Anyone had RAD then gone minimalist?

[adriang]

I've thought about it.

hardware..

I've got a few razors, but I'd be happy to stay with my red tip.
I could stay with one make of blade, I'd probably pick Gillette 7 o'clock blacks (Indian).
Software..

If I had to call it, I'd stay with Stirling soaps, if I had to stay with one, based on my experiences so far, Anise.
Aftershave, probably Thayers witch hazel, lemon with aloe vera.

My 'problem' is that I travel a lot for my work. This makes a lot of things very accessible for me, and I am weak...!!

US postal address to take advantage of...
2-3 trips to Japan a year...
India...Singapore (Mustaphas)...Brazil....

 

[bharvey60]

"Minimalist" can be interpreted in different ways. I accumulated 26 different razors in the first year and how now narrowed that down a bit to 15. For the time being I seem to have enough to keep me from getting bored. Tried a bunch of blades in Year 1 and have narrowed that down to Feathers, Polsilvers, Med Preps and, for now, Voskhods. Now sure the Voskies will remain in the arsenal long-term as they seem to be a step below the others in terms of smoothness and closeness.

Interestingly enough, I really haven't had much desire to try different soaps or brushes. Porvaso, Taylor Sandlewood and Wool Fat seem to meet my needs. An Omega 6211 is the only brush I own.

Can't imagine narrowing things down to one razor or blade. Then again, I get bored easily.

But if I HAD to, I'd go with my Toggle, Polsilvers, Wool Fat, and my trusty Omega.

 

[Snuff-Belgium]

One thing I love about RAD is that anything you don't like you can trade on.

That's what I keep doing, love to try out new things but I don't want to spend large amounts of money. Besides that I have been minimizing quite a lot lately. I'll soon be down to 4 brushes, 2 SE's and 3 DE's (but I admit to having backups of these 3 DE's). Not much as far as soaps is concerned as I lost my sense of smell.

 

[Trek2100]

I've re-thought my RAD position. There are only 2 or 3 additional razors I would like to acquire, one being an Aristocrat. I have 14 in total which includes 4 new ones. I use them all except for the SE's which I have yet to get up the nerve to try. I only use Feather blades so that is not a problem. I have a few soaps and several creams which I enjoy rotating. I also have a number of aftershaves again, I like to switch them around. I didn't go brush crazy except for one fairly expensive Kent silver tip. So perhaps my RAD wasn't too bad after all. At least this is my current thinking, lol. Wish me luck!

 

[SteveWY]

I have been dealing with a moderate case of RAD since starting this adventure about two years ago. I think I have about 13-14 razors. For me, RAD is like a chronic illness that flares up and then subsides. I do think I may be getting it under the management stage. I have most of my "have to have it" razors now. I had a wish list going and I have just one of each of the main types of vintage Gillettes. I just got a BEAUTIFUL replated Gillette NEW from Krona Kruiser and I'm suspecting I may have a mild case of OCRAD now.

I won't say that I won't get hooked my something else but I' don't cruise the BST and ebay much now. I am finding that I'm using only about 4-5 razors in rotation most of the time and am wondering if I should sell some others. But then I get over that feeling! I likely will keep about 5 of my razors getting most of the action and just keep the others for collection and occasional use.

 

[PugslyCat]

I started with a Lord L6 and a Timor TTO, then went into RAD. When I discovered that there wasn't much difference between the many Gillettes I had gathered I picked a pair of matching red tips from the bunch. They became my daily shavers. One stays at the apartment and the other went to my weekend place. Sometimes I pick up one of the other razors, but not often.

After working through the starter pack and a bunch of Family Dollar blade I bought a hundred pack each of Derby and Astra. They do the job OK. I use a pack and then pull one or the other out of the drawer with no particular preference. I've thought about buying a hundred each of a couple others, but I'm in no particular hurry.

Soaps and aftershaves are about the only products where I really change it up. I tend to coordinate the fragrances of my bath soap, shaving soap, aftershave, and if possible my deodorantrant as well. When I get to the end of any of those I either replace that component with something similar or switch out all of the above. I just finished the bar of Mysore sandalwood bath soap, so am probably stashing the sandalwood software and breaking out the Old Spice stuff until I finish the bottle of body wash. I also tend to change those components of my daily hygiene routine on a roughly seasonal basis.

Basically, shaving is something I have to do. I enjoy it and I enjoy some variations, but in the morning I'm on autopilot and grabbing what is out without going through any fancy rotations of hardware or software.

