At what price point do you stop?

[Chesty]

My first interest in DE shaving was to save money. That might have been accomplished had I not become fascinated by different razors and other items that have led to an inventory that will only really be cost effective, strictly from a shaving perspective, if I live to be 127 and shave every day. I'm having fun, getting great shaves and learning a lot, so on an expense vs value continuum I am ahead of the game.
To date I have not spent over $35.00 for a for any of the 15 razors that I have purchased and use regularly. Proraso and Arko run about $10/ tub. I spent $15 for a tin of Pre de Provence #63 when I was on a trip and bought it impulsively. I still use the first $12 Perfecto brush that I bought and have a Maaggard Synthetic. Semogue 830 and a Parker Pure Badger that get used. At one point, I had a Parker Silver tip brush that I paid $60 for. I used it a couple of times but every time I looked at it I had buyer's remorse and truthfully I couldn't say that I noticed a huge difference. I finally gave it to my son just it so would be gone.
Where do others start to tremble about the purchase decision? I see razors that go into the hundreds of dollars and brushes that are similar. I can't go into an Art of Shaving store without astonishment. I am interested in what the desired outcome besides a shave is with some of these purchases. I know that I feel differently about using my fat handle tech than my original Parker from Amazon but I can't picture investing in a custom razor. This is my perspective only and I am interested in a) what price point makes you just say no and b) what makes the purchase satisfying when you make the investment in top of the line gear. I see the collector car market as a comparable example- as I keep running up miles on my old Tacoma.

 

[Clausewitz]

I'd say over $250-275.

I'm not going to pay more than that for an shaving item and it's not a monetary issue, I just don't usually see the value increase over that amount being worth it. If I was trying to complete a collection I would probably think differently.

 

[captp]

Even though I've spent over $200 on a brush (which I since PIFed away), I wouldn't likely ever go that high again. Same for razors, though I never spent over $75 or so for one. I am tempted by acouple of razors from ATT and possibly a Paladin brush, but those are all at least 6 months down the road.

 

[Haggises]

The most I ever paid was 130 for a B&B LE Shavemac Finest. Next, 70 on a Feather Artist Club. The AC gets a lot more use than the brush. I use boars and synths and home-knotted more than the Shavemac.

All other items have been below 35 for razors, as low as 15 bucks for a 5 razor lot.
A 4 oz soap shouldn't cost much more than 10 bucks. I am slightly frugal but I prefer nicer things. e.g. I like Arko, but still have 9 sticks of the 12 pack I bought 3 years ago.

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

Sorry, I don't understand the question.

 

[Dachshund63]

I won't go over 15-17 for a soap. I have bought one or two soaps for more at specialty stores, which I didn't mind because I was supporting a small business. For razors, the most I've spent on a DE was 30. Probably won't got higher then that unless I go for a Futur or Progress one day. Brushes, I still haven't spent over 20, and was only one one brush. The rest were 10 or under. Straights I've gone as much as 150. But those can get higher and I don't think I would mind if the razor looked nice and is know to perform well. So really I've keep my bar pretty really low. But thankfully you didn't ask about quantity limits...

 

[cnnc97]

My biggest problem as far as "saving money" is buying too many soaps, creams, aftershaves. I probably have more than I could use for the next 5 years yet I find myself wanting to try more. I would not pay over $25-30 for a cream or soap for sure, but due to the vast quantities I have already purchased I also have hesitation to pay $15 for one at this point in time.

As far as razors and brushes, now that I have found several of each that I like a lot, and didn't pay that much for, I have little interest in forking out any money for more. Spending even $100 on either seems ludicrous in my mind seeing as how my current favorites were a fraction of that cost and work great for me. My most expensive razor was probably little more than $20 and my most expensive brushes were B/S/T restores for about $25 each. Keep in mind that these were all purchased around 5 years ago and prices have risen it seems.

 

[Badger Bill]

This is a really great question. I personally draw the line on whether or not the item is something that gets diminished with each use. I just can't justify spending tons of $$$ on an item that I will eventually lose (i.e. a soap or a fragrance) when I get similar enjoyment from cheaper alternatives. That's not at all to take away anything from the luxury brands - they are splendid indeed, but there are some absolutely killer, affordable products out there that make it tough for me to justify the more expensive ones.

That changes for me, though, when we talk about non-usage products. I.e. razors. I personally don't mind spending what many would consider to be "too much" money on a beautiful, handmade shaving tool such as a UFO handle or a Wolfman Razor because it's simply a joy to use these, I consider them to be works of art, and I know that I will be able to enjoy them for my entire life. Perhaps maybe even my family will enjoy them beyond that timeframe, too.

Brushes, to me, are an interesting "in between". Obviously you don't "use up" a brush, but they won't last forever either. I have yet to buy an "expensive" brush, and I'm not sure that I ever will. But that's the one place where I'm at least open to considering a deviation from my "rule".

Hope you find this helpful/interesting.

