Thread: Rotation of DE/Straight Razors

I've lost count of my "Working" straight collection -- somewhere around 100. Once a day I cast my eye over the shelves, boxes, etc., and it just comes to me what i want to shave with that day or the next. Today it might be an 8/8 Sheffield near wedge, tomorrow a 5/8 hollow Dovo, the next day a Grelot 6/8 quarter grind. A good deal of my shaving pleasure comes from following my whims this way.

I always keep a replaceable blade razor near the sink for those days I want a complete change-up or I sleep late, maybe once every couple of weeks. I will keep that razor at hand until the blade starts to dull, then I will load up a different razor and keep that on the sink until it dulls, etc. So I end up switching my DEs and SEs every couple of months, but use a different straight every morning I use a straight.

The DE/SE rotation is simply because if I get involved with more than one I lose track of how many shaves I have on a blade, or the blade itself deteriorates from not being used, so it's easier for me to just stick with one, then move on.

Hope this isn't as confusing as I think it may appear.

Funny I should see this thread tonight. I only rarely use a safety razor- actually an old Heljestrand with wedge blade pieces. I have it honed up right now for the SOTD.
Normally, it would be two straights per shave. One for each pass. I won't keep a strop in my bathroom as it gets quite foggy and moist.
My regular rotation run about 24 razors, with others for special occasions, or a whim.
I am trying to get the hang of an adjustable Gillette DE now as well.
Ed
quicknicker

I used to have a set weekly rotation, with Sunday being the change-over day. This would include both straights and DE's. However, after doing this for a couple years I got bored of having to wait 7 days until I could use another beauty out of my collection, so I just started using whatever I fancy on a given day. Same goes for shaving soaps/creams and aftershaves.

i tend to use the same razors in bursts.. same with my soaps, creams, and aftershaves.. i find a setup i like and use it for around a week or so.. then i'll switch to something else.

I use a different one every day in the course of a week. It's not that I'm particular about giving the blade time to rest, it's because I enjoy using all of my razors.

After you've been at this a few years you find you use every conceivable rotation method. I have over 100 straights and at first I'd just use a different one every day. Then I used whatever I liked on a daily basis. Then I used one razor for a week or more. Then I gathered about 30 and rotated through them. Then I picked whatever of the 30 every day. Then I gave up. Now I just use whatever each day and don't worry about it. Sometimes I'll use the same one several days and sometimes just 1 day. I'm more consistent with soaps. I have about 9 I rotate and go through them day by day in the same pattern. Dull eh?

I shave with whatever I feel like shaving with at the time.