Who doesn’t love looking at shave dens? 50% the whole reason I personally joined this forum. But as a newb, I’ve began wondering what was the method to your madness when you began collecting for your shave dens? Try everything? Loved a special brand? Wanted to make a connection with your ancestor? Let me know!
Any method to the madness?
- Thread starter radrick96
- Start date
For me it was connecting to the past.
I’ve always thought of myself as an old soul, not from this era, even early on my teens always had a deeper conversation with old folks than with friends my age, hence the need to do things the “old school way”
I find it oddly satisfying to do things hands on instead of pushing buttons and letting a computer do the thinking or the job for me, don't get me wrong, technology makes a lot of thing easier and practical, even safer, but not everything needs to be automized, and shaving is one of them!
I’ve always thought of myself as an old soul, not from this era, even early on my teens always had a deeper conversation with old folks than with friends my age, hence the need to do things the “old school way”
I find it oddly satisfying to do things hands on instead of pushing buttons and letting a computer do the thinking or the job for me, don't get me wrong, technology makes a lot of thing easier and practical, even safer, but not everything needs to be automized, and shaving is one of them!
- Thread starter
- #3
But after you started and had a few items, did you want to start a collection? What were the rules for when you collected?
Personally, I do like to do samples before purchasing the full sizes of shaving soap or cream.
The theme for me was curiosity and exploration at reasonable cost. For now, I've focused on DE shaving. Later on, I might try SE for a change of pace.
I think of myself as a user, not a collector. I wanted to find kit that worked well for me and was enjoyable to use. I wanted some variety but did not want a huge collection. So, I set a pretty generous limit of a dozen of each category. I tried to avoid very expensive gear. I've also given away some excess inventory, but my inventory is still way more than I actually need.
For razors:
All three-piece. I don't need adjustables and I like the interchangeable parts aspect of this design. Inexpensive and brass or stainless steel construction a plus. Variety of manufacturers.
Some favorites:
Vintage & brass - Gillette Tech pre-war fat handle
Slant - German 37 with HD handle
Tech clone/travel - DE-1 with Super Knurl handle
Open Comb
- SLOC with WCS 84s handle
- Fatip Grande Mk2
- Fatip Piccolo Mk1
Brushes:
Some boar, badger, horse, and synthetic. Prefer boars. Prefer face lathering. Variety of manufacturers.
Some favorites:
Pro boar: Omega 49, Zenith B03-A26 aluminum handle
Small boar: Semogue 620
Medium boar: Semogue 1250
Small horse: Vie-Long White 50/50 Horsehair Fan
Two-band badger: Yaqi Mysterious Space 24mm
Small synth: Yaqi Sagrada Familia
Medium synth: Yaqi Purple Haze, Razorock Little Bruce
Blades:
HUGE variety through trading, using the Blade Exchange, PIFs and a sample pack. Don't bother with blades on the duller end of the spectrum. Bulk buying of blades I found I liked the most.
Some favorites (but there are so many good ones):
Feather
Personna Med Prep
Wizamet Super Iridium
GSB
Nacet
Perma-Sharp Super
Silver Star
BIC Chrome Yellow
Soaps/Creams:
There are more good soaps out there than could ever be collected. It is so easy to collect more than you can use. Prefer hard soaps (especially French ones) but also like Italian-style soft soaps quite a bit. I like sticks for travel & shaving on the go.
Some favorites:
Pre de Provence Original, #63
Osma Tradition
Haslinger Schafmilch, Marigold, Sage
Fine Clean Vetiver
La Toja stick
Speick stick
Wilkinson Sword stick
Valobra stick
Cella red tub
Proraso Red
Razorock Dead Sea, SMdf, Don Marco
Speick cream
Musgo Real cream
There are a ton of other soaps I'd like to try, but have to get through these first. Use samples if possible.
I'm strangely tempted to buy a kilo brick of Vitos Super, but I might never be able to finish it.
Aftershaves
I was kind of reluctant to collect these, but dabbled a bit.
Some favorites:
Speick splash
Proraro White balm
LEA Sensitive balm
Pre de Provence balm Original, #63
Weleda balm
Razorock SMdF, Dead Sea, Emperor splashes
I think of myself as a user, not a collector. I wanted to find kit that worked well for me and was enjoyable to use. I wanted some variety but did not want a huge collection. So, I set a pretty generous limit of a dozen of each category. I tried to avoid very expensive gear. I've also given away some excess inventory, but my inventory is still way more than I actually need.
