Why Multiple Razors?

[Tanuki]

I had two DEs (Old Type and Merkur 36 slant), one soap (Williams Mug), two brushes (sequentially) for 40 years. I enjoyed shaving, but gave it very little thought. Probably one razor too many, but the slant was great for getting back to zero stubble after a week off shaving.

Now (kids grown) I have some time to myself, and only a couple indoors hobbies. Finding and using shaving gear from the 'wild' is inexpensive and, for me, enjoyable. (And can be done by bike!)

Without the sounding board/echo chamber/information trove of the internet, I probably would not have pursued it nearly so far.

Hey, I currently have 6 bicycles and 6 sets of skis. I probably had no more than 8 kayaks at any one time. I'm down to four. By weight, volume, cost and time any of those 'quivers' easily overwhelm a hundred or two razors. Cut me some slack.

 

[MntnMan62]

It's been said before but is worth repeating. Variety is the spice of life. Plus, each razor shaves differently. I shave about two to three days a week. So I use the same razor for at least two weeks. Then I pull out another one based on my mood and shave with it for a couple weeks. My razor rotation consists of 5 razors. I change shaving brushes each shave. My rotation of brushes is 12. And I change soaps/creams and aftershaves each shave based upon my mood. My change of razor typically coincides with the life of the blade being used, but not always. I like letting my mood dictate. It ensures that I will enjoy my shaves.

 

[aldomarino]

It doesn't matter what it is, someone collects them. My wife must have three dozen sets of salt and pepper shakers.

 

[Old Hippie]

If you're interested in how different designs work on your face or head, you're going to acquire a few. Some of them won't work for you, so you put them away for a while knowing that your technique might come around. Or you dive into a whole bunch of different types and gradually work out what you like and not.

I was in the second group. I've been through a few different styles and feel like I understand what I like and what works for me. I could hang onto some of the almost-made-it razors, but I'm gonna put a (small) pile of them up on the BST and see if somebody wants them. I will hang onto a couple, like my lather catchers that I won't ever use regularly but will go back to occasionally when I'm in the mood.

Besides, I've got a new obsession target and having some money instead of razors I don't like means I can be nimble and grab the one I want if I ever find one.

But if you have what you like and don't feel like changing up, that's also admirable.

O.H.

 

[Tomo]

I got multiple razors to find the best one. I then discovered that there is no best but lots of different styles with different advantages. I now have a small collection with 1xDE, 1xSE and a few SR’s. Each one brings something different to the table convenience, speed, portability, comfort, closeness, maneuverability, fun, challenge, style. There’s always something that fits the bill.

 

[Invicta]

Just wondering why people have a bunch of different razors?

It is the difference between a simple daily shave to a hobby. Then there are the collectors with an array of razors.

 

[jayjacque]

I might've got a few people riled. My apologies. Sure didn't mean to. I own 50 after shaves, 40 soaps, and about a dozen EDT's, as well as multiple guitars and guitar pedals, so I get everyone's point.

 

[karacha]

It's a hobby, simple as that. You can do just fine with one razor/brush and soap.

 

[Tanuki]

I might've got a few people riled. My apologies. Sure didn't mean to. I own 50 after shaves, 40 soaps, and about a dozen EDT's, as well as multiple guitars and guitar pedals, so I get everyone's point.

Personally, not riled at all. I think we all took advantage of an opportunity to rehearse our defenses of our particular lunacies.

And I hadn't even thought about the guitar pedal aspect. Nice!

 

[Whiterook]

I might've got a few people riled. My apologies. Sure didn't mean to. I own 50 after shaves, 40 soaps, and about a dozen EDT's, as well as multiple guitars and guitar pedals, so I get everyone's point.

No offense taken! Have a great weekend.

 

[cernel_joson]

If you look out for vintage razors you tend to find ones that you don't want to part with. I wish I could just keep one razor. Maybe I can go down to 3. More likely 5.

 

[Zwiehander]

I echo what others have stated above in this thread about variety and staving off boredom in shaving. My own rationale for why I collect is because I appreciate distinctive and unique design both aesthetically and functionally in modern razors that are well made. I am interested in razors that tick all the boxes in every one of these categories. I am not interested in vintage razors that are passed down through the generations - I want never used betore modern razors that are bought new and that I can make my own.

Secondly I am assembling a range of razors that raise my interest because they fulfil these requirements AND which come from different countries. In that way I can take a world tour so to speak evey day of the week when I shave. Previously I wanted to limit myself to just one representative razor from each country but I will be buying more than one razor to represent the States since there are so many American artisan makers. Currently I am learning to use my new rocnel sailor that represents Turkey.

Whatever one's rationale is to collect razors, as long as we have fun and spend within our means it is all good.

 

[dangerousrazor]

Because no razor on earth can cure my chronical RAD......

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I buy the best I can afford so I can reliably say "I've either got the best, or close enough to it that the next best thing is way out of my financial ability; there's no point to buying more

You are correct in what you say but the point I was trying to make is that researching and buying the best you can afford is cold comfort if you end up disliking your purchase. Many people, myself included, would dislike a 3824 Savile Row Silver Tip, no matter how well it was regarded by others or how much or little it cost. Reviews of 'the best', and the price of an item, although possibly a guide to quality, are meaningless in this context as a much less expensive and little regarded item may in fact be better, for you, reviews by others matter not; there is only one way to find out. Having said all that - I have ended up with too many brushes and razors so maybe I should take some of your advice

 

[RanTan the Cool]

And of course there’s the other question - why not?

As @Whiterook says, because we can...

 

[romsitsa]

I “want” them. Until I can get my hands on it. Then I “want” another one. It’s the hunt, I guess.

 

[Legion]

Because I can’t afford multiple sports cars, houses or girlfriends.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I “want” them. Until I can get my hands on it. Then I “want” another one. It’s the hunt, I guess.

I can understand that and suppose that is being a collector rather than a shaving hobbyist, nothing wrong with that. I could see myself starting to do the same thing and no purchase was giving me any lasting satisfaction, so I decided that in order to purchase and keep a razor or brush then I must sell one, to avoid becoming a museum curator. I have a dozen razors and brushes and I use them all else they are moved on. I still get to hunt but it keeps the hobby inexpensive and keeps my wife happy. I suppose if it is the hunt that you enjoy then, like fishing, you could employ a 'catch and release' policy

 

[Zwiehander]

I forgot to mention that different razors also shave differently and have entirely different feel on the face and require slightly different technique and if one used a different razor every day, one basically gets a different experience on a daily basis and you are always engaged on the shave and present in the moment because you have to adapt to the razor you are currently using. I find that my poor technique has improved as a result ironically of using very different razors every day on rotation instead of just the same one all the time as I used to use in the days when shaving was just a functional chore and I only had one razor, one brush and one soap.

 

[Zwiehander]

I can understand that and suppose that is being a collector rather than a shaving hobbyist, nothing wrong with that. I could see myself starting to do the same thing and no purchase was giving me any lasting satisfaction, so I decided that in order to purchase and keep a razor or brush then I must sell one, to avoid becoming a museum curator. I have a dozen razors and brushes and I use them all else they are moved on. I still get to hunt but it keeps the hobby inexpensive and keeps my wife happy. I suppose if it is the hunt that you enjoy then, like fishing, you could employ a 'catch and release' policy

I agree that shaving equipment should be used regularly rather han being stockpiled and never used. All of my razors that I collect are in my rotation and I switch on a daily basis in the same order. But if one wants to stockpile instead, that is allright too as it is different strokes for different folks.