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Trying something new & different ..... a nice change of pace.

Since I started enjoying our traditional shaving hobby in the summer of 2016, I have acquired a nice collection of razors.
Most I have kept and some I've given away via the St. Sue auction, and I have routinely used my razors on a regular
"rotation basis." My current rotation ---- Timeless Bronze SB, Timeless Aluminum, RazoRock Lupo .72, RazoRock SS Hawk v.3,
Rockwell 6C, Gillette SuperSpeed (1955, A-2), and a Gillette FatBoy (1959, E-2.) I would go through all seven razors (one after
another, in order), and keep repeating the process until I've shaved with each one for five times. A very nice routine.

So now, I'm going to try something new & different --- my plan is to use one razor for five straight shaves, then switch to
razor # 2 for five straight shaves, etc., etc. until I work through my way through all seven. Why five times, you may ask ?
Because that's how long I use a blade (Feather in the Timeless Aluminum, Schick ProLine in the Hawk, and Nacet in all the others.)
Just a way to try something new and different. Should be fun !

What about you Gents ? ..... Ever shake things up and try a new routine ?
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
my plan is to use one razor for five straight shaves, then switch

Rather like my usual practice. I use a razor for two weeks/6 shaves because that's how long an Astra SP tends to last in my DE razors.

I tried switching them off after every shave, but different razors wear blades differently or at least it seems like it. Switching off, that last shave is really nasty and tuggy. Keeping it in the same frame for two weeks and it gradually and gently tails off.

Plus I only have to deep clean the razor every two weeks, instead of having to do that every time before I can put the razor away.

O.H.
 
Since I started enjoying our traditional shaving hobby in the summer of 2016, I have acquired a nice collection of razors.
Most I have kept and some I've given away via the St. Sue auction, and I have routinely used my razors on a regular
"rotation basis." My current rotation ---- Timeless Bronze SB, Timeless Aluminum, RazoRock Lupo .72, RazoRock SS Hawk v.3,
Rockwell 6C, Gillette SuperSpeed (1955, A-2), and a Gillette FatBoy (1959, E-2.) I would go through all seven razors (one after
another, in order), and keep repeating the process until I've shaved with each one for five times. A very nice routine.

So now, I'm going to try something new & different --- my plan is to use one razor for five straight shaves, then switch to
razor # 2 for five straight shaves, etc., etc. until I work through my way through all seven. Why five times, you may ask ?
Because that's how long I use a blade (Feather in the Timeless Aluminum, Schick ProLine in the Hawk, and Nacet in all the others.)
Just a way to try something new and different. Should be fun !

What about you Gents ? ..... Ever shake things up and try a new routine ?
Hi Adam,

@Rusty Blade started a great brotherhood over at the Shave of the Week Society, and many of us do similar things with our shaves. I go for 5 all the way up to 10 shaves with the same razor/blade. Or we take a week or two off and just grab whatever we feel like! We'd love to have you stop by and tell us how this works out for you!
 
Different routine every day!

I honestly don’t decide which razor I am using until I am about to shave. I keep 5-6 razors on a stand by my sink and grab whatever catches my eye that day. Generally it is a Wolfman but I still like my old Gillettes, Rockwell, Karve and Razorocks. Or maybe a SE. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I own 25-ish razors and try to use them all. Some more than others obviously.
 
@Rusty Blade started a great brotherhood over at the Shave of the Week Society, and many of us do similar things with our shaves.

Hi Eric ..... I just wandered over to that thread ..... it seems like a lot of fun ! But I noticed that a lot of the guys are
using the same boar or badger every day of the "cycle." I know it's okay to use a synthetic every day, but isn't it always
necessary to allow a natural hair brush to fully dry before using it again ? Or is that tenet simply not a meaningful concern ?
 
Hi Eric ..... I just wandered over to that thread ..... it seems like a lot of fun ! But I noticed that a lot of the guys are
using the same boar or badger every day of the "cycle." I know it's okay to use a synthetic every day, but isn't it always
necessary to allow a natural hair brush to fully dry before using it again ? Or is that tenet simply not a meaningful concern ?
Others can chime in, as I am certainly not (or is that knot?!) the expert! Our forebearers used the same boar or badger probably every day and often left them standing in the soap mug, hence all those wavy vintage brushes on ebay. At least, that is my interpretation of the photos!
Numbered 2.jpg 20221008_153227.jpg

I have just completed a week with a Semogue SOC and it seems fine. I do let them stand on the counter, though, and they often are dry the next morning. But i have not probed the inner knot to see if it is dry.

