I use all my razors for shaving; I don't collect them for any other purpose. I do like nice shiny ones and I don't like cracked handles or corroding metal.For this reason I have a very hard time to appreciate razors made of inferior potmetal or unproven designs.
No razor will ever shave you. You can't buy a good shave, you have to achieve the good shave by yourself.
I have tried to tune my technique during a number of years now. I have reached the point where I can have an effortless and comfortable BBS (Baby Butt Smooth) shave at will. I can repeat this 6 - 7 times a week at will. Sometimes I choose to go more for comfort than closeness, but that decision is always mine.
How did I get a technique like that? The short answer is the same as to the question: How do I get to Carnegie Hall? The answer: Practice, lots of practice!
Now to the good news; you need to practice with different hardware and software, preferably very close to the limits of your comfort zone. This has led to the common misconception that there is some kind of AD (Acquisition Disorder) involved on this board. SWMBO ( She Who Must Be Obeyed) seems also to suffer from this misunderastanding, but of course we shavers know that this is merely a scientific method of accumulating experience and building a good shaving technique and ultimately reaching shaving nirvana!
To help me hone my skills I have been using the following razors. There are other razors that do not fit into my rotation. Not because they are in any way inferior generally, they just don't fit me and my face. I will present them at a later stage. My plan is to PIF (Pay It Forward) them to this grand community of dedicated shavers.
An overview of the rotation. As you can see I prefer a rather wide 13 pieces selection of razors. I keep them in a testtube rack made of wood, so as not to scratch them. The one in use is in front together with the brush in use for the moment. As you can probably see I do prefer vintage Gillettes. Every razor in the rack is a US made Gillette. This might not seem so unusual, but consider the fact that I live in Sweden and have only found one in the wild here, the rest is from the internets... The razor in use in front is a stainless Feather AS-D1, the only razor in current production I use. Well,actually for the moment the japanese manufacturer has announced a new (re-) model, due to manufacturing problems, so the status is unclear on this one.
To the left my Single ring (1920s) Old type in gold. No serial and gold plating indicates that it has been a part of a set, but I have only the razor. I found this one at an auctionsite in Sweden! I will send it off to replating very soon. On the right is the Feather stainless (current production?). This is a sweet and mild razor capable of delivering a BBS shave 7 days a week. Many shavers have complained that it is hard to master and the production has been stopped because of inconsistencies in the product. Not an ideal situation in a japanese manufacture business...
The pride of my rotation, from left to right: Old type (1920s) with BRW (Bobs Razor Works) Improved handle in solid bronze chemically treated for patina. I also have this one in my avatar. NEW SC (short comb) 1930s on BRW BM (Bull Mastiff) handle in nickelplated brass. NEW LC (Long comb) 1930s on BRW BM Deluxe handle with flared knob in solid bronze. NDC (no date code) Tech (1945 -50) on BRW Fluted handle in solid bronze. All handles and refurbishing of the heads made by CooncatBob, a legendary artisan in the shaving community, who sadly passed last april.
My TTOs (Twist To Open) left to right: Sheraton (late 30s) badly in need of replating. Aristocrat(late 40s). Flaretip SuperSpeed date code B4 (Q4 of 1956), my birthday razor. SuperSpeed 40s style (1948 or 1949).
My adjustables, left to right: FatBoy E4 (Q4 1959) replated in chrome. Slim L2 (Q2 1966) replated in nickel. Slim M4 (Q4 1967) replated in gold, backup for the L2! Super Adjustable Short Handle Q1 (Q1 1971).
So as you can see I have 13 different razors that I actively use. I do this because I think that by challenging myself with a razor that I do not master I become a better shaver, even if I decide to not use that razor. By having a large enough rotation I forget the 'natural angle' and other characteristics of the individual razors and therefore actively adapt to each one of them when I start using them again. That is why I bought the Feather very early; the first reviews were quite mixed and it was considered a 'difficult' and too mild razor. As I know I have sensitive skin and quite soft beard I had an idea that it might fit me. It is now the razor I use together with my 'top of the line' blades. But that is the subject of another post!
