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I've been lying to myself

Graydog

Biblical Innards
Img_2022_01_21_07_11_54.jpeg

Still looking for Albuquerque
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
I’m not buying more guitars or kitchen cutlery and my sharpening supply purchases have heavily mellowed, so this seems like a more benevolent addiction. Well, it was until the brush acquisition disorder reared its head… Just one more and I’ll have one more thing to worry about.
 
I think it's possible to save money from DE or SE shaving, but once you start visiting this and similar forums, the idea of saving money becomes a fiction. The idea of life is to enjoy it and paying for that enjoyment is part of the game otherwise it wouldn't be as fun as it is.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
I think it's possible to save money from DE or SE shaving, but once you start visiting this and similar forums, the idea of saving money becomes a fiction.

It is quite possible to save money.

Shaving every other day, call it 183 shaves per year. I have at least 140 Polsilver blades left. Even using one blade a month I have an 11 1/2 year supply of Polsilver blades alone, not to mention 190 Derby Extra and 190 Feathers and this one blade is already past the one month mark and I'm still shaving first pass ATG. I had thought the sharpness might fall off and I'd need to start a more traditional shave first pass WTG/XTG, but not yet.

I started this blade Nov. 28.


I'm now on the 5th week and it shows no signs of slowing down and in fact, has improved. Its still very nearly as sharp as it was fresh and a whole bunch smoother.

The 200 blades cost me CAD$43.16 total. Thats $0.216 per blade. At 20 shaves this blade has cost me $0.010. A full 5 weeks shaves for a penny. People say this type of shaving doesnt save money. Think again.

I dont remember offhand what the total cost of my Grande was, but it was close enough to $50 to call it that. Under CAD$100 for the best DE razor made in my opinion and 200 of one of the best blades made, and you're good for ten years.

However, the cost of 'thing of ours' is small potatoes in the grande scheme of things.
 
It is quite possible to save money.



However, the cost of 'thing of ours' is small potatoes in the grande scheme of things.

I'm sure such unicorns exist around here, but they are quite a few compared to those who own (or used to) 10 + razors, brushes, soaps and what not :D.
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
It’s said there’s a gentleman that uses a Cremo horsehair brush, a Van Der Hagen safety razor, Williams Mug Soap, and maybe 3-4 Astra SP blades a year. His pucks of Williams and his blades outlast most people’s by preternatural margins and he would be the poster child of living within one’s means if posters weren’t such a waste.

Sure ain’t me, but I admire his writing and dedication.
 
With all that bring said, I only stuck my nose in the rabbit hole far enough to figure out what I needed, got it, and pulled my nose back out. I only have 2 razors, a VDH, with which I tried different blades, but never an efficient shave. So, asked those in the know at the shaving store, and they recommended my current razor, a Parker 91R. Very good choice for me, and tried some blades, found my daily driver pretty quick. Bought a new brush, a cream, and I am happy with what I have. Will be shaving with this combo for some years to come. I look forward to shaving in the morning, and I love all things DE...just me.
 
"I'm just going to get a Post-War tech. I'm not going to start collecting."
20 Vintage Gillettes (& 1 Shick Krona) later..."Ooh, I don't have that model yet, or that one, or that one!"

Having said that, the average only comes to $13 per razor (before S&H). I paid $27 for my first Merkur, which never gets used LOL.

I'm both having a blast and saving money vs. multi-blade disposables/canned goo - you can definitely do this hobby for relatively cheap. And shaving with a 100yr old razor, 60yr old brush, and using razor/software brands our Dads had - all US made - is just so cool to me.

But my favorite part of all is learning from (and being enabled by) y'all, just the coolest group of folks online.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
So I got into wet shaving because I wanted to save money and be more hygienic. I can honestly say after looking at my bank account I now spend far more money than I used to, but I'm having fun When I look at all the safety razors, soaps, brushes and aftershaves that I've collected, I've spent far more than I used to on Gillette 9 blade garbage. But I am having fun and I think that's worth something. I do have to be honest with myself though and I did talk myself into this, what's become a hobby, on false pretenses. Just me thinking out loud...
We all lie to ourselves. We’re men aren’t we.
 
I started wet shaving because I was tired of the poor quality of cartridge razors. I had no idea that shaving could be a hobby or that there was a community of shavers. I couldn't be happier about both of those things! The money I spent on shaving is both practical and pleasurable. How often does that happen?
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I decided to try double edged razors in the early 90's, to reduce shaving costs. I not only saved money, but ended up with significantly better shaves too.

I then stuck with that same minimal set up for 20 years. A few years ago, I decided to try a few new razors, one of which became the new go-to razor. I have tried others since, but keep defaulting back to that Edwin Jagger DE3D14. I had a glut of spending a year or two back, on soaps and soap dishes, but I'd have ended up buying that much soap over time anyway. It didn't hurt anything buying it in advance.

I still consider myself to have saved money, and to continue to save money, over mass marketed alternatives. Shaving isn't a hobby of mine - the forum is - and it's quite possible (though not always easy) to enjoy the forum without developing problematic shopping behaviours :biggrin1:
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
But you could save money. Like the rest of us, you've probably got enough stuff to actually spend nothing for this year.

But why would you want to? You're going to die someday, enjoy everything.
 
I started wet shaving because I was tired of the poor quality of cartridge razors. I had no idea that shaving could be a hobby or that there was a community of shavers. I couldn't be happier about both of those things! The money I spent on shaving is both practical and pleasurable. How often does that happen?
Not often for me.
 

Rhody

I'm a Lumberjack.
I could have saved a lot of money if I had a time machine- after all the buying and trying I could possibility be satisfied with a few items in each category. However the buying and trying is the fun of it and makes it a hobby. There are a few de razor manufacturers that incorporate saving money in their marketing materials. That’s almost dishonest advertising. 😂😁
 
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