Rotation Shrinkage

I thought about putting this in another thread recently posted as it is similar but decided it was different enough to start a new thread. I have a small collection of razors, let's say around a dozen. What prompted this question is that I shaved with a razor today that was not particularly enjoyable. It was shave ready and NOS but just did not do it for me. The end result of the shave (my face after the shave) was not significantly different than my other razors. So my question is for those with larger (and larger still) collections who might rotate their whole or a larger part of their collection of razors. I know members have said that they have some razors that they favor over others.....but for me there is a definitely tendency to find the best, which (paradoxically) can be plural with razors. So I'm guessing that almost everyone has this tendency. If so, do you use some of your razors just because you can? Is the end result the same and the enjoyment in the different skill set needed for different kinds of razors not in the final result?

I have a large collection of razors hovering around 170 About 150 are shave ready. I pull a new razor every Sunday and use it for the whole week. Of course there are favorites being great shavers, beautiful to behold, or just plain fun to use, Those tend to bump the line more frequently. The variety of different shavers is what makes it fun for me. Each one with its own idiosyncrasy's. I think its good to master different types, grinds, etc. Once in a while I'll come across a real turkey it might not be totally there edge wise, and I'll go to an old friend in its place. I also have a couple death razors that every time I use them I end up nicking the hell out of myself. They get run thru faster as well.

I have more than a couple of razors. Lately because of my contemplation of thinning the heard I have been shaving more with my neglected razors than my favorites. My choices lately are more about evaluating my attachment than simple pleasure of the blade. I do think that when I am switching my blade around that if I shave with a completely different razor every day, I never achieve the potential of the blade.

I make a list about once a week of brushes, strops, and razors I could live without. In the end, I keep them all. My rotation is only a couple weeks long. Any money I would get for something would surely go to something else I don't need like more soap. I find myself wanting to use one or another more frequently just so I can have a valid reason to use the stones.

yea, you guys are killing us noobs.... I have one razor that i made shave ready after useing a shavette for a few months got into straights and bought one made in china and made it shave with a knife hone..... then i joined here and discovered lapping film..... been trying to get a better shave ever since I have found this place, and to be honest I have. So do I love my gold dollar yes, because 1 i love shaving with a straight over my de and 2 it got me here to learn from you guys, so how can my gold dollar be a bad razor lol....

To be honest, from my perspective, it isn't that the GD razors are bad per say it is that they are of unpredictable quality and geometry. The issue I see is with that is trying to learn to hone, which can be very challenging for many, and try to figure out problems with geometry at the same time, while never really sure that you have a good enough razor to shave with either. I think that a lot of more experienced guys have a lot of fun goofing around with fixing and redesigning the GD's. I hope you get to the KC meet and really get your feet wet.

yep one day ill get it right and then some one will make a post on how great their shave was of their natural out of space metorite stone :aargh: lol

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Originally Posted by admvalentine

yep one day ill get it right and then some one will make a post on how great their shave was of their natural out of space metorite stone :aargh: lol

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You might want to look up Tim Zowada's thread on using a piece of meteorite in one of his recent razors....

Great thread, I have been thinking about this as I've norrowed my rotation down.
Working on the "letting go" part...

I have my best shaver in front of me all the time but the rest of them need my attention too. It's the same with brushes and soaps. Sometimes you would like to sell one of your kids but you don't. I wonder how much I would get. bj

Gentlemen,

I have trimmed my modest razor collection even more — to 15 and all shave ready — and rotate them. Mine are mostly 6/8 German NOS round points, and I love them all equally. Then there are several that I don't use and sell from time to time.

I've got too many.. for me.

They are all very different. Some I love because of the story that goes with them. Other's shave perfect every time. And others just have a cool factor. Can't really explain it. Try as I might to reduce the inventory, inevitably I talk myself out of selling/trading. And when I do move a razor out, its' void gets filled in no time.

What I do know is that over the past year my preferences have narrowed. I can see myself getting the quantity down to a more reasonable number, and in doing so focusing on only a few makes, sizes and styles.

For the past few months I have laid a set of seven at the beginning of a two week period and rotated through them, using each one twice and different one of the seven each day. Each razor shaves so uniquely different that I never get REALLY intimate with any one blade. I believe I will change this in the next few weeks.. going back to one razor for a week of shaves and just rotate the brush and software.