But you are under no obligation to use the same brush every day. Rusty's original thought was that if you kept things fixed for a week, you'd learn your tools better. But "week" is open to your interpretation! Since you were keeping the razor and blade constant for 5 shaves, I thought you might enjoy posting your thoughts there and I know we'd all love to read them! Whether you hold soap and brush constant or change as you want, that is fine, too. I often change out my brush while keeping the rest constant for a week.
 
Hi Eric ..... I just wandered over to that thread ..... it seems like a lot of fun ! But I noticed that a lot of the guys are
using the same boar or badger every day of the "cycle." I know it's okay to use a synthetic every day, but isn't it always
necessary to allow a natural hair brush to fully dry before using it again ? Or is that tenet simply not a meaningful concern ?
I use the same Simpson Duke 3 in best badger every day with the occasional shave with one of my Trafalgar brushes. I find that it’s of no meaningful concern to allow a natural hair brush to fully dry in between uses. As @MaineYooper stated many of the older generations would only have one brush and use it day in and day out
 
Others can chime in, as I am certainly not (or is that knot?!) the expert! Our forebearers used the same boar or badger probably every day and often left them standing in the soap mug, hence all those wavy vintage brushes on ebay. At least, that is my interpretation of the photos!
View attachment 1550438 View attachment 1550439

I have just completed a week with a Semogue SOC and it seems fine. I do let them stand on the counter, though, and they often are dry the next morning. But i have not probed the inner knot to see if it is dry.

But you are under no obligation to use the same brush every day. Rusty's original thought was that if you kept things fixed for a week, you'd learn your tools better. But "week" is open to your interpretation! Since you were keeping the razor and blade constant for 5 shaves, I thought you might enjoy posting your thoughts there and I know we'd all love to read them! Whether you hold soap and brush constant or change as you want, that is fine, too. I often change out my brush while keeping the rest constant for a week.
I don’t necessarily think that all of the vintage brushes may have been left sitting in a mug. I have a Simpson Duke 3 in best that is my daily driver. I usually leave it sitting on the flat base of the handle. It has a wave kind of in between brush 2 and brush 5
 
I don’t necessarily think that all of the vintage brushes may have been left sitting in a mug. I have a Simpson Duke 3 in best that is my daily driver. I usually leave it sitting on the flat base of the handle. It has a wave kind of in between brush 2 and brush 5
That's interesting, thank you for providing a real world report! Almost all of my brushes are synthetic, and my boars are just turning 1 year old, so I really was speaking from ignorance, as I often do, according to family!
 
That's interesting, thank you for providing a real world report! Almost all of my brushes are synthetic, and my boars are just turning 1 year old, so I really was speaking from ignorance, as I often do, according to family!
I think it just depends on the brush. That’s been my experience with that particular brush. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it will happen with all brushes even if it’s the same brush with the same grade of hair. From my understanding boar bristles are naturally stiffer than badger so would less likely develop a wave to them when stored the way I do it. I think you might be right about the majority of them developing a wave by being stored in a bowl with the bristles down
 
I use two De razors only with Astra SS or Sp . If I am not in a hurry, I use a De/AC shavette. I am using two synthetic brushes and rotate between arko/palmolive soaps. I use just a Nivea Deep As. Simplicity is working nice for me.
 
I have 9 razors I use, not in any particular order and I have 3 brushes I also rotate. The one thing I do is use a brush holder which holds the brush upside down to dry. No issues at all.
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
I sometimes use the same soap/cream + aftershave + fragrance for up to a week. I'm still way too ADD to consistently use the same razor and brush for a week.
 
I use the same Simpson Duke 3 in best badger every day with the occasional shave with one of my Trafalgar brushes. I find that it’s of no meaningful concern to allow a natural hair brush to fully dry in between uses. As @MaineYooper stated many of the older generations would only have one brush and use it day in and day out
For many years (40+) I only owned one boar brush and used it every day. I set it on the counter to dry and each brush lasted a long time before it fell apart and needed to be replaced. Now I have more brushes than I do underwear and rotate through most of them one week at a time.
 
For many years (40+) I only owned one boar brush and used it every day. I set it on the counter to dry and each brush lasted a long time before it fell apart and needed to be replaced. Now I have more brushes than I do underwear and rotate through most of them one week at a time.
The Duke has been serving me well for almost a year now and hopefully with many more years to come (knock on wood). The only “issue” if you even want to call it that is is the lean it’s developed. But to me it’s a looks issue versus a function issue and I’m not really bothered about it
 
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