Contemplating getting out of the "RAD race"....a couple of questions

[Tordu]

First : sorry for my english. I am in #1. I started the same year as you, and i've try a lot of razor (de, se, ac), vintage or new. my conclusion is that good technique can lead to great shave, no matter the razor. RAD is an addiction with no end.

 

[Iridian]

There are two important things when collecting razors:

1. The strength of mind not to buy every razor.
2. Having enough money left to do it nevertheless if #1 is lacking

Sometimes I have neither.

 

[FarmerTan]

There are two important things when collecting razors:

1. The strength of mind not to buy every razor.
2. Having enough money left to do it nevertheless if #1 is lacking

Sometimes I have neither.

Good answer!

 

[Rob72]

Yes.

I am in much the same place as Northstonehill. There are a few outliers (never managed to snag a Bogin), but I have a large collection. I am now at the place where the larger portion spends time packed away, and around 2 dozen see regular use.

When I become sufficiently motivated, I shall start to enable someone else's RAD...

 

[FarmerTan]

I am really not sure how to answer.

As a huge fan of ancient Gillette stuff, I never thought I'd use an expensive modern DE razor.

A great guy on here gifted me a Bronze Timeless Open Comb that has definitely cured me of needing to buy any other modern razor. It is that good, with any blade I've put in it.

I will probably ALWAYS be tempted by the old Gillette stuff. Why?

I am continuously amazed how different old razors like certain blades more than the next one. Just strange. And I enjoy some variety. And it's cheaper than sports cars!

 

[Hannah's Dad]

I suppose I can answer ‘yes’ to question #2. Two particular artisans have essentially cured my once feverish RAD — Wolfman and Blackland. With a handful of exceptions, the polished TiBird is all I’ve used since I acquired it. I am on the wait list for a bronze Wolfman WR2 to replace my other RAD killer, the WR2 1.25 SB.

For me, I have found contentment with just a few razors. But it took me a long time, lots of effort and making both good and bad decisions throughout the journey to accomplish that contentment. But the journey was certainly fun and I regret nothing.

 

[Ckmaui]

I am more in the #2

I hate decisions I just want to know what I grab is the best for me and know I tried ones I loved and wanted to and the tops of those I have done that with many things in life and know it takes a while And if I do not try the ones I am interested in I will get a nagging what if the one condition the razor has to appeal to me for whatever reason that is some razors I could care less how good they are no desire to try them quite silly yes

honestly though its a fun hobby if some miracle razor came up might be fun to get in on a pass around and try something once a year or two just for fun like keeping forward with bicycle tech or car tech and if it was better it could replace that best I have as I do not hold much into the previous one as something special

I am one of those wear the same thing all the time saves decisions etc... OK with my fav clothing only

I do love the fun or the chase of trying to find the one thing though but happy when I get to the end result and do not feel the need for more



soaps are more a #1 for me in the sense I find many of the artisan share the same characteristics good or bad so that is just do I like the scent and company and a couple are really just so much better for me so far that is SV I might keep cremo around for camping though since its easy to use without the extra brush bowl etc...

same goes for blades I have 100 of a bunch I like the most and just need to keep using and notice the small things and since each razor tends to like a certain one will be down to 1-2 in the near future once I dial in that fav blade I am the type to most likely never choose the others but I might keep some sharks around since I used to lead shark dives and like the package and can play in shark week but otherwise no interest in having to choose or try various

also no interest in collecting old or using old razors besides my dads which I will keep and shave with once in a while for nostalgia I can see the appeal to it though and could see the fun in having them for folks that do as its not only history but a ton of fun I reckon to do but I know myself and I would find I never shaved with them and it would gnaw at me to much hahahahahaha

 

[Phoenixkh]

I suppose I can answer ‘yes’ to question #2. Two particular artisans have essentially cured my once feverish RAD — Wolfman and Blackland. With a handful of exceptions, the polished TiBird is all I’ve used since I acquired it. I am on the wait list for a bronze Wolfman WR2 to replace my other RAD killer, the WR2 1.25 SB.

