruined only one razor by my own hand. Excrement occurs, so you just cry a little bit and move along.

I remember when I was very young (over 50 years ago) that my grandfather had a very worn strop hanging on the bathroom door and only one straight razor, I think it was a Bengall. Unfortunately it is now too late to ask him questions about razor usage, honing etc. I really would love to have been able to share my passion with him. However, the point of this reply is to say that in my grandfather's case, he only had one razor but certainly could have afforded more. Similarly, dad only had one Gillette DE razor for over 40 years that I can remember. When he passed away mum through it out as she said it was all worn and "disgusting".

ps:- I am still young

1. How many razors total have you owned?

More than 100 at least. I would get by fine with 1 or 2.

2. How many razors have you ruined/cracked/scratched/dinged/etc. during shaving? How were they ruined?

During shaving none, had some close calls and I dinged a kamisori the other day, dropped one on another.

3. Do you still have your first straight razor?

Nope, got 2 from my father, a friend "borrowed" them and now they are all gone!

4. How long have you owned the straight razor that you owned longest? Please provide it's size, grind, and blade material.

No clue, 20 years maybe...

5. How many inches would you expect me to remove from a razor if I used it daily during my lifetime? A whole 8th of an inch? A 16th of an inch?

Not much if you treat it gently and don't live forever!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Ruined the first few I honed,far to much pressor.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...econe/drem.jpg

---

I bet that'll buff right out :)

Wow, thanks so much for all the answers, guys! :D

1. About 10
2. None, but some close calls, especially when I was starting out. That sink is your enemy.
3. Yes, and it's still a good shaver.
4. About 10 years, Dovo 5/8, carbon steel, fully hollow ground with ebony wood scales.
5. Absolutely no idea but unless you plan on spending a fortune on it and want to deprecate it, it shouldn't matter. When cared for they last forever.

As others have said, owning a couple of straights is easier on them (rotation) and you. Plus, it's likely that your taste will evolve after a while. Few people over 40 still drive the same kind of car they purchased as a student. I started out with classic western straights but over the past 3 years or so I've shaved with my kamisori about 90% of the time. Who knows what it'll be in another 10 years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Ruined the first few I honed,far to much pressor.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...econe/drem.jpg

---

Love that Dremel tool, man. Is that Purina Dremel chow scattered around it? Those things are damn messy eaters!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Toucan

Thanks for all the great answers, but this left me one more question, in response to hole grouper.

What's wrong with owning a single razor? Provided I don't get SRAD (which I probably won't, I've been using DE's a long while and never had an AD 'cause I'm a minimalist), what can 7 razors provide me besides variety that I cannot get with a single razor?

---

A single razor is what many of us intend to own when we get sucked into this. It's still a fine goal, but curiosity is a subtle and persistent force. Mine led me to own about 30 razors over time, until I stumbled into the particular razor configuration that is ergonomic bliss to me. Now I've got just five or six that match that pattern, but one that I use almost every day. Others, outside that pattern, I've kept because they have very unique grinds or other features that make them very different shavers.

Because I humored my curiosity, I know exactly which blade I'd keep if I had to have just one. That's a nice thing to know, and a good reason to have purchased a number of blades over time.

As to wear and tear, I only badly damaged one blade. Properly used, they should last three or four generations.

But, honestly, it's the hones that'll kill ya. Even if I went down to a single blade, I'd want to keep my entire hone collection, just to play and see how different stones gave different shaves.

Just take a deep breath and dive in. We'll catch you and we won't let you drown. You're among friends here.

Best wishes and happy shaving.

Wow, you guys must not be as clumsy as I am... I have 7 razors (just coincidence, not stopping at a 7-day set!) and within only a couple of months of starting out I dinged one somewhere on the sink that had to be honed out. Really made me think about how I was handling these surprisingly fragile tools. Haven't had a problem since. As you can see Toucan, most people have managed without incident :)

Remember. He who dies with the most toys wins!!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Ruined the first few I honed,far to much pressor.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...econe/drem.jpg

---

lol. better stop sharpening with a sledgehammer.

I mainly use the same one everyday. It's very liberating to have found your perfect razor. I had to go through about 40 to find it though. I still keep a couple of collectibles but gave the rest away.
As they say, you'll have to hone it more, and occasionally endure a poor edge from lazy stropping or whathaveyou, but I'd still prefer a shave with a dull blade on mine than a sharp edge on another!
I've only damaged one, and on purpose. I had it beautifully restored but the spine was warped something bad so I punished it on a diamond plate one night. I believe it's with my exgirlfriend.

What fun:

1. How many razors total have you owned? 11. Gave away two, swapped one, one is wrecked. Currently have 7.

2. How many razors have you ruined/cracked/scratched/dinged/etc. during shaving? How were they ruined? See above (1) but I didn't wreck it, my brother did (cracked blade with too much buffing)

3. Do you still have your first straight razor? Yep, my lovely Burrell Top Flight. I was very lucky that as my first razor it was truly shave ready (off the 'net). I'd never sell it, it has a special place.

4. How long have you owned the straight razor that you owned longest? Please provide it's size, grind, and blade material. Two years. Full hollow, 5/8(see above)

5. How many inches would you expect me to remove from a razor if I used it daily during my lifetime? A whole 8th of an inch? A 16th of an inch? Pardon? Inches? Um, none. It's negligible.