For razors:
All three-piece. I don't need adjustables and I like the interchangeable parts aspect of this design. Inexpensive and brass or stainless steel construction a plus. Variety of manufacturers.
Some favorites:
Vintage & brass - Gillette Tech pre-war fat handle
Slant - German 37 with HD handle
Tech clone/travel - DE-1 with Super Knurl handle
Open Comb
- SLOC with WCS 84s handle
- Fatip Grande Mk2
- Fatip Piccolo Mk1
Brushes:
Some boar, badger, horse, and synthetic. Prefer boars. Prefer face lathering. Variety of manufacturers.
Some favorites:
Pro boar: Omega 49, Zenith B03-A26 aluminum handle
Small boar: Semogue 620
Medium boar: Semogue 1250
Small horse: Vie-Long White 50/50 Horsehair Fan
Two-band badger: Yaqi Mysterious Space 24mm
Small synth: Yaqi Sagrada Familia
Medium synth: Yaqi Purple Haze, Razorock Little Bruce
Blades:
HUGE variety through trading, using the Blade Exchange, PIFs and a sample pack. Don't bother with blades on the duller end of the spectrum. Bulk buying of blades I found I liked the most.
Some favorites (but there are so many good ones):
Feather
Personna Med Prep
Wizamet Super Iridium
GSB
Nacet
Perma-Sharp Super
Silver Star
BIC Chrome Yellow
Soaps/Creams:
There are more good soaps out there than could ever be collected. It is so easy to collect more than you can use. Prefer hard soaps (especially French ones) but also like Italian-style soft soaps quite a bit. I like sticks for travel & shaving on the go.
Some favorites:
Pre de Provence Original, #63
Osma Tradition
Haslinger Schafmilch, Marigold, Sage
Fine Clean Vetiver
La Toja stick
Speick stick
Wilkinson Sword stick
Valobra stick
Cella red tub
Proraso Red
Razorock Dead Sea, SMdf, Don Marco
Speick cream
Musgo Real cream
There are a ton of other soaps I'd like to try, but have to get through these first. Use samples if possible.
I'm strangely tempted to buy a kilo brick of Vitos Super, but I might never be able to finish it.
Aftershaves
I was kind of reluctant to collect these, but dabbled a bit.
Some favorites:
Speick splash
Proraro White balm
LEA Sensitive balm
Pre de Provence balm Original, #63
Weleda balm
Razorock SMdF, Dead Sea, Emperor splashes
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AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Madness? What madness?
I did a little exploration out of curiosity here too.
Blades:
I tried a few different DE blades, and found some new favourites, to add to the one I'd already been using for 20+ years. Got well stocked up.
Razors:
Tried a few different DE razors, but have stuck with the same favourite from before. I also tried straight and shavette, which are fun for the occasional shave, but won't replace DE. My other three DE get occasional use too.
Soap:
Tried several samples, and have more to explore. Nothing has beaten Mitchell's Wool Fat so far. I have a spare cake of Mitchell's, and several Palmolive shave sticks in stock.
Brush:
My original boar was great, but when it fall apart and I got another, the replacement was disappointing. I'm now using synths, but my brush count is still three.
Post shave:
Tried a few, and I do like Old Spice, but I also like a couple of cheapo own brands too. Between those and Nivea Sensitive balm, I'm all set.
So after a couple of years of exploration, very little has changed. No rabbit holes. No new collections as such. My brush count has gone up by two, and my razor count has also gone up by two. I use two main soaps, and have a box of samples for a bit of variety. Long term it will just be one soap at home, and a shave stick for travel.
I did a little exploration out of curiosity here too.
Blades:
I tried a few different DE blades, and found some new favourites, to add to the one I'd already been using for 20+ years. Got well stocked up.
Razors:
Tried a few different DE razors, but have stuck with the same favourite from before. I also tried straight and shavette, which are fun for the occasional shave, but won't replace DE. My other three DE get occasional use too.
Soap:
Tried several samples, and have more to explore. Nothing has beaten Mitchell's Wool Fat so far. I have a spare cake of Mitchell's, and several Palmolive shave sticks in stock.