 

[dmatcuk]

These are always fun. I am not really a collector. I buy something and use it until it is gone. I typically spend $15ish on soaps/creams, but I would probably go as high as $30 if I really liked the product. Brushes, I've spent up to $60, but I don't think that I would ever spend over $20 again. I really like my Parker Synthetic and I don't see a reason to buy anything else. I like my TOBS sandalwood AS, it is like $25. I've spent $75 on my strop. I am eyeing up a new one around $100. Eventually (hopefully soon) I will get a Kanayama 90000 which is like $350. That will be the last strop I ever buy. Razors, I spent $160 on my current everyday straight. That is the most I have spent to date on a razor. If I found one I really liked, I would go as high as $300. Usually I am looking for straights used under $30 though for me to restore.

 

[Cyjazz]

A.) I haven't spent more than $99 for a razor, and that was an exception (Rockwell 6S). Above that price point, and really before it, I begin to imagine the other items I could spend that money on to benefit my family and myself. I certainly wouldn't judge anyone else for spending $200 or more on any shaving item as they might have different financial circumstances than I do as well as different value they place on that item than I might.

B.) I have been satisfied with spending $99 on a razor, and just as satisfied spending $25 for what I consider a top of the line razor. The perceived value for me is in my perception of what the item adds to my experience shaving. A $25 brush that conjures a great lather and is appealing to my eye would be just as valuable as a $150 brush that did the same. The value isn't necessarily in the price certainly.

 

[emwolf]

my max range seems to be in the upper $50's. I spent $58 on a new futur, and I've spent that much on a nice brush too. the average price I have spent per razor is $14.99. My most expensive soap/cream has to be AOS at $25. I rarely buy new razors anymore.

 

[Lord Greystoke]

I think maybe I'm at a stopping point. My AS-D2 and Wunderbar are the only high-dollar razors in my inventory of the seven currently in use, I have eight soaps and one cream on hand, five aftershaves, and more than 200 blades, so I'm set for awhile. I guess it's a good thing I'm not married, huh?

 

[ohbrian]

I wouldn't pay much for a razor that just holds the same blade my $30 razor holds. I'd rather have a variety of soap and aftershave.

 

[Chesty]

Thanks for your inputs. In my mind I really can see that is might be gratifying to get up each morning and use something that was expensive but really feels like it was worth it. I am also at a time in life when I am off-loading a lot of "stuff" so the bar is set pretty high on what I would spend on. Things like my grandfather's retirement watach are priceless, most everything else is a toy. You all have some interesting perspectives.

 

[seattleshaver]

I have no interest in brushes except to have one so I'm still using my original VDH basic boar brush. My interest in soap is limited as well. I buy VDH deluxe soap by the 12 pack which gets the price per puck down to around $1.50. I also have one container of Proraso Red. I have less than 200 DE blades and have figured out which blades I prefer now.

I haven't paid any more than $30 for a DE razor (I have 3). All my straights are under $35 and most under $20. They are all vintage and I have about 15.

The only DE I have any interest in getting (and I've had one before but gave it away as a present) is a Gillette New Open Short Comb. Vintage straights I buy to clean up and hone and at this point the fun is more in the looking for and cleaning up than anything else.

All of my hones are inexpensive and even though some of the coticules have my interest I don't need them and have so far resisted. Once you get a bevel on all your straights the hones seldom get used again.

So, yes, I have limits in this hobby since I'm not interested in collecting and I'm not interested in "luxury" as it relates to shaving.

 

[cruise_bone]

I spent $400 at Pastuers a few weeks ago. It was my first time there so I was loading up on quite a bit of stuff.
Still, a very inexpensive hobby compared to others I have.

 

[BSAGuy]

$20

 

[adamchur]

a) less than €10 for a soap or cream, €15 for a brush or 100 blades, €20 for an aftershave, €25 for a razor, €30 for a very good vintage razor +
(but if/when I see a minty 1969 (O4) Black Beauty - my birth year razor - I'll consider paying €40)
b) my most expensive razor is a 1980s Severodonetsk-1 which cost me the thick end of €30, it's a Ukranian made CCCP era clone of a Fatboy, it shaves like a dream, but I've got the satisfaction of knowing that to the best of my knowledge nobody else on B&B uses one - it'sssssss my preccciousssssss !!

 

[wgn!]

I started buying vintage razors to use because they are relatively inexpensive. I'm thrifty (SWMBO would say tight) by nature. I did, after all, get started in this to stop spending so much money to shave. I'm not looking for museum pieces, I'm looking for a razor. I can't abide spending more than I feel a razor is worth, when I know if I bide my time I'll find something I like in my range. I've bought about 13 DE & SE razors in the past 18 months and, other than a razor I bought for my dad, they've almost all been $10 or less. I've given away some to friends and family without a second thought because I didn't spend much on them, and I can always find an inexpensive replacement if I really want one.

I like looking at all the pretty, shiny gear but I can't personally value them any higher than my $10 razors.

 

[drwevil]

I was going to get myself a feather ASHD but I decided to go cheap so i can use the price difference to get to try other stuff.