For me, I have found contentment with just a few razors. But it took me a long time, lots of effort and making both good and bad decisions throughout the journey to accomplish that contentment. But the journey was certainly fun and I regret nothing.

I've been watching a few of you get there. It's been very interesting for me. There does seem to be some general approval for a few of the top brands, i.e., Blackland, Wolfman, Timeless, Rocnel but even then, it is an individual thing. They are more expensive, as everyone knows, the top of the top. Is that why there is nothing that comes after? or are they just that good?

I have no idea but I do enjoy the journey of others. I like it when people find things that bring them happiness... and esp. contentment. There are several people here who have a collection of the very best modern razors. Those same people usually have incredible knowledge about the other things that interest me.... brushes, blades, soaps and creams, etc. that they've gathered along their journey.

On the other hand, there are also people here who have found mid priced razors that work for them... not to mention vintage razors and other "hidden gems". The range of the community here is vast: people who use gear from the most economical to the most expensive. I think everyone on B&B can find implements that satisfy at every price level.

I love to read. As a result, I read a lot of the old threads here. Many times, it's possible to follow a person's journey since they joined B&B.... a look back in time... for the beginning to where they are currently. Fascinating.

 

[Tanuki]

First, thank you kingfisher for starting a thread that has attracted thoughtful comments from B&B members I have long admired.

Speaking of admiration, I don't admire or envy anyone here because they own a long-wait-time, expensive, or unusual razor or piece of paraphernalia. I admire the knowledge, sharing and generosity I see around me.

I am perhaps in camp 1. I wouldn't be in any camp if I didn't have both some leisure time to enjoy and family ties to keep me close to a shave den.

I came to B&B for leads in discovering a couple different DEs. I planned to pass along the family heirloom Gillette Old Type and the Merkur 36 I had been using for all my adult life. So I needed a couple DEs, no big deal. Turned out that a quick dip in a little pond became a long swim out into a big ocean with no further shore.

But my 'grail' search diverted from choosing a couple replacement daily shavers to exploring. First came vintage safety razors. Second, trying new safety razor designs that came to market.

So I became a collector, and an advocate of variety, while realizing that the extent of that variety was not very large.

Then the SR bug bit and I had a non-trivial skillset to acquire. And, in honing, a huge set of conflicting testimony and adjuration to evaluate.

Currently, I have a lot of shaving stuff! Only the disposable blades wear out. If I won't use it, I'll sell it or PIF it away. But most of it I use. It doesn't take much room and doesn't need to be fed, watered, or bathed.

The 'grails' of my original quest might be:
vintage OC DE - Gillette New Short Comb
new OC DE - RazoRock Gamechanger 84OC
OC slant - Fatip slant
SB slant - RazoRock Wunderbar
vintage Gem SE - 1924 Ever-Ready Shovelhead

If you think I will limit myself to those 5, you're nuts! Fidelity is for family and friends, not razors.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I've been wet shaving for 4-months, I would still be considered a newbie, to all the professionals on the forum, who have been wet shaving for years. But in that 4-months time, I have secured 6-razors.

Feather AS-D2
Rex Ambassador
Merkur Futur
Timeless TI95
Gillette Fatboy
Henson AL13

Each of these razors have their advantages, and their disadvantages. And only one out of the 6 razors, do I regret buying. I am already at the point now, where I feel like buying more razors, is just going to be diminishing returns at this point. So I consider my RAD to have come to an end, I don't need more razors, as its just going to be a waste of money.

Among the 5 razors that I actually use, I am already having difficulty deciding on which razor I want to use next. And I already have my holy grail razor now, and it happened to be my most expensive razor purchase, the Timeless TI95. And while thankfully my RAD has come to an end, I am still falling down the rabbit hole though, because I am enjoying all the software.

And its the software IMHO, that does offer a greater range of differences between them. Just in my 4-months time of wet shaving, I've experienced vast differences in the qualities, and performances, of shave soaps. So I of course can only speak for myself in this but, that is where I am concentrating my energy and money at this point, software, like shave soaps and aftershaves.