Brush:
My original boar was great, but when it fall apart and I got another, the replacement was disappointing. I'm now using synths, but my brush count is still three.
Post shave:
Tried a few, and I do like Old Spice, but I also like a couple of cheapo own brands too. Between those and Nivea Sensitive balm, I'm all set.
So after a couple of years of exploration, very little has changed. No rabbit holes. No new collections as such. My brush count has gone up by two, and my razor count has also gone up by two. I use two main soaps, and have a box of samples for a bit of variety. Long term it will just be one soap at home, and a shave stick for travel.
Great question!
When I returned to ‘traditional’ wet shaving I went down multiple rabbit holes and collected a ton of kit!
I realized that I had to make a choice, ‘Am I a collector or am I a user?’ Both are good, but I went to the ‘user‘ camp! So I cleaned out stuff that I was not using and that I am unlikely to enjoy in the future.
I still have enough kit to get me through the Coronavirus epidemic! Plenty of blades for me and my heirs. Plenty of soaps and splashes for the next decade or three!!
So the next question is, ‘Am I a minimalist by B&B standards?’
When I returned to ‘traditional’ wet shaving I went down multiple rabbit holes and collected a ton of kit!
I realized that I had to make a choice, ‘Am I a collector or am I a user?’ Both are good, but I went to the ‘user‘ camp! So I cleaned out stuff that I was not using and that I am unlikely to enjoy in the future.
I still have enough kit to get me through the Coronavirus epidemic! Plenty of blades for me and my heirs. Plenty of soaps and splashes for the next decade or three!!
So the next question is, ‘Am I a minimalist by B&B standards?’
I'm not a minimalist really, but my collection is quite small by the standards of some B&Bers. When I started, I bought an EJ89lbl to learn on, which was, as it turned out, a wise choice, as it still gets regular use. This was in 2014. I collected a small number of vintage Gillettes - NEW SC and LC, A 50s Tech, an Old Type replated by Krona Kruiser, and a birth year Super Speed. That was it for years. I was away from the forum for years and pretty much just used the EJ89lbl. My cream was TOBS Grapefruit. I rotated between Astra SPs, Feathers and GSBs. I had one brush - A Parker Long Loft Badger.
When I revisited B&B after years away I returned to find a changed world - all these SS and artisan razors and soaps! I bought a Feather AS-D2, a couple of Game Changers, and a now beloved Rex Envoy. My Karve is scheduled to arrive today. I've also gathered a variety of soaps. 38, which is my limit due to space limitations. I have three brushes - my Parker, still going strong after 6 years,va WCS badger, and a Thater synthetic. I've also done some bulk purchases of blades.
As of now, I'm not acquiring any more stuff and focusing on the fun of choosing my hard and software from my collection for each days shave, although this month I'm participating in the Fixed Four, which has been extremely rewarding. So not much method, a little bit of madness, and a ton of pleasure!
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
When I revisited B&B after years away I returned to find a changed world - all these SS and artisan razors and soaps! I bought a Feather AS-D2, a couple of Game Changers, and a now beloved Rex Envoy. My Karve is scheduled to arrive today. I've also gathered a variety of soaps. 38, which is my limit due to space limitations. I have three brushes - my Parker, still going strong after 6 years,va WCS badger, and a Thater synthetic. I've also done some bulk purchases of blades.
As of now, I'm not acquiring any more stuff and focusing on the fun of choosing my hard and software from my collection for each days shave, although this month I'm participating in the Fixed Four, which has been extremely rewarding. So not much method, a little bit of madness, and a ton of pleasure!
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Agree with BigJ this is a good question.
At times I consider myself a collector as I have amassed a collection of about 30 razors. Most are vintage Gillette’s and Schick’s. I tend to use my modern razors more totalling 6 at this time. However if I really analyzed it, I probably am just a user who suffers from RAD.
I have found three blades that work for me after using several sample packs, so I have stocked up about 300 blades. Probably more than enough to last my lifetime.
As to soaps and creams I am a user with SAD as I doubt I ever will finish my stash.
For AS and EDC I have my favorites and only have 4 different scents I like to wear. Guess I am a minimalist in this category.
Currently I am searching for the perfect brush. Does it really exist, I doubt it but I am enjoying the search.
I do have a price limit I will spend for razors, soaps/creams and brushes and by most standards it is frugal.
