Thread: Shaving with the same razor every day

Varity is the spice of life. I find using a different razor each day is Invigorating enough and less trouble in the long run than say a different woman each day.

If you had lets say 100 str8s that meet your shaving standards and say each blade would be good for 3 months before needing a visit to the hone that would be ( averaging 20 days to a month) 9000 days. You wouldn't have to hone a blade for 24.67 years!

I shaved with only one razor for a couple of years. Now, I have 4 straigths that are honed up, but still use only one straight primary. I just like to have a couple honed up incase one of my friends wants to try them out. But I don't see anything wrong with using one straight as long as you take care of it and wipe it dry. I strop it 10 times after wiping it dry.

I have a 7 razor rotation but break up the routine with vintage razors. I have 4 Livi's, 2 Austs, 2 Pumas, a Revisor and to many vintage. I know a lot of you don't like Chromium Oxide and I was one as well. Once I got my Mastro Livi loom strop with chromium oxide on a very fine linen and his skin side, touching up a razor in a couple of minutes is very simple. Very rarely go to the stones anymore. If you are a non believer, watch Mastro Livi dull a razor and restore it using just his linen and skin loom. Doesn't take a lot of skill but really does the job.

Using the same straight every day has helped me to learn straight razor shaving faster.

Originally Posted by Purvis

Today I decided that I was getting tired of shaving with different razors everyday.
I only have around 15 razors and have 7 that are keen enough to shave with, the others I need to get to the hone so I was rotating these 7 on the days of the week. Every razor gives a bit of different shave and have to use varying techniques with each as some are different lengths and grinds. My 4/8 wostenholm which up till now was one of my best shavers had to make its way into the stash of shavers that needed some hone work, this left me with 6 keen ones. then another one went, and I realized that they were all going to start failing one after the other pretty much in succession. So now I am starting with my wapi and going to hit it for 7 days then switch to the next so at least I can now get consistent shaves with each shaver and not have them all have to go to the hone at the same time so I can spread out the honeing process instead. Not that I mind honeing at all its just that its been a few months and I suspect my skills might suffer from the time gaps as well.
This I see as giving me two advantages:

* consistent shaves with single shavers
* spread out my honeing so I stay keen (pun intended)

Just thought I would share and see if others out there find this method to be of more value.

Sean

I have 13 traditional Straights that i rotate, but about 2 weeks ago i started to use à straight for 7 day's at a time. I found that method very good and i enjoyed my shaves better. The shaves are more consistent and i also get more use The The straight i used. To my opinion it's also a good way to be up to date on your honing(refresh) routine.

Another thread has been revived.... no matter, it's just as well.

I tend to work on a pet project razor and thus only shave with it.... I keep trying things, trying to eek out the very best in the edge, and when I'm good and bored, I tend to go on to another razor, knowing full well that I've figured the current blade out.

My "today" razor is an unknown, I'm guessing 50s or so vintage. The grind is a faux frameback, but when you shave it sounds like a singing full hollow. I have swore and struggled with this darn thing.... I almost gave up on it, thinking it was cheap steel, but then I tossed it on a Shapton 16K for 20 laps, just to see what would happen. Well, that's all it took... it got wicked sharp and with about 6 laps on crox/hard knit wool and back to my previous unsuccessful Jnat for another very light 10 laps, it was darn near perfect. When it was time for a refresh, I tried to get away with just my Jnat, but nope... this blade insists on 20 laps with a synthetic. I have never seen anything like it. The blade will never make a looker... it's got deep pitting near the spine on one side... too much to remove, but there's lots of good steel between the edge and those pits, so I could shave with it for the next 30 years and still not reach those pits. The scales are like the 50s Schick handles... butterscotch color... not even a pin at the toe end of the scales... just glued. I figure it was pretty cheap when it was sold and whomever bought it, gave up trying to get it honed.

Yesterday I decided to give it 100 laps on my 8" coticule, as a touch up..... not bad, but still in need of more.... they must have forgotten to temper the blade after hardening, and yet, I don't have problems with chipping?!??!

Back to the original story... yes, I tend to shave with the same razor, day in and day out, until I get bored and want to go onto the next challenge. I tried the rotation thing, but it just does not work for me..... ditto on the shave brushes... I bring one out, use it until I feel like a change and then swap it out.... Summer time is my boars hair brush time, with Proraso type soaps and creams. Now that we are entering the cold part of of the year, my larger badgers and floral scented creams and soaps are calling to me again.

Regards

Christian

Let us not forget, one razor used to be all that most men had. They probably used only one or maybe two soaps their whole life. Brushes were used until they were no longer serviceable.

I'm guessing that the average gent settled for 1 soap.

Gents who were better off and could afford it, were the takers of the 2, 3, 5 or 7 day sets. The primary reason for those sets were to reduce the need to send them to the barber for honing.

The average Joe, who could not afford such a luxury, would instead spend some money on a barbers hone, again in an attempt to lengthen the time between honings done by the local barber. Such a person would not waste money on several soaps when only one was needed, and an inexpensive boars brush and a basic strop would have rounded out his kit.

The Dandies who could afford to buy things they wanted, would often frequent shops in London, such as Trumpers, Trufitt and Hill or Taylor of Old Bond Street etc. for outrageously priced soaps, creams and aftershaves... not to mention fancy handled badger hair shaving brushes and razors.

Those few who were particularly well off, would have the barber come to their home and shave them there...

Ah, what it would have been like to live in the 19th Century.... as a rich man of course! <grin>

Regards

Christian

Originally Posted by Joed

Varity is the spice of life. I find using a different razor each day is Invigorating enough and less trouble in the long run than say a different woman each day.

If you had lets say 100 str8s that meet your shaving standards and say each blade would be good for 3 months before needing a visit to the hone that would be ( averaging 20 days to a month) 9000 days. You wouldn't have to hone a blade for 24.67 years!

Of course then you would have to hone 100 razors, presumably one a day for 100 days... On the plus side I expect that you would be very good at it, but then forget the skill over the next 25 years. Then I don't suppose I will still be breathing let alone shaving and honing in 50 years time.

That settles it a 100 day set it is

I have a dozen or so straights, stock seems to go up and down 2-3 either way , always buying or selling something it seems.

I snagged a NOS Henckels 72 1/2 , and I have used it every day since it arrived sep 1, just love it ! also got a 72 at the same time I still have not shaved with, dunno what has happened but this is my perfect straight so far.