At this point, I am pretty happy with where I am razor wise, I don't feel the need to buy more.

 

[McBlade]

If you have to cut longer hair, there is a real difference between open comb and straight bar razors. It's not impossible for an open comb to clog up on long hair but as a rule they do a really good job of slicing right through it.

Weight has a big effect on how a razor cuts and how it feels. If you have thicker hair, heavier razors may feel smoother. The momentum of a solid lump of metal helps it to slice through without tugging. But if you have finer hair heavier razors might just feel clumsy and harder to handle. A lighter razor will be easier to manoeuver.

And of course the level of aggressiveness makes a big difference. Some people enjoy a brisk walk in a minefield because they trust their skill. Others prefer an easy to use razor - and even the mildest will still give you BBS in a 3-pass shave.

 

[McBlade]

PS: if there's one thing which makes DE razors all look the same it's learning to shave with a straight or shavette. After you've mastered a naked blade, they all feel like cheating .

I guess straights are my holy grail - but only for the kind of shaving where you've got time to relax and enjoy the process. A nice soap. The Zen moment you get practicing a skill. Feeling clean and refreshed afterwards - especially with a nice blast of Benjamin's menthol Bay Rum.

DEs are great for get-out-the-door shaves. Or a BBS shave. I never dared try ATG with a straight.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

OK, so I started traditional shaving back in 2009 and got a case of RAD that has persisted for many years; lately I've been thinking about curing it, or getting out of the FOMO phase, at least, and I have a few questions. If you are a newbie, or a person who has ever only owned one or two razors, no offense, but you are not my target audience. Here are my questions.

1) Has anybody on this site ever bought and tried a ton of razors and then one day come to the realization that, although there are certainly differences among them and that one can certainly develop favorites over time, or favorite types of razors, that in the long run, every new razor that comes out is nothing more than a slightly differently designed machine to hold a DE blade to your face for the purpose of removing stubble? And that, therefore, they are actually more ALIKE than they are DIFFERENT? And, therefore, that any brand new razor that comes out onto the market is highly unlikely to be that significantly different from razors you already have? That maybe there isn't really one "magical" razor that will be the best razor you ever tried? And finally, because of all these things, there really isn't any point in buying the latest one, no matter how much people say it is the best razor ever made?

2) Has anybody on this site, conversely, gone through a bunch of razors hoping to find the holy grail, and continued to buy the latest/greatest at whatever expense, and then, maybe surprisingly even to yourself, actually FOUND the "holy grail"? I mean found a razor that was leaps and bounds better than any you had ever purchased before, and that worked so well for you that you thought to yourself that it was unlikely that any future razor, no matter how awesome, could ever be better?

3) Has anybody on this site ever gone through the acquisition phase of RAD over the course of years, for example, trying each new "greatest razor ever" as they came out, and then suddenly realized that not only were the new razors NOT your holy grail, but that a razor you already had, maybe even one you had neglected for a while, was actually your holy grail? In other words, that the best razor for you was already in your possession, but you just hadn't realized it yet?

Last, but not least: Did anybody who could answer "yes" to any of the above questions actually stop chasing new razors and settle in with the one or two or three that you thought were best for you?


Thanks in advance.


P.S. I apologize that the thread title promises two questions but the post actually contains three. I thought I was only going to ask two but then another one arose. And I'm not sure how to change the thread title.

You and I started here at the same time, and I also amassed a huge collection of vintage SE and DE razors over several years, vintage SE’s have long been my favorites. I never developed an interest in new razors and don’t own any, but I quit buying the vintage ones several years ago. Honestly, I just wasn’t enjoying it any longer.

Most of mine are packed away and I rotate through a few different ones that I know will get the job done with the least amount of effort, and that includes the older cartridge razors like the Trac II, Atra, Sensor and Mach 3. I should sell off a bunch of stuff just to get it into someone else’s hands that might enjoy them.

Great thread by the way!

 

[JCarr]

In my case, I could answer, ‘Yes,’ to all three questions.