I get influenced easily so who knows after reading reviews or comments where I will go next with my wet shaving hobby!
At times I consider myself a collector as I have amassed a collection of about 30 razors. Most are vintage Gillette’s and Schick’s. I tend to use my modern razors more totalling 6 at this time. However if I really analyzed it, I probably am just a user who suffers from RAD.
I have found three blades that work for me after using several sample packs, so I have stocked up about 300 blades. Probably more than enough to last my lifetime.
As to soaps and creams I am a user with SAD as I doubt I ever will finish my stash.
For AS and EDC I have my favorites and only have 4 different scents I like to wear. Guess I am a minimalist in this category.
Currently I am searching for the perfect brush. Does it really exist, I doubt it but I am enjoying the search.
I do have a price limit I will spend for razors, soaps/creams and brushes and by most standards it is frugal.
I get influenced easily so who knows after reading reviews or comments where I will go next with my wet shaving hobby!
Flintstone65
Imagining solutions for imaginary problems
My "madness" has evolved:
- I started out wanting a better shave than my current cart razor, and I wanted to stop spending money on plastic encased-disposable blades. I started with a Merkur 34C, Cella, a RazoRock Plissoft brush, and a sampler pack of blades. But I didn't love the 34C (although I know now it was more me and my nascent technique, and not the razor), so I started really paying attention to folks here (uh oh, I know!!!).
- Having already had an attraction to acquiring and restoring older tools (e.g., axes, chisels, hammers, wrenches, knives, etc), and reading the collective experiences of folks here and elsewhere, I started to acquire different razors. I was not only attracted by the history and varied designs, but also the differences in how they shaved.
- Now with well over a 100 razors (DE's and SE's), I'm starting to really consider each new acquisition (rather than just gobble it up), and I'm starting to think about thinning the herd down based on some criteria that combines historical significance (at least to me), design uniqueness (again, at least to me), and quality of shave (for me).
My method to the madness was to save money at first. I didn't want to spend a fortune on disposable cartridges so I found a permanent solution of DE razors with cheap blades. Then, I discovered the variety of wet shaving gears and went straight down the rabbit hole. If there is something that is reasonably priced and that I haven't tried, I'll most likely want to try it in the near future.
I kinda let my madness be my method. I live in the moment and I enjoy learning about myself after the fact. Like who knew I’d love razor blades so much. And some of my “mistakes” turned out to be the most happy ones. I try to keep an open mind with only just a few self imposed rules for added fun.
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It wasn't much about collecting, much more like trying all different kind of razors and brushes and soaps, once I tried something new it was scratched of the list and if the item didn't make a great impresión then I would sell it or give it away so never kept a large inventory...all about the experience...I live the collecting to museums!
My madness was driven by the desire to discover the perfect shave. I’ve experimented with lots of products and now realize that there lots of ways to get a perfect shave and one method or product is not necessarily better than another.
My den is now nearing completion. I intend to keep it to a finite size so that it fits neatly in my medicine cabinet. There is a bit of variety but I have also settled on a few favorites.
My den is now nearing completion. I intend to keep it to a finite size so that it fits neatly in my medicine cabinet. There is a bit of variety but I have also settled on a few favorites.
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!
I have established my DE shaving ability. Over the next few months, I hope to find an ideal soap and blade combination and stick with it.
I just wanted a better shave than a Mach 3 or rotary electric could give me. Little did I know...
I was in the, "try everything" camp at first but now I just know what I like and stick with that. Eventually, you figure out what scents you like and you tend to acquire less.
I enjoy well put-together things and I love being immersed in the moment. Shaving has become a ritualistic pleasure, a self-indulgence if you will. So my guiding principles for acquisition of shaving related things are whether that shave-related thing is fit for its intended purpose, whether I can actually discern and use its attributes and whether it lends itself to the ritual and pleasure of shaving.
Ironically, I am finding that acquisition of too many things gets in the way of my enjoyment of the shaving ritual, the third principle. Too many soaps competing for my attention.
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I have not come across a defined amount of any item that qualifies for a den. Some dens in here impress other DE razor collectors, other modest dens can impress a non DE user.
Buy what you want, whether to just look at .. or use, it's all a win.
Buy what you want, whether to just look at .. or use, it's all a win.
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