Bosse
No razor will ever shave you. You can't buy a good shave, you have to achieve the good shave by yourself.
I have tried to tune my technique during a number of years now. I have reached the point where I can have an effortless and comfortable BBS (Baby Butt Smooth) shave at will. I can repeat this 6 - 7 times a week at will. Sometimes I choose to go more for comfort than closeness, but that decision is always mine.
How did I get a technique like that? The short answer is the same as to the question: How do I get to Carnegie Hall? The answer: Practice, lots of practice!
Now to the good news; you need to practice with different hardware and software, preferably very close to the limits of your comfort zone. This has led to the common misconception that there is some kind of AD (Acquisition Disorder) involved on this board. SWMBO ( She Who Must Be Obeyed) seems also to suffer from this misunderastanding, but of course we shavers know that this is merely a scientific method of accumulating experience and building a good shaving technique and ultimately reaching shaving nirvana!
To help me hone my skills I have been using the following razors. There are other razors that do not fit into my rotation. Not because they are in any way inferior generally, they just don't fit me and my face. I will present them at a later stage. My plan is to PIF (Pay It Forward) them to this grand community of dedicated shavers.
An overview of the rotation. As you can see I prefer a rather wide 13 pieces selection of razors. I keep them in a testtube rack made of wood, so as not to scratch them. The one in use is in front together with the brush in use for the moment. As you can probably see I do prefer vintage Gillettes. Every razor in the rack is a US made Gillette. This might not seem so unusual, but consider the fact that I live in Sweden and have only found one in the wild here, the rest is from the internets... The razor in use in front is a stainless Feather AS-D1, the only razor in current production I use. Well,actually for the moment the japanese manufacturer has announced a new (re-) model, due to manufacturing problems, so the status is unclear on this one.
To the left my Single ring (1920s) Old type in gold. No serial and gold plating indicates that it has been a part of a set, but I have only the razor. I found this one at an auctionsite in Sweden! I will send it off to replating very soon. On the right is the Feather stainless (current production?). This is a sweet and mild razor capable of delivering a BBS shave 7 days a week. Many shavers have complained that it is hard to master and the production has been stopped because of inconsistencies in the product. Not an ideal situation in a japanese manufacture business...
The pride of my rotation, from left to right: Old type (1920s) with BRW (Bobs Razor Works) Improved handle in solid bronze chemically treated for patina. I also have this one in my avatar. NEW SC (short comb) 1930s on BRW BM (Bull Mastiff) handle in nickelplated brass. NEW LC (Long comb) 1930s on BRW BM Deluxe handle with flared knob in solid bronze. NDC (no date code) Tech (1945 -50) on BRW Fluted handle in solid bronze. All handles and refurbishing of the heads made by CooncatBob, a legendary artisan in the shaving community, who sadly passed last april.
My TTOs (Twist To Open) left to right: Sheraton (late 30s) badly in need of replating. Aristocrat(late 40s). Flaretip SuperSpeed date code B4 (Q4 of 1956), my birthday razor. SuperSpeed 40s style (1948 or 1949).
My adjustables, left to right: FatBoy E4 (Q4 1959) replated in chrome. Slim L2 (Q2 1966) replated in nickel. Slim M4 (Q4 1967) replated in gold, backup for the L2! Super Adjustable Short Handle Q1 (Q1 1971).
So as you can see I have 13 different razors that I actively use. I do this because I think that by challenging myself with a razor that I do not master I become a better shaver, even if I decide to not use that razor. By having a large enough rotation I forget the 'natural angle' and other characteristics of the individual razors and therefore actively adapt to each one of them when I start using them again. That is why I bought the Feather very early; the first reviews were quite mixed and it was considered a 'difficult' and too mild razor. As I know I have sensitive skin and quite soft beard I had an idea that it might fit me. It is now the razor I use together with my 'top of the line' blades. But that is the subject of another post!
Bosse
