- Thread starter
- #41
Analytical, frugal newb in an opinion based world *sigh*
- Thread starter Bster13
- Start date
Good luck, I hope you make it.
Wow.. A full 7oz can of Edge Gel only last a month ?.. most cans of any kind of foam or gel last me at a minimum 3 most of the time 5 how much are you using ?I haven't used most of the items on your list. I have used Edge Gel before I started wet shaving and I do use an inexpensive puck of shaving soap now (Van Der Hagen) which is 3.5 oz I believe.
When I was using Edge I seem to recall it lasting about a month (what is your experience with it?). My 3.5 oz puck of VDH lasts about 1 1/2 months. The Edge costs about $3/can and in the stores VDH is about $3/puck. I buy it in bulk and it comes down to about $1.50/puck.
The major difference for me is just that it's more enjoyable to shave with VDH than with Edge. The brush I use is $10. You can get a starter set in many drug stores from VDH for $12 which includes the brush, one puck of soap and a nice ceramic bowl that just fits the puck.
As you can see, money isn't really the issue here.
As far as the time it takes to make lather, it doesn't take much time for me. I just put the brush under the faucet, squeeze the brush and then rub it on the soap and then create the lather on my face. It's just less messy and more effective than doing it with your hand.
I get where you are coming from but you can be analytical and decide not to get into expensive brushes, soaps, creams and all the things that some people on here are into and still not have to use your hands.
If its all about frugality for you. Buy a Mach 3 and some Ivory bar soap. While in the shower lather your face with the Ivory and shave it'll give you an good, slick, efficient shave (1 pass with some touch up) A bar if just used to shave with and put in a covered dish after use will last you 3 months or more. The soap will probably dry your face out but that can be corrected with a Dollar Store moisturizer/aftershave, Dermasil a 10 oz tube or bottle of which should last you up to a year, just using on your face. Your Mach 3 blade can last you up to a year by drying it after use and stropping it on a piece of leather or denim. I've seen Youtube videos where people have kept blades sharp for even longer by this method. The razor and 3 blades you'd buy could last you in theory for more than 3 years. So $13.50 for the razor and 2 blades, $5 for 10 bars of Ivory. $1 for a tube of Dermasil at Dollar Tree. Not sure how to calculate how much this would cost you per year, month, week or day but I'm pretty sure it'll be extremely cheap. I've shaved like that for a while in the past and it DOES WORK.. its just not as fun as looking for and collecting the products that are involved in wet shaving...Hello Everyone,
Though I have completed my first full year of shaving my head (every other day) and face (every day) with a safety razor (Merkur Progress) while trialing 10 different blades, I still consider myself a newb as I've only ever used my Progress (with great success!) but still have trouble with other razors and I've never tried any of the usually recommended creams, sticks, or soaps.
I have shaved with no-name shaving cream (really dry, no slick, great lather but pretty poor) and Edge Shaving Gel (blue stuff. Just fine by me, could get bbs with 3 pass). Once I ran out of the traditional stuff I decided to try some olive oil hanging around the house (yup, straight out of the bottle. Just fine by me, could get bbs with 3 pass). The problem with the olive oil was not the quality of the shave, nor the price, but it took too long to shave and clean up. After applying olive oil to the face & head, you need to wash your hands with soap to get rid of the slick, else your razor will slip out of your hands. Also the oil left a residue in the sink. So cleanup was the problem here, took too much time overall.
Anyway, I got into DE razors because I'm naturally frugal minded (and I think they are cool) and I get off on saving even a buck. But I would not have gotten into wet shaving if it took any more time than shaving with my old cartridge. That's just how I'm wired... efficiency and frugality (my apologies in advance
With that said I decided to research some of my brushless options (I don't want to spend the $ on a brush or the time making lather):
Shaving cream options 1_6_17
Here are my questions for those that have used all sorts of products:
- How many of the ounces are propellants in the foam vs. product? Maybe I wouldn't be getting as much product as I thought and that'd throw off the cost calculation.
- If a product is cheaper / oz. but is used up faster, is is really cheaper? I have no experience which type of product is used up faster per good shave... foam vs. stick vs. cream. Etc.
- Can all products listed in the spreadsheet be applied w/out brush? If so, does it use up more product and thus the cost calculations are off?
I fully respect the majority of forum members who enjoy the process/art of shaving, the products, and small amount of time during the day that it allows us to check out from our busy lives and have some time to ourselves. I do too to a certain extent, but I'm wired a little weird so hopefully you can take pitty on me () and help a brother out.