If you're wondering if you need more than one razor, the answer is no and yes. NEED = no, Is beneficial = yes.
Unless you really really can't afford more than one razor, get another. It's arguable that years ago people only had one, possibly for their entire life or a good deal of it. Now, with the use of tape and very nice man-made hones, it's probably more possibly to have just one razor than 'in the olden days' when hone wear may have been more of an issue. Really, though, a once every six months hone on a high grit hone should cause minimal wear and metal loss.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by walleyeman

Remember. He who dies with the most toys wins!!!!

---

No, no, you should read Ecclesiastes.

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

1. How many razors total have you owned?
Currently I have eight razors. Two more that I just bought and a kamisori, but they are not here yet, so eight

2. How many razors have you ruined/cracked/scratched/dinged/etc. during shaving? How were they ruined?
None so far, however I somewhat ruined my very first DOVO Bismarck by not giving it the care it would have deserved. I had it stowed away for around 15 years and when I picked it up again, a few months ago, it was badly rusty, brocolli even over the edge. Bad oil, cream or none at all... I don't know. Took me a lot of honing to reanimate her and doing that I cracked one of the scales. Now she's alive again but lost a lot of weight (most of us gain weight over the years, razors loose some) and has dark spots all over.

3. Do you still have your first straight razor?
Yes, I still have all of them

4. How long have you owned the straight razor that you owned longest? Please provide it's size, grind, and blade material.
can't tell for sure, must be at least 20 years. The first two where a DOVO Bismarck and a stainless steel DOVO both full hollow and 5(8

5. How many inches would you expect me to remove from a razor if I used it daily during my lifetime? A whole 8th of an inch? A 16th of an inch?
I shaved with the two DOVOs for around five years, then made a pause of 15 years (sometimes using the stainless, about once or twice a year) and now I'm back on the train since a few months.
Until this year they have never been resharpened. All they got over the years was stropping, and stropping on cr-ox every now and then. Still the stainless shaved at least as good as a new DOVO coming from the factory. I can't tell for the Bismarck due to corrosion.
I now honed both of them. The Bismarck lost a lot of weight due to corrosion and the mother of pearl (the stainless) also lost more than necessary as I had problems with the stones. Still it did not truely a noticable amount of metal.

I can't tell how much You actually loose over a lifetime. But if You don't hurt the edge and do a minor touch up every now and then, the basic honing (i.e. bevel setting), that costs most of the material, is only necessary once.

A few days ago there was a post, where someone cited a manufacturer's statement that said a razor's lifetime is around two to three generations.

Lifetime of a razor depends basicly on how often it is been used (rotation), how well it is been treated and how the shaving is (strong vs. soft beard, good prep vs. bad prep)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Ruined the first few I honed,far to much pressor.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...econe/drem.jpg

---

If I see it right, the DORKO was brand new. It even has the tag on the scales.
Was that "DIY - How to make a fine pruning saw from a simple straight razor"?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DDTech

If I see it right, the DORKO was brand new. It even has the tag on the scales.
Was that "DIY - How to make a fine pruning saw from a simple straight razor"?

---

He thought "breadknifing" meant making it serrated.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tierdaen

He thought "breadknifing" meant making it serrated.

---

.... *evenly* serrated

1. How many razors total have you owned? In this very moment, 118

2. How many razors have you ruined/cracked/scratched/dinged/etc. during shaving? How were they ruined? Two. And it has been very hard to take. The two tragedies happened during restoration.

3. Do you still have your first straight razor? Of course I do!

4. How long have you owned the straight razor that you owned longest? Please provide it's size, grind, and blade material. I never sold a single piece of my collection. However, I bought my first straght razor (and I still have it) about ten years ago. It was a Dovo 101, 6/8 Full Hollow, Round Point.

5. How many inches would you expect me to remove from a razor if I used it daily during my lifetime? A whole 8th of an inch? A 16th of an inch? In my opinion, it is hard to tell. It depends on how you strop the razor, how you hone it, quality and grind of stones. However, it is quite hard, if not impossible, to remove an eight on inch in a lifetime. If you take good care of your razor, of course.

Thanks so much to all who answer You are welcome! :)

1. How many razors total have you owned?

Between 20 and 30.


2. How many razors have you ruined/cracked/scratched/dinged/etc. during shaving? How were they ruined?

3 or so that I dinged by either dropping the razor or hitting it on the faucet. 2 of the razors had a small nick that was easily honed out. One was a wedge and it was a real pain to get shave ready again.

3. Do you still have your first straight razor?

I sold my first straight razor many years ago, it was dovo silver steel in ebony scales.

4. How long have you owned the straight razor that you owned longest? Please provide it's size, grind, and blade material.

Given my fairly recent fascination with vintage razors, namely pumas, most of my razors have been in my possession for less than a year.

5. How many inches would you expect me to remove from a razor if I used it daily during my lifetime? A whole 8th of an inch? A 16th of an inch?

My first straight razors were new production dovo's that I kept for more than 8 years. I could not notice any razor width reduction and they were maintained regularly on a barber hone.