After awhile I realized that I found my ‘grail’ razor (WR1)! It is now my ‘daily driver’ that I enjoy most every day. Since I could not bear to lose it, I also have a ‘travel’ razor. That’s it for me!!

Ditto...although I do have a number of excellent razors that I still rotate through. The Wolfman WR1 is just dynamite for me though.

 

[htownmmm]

I would definitely be in the 1st camp. But mainly because my initial entry into wet-shaving was to find a way to no longer suffer from ingrown hairs, razor rash, and razor bumps (glad to say that I never suffer from these anymore).

I started with the Merkur 34D which was the recommended razor for noobs. I was getting great shaves with it but it was a tad too small for me which led to my purchase of the Merkur VISION. I loved the VISION but it was a pain to clean and ultimately sold. Once Merkur came out with the 38C, I was in heaven- which led to the purchase of the 39C also.

Meanwhile, I had also acquired a Gillette Fatboy (61 birth year) and enjoyed that razor also which led to acquiring a Lady Gillette since the handle was longer- I got excellent shaves with that razor and a Feather blade-still do.

I then realized that the perfect razor for me could be adjustable, have the thickness of the Fatboy handle, and the length of the Lady Gillette.

What I have found, however, is that there are certain variables that appeal to me with a razor which keeps me using it more & more. I can get effortless shaves with the aforementioned Lady Gillette/Feather combo or the Schick Injector razor; however, they don't make my soul sing. Neither feels right in my hand.

After having purchased the RR Lupo .95 OC, I feel as if I have found the one. For the first time, I am truly considering selling off the rest of my razors and keeping only certain ones/types ( birth year, Mongoose, King Cobra, Merkur 38C & 39C). This would mean that currently, the RazoRock Lupo .95 OC is my holy grail razor- but will it remain so? I have no idea.

marty

 

[wibbleandstrop23]

I started using a DE in 2009 only wanting to find a razor that would give me reasonable one pass shaves that I could use daily for years at a time. I bought the Feather ASD1. At the time a high end razor, and an EFB Gillette tech in very good condition. With the addition of an Ikon Deluxe oc baseplate to the ASD1 this quickly became my go to razor, the EFB tech and a couple of others thrown in the junk draw. I used the modified ASD1 daily until a year or so ago when I bought a FOCS. I loved it for 6 months or so then went back to the ASD1 in rotation with the long neglected EFB tech. If I could start my DE journey all over again I would be quite content with the lowly EFB, a mug full of Palmolive sticks, 50 Permasharp super blades and a single Razorock Plissoft. Until a titanium ASD1 or EFB clone becomes available I’m set for life.

 

[Captainjonny]

When I started wet shaving, I learned from the forums, web literature and you tube. With massive information and differing opinions, I determined that to really understand what everyone was talking about, I needed to answer the most important question...
"What do I really like, and what works best for me?" This required purchasing and shaving with both DE and SE razors, vintage and non-vintage razors, lightweight and heavy razors, short and long handled razors, TTO and 2/3 piece razors, mild/medium and aggressive razors, blade feel and little blade feel razors, and a variety of adjustable razors. Remember, an intelligent person gets all of the facts before making a decision! Being an analytical person, I had no choice, but to get all of the facts.
What you call RAD, I call investigation.
During my investigation, I did find what works for me...a light weight, long handled, drama free razor, with a DE blade, and preferably with a lower profile head. That would be my Holy Grail razor. As of today, there is no razor that meets all of my requirements. The closest I found is the Henson AL13+++. It wins my Holy Grail, since it meets nearly all requirements. It is incredibly efficient, 100% drama free, but does not have a low profile head. The Gillette Tech actually is close, but it is not 100% drama free and is too mild. The Razorock Lupo Stainless is also close (with a longer Tibam handle), but not 100% drama free.
During my investigation, I participated in many forum "pass-arounds" and was fortunate to learn that many super expensive razors (which may be works of art)...were really not better performers than many less expensive modern and vintage razors. Unfortunately, I now have a collection of razors...many of which do not meet my Holy Grail requirements...but are valuable to me as collector items and which I can actually use for a useful task. One is a Gold Aristocrat (1948) which is exactly like my fathers. When I use it I think of Dad and feel his presence. That has nothing to do with a Holy Grail, but does justify my possessing it for "personal reasons". I will keep most of my collection, since they make me happy and each has a story. I plan to shed a few.
Since I have found the razor which works best for me, I will make "few to zero" razor purchases in the time I have left. In my mind, I have ended my "investigation" and I am happy with the result. Shaving is now one of my hobbies and I have many razors to enjoy, plus the journey includes the variety of different blades, soaps, creams, aftershaves and fragrances. I am still having fun, and shaving is enjoyable. Isn't what this is all about?

