Thread: When is enough enough?

Don't have any collection like most of the addicts, um I mean members here. My issue is most of mine don't get rotated because I have found three that just ROCK! I have considered parting with the rest due to my obsession with DE's also. But like others haven't been able to bring myself to do so yet. So as previously stated, until swmbo starts complaining its not an issue.

I started with one. Shave with one. Just not the same one

I was looking for the perfect 7 and 50 ish razors later I am at 12 in rotation and only 5 being worked.

Someday I will get to 7

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Didnt i read that you've had something like 750 pass through your hands?

Slightly over 800 in the past going on 8 years. I had a real addiction issue. That was AFTER I had acquired over 250 vintage DE razors and sold them all off back in 2007. Don't ask me why, I really don't know. The whole time I wanted to find a minimalist den. I guess I just had to try quite a few to get to what ending up being a reasonable amount. Luckily I was fortunate to acquire the Tortoise Heljestrands from esteemed member Voidmonster (Zak). I still snagged a half dozen Western style Japanese to try them out prior to liquidating them as well. They were quite amazing but the lure of having a single "set" of blades that perform well and have both exquisite rarity and appearance won out. Of course the family heirloom stays but only gets very rare use. It was sort of a rust bucket that got a restoration years ago. It could use a touch up restore in the future perhaps.

My personal choice is certainly in the minority and I am not trying to influence anyone to share my journey. I have thought about getting a singular "custom" razor for daily use but believe my regret of selling the Heljestrand pair would be too significant. Funny thing is that a similar thread as this led to my acquiring them. I asked if anyone was so Minimalist that they only used one razor? Zak posted THIS....... http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...ml#post1311705

I then contacted him a short while later and inquired if he would ever consider selling the pair. The rest is history. (Maybe I should have inquired about the Martin-Guillaume Biennais Napoleonic era kit??????)

The solution to the dilemma is counting them. DON'T COUNT !!

I usually only have 1-3 that I keep and use in a small totation. I sell off the rest except for the ones that were a gift. I take those out once in a while and use them. Probably going to pass those down to my sons/grandsons someday.

I think there is a distinction between collecting straights and using them. There is for me anyways. A straight razor is a dual purpose object that way. Not many things that people collect that they use too. In that case you could display a large selection and only have a pair that you use daily. Just a thought.

I've been at this about a year and my goal starting out was variety. Out of the 20 or so in my collection only 2 are new, the rest I bought from eBay, WhippedDog, and the classifieds here. I have everything from a wide, smiling Wade & Butcher to a 4/8 wedge square point, all in various conditions. I've toyed with selling some to pay for a new razor, probably a Revisor, but every time I think about it I decide I *still* like variety. I guess I'd rather have 15 or so old razors with character than 4-5 razors in great condition.

However, if I had the means I would definitely go for 20 or so razors in great condition and still have variety. :-)

Not to worry, I know three guys locally with well over a thousand...each. Not me.
~Richard
There are collectors, accumulators, and hoarders. On any given day we may be one or another of them.

I have a small pile, but usually have from 20 to 26 in the rotation. I am into using them a while and bringing in others. Some go out, some come in. Some never seem to leave, though. I suppose those will be the last to go! Big, small thin, thick, custom, German, American, French, Swede, English, Belgian, Japanese, and Spanish. Like them all. Not getting many more. Too expensive!
Different razor every shave! Pretty much a collector/user/accumulator. Hoarding seems so wrong. Unless you get them out and use them one by one. Gotta use them! Otherwise, they are not razors. Just display items. They can be both, with occasional use. JMO!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

...snip...
Different razor every shave! Pretty much a collector/user/accumulator. Hoarding seems so wrong. Unless you get them out and use them one by one. Gotta use them! Otherwise, they are not razors. Just display items. They can be both, with occasional use. JMO!

Well said!
Thanks
~Richard

I have about 12 that are in solid rotation but there are a couple that I could part with... I haven't bought an eBay razor in quite a while, and even given away a few fixer-upper basic blades to guys just starting. I'd be happy with 10, I like the idea of a small, well-curated collection. Now if I could get my soap rotation down to 10, that would be a feat...