 

[RobW]

I feel a raging case of RAD coming on after I binged on three NEW razors (including a Goodwill), a #58 Gillette, an HD Rocket, and a FaTip in the last couple months, but maybe the 2014 Sabbatical will save me.

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

I took a pic of the group of stuff as it has worked out.



The soap on the left is Oster tallow soap, originally meant for the model 222 Latherservice machine. That on the right is a glycerine soap from Carden Farms, local here in NC. I mix the two, lathering on my face.

The brush on the left is boar, and the one I use every day. The ones on the right are horsehair. The big one is a Rubberset from the 40's, and was my dad's. The little one is modern and for my travel kit.

I forgot to pull the box of blades out, Personna Blues made in Verona. Sometimes I opt for the Med Preps, but usually only when I have trouble sourcing the cheaper Blues.

The razors are, from left to right:

Fasan Double Slant open comb. Used every day. Gets to DFS easily since it sports one side more aggressive than the other. I use the aggressive side WTG, then the mild side ATG. The open comb allows this with the first lathering. Nice.

Early Tech, used with a second lathering XTG should I want to get BBS. I can do BBS with the Fasan, but with irritation. The use of the Tech doesn't irritate. Plus, this Tech was the one my Dad gave me at age 15 to start shaving with in 1976. I like to still use it.

Old Type 102a. This was my Grandfather's. It is too aggressive for me to use everyday, producing many weepers. I opt for this one whenever I skip a day or more. The more growth, the better it is. I use it only WTG even so, then follow it with the Tech, or else it will produce weepers.

Generic Slant made in Solingen. No name brand on this one, but it is a common vintage slant. It appears that many razor makers all used this head. It is also differentially aggressive, but this one works better if I use the mild side first, then the aggressive side. It also leaves enough lather behind to use one side then the other without needing to relather. I use this one in the travel kit which has that little brush and a third Old Spice mug with Carden Farms soap. This one also gets swapped out with a Mach 3, not shown in the pic, when travelling by air.

The last razor is an old 40s Super Speed, also from my Dad, which my wife uses. I would have no need for it, but would not let it go, since it was Dad's.

The Lubriderm is what I use as an aftershave.

Also not shown is a fourth Old Spice mug with Carden Farms soap in it, a second of the Rubberset brushes, and a well worn Late Tech missing most of the gold wash. These things are at my Mom's where I left them after Dad passed on. Sometimes I head there, which is far enough away to require an overnight stay, and forget my travel kit. But, not matter, as I have spare stuff there!

So, this is the stuff I will keep on using, and I have no real desire to acquire any more stuff. I have passed on, and will be passing on, lots of stuff I had tried and decided I don't really want. The question is, does this qualify as minimalist? Around here, I suppose it does!

Stan

 

[Jarick]

When I got my R89 a couple months ago, I used it nearly exclusively and eventually sold off my Slim, Gem OCMM, and R41. I recently got a 37C and am wondering if I'll even bother using the R89 or my Cadet again. One WTG pass mows down all the stubble with zero irritation. Another XTG pass gives a DFS with zero irritation. A final ATG pass gives BBS with only mild irritation. Better results than anything else I've used.

Depending on how it goes, I could see myself with just a 39C. I still kind of want to try a Progress, Futur, and/or a stainless razor...but I don't feel like I'm missing out on much yet.

Brushes? That I don't know yet. I'm still trying things out but I'll know in a couple months much more than I know now.

Soaps, I've been doing the 3017 thing for several months now and I like it. Just pick up 4-6 soaps per year, use one at a time, you still get variety but learn more about the soap and get better shaves for it.

Blades, I know I like Astra SP's, just using up my old sample packs before buying a big box of them.

Aftershaves, I'm not a big fragrance guy. I'm okay with a bottle of witch hazel and a tube of lotion for the winter.



I guess I'd call myself a perfectionist rather than a minimalist. I want what's going to give me the absolute best shave every day.

 

[Jarick]

Yes. I had over 40 straights and safety razors, I sold almost all of them. Now I'm down to one safety (slim adjustable) and a couple of straights. Whoever send the things you own end up owning you was correct.
2.5 years later I'm still working through all of the soap, aftershave and cologne I bought. I bet I won't have to buy anything for another two years.

This is awesome!

