It's a baseline, which helps isolate the other variables.
Razor x blade x soap x brush x aftershave is right up there with Drake's equation.
AA
Razor x blade x soap x brush x aftershave is right up there with Drake's equation.
AA
Questions for you 3017 guys (and gals)
- Thread starter Rusty Blade
- Start date
Wait, intelligent life elsewhere shaves traditionally?!
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I’m not part of the 3017 club. I have been using Wilkinson Sword vintage exclusively for a long time now. But I’m not opposed to trying something new. It’s just that I really enjoy this soap.
So to answer your questions anyway...
1. Laziness. It’s in the mug. It’s convenient to simply grab the mug and start loading the brush. I also want to use the mug for another soap so I’m wanting to use this soap up as quick as I can.
2. None. Well...besides getting to put a new puck in the mug. I can lather any soap so there is no benefit. It’s not like I’m “learning” the soap..or anything.
3. Nope. I’ll change it up. Avon Wild Country. Floid. D.R. Harris Sandlewood. I use them all whenever I feel like it.
4. One I guess. I’ve been using this one for AT LEAST a year. I shave every other day. Sometimes every 3 days. Sometimes once a week. Whenever I feel like it. So it has lasted me a long time.
(firmly) Yes.
_______
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AA
Other 3017ers have chimed in and I would agree with everything they have said. I myself have been 3017'ing soaps for the past few years. My primary reason for 3017 a product when I first started was that I had too many soaps and wanted to finally clear some out. As my den got down to a reasonable number and I settled in on a few soaps that are top performers for me my reason for 3017ing soap has changed. Simply put, what I use is my favorite so why mess around with other lessor products?
Another reason for 3017ing is that I learned over the years I got much better performance from dense hard soaps like Haslinger and triple-milled soaps like Valobra based hard pucks. Triple-milled soaps take some breaking. People that rotate soaps every day will never benefit from a well broken in puck of triple milled soap. Once a hard puck has been hydrated I find loading and getting perfect lathers every morning to be effortless.
If scent is your thing and you think you'll get bored with one soap my suggestion would be to find a top performing soap with a scent that doesn't last past the shave, and get you scent variety from after-shaves.
Another reason for 3017ing is that I learned over the years I got much better performance from dense hard soaps like Haslinger and triple-milled soaps like Valobra based hard pucks. Triple-milled soaps take some breaking. People that rotate soaps every day will never benefit from a well broken in puck of triple milled soap. Once a hard puck has been hydrated I find loading and getting perfect lathers every morning to be effortless.
If scent is your thing and you think you'll get bored with one soap my suggestion would be to find a top performing soap with a scent that doesn't last past the shave, and get you scent variety from after-shaves.
Although I am an adherent of the 3017 method, I have continued to purchase soap from time to time. To me it is not about reducing the stockpile (any method does that one shave at a time), but rather making use of the other benefits. Getting to know a soap was a big benefit initially but having spent years doing so it is now less important. The real plus is the need to have only one soap on the bathroom counter ready for use - the rest are stashed in their original packaging in a cabinet.
- Thread starter
- #27
Your comment got me thinking...I realize that with a soap I often get bored with the scent, not the soap. I think I could get into 3017'ing Unscented soaps easier than my scented products.
I find I tire of strongly scented soaps, even if I love the scent. Mild soaps that are excellent performers are great because you get that great protection every shave without tiring of the scent, plus you have the whole shave to think about which AS splash to toss on without concern of the soaps scent interfering with the AS.
- Thread starter
- #29
Yes, my thoughts exactly. I often prefer an Unscented soap and a mild scented AS or ASB.
Have two in use. Two last about a year. 
3017 is a sense of accomplishment for me, finish it up and move on to a new one.
I think it’s easy for anyone here to “justify” that next purchase, the problem for me is that all of those purchases start to add up, and the idea of this whole thing was to get great shaves and save money, which I’m doing.
It’s also cool to see the product getting used, like finishing it up and getting to the last bit of it.
I think it’s easy for anyone here to “justify” that next purchase, the problem for me is that all of those purchases start to add up, and the idea of this whole thing was to get great shaves and save money, which I’m doing.
It’s also cool to see the product getting used, like finishing it up and getting to the last bit of it.
1. I like to use a product continuously for the most part to really get a feel for how it works (mostly soaps) with my razor, blade, and brush combinations. I am fine with using a soap from start to finish.
2. You reall get to know the product and love it (or hate it)
3. I tend to do the same thing with AS anyway. I only keep a few on hand at a time and use the same one most every day.
4. roughly 4 soaps a year, 2 AS
2. You reall get to know the product and love it (or hate it)
3. I tend to do the same thing with AS anyway. I only keep a few on hand at a time and use the same one most every day.
4. roughly 4 soaps a year, 2 AS
Stating the obvious here, but there's a huge difference between internet forums and the real world. What people here call 3017 is a fancy term for how the real world shaves.
- Thread starter
- #34
True enough. My Dad always just used one soap until it was gone, then purchased another. He would shake his head in bewilderment if he saw the number of soaps that I keep in rotation.
1. To learn how to get the best lather from a product. Many soaps seem to produce better lather when used regularly.
2. It stays hydrated and loads easier.
3. I vary the after shave routine.
4. Five or six products. If I use a partial puck or quick hitter (month of Williams), it is balanced by a longer lasting soap like Nomad, MWF, Cade, or Tabac.
2. It stays hydrated and loads easier.
3. I vary the after shave routine.
4. Five or six products. If I use a partial puck or quick hitter (month of Williams), it is balanced by a longer lasting soap like Nomad, MWF, Cade, or Tabac.
1. What is your motivation for using a soap from start to finish?
- I only own one type of soap - Williams Mug Soap
- I feel a single setup is more traditional for the time I started shaving (1971)
- I started DE shaving to test a scene in a dystopian novel I wrote. The characters had a single setup for 50 years.
- WMS performs better if used every day
- I get to use the perfect soap for every shave
- One razor blade - Astra SP or Gillette WS. Starting Jan 1, I'll only use Astra SP.
- One razor - Van Der Hagen short handle
- One brush - Cremo Horsehair
- On AS - Mennen Skin Bracer
- I got 242 shaves from my last puck of Williams. Since I now only use one pass, I expect over 300 shaves/puck.
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- Thread starter
- #39
What you have described is what I did for 40 years. One soap (Williams), one brush one razor, one AS. Then I discovered B&B and everything changed. Now I have so much stuff it is overwhelming at times.
I completed an eight year effort to finish all soaps and creams ... down to nothing.
Motivation: Too much stuff. Looked at my stash one morning and was embarrassed.
Benefits: some products have a learning curve for getting the most out of them. Main benefit is simply using up product. It’s hard to finish a soap if you only use it 2 or three times a month.
AS: Generally I do use same AS every day until finished but mix it up more. I don’t have many, 3 AS and 2 ASB.
Number: I guess 2.5 per year is a reasonable estimate. PdP is an exception. I think that took about a year, maybe more.
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Motivation: Too much stuff. Looked at my stash one morning and was embarrassed.
Benefits: some products have a learning curve for getting the most out of them. Main benefit is simply using up product. It’s hard to finish a soap if you only use it 2 or three times a month.
AS: Generally I do use same AS every day until finished but mix it up more. I don’t have many, 3 AS and 2 ASB.
Number: I guess 2.5 per year is a reasonable estimate. PdP is an exception. I think that took about a year, maybe more.
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