Thanks!
+1. The $ per shave are most reasonable IMHO. This is true even if you chose to spend a few more $ initially on more 'expensive' shaving products, still a bargain compared to the current Gillette options.
- Thread starter
- #47
You know, I recently picked up some palmolive ($2.16 including tax for some 9oz over 3 bars) soap bars at the dollars stores and they ~seem~ slicker than my regular dial soap. I probably could shave in the shower with them, but then I'm cranking hot water for that much longer. Good idea, I've definitely thought of it. For those of us into this for the economical factor, we all eventually settle on a balance of frugal and comfortable and after trying the Cremo (menthol), I'll go back to the Barbasol. It really worked well for me and cheaper than the Cremo. The Cremo was fine, but not as good for me for some reason. Maybe I'll try the Palmolive soap for kicks. :0
Hello, i am also a newbie, but i have read B&B for some months now. I think this thread might interest you:
Shaving soaps and the cost per shave- Data mined from the 3017 thread.
As you can see, people use mostly between 1-2g of product per shave. If i can give an advice, here it is:
1) Brushless is worse, you will need more product.
2) The olive oil most certainly costs more compared to a cheap shaving cream.
3) Get a boar brush, preferably of big size. I have tried and successfully made big amounts of lather with an Omega 10083, using 2cm or 1cm cream. It's all about how much water you put to the mix. If you have less cream, you need less water too. But in all cases, there was enough lather for probably 4 passes.
4) Get a cheap shaving cream or a cheap soap, whatever you can find there and don't think too much about it at this point. Even if you use double the almond size each time, it will take a looong time to finish 1 tube and the cost per shave will be very low.
Shaving soaps and the cost per shave- Data mined from the 3017 thread.
As you can see, people use mostly between 1-2g of product per shave. If i can give an advice, here it is:
1) Brushless is worse, you will need more product.
2) The olive oil most certainly costs more compared to a cheap shaving cream.
3) Get a boar brush, preferably of big size. I have tried and successfully made big amounts of lather with an Omega 10083, using 2cm or 1cm cream. It's all about how much water you put to the mix. If you have less cream, you need less water too. But in all cases, there was enough lather for probably 4 passes.
4) Get a cheap shaving cream or a cheap soap, whatever you can find there and don't think too much about it at this point. Even if you use double the almond size each time, it will take a looong time to finish 1 tube and the cost per shave will be very low.
In my opinion, try a variety of soaps, creams, blades and try to discover what works best for you.
If you want to save 3 cents a day, may I suggest dry shaving with a sharp knife? Seems to work pretty well in the movies and that's in a humid jungle while fighting aliens, so your bathroom should be a piece of cake.
Do what works for you.
I've used that Palmolive bar soap from Dollar Tree to shower and shave with, its pretty good has a nice neutral smell which I liked. While shaving in the shower with your face at its absolute wettest all soaps are pretty slick its a little harder if you're using a DE razor but with a cartridge its an easy job. The amount of hot water you're using will be negligible its a really inexpensive way to shave, not fun or interesting but cheap it'll dry your face out some but that's what after shave & lotion is for... Lemme know how the Palmolive works for you I'm curious to see...
I'm cheap, too. I wanted to comment on one line in your spreadsheet.
First of all, I think in grams instead of oz. You can weigh the container when you first start using it, and then weight it after some shaves to guess at how many grams/shave you uses. I don't have those weights handy.
Example:
Barbasol:
I've done the same calculations for other consumables.
First of all, I think in grams instead of oz. You can weigh the container when you first start using it, and then weight it after some shaves to guess at how many grams/shave you uses. I don't have those weights handy.
Example:
Barbasol:
- 283 grams
- Cost: $1.59
- Cost/gram: 1.59/283=$.0056
- Grams/shave: 2.2
- Cost/shave: $.0123
- Shaves/can: 283/2.2=128
I've done the same calculations for other consumables.
Lots of great data over here ---> Shaving soaps and the cost per shave- Data mined from the 3017 thread.
While I do understand someone wanting to shave inexpensively, I do not think those folks represent the majority of the forum membership. A majority of posting members seems to want to experience something of interest.
There are a good many members here to teach and share with others. You will read about brushes, soaps, and razors given away often. You'll read detailed educational and instructional posts regarding using, maintaining, and repairing shaving tools.
There are a good many members here to teach and share with others. You will read about brushes, soaps, and razors given away often. You'll read detailed educational and instructional posts regarding using, maintaining, and repairing shaving tools.
Similar threads