 

[Domminigan]

Mostly no on this one. Massive case of RAD, now only use a minimal number of products.
I only use an English Aristocrat, Feather, Cella cut with TOBS and Proraso aftershave... at home. Of all my razors, the English Aristo just feels the best to me. I haven't used another razor or product at home in six months.
I travel a lot so my on the road kit has a Slim, Derby Extra, Williams and Clubman aftershave. They seem to overall work better in the different waters I encounter. If they get lost or stolen, it isn't as big of a hit as it would be if my Aristocrat got lifted or lost.
The rest of my collection is getting a home built for it. I don't use any of it. I'm still open to collecting nice pieces as the new case will have lots of extra room in it, but my list of desired razors has about been filled, so I haven't bought anything in some time. Soaps, blades I don't prefer and aftershaves have simply been stored. I've thinned out a number of razors from the ones going on display. I intended to sell most of them or give away a number, but every time I gather a group of them together to sell, they disappear. I suspect underpants gnomes, but haven't detected any around the house. I have had limited sucess with respect to giving away kits to those interested in getting into shaving, so it's not all loss.

 

[Krodor]

Wife and i had separate bathrooms until a recent consolidation. As such, space is at a premium. So im thinking about something like a self-imposed sabbatical for next year:
- Use what I've already got for software (2 mostly-used tubes of cream and 4.5 sticks Arko)
- plus however much VdH and witch hazel I can get for 20-25 bucks to "stock up" and put in pantry
- pick one brush (have 4) and one coticule (have 2) and one straight (do NOT go there)

See if I can make it through 2014. Prolly give it a go.

Still need to stock up on the cheap software, but started my cheap-for-a-year effort a couple days ago: a GD 66, couple Ark hones to keep it in shape, and will stick with my SOC boar and Big Daddy strop. Not that *those * are cheap, but I have them already, and they are not exorbitant.

 

[mikelz777]

I'm moving in that direction. I've owned 9 razors at one time or another and I'm down to 3. I'd be fine with just 2 of the 3 but I'll probably stick with the 3 for now. I don't want nor am I seeking any other razors. I think I have 4-5 years worth of blades but once they are gone, I plan on sticking with one blade brand at a time. I'm a cream guy so I have no interest in hard soaps. With creams, I'm set up for a couple of years but when they are gone, I'd like to keep 2, maybe 3 different ones for variety. For brushes, I'll only ever want or need 1 at a time, I don't understand the brush collection thing.

My eventual set up:

2-3 razors tops (for some variety though as time passes, I'm finding I need less and less variety here)
2-3 creams (for some variety)
1 blade brand at a time
1 brush
1 mug/bowl

 

[vsingh]

I have. At me point I had a collection of beautiful mint British Rhodium plated Aristocrats, about 5 brushes and a ton of software. I am over it now. So I rotate between my #21 and the 39c plus Simpsons Polo 10 plus MWF. Happy days!!!

 

[Dondoh]

I can definitely see the day when I have only two razors, two soaps, two brushes, and two blades. This could swell to 3 of one thing or another for experimental purposes. If I were to do it right now, I'd take a Superspeed and a Slim, two Semogue boars, MWF and a tin of Mike's, and I'm not sure which two blades (I'll know in a month when my blind test of blades ends though).
I can't see one of each though. Gotta break the monotony once in a while.

 

[Luke49783]

I have.

Currently I'm not shaving at all since I decided to let my beard grow out for a while, but I went from close to 20 razors down to two, an iKon OSS and a Super Adjustable. I've never used the SA, but keep it due to being an heirloom of sorts. I sold off all but three soaps/creams (Proraso Green, Jack Black Triple Cushion, and TOBS Grapefruit), and only have Floid Blue and Proraso Green for A/S, aside from a few samples sitting in my drawer. I had RAD for a while, then it just kind of stopped. Nothing shaves me like my OSS and I like the three soaps/creams that I have.

I still have a variety of blades, but I've pretty much settled on Feathers and Gillette Blacks as my blades of choice.

Of the razors I sold off, I do wish that I had kept either the Rocket HD or a 40s Super Speed.

 

[madmax20]

I have a minamilist set up. I only use edwin jagger aloe soap puck, my muhle grande, tabac after shave, derby blades, and two brushes a simpson colonel and a edwin jagger best i got as a gift. truthfully i just am trying to get threw this soap because its so hard.

 

[Trek2100]

I have now shamed myself. Today (Tuesday) I bought another razor, a 1957 SS chrome Flairtip and an Old Spice mug. That razor was not one of the two I was looking for. I guess my minimal RAD just went to h... In a handbag.

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

Hmmm. Where are we going? And, why are we in this handbag??

Stan

 

[Traps]

Having just started I think I'd like to try a few more things before settling. I've definitely gone minimalist in other areas and feel much better for it, I think it's a good thing to strive for.