So I've been on a pretty steady rotation for the better part of a year and a half or so. It occurred to me that perhaps it was time to redraw the boundaries and line-up of my razors. Here's the deal:
The Way it is Now:
My rotation is 4 weeks long. Week 1-4 each have 3 straights and 2 or 3 safety razors assigned. Each week also has 2 soaps/creams assigned. There is no real rhyme or reason for the razor or cream and soap rotations and my four brushes are just kind of used based on what I feel like using that day. After shave regimens and finish are also pretty much ad hoc.
Where I'm Thinking of Going:
The biggest change will be with regard to straight razors and soaps and creams. Safety razors, brushes and the like will continue to be handled like I do right now with a couple minor exceptions. The rotation will be 4 weeks long however the weeks will be based on nationality of the straight razor and each week will (ultimately) have a seven day set assigned. At the present time, I don't have enough razors to support a seven day set for each week. Shucky darns! Guess I gotta hunt down some more razors. For example Week 1 would be Swedish razors, Week 2 would be American steel, Week 3 would be the Sheffield gang and Week 4 would be German razors.
Regarding soaps and creams, they would be in step with the razors for that week. Week 1 would be kind of freestyle since Swedish soaps and creams are not widely available. This is where I would put in Proraso (C.O. Bigelow), Arko Shavesticks, Cella, etc. Week 2 of course would be American soaps and creams (i.e. Williams, VDH, Ogallala Bay Rum, TSD, TGQ, etc.) Week 3 would be English soaps and creams (i.e. MWF, TOBS, etc.) and Week 4 would be German stuff (i.e. Tabac, Irisch Moos, Speick, etc.)
Here Comes that RAD Again:
Based on my current rotation I need 5 more Swedish Razors, 1 more American razor, 4 more British razors and 5 more German razors. On the drive home I thought about this some and figured out some ground rules (controlled RAD, what a concept!)
Execution of the Plan
- My 5 Swedish razors will include at least 2 framebacks
- My 1 American razor will likely be a Red Imp (I was actually quite surprised that the bulk of my rotation was in fact native razors)
- My 4 British razors will include a pipe razor, a hollow ground and a couple meat chopper Wade and Butchers
- The bulk of my 5 German razors will likely be Bokers (an old school Edelweiss would be nice) and a couple Ducks will likely round out the German contingent.
I'm currently on Week 3 of my current rotation and next week I'll finish up week four using the current line up. The following week (when I return to Week 1), I'll start the new line up (and begin looking for my plus up razors.) So that's it. What do you think?
