Thread: Reshuffling the Fleet

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!)

• 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.

Execution of the Plan
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?

This way lies madness. I can tell you this only because I am a few steps down this road ahead of you. Oh, the humanity!

Sounds like a great plan to me!!

For those not suffering from this RAD thing, 13 razors would seem like more than enough, but we in the know, knows that 28 is mo' better

And once you have finished this goal, then you probably will aim for a six week rotation, adding some French and Spanish blades in to the mix!!

My Remarks:
1. You guys know the drill, anything worth doing is more than worth ridiculously over doing.
2. Kicking the habit of buying straights is easy, I've done it lots of times.
3. I'll stop at 28 I promise! (I told my wife I'd stop at 2, 5, then 12, I currently own 13 and have started the reconoiter!)
4. Winners never quit and quitters never win.

Then hopefully we cvan get to quarterly rotations. Don't know if I could wait that long between some of my favorites.

Originally Posted by Birnando

Sounds like a great plan to me!!

For those not suffering from this RAD thing, 13 razors would seem like more than enough, but we in the know, knows that 28 is mo' better

And once you have finished this goal, then you probably will aim for a six week rotation, adding some French and Spanish blades in to the mix!!

I think Birnando forgot the other week you must have: Customs...

Originally Posted by LegalBeagle

I think Birnando forgot the other week you must have: Customs...

You are so right Bill, I completely forgot about that very important week.
My apologies Gents!

It must be because I completed that task quite some time ago....

If I suddenly stumble on a considerable quantity of disposable income, a custom/ kamisori week is a possibility. A Chinese/Pakastani Week however, is out of the question. I might be on a tight budget but I still do have standards.

I currently use my razors in a rotation by country. I also have a plan that lets me use my favorite razors every week with the others placed on a longer rotation cycle.

MY SUGGESTION FOR ALL STRAIGHT RAZOR SHAVERS is to buy a beautiful Thiers-Issard 28-day razor box. Then, hopefully, SWMBO would see the logic in filling up the empty places. LOL

When I got into this thing it was my intention to have 2 maybe 3 razors and a small variety of other paraphernalia. Then I stumbled on the old yahoo groups site years ago. Now I have over 100 razors. I don't worry about rotations any more. I just use what strikes my fancy.