 

[preidy]

OK, so I started traditional shaving back in 2009 and got a case of RAD that has persisted for many years; lately I've been thinking about curing it, or getting out of the FOMO phase, at least, and I have a few questions. If you are a newbie, or a person who has ever only owned one or two razors, no offense, but you are not my target audience. Here are my questions.

1) Has anybody on this site ever bought and tried a ton of razors and then one day come to the realization that, although there are certainly differences among them and that one can certainly develop favorites over time, or favorite types of razors, that in the long run, every new razor that comes out is nothing more than a slightly differently designed machine to hold a DE blade to your face for the purpose of removing stubble? And that, therefore, they are actually more ALIKE than they are DIFFERENT? And, therefore, that any brand new razor that comes out onto the market is highly unlikely to be that significantly different from razors you already have? That maybe there isn't really one "magical" razor that will be the best razor you ever tried? And finally, because of all these things, there really isn't any point in buying the latest one, no matter how much people say it is the best razor ever made?

2) Has anybody on this site, conversely, gone through a bunch of razors hoping to find the holy grail, and continued to buy the latest/greatest at whatever expense, and then, maybe surprisingly even to yourself, actually FOUND the "holy grail"? I mean found a razor that was leaps and bounds better than any you had ever purchased before, and that worked so well for you that you thought to yourself that it was unlikely that any future razor, no matter how awesome, could ever be better?

3) Has anybody on this site ever gone through the acquisition phase of RAD over the course of years, for example, trying each new "greatest razor ever" as they came out, and then suddenly realized that not only were the new razors NOT your holy grail, but that a razor you already had, maybe even one you had neglected for a while, was actually your holy grail? In other words, that the best razor for you was already in your possession, but you just hadn't realized it yet?

Last, but not least: Did anybody who could answer "yes" to any of the above questions actually stop chasing new razors and settle in with the one or two or three that you thought were best for you?


Thanks in advance.


P.S. I apologize that the thread title promises two questions but the post actually contains three. I thought I was only going to ask two but then another one arose. And I'm not sure how to change the thread title.

Yes, yes and yes - guilty as charged. However; it was a hell of a ride and kept me busy for many years (all Gillette vintage). A most enjoyable experience and more fun that stamps. Now I'm looking at what razor's I pass on to my son and two grandson's (not sure they even want them). I'm leaning towards picking out my very favorites (34 Aristocrat, #15 Brit, 04 Double Ring etc) and selling the rest. Funny thing is my daughter is against me selling so maybe it all goes to her. Quite a conundrum because I spent years accumulating the beauties and appreciate all of them from a very different time.

 

[shave/brush]

I have to say I agree with part #1 that most razors have more in common than not. Although I have found many that had a really nice feel and I thought were my holy grail I recently got one from ATT a DE Windsor Pro SB90 aluminum that feels like it was made just for me. I love everything about this razor. I still look at other new razors that come out claiming to be different but I don't think anything will beat my ATT SB90 in aluminum.

I have bought about 52 different razors of all types over the pass 8 years, old and new. I think my RAD is finally over.

 

[santamariasteve]

Maybe one solution is to collect and compare razor blades, instead of razors, brushes, and aftershaves.

If nothing else, it's certainly a lot cheaper.