Thread: Intelligent Razor Rotation

Now that I know how each of my razors perform, I find myself setting up my 30 razor rack in the order that gives me the shave that I want on a daily basis, but also works properly one following or preceding the other.

So first, I look for my best shavers for Sundays. I like my best shave on my church days. Then I fill in between them with my other razors, but I have found that certain razors don't work well following another razor. For instance, I have a circa 1830's Lautner that gives me the the best shave of all my razors. But the next day, I have to have a razor that actually has a slightly muted edge on it because of the amount of dermis that the Lautner takes off. Then, even within the daily razors, I have found that certain grinds don't work well following other grinds. So I set those up in order as well.

I have also found that my skin responds better if I don't use the same cream day after day and mix it up a bit. Don't know exactly why on that one.

So there you have another look at the insanity that ensues when you start shaving with a straight razor.

I rotate them based on their grinding, moving from the wedges, 1/4 half, 1/2, full, extra hollow and back up towards the wedges again.
I don't think it's a particularly "intelligent" rotation but I used to find switching from a heavy Sheffield near-wedge to much lighter grinds a bit strange. This way it's more gradual and I don't really notice the change.

Stragely though, every now and then a particular razor demands to be used when it's not its turn!

Why does a razor rotation have to be intelligent?

I'd like to do that, but I'm not smart enough to pull it off.

Personally I have been using one razor at a time for a rotation of a week so that I can get to know each of them better. It's been a great learning experience.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Why does a razor rotation have to be intelligent?

Yeah, I know - I was trying to come up with a thread title that implied something less than random. Probably could have chosen better.

Originally Posted by rmalak

Personally I have been using one razor at a time for a rotation of a week so that I can get to know each of them better. It's been a great learning experience.

Early on I found that if I switched up my razor every day I stayed on my toes because I didn't get used to the razor, forcing me to really pay attention. I credit that move for never having cut myself more than a small nick.

I have enough razors for a week and a day, plus a bunch more in queue, but I still sort of randomly go with what I feel like. That said, this week has been about testing honing edges.

I only have 1 that is shave ready, and one I sent off to Lynn for honing after trying to shave with it, but I just ordered another from SRD and should get my main back from Lynn next week, after that I'm just going to use whichever I feel like....No rotation needed until I get more razors (which is very likely or until I finish restoring the one I just got from Fleabay )

Originally Posted by Alembic

Yeah, I know - I was trying to come up with a thread title that implied something less than random. Probably could have chosen better.

No worries. But I can only imagine a non-straight shaving person hearing about rotating large amounts of razors and questioning our intelligence.....