A slow period for the hobby?

[Nicholas]

It seems that our hobby has slowed down A LOT, especially comparing to previous years (2015-2017). Was it another bubble? No more golden era of shaving?

I think this is because most of us have acquired a lot of stuff and lost much of our enthusiasm for new purchases. I know this is the case with me, but I feel like many other established members share the same feelings.

It just doesn't look the way it used to be anymore.

 

[shave/brush]

It seems we go thru periods of great interest and then dry spells. My interest is still high (about 8 years now) but as you say many of us have a lot of new shaving supplies from razors to brushes and everything else. We are not looking for anything new unless something good comes along.
What usually creates a long discussion is a new and different product. I guess maybe we are running out of new ideas.

 

[naughtilus]

You can only do so much with a 10 minute repetitive hygienic ritual.

 

[shave/brush]

You can only do so much with a 10 minute repetitive hygienic ritual.

We seem to have done a lot with it so far but it does seem like we are running out of new ideas.

 

[Chevyguy]

It'll pick up again as the fall, and winter seasons arrive. As for gear?, what once was old is new again. It'll be fun using hardware, and software that we haven't used since last fall, and winter.

Clayton

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[Jim99]

Possibly one way to gauge enthusiasm in this hobby is to look at sale prices on auction sites and on our BST.

Where are prices now versus a few years back? I think the market has softened somewhat, but it’s still there.

 

[naughtilus]

We seem to have done a lot with it so far but it does seem like we are running out of new ideas.

I'm an old ideas kind of a guy. I leave the new ones to early adopters and trendy folks. I don't really crave for titanium precision or aventus platypus milk to do my shave. I may try a straight razor just so I have something to learn.

 

[Chevyguy]

Possibly one way to gauge enthusiasm in this hobby is to look at sale prices on auction sites and on our BST.

Where are prices now versus a few years back? I think the market has softened somewhat, but it’s still there.

Prices are coming back to where they really ought to be. I used to buy Fatboy's for $10-15 on Ebay. Collectors really drove the prices up on vintage shaving gear. Artisan products were like that too until the market got saturated with inexpensive alternatives. It's all good though because there is something for everyone's budget.

Clayton

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[naughtilus]

Surely this hobby is more than just shopping?

 

[decraew]

My guess is ... not enough newly interested people.

Personally, I’ve become utterly bored with the whole shaving subject, there’s only so much time you can invest in this (I started with straight razors in 2009).


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[decraew]

Where are prices now versus a few years back? I think the market has softened somewhat, but it’s still there.

I think prices have dropped a lot !




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[Ad Astra]

There's always the fall, winter and Christmas seasonal soaps ...


AA

 

[Joncr]

LIke the Cell Phone/iPhone market, the market is very active until the saturation point is reached / when most potential buyers have found what works for them and are satisfied. At that point the annual sales is mostly supported by replacement buyers, new buyers entering the market, and those curious about the newest and latest. Unlike cell phones however razors can last lifetimes, so I am guessing our current buyers are those still searching for a satisfactory razor and those curious to try this or that new razor.
As far as creams/lathers and AS, my guess is many of us have also found what works for us and are at the 'replace when empty' phase.
that is my best guess anyway.

 

[shave/brush]

Most of us will be curious about some new idea that comes along, like a razor with a different angle of something.
With cell phones they are always improving them and that is the draw to them.

 

[vacman]

I've never thought of this as a "Hobby!" It's something I have to do in the morning and I wasn't happy with the electric shavers I was using. They irritated my skin so I was looking for an alternative (I actually started shaving with DE razors and then switched to cartridges when Gillette sent the razors to your home for free. Every successive model was worse than the previous one. It was refreshing when I found this site and began to experience better, closer, more comfortable shaves. I have a shaving process I've settled on and only occasionally order something new (like the new Eco razor from the Italian Barber, which is cheap enough to buy it just out of curiosity). It's not a hobby....it's a necessity.

 

[Tallships]

Antique and thrift shops are having less and less if anyting to find. I went to 3 places that I usually find a razor, brush or bowl but only 1 not so great over priced bowl did I see. I think that many traditional shavers have all the hardware they need or have lost interest in getting more

 

[Raissermesser]

1. Cheaper alternatives to Gillette that don't require a subscription (like Harry's), can be found in stores now.
2. The Micro Touch commercials are no longer run on TV. This is dropping public awareness of DE and SE.
3. This is strictly non-scientific, but have noticed adopting new things, particularly products, seems to follow an logarithmic curve. There is rapid initial growth followed by a tapering off unless there is a new promotion or incentive.

Regardless, I'm not going back until the day comes that I can't get SE or DE blades, and I might have moved to straight razors by then.

 

[Lather]

Forums have died down in the last few years. Instagram and other social media have taken over.

I just logged back in today since 2015. Came back to check things out here. I’m still wet shaving and working through the stock in my den.

Good to be back.

 

[shave/brush]

I have a shaving process I've settled on and only occasionally order something new (like the new Eco razor from the Italian Barber, which is cheap enough to buy it just out of curiosity). It's not a hobby....it's a necessity.

If it was not a hobby for you then you don't need the Eco razor. You already have a working razor.

 

[muzichead]

I started DE shaving back in 2016 because I was just tired of expensive cartridges that just seemed to get worse at hair removal each year!! In Feb 2018 I found my forever razor in the Timeless Ti95SB but have since upgraded to a DC base plate, OC/SB, and no longer am in need of any other razors. In Jan 2017 I bought my 1st Stirling soap / aftershave and have been hooked since and have 6 of them in my rotation and have stopped looking for soaps. Brushes were my weakness until I found the 3 I currently have in my rotation from Milton at TurnNShave along with the original Whipped Dog synthetic I bought in Jan 2017 and my search for brushes came to a halt late 2018. I've been using Shark SS / SC blades exclusively since the beginning back in 2016 with my favorite being the SC and I have enough of them to last me well into 2025 or so which leaves me at not needing anything new in 2019 at all... Have I been tempted by anything out there so far this year, yeah, some different scents by Stirling is about it but overall I'm content with what I have and can go for some time until needing anything new!!