Sticking with One Razor?

[Steve_in_CT]

I like variety, and therefore I rarely use the same razor for more than a day or two before switching to another. Right now, however, I'm on an extended stay away from home (16 days) and brought along only one razor, an Edwin Jagger 3ONE6 with a RazoRock HD handle. I've always enjoyed using this razor, but the results, while very good, were rarely great. Now after using it daily I am getting consistent BBS shaves with two passes and some minor touch-up. I'm wondering if this results from the opportunity to fine tune my technique with this particular razor. If so, maybe it makes sense to switch razors less frequently. Maybe use the same razor for at least a week before moving on to another?

For those of you who do not use just one razor all of the time (as I did for many years), have you noticed this phenomenon?

 

[ERS4]

I believe that using the same razor continuously will definitely help stabilize skills and get used to the razor personality.

Although my razor is rotated, the razor on duty is always used for 30 days.
After 30 days, the next razor took over.

A friend of mine always only uses his merckur 42c.

 

[SharpieB]

I COULD be happy just using my 6S, but I owned a Progress, Fat tip, a Gillette New and a couple of Techs before I got my 6S. These razors all all inexpensive and shave well so I like to rotate them in from time to time For some variety. If I didn’t own them (and they are too inexpensive to sell/ship from Canada), I would be happy with just my 6S.

 

[member 119848]

I don´t like changing razors too often. When I´m on a groove my shaves are consistent.
Since I have been wet-shaving I owned a lot of razors. But each of them have been used for months without rotation. (or with very little rotation)

 

[Atlantic59]

We have an annual participation event here, called the Fixed Four for March Madness. The idea is to pick one razor, brand of blade, soap and brush and use the same ones for the full month. Most people find the quality of their shaves goes up a lot after doing this exercise.

 

[ctr]

Only use the Rex Ambassador now. Gave the other razors away except for a Feather as a backup.

 

[Ivo4u2]

I prefer shaving with pivot se razors and at this moment I gyrate towards the broman. But what I learned before that from oneblade. Pivots are so east that you loose skills. So from time to time I shave a couple of weeks with my de razors just to get on edge. And yes week one with the black beauty was mweeeh. Week two with the futul was much better. And now comfy with the Parker variant.
Using a single razor hones your skills also for other razors

 

[santamariasteve]

Both methods have merit. It's entirely a personal subjective decision. There is no wrong answer.

 

[MaineYooper]

We have a club/brotherhood of shavers that use the same set up for a week, to help us learn the particulars of a razor, soap, brush, etc. I find a month is too long, and lately even a week is too long! But to get great results, I think being consistent helps, just as it did when I was learning to shave traditionally versus with a cartridge and foam.

Shave of the Week

 

[aldomarino]

It doesn't matter what is is...guitars, motocycles,golf clubs, mixing liquor, frisbees, banjos, amplifiers, women...if you stick with one and pay attention to it, you'll understand how to optimize the performance of the particular one.

 

[Peterv1]

Basically I could live with my Rockwell 6C or GC 0.84-P however besides having an efficient decent grooming tool it's become a hobby so there's very little chance I could commit myself to using just one razor

 

[Old Hippie]

In terms of technique, spot on! I do like to rotate, but I tend to do it according to blade life. I like to shave out a blade before moving to another razor so A) I get to start that new razor with a fresh blade (if it's the same format) and B) I don't have a bunch of partly-used up blades sitting out waiting for me to finish them off.

So I'll typically shave with a Slant for two weeks or 6 shaves M-W-F. A Gem SE the same or might stop at 5. Half-DE shavettes run three shaves or one week. AC SE, of which I now have only one razor (Hawk V3SB), takes three weeks (9 shaves) to finish the blade. I'm now fooling with AC shavettes and will be interested to see how long the blades last once I've found one that works well for me (Kai ProTouch MG at the moment, too well guarded...)

While I don't have a philosophical problem with using just one razor, I've found some really nice ones in several formats and would hate to be locked down. I get bored trying to shave out an AC blade in the Hawk. Two weeks I can do, though.

O.H.

 

[emwolf]

I do find the longer I use one razor, the better my technique is too. I also find, I get bored with just one razor. I love the variety and generally swap at least once or twice a week.

 

[Slanterino]

I'm only using the merkur 37c now.

 

[Steve_in_CT]

In terms of technique, spot on! I do like to rotate, but I tend to do it according to blade life. I like to shave out a blade before moving to another razor so A) I get to start that new razor with a fresh blade (if it's the same format) and B) I don't have a bunch of partly-used up blades sitting out waiting for me to finish them off.

So I'll typically shave with a Slant for two weeks or 6 shaves M-W-F. A Gem SE the same or might stop at 5. Half-DE shavettes run three shaves or one week. AC SE, of which I now have only one razor (Hawk V3SB), takes three weeks (9 shaves) to finish the blade. I'm now fooling with AC shavettes and will be interested to see how long the blades last once I've found one that works well for me (Kai ProTouch MG at the moment, too well guarded...)

While I don't have a philosophical problem with using just one razor, I've found some really nice ones in several formats and would hate to be locked down. I get bored trying to shave out an AC blade in the Hawk. Two weeks I can do, though.

O.H.

I'm beginning to think that your approach might be worth trying when I get home. I shave every day, so it's just a matter of changing razors each week. Back when I used only one razor, I would change blades roughly once a week, so I could just start changing razors once a week instead of pretty much every day. I have a new (to me) Dart waiting for me when I get home, so using it every day for a week sounds like a good idea anyway.

 

[Steve_in_CT]

We have an annual participation event here, called the Fixed Four for March Madness. The idea is to pick one razor, brand of blade, soap and brush and use the same ones for the full month. Most people find the quality of their shaves goes up a lot after doing this exercise.

I can believe that it works, but I doubt that I have the fortitude to forego trying something different after more than a week or so. On this trip, besides one razor I am also using one soap, one brand of blade and one brush. As with the razor, I am finding that my ability to maximize my efficiency with the brush and soap, in this case RazoRock What the Puck and a Yaqi Mink synthetic brush, has also improved tremendously by sticking with the same combination for a week and counting.

 

[TomCan]

I'm beginning to think that your approach might be worth trying when I get home. I shave every day, so it's just a matter of changing razors each week. Back when I used only one razor, I would change blades roughly once a week, so I could just start changing razors once a week instead of pretty much every day. I have a new (to me) Dart waiting for me when I get home, so using it every day for a week sounds like a good idea anyway.

Same here, rotate with a blade change.
Lately I have been exclusive with Gillette Big Boy I recently acquired. Been getting the longest
use out of any decent quality blade (6-7 weeks) of daily shaves. Either that or the witch hazel fumes
are getting to me

 

[Atlantic59]

I can believe that it works, but I doubt that I have the fortitude to forego trying something different after more than a week or so...

March is coming up soon!
☺

 

[sternej]

I'm a Supply Co. 2.0 only user. I use the Three dots, most agressive plate. I shave every day and less than once a week do I ever get the slightest nic. Now doing just one pass great shaves. She is jealous and doesn't want any part of a larger shave den. . I honestly don't think this mixes well with DE razors. Totally different techniques

 

[bdehne]

I rotate often as well. Normally one razor per week but sometimes 2 or 3. The Fixeed Four sounds fun. Maybe I will give it a go. Is it posted here or in one of the Brotherhood pages?