Razor Rotation Thought

[Koop]

I'm a guy that follows routines in much of what I do. That includes my daily shaving rituals. Day one, I select a straight razor and enjoy a carefully controlled, three-pass shave on my face. Day two, I use a DE to shave my head. The cycle repeats. I change the blade on my DE regularly and I rotate through a number of favorite brands. Like wise, once I built up a small collection of straights, I rotated through different razors with every shave.

My collection has grown to a point where I don't use all of my razors in a orderly rotation. Over time, as I collected more razors, certain preferences in grinds and sizes became apparent. Lately, I've added a number of razors from contemporary custom makers. This has lead me to another thought. If I use my honing stones as a analogy, I have many stones and I'll use a stone several times to learn how to get all I can get out of it. With my straight razors, it's been one use, then on to the next one until I get through whatever rotation I'm on.

What I'm leading up to is this thought. Maybe I should take a few consecutive shaves with my newer acquisitions and really learn the blade before moving on to something completely different. Since I only shave seven times over a two week period, it would take me a while to get through even a small portion of my collection. But, I wonder if learning each blade more intimately as I go along wouldn't be beneficial in the long run.

What do you think?

 

[Herrenberg]

Sounds like a great idea to me.

 

[tanvir]

I faced the same. I narrowed it down to seven "main" razors and a few experimental or temporary ones. Instead of treating them as a seven-day set, I structured it from the beginning of the year. The first five razors are allocated two months each, and the last two razors are allocated one month each. One week is allowed for experimental or temporary razor(s) between each of the "main" razors that are allocated two months.

This is my current scheme. I shave daily.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

My regular rotation is roughly a month's worth at the moment, but honing experiments and the like insert themselves regularly. And new acquisitions get more attention, both because I'm getting to know them better and because I'm sometimes figuring out the best honing approach for them. I do try to use my one kamisori a little more frequently just to keep the skills fresh.

Often with a new razor I'll use it a couple days in a row and then something like once a week for a while until the novelty wears off.

I like the idea of rotation from the standpoint of enjoying everything more or less equally, and I like variety, but I bristle at *too* much structure so I'm happy to call an audible once in a while.

That's the current scheme but I've been thinking about using the same razor for a few days in a row just to change things up.

 

[The Butcher]

Interesting point of view. I'm really new to wet shaving. Just started since last Christmas. I have, however acquired about 7 straights. I've grown quickly fond of my round points as the Spanish point style I've learned is easy to nick/cut yourself with. (I am a quick study though and have learned to slow down). I'm basically down to a three razor rotation of the 7 I own, shaving every 3 to 4 days.
Trying to restrain myself from buying more razors to avoid your predicament...

Not sure just how successful I'm going to be though

 

[Saloogie]

My initial enthusiasm for SR shaving got the better of me and I bought to many razors and stones at the beginning. How can you not when beautiful vintage razors are available for next to nothing? This hobby is almost to cheap not to get over enthusiastic! So I never really got to know the stuff I had and I was already onto the next which probably didn't help my progress.

But I've definitely slowed down my purchases now and Im getting to know my gear better. I can't say I have a rotation though, but it's not a bad idea.

 

[Ravenonrock]

I have a small group of favourites that get more usage, but I have no problem with a different daily driver. My modest collection is small enough that I know the particulars of each razor. Then there are the quirky barn finds I purchased from Griffith’s way back when that I will use when the mood strikes, just to keep them in the game. Even if the shave was sublime, it is unlikely I will use that razor the next day.

 

[1Speedster]

That’s a pretty decent idea, @Koop, to get reacquainted with your rotation by shaving each blade a few times before moving on. Sometimes blades have their own peculiarities, so this is something I might also do myself.

I really need to start working through shaving all of my razors as many have been neglected for a long while. This will also give me some worthwhile candidates for revisiting the hones which will provide me with more much needed practice honing.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I think its a great idea! Something to be said for spending enough time with each razor to get really comfortable with it before changing. Sometimes it is fun to force yourself to shave with a razor that you have not used in a while. But there is something to be said for just shaving with what you want to shave with.

In these times of Internet shopping it is very easy to buy more gear than you can use. You will not be arrested for selling gear that you don't use.