Does the desire to shave subside?

[CaderTheAlligator]

Hey B&B,
I have been DE shaving for about a year now but have only been a member on the forum for a little over a month. I was thinking morning how much I have learned and how thankful I am to have guys on this forum that are willing to go out of their way to offer advice or give suggestions. What I have noticed as since I joined this forum is that my obsession/hobby has grown exponentially. For the first 11 months of DE shaving I was perfectly content with two shaving creams and 1 razor and 1 cheapo brush, but now I find myself trying to find excuses to buy new stuff.

Also, along with the size of my shave den, the size of my desire to shave has grown. My questions to you guys that have been at this for a while is: have you found that this forum made shaving more exciting and enjoyable or did it not take this forum for you to enjoy shaving much more?

The next question is are there any of you guys out there that have lost interest in DE shaving or is this obsession I have just going to continue to grow?

At 21 I have a few more years of shaving and fear that I need to nip this obsession in the bud because if I keep going at the rate I am I am going to find myself divorced (kidding, but seriously, I'm out of control).

Last but not least, I want to thank everyone on B&B for making this place a great place to learn and discuss shaving. The information that I have read and found here have made my shaves much more enjoyable than what I had before.

Michael

 

[Eeyore]

I've been a member of B&B for a few months now (having wet shaved for much longer already). So far I collected:

2 new DE razors (one vintage Rocket, and one modern Feather Popular); I had a Mühle before, but I sold it recently.
2 brushes (not really fair, I already had them before I joined B&B)
2 new aftershaves; I added Pitralon Classic and Hâttrick to my stable (I already used Nivea and Sanex)
A few soaps and creams, most of them I liked less than what I was using already

So it is quite possible to keep your shaving ADs under control. My cure? Visit "The Nib" regularly

 

[Shutterbug57]

Michael - I have drafted a couple of responses to your question and deleted them. The best advice I can give (I am 55) is not to let your ADs get ahead of your budget. Many of us here are older and may have more free cash. You don't have to keep up. I understand the ADs, but, trust me, it is not worth messing with a marriage. Those cool vintage razors will still be there in a few years. They may be more expensive or, if many in the current trend are a flash in the pan, they may become more affordable. Take a break from the ADs, enjoy what you have and make a strategy on what you want and why.

When I was your age, there is no way I could have even thought about having multiple razors or brushes. Maybe a couple of soaps, but they will get use up anyway. Relax, slow down, enjoy the trip - you have a lot of years ahead of you to get all the neat stuff you want.

Sorry if that sounded fatherly.

 

[Eeyore]

Ok, I didn't realise that it was a serious question. Don't visit "The Nib" then

Make it a rule to sell something before you buy something new. Or set apart a fix amount for hobby money each month.

 

[Mr. Scruffy]

My AD's have subsided. I haven't bought anything shaving related in over a year.

But then again, I still have enough to last for the rest of my life!

 

[FaceScraper]

Michael - I have drafted a couple of responses to your question and deleted them. The best advice I can give (I am 55) is not to let your ADs get ahead of your budget. Many of us here are older and may have more free cash. You don't have to keep up. I understand the ADs, but, trust me, it is not worth messing with a marriage. Those cool vintage razors will still be there in a few years. They may be more expensive or, if many in the current trend are a flash in the pan, they may become more affordable. Take a break from the ADs, enjoy what you have and make a strategy on what you want and why.

When I was your age, there is no way I could have even thought about having multiple razors or brushes. Maybe a couple of soaps, but they will get use up anyway. Relax, slow down, enjoy the trip - you have a lot of years ahead of you to get all the neat stuff you want.

Sorry if that sounded fatherly.

^ what he said. My RAD was outta control within a week of starting DE shaving and I now I have 7 vintage gillettes and a merkur 34C. However, I stopped there and am now using up all my soap samples. I doubt i will buy another DE except for a mergress but i think i will wait for christmas or 2014 for that. I do however, have more free cash since I'm a lot older than you and have been working for a long time. Still the advice above is excellent.

 

[CUSE69]

It did subside for me after a few years. I grew tired of the chase for the perfect BBS shave. I'm down to one razor, one brush and a handful of soaps. Buying all sorts of shaving supplies was fun at first but one day it clicked, 90% of getting a great shave is technique and skill. Now days, I can read post about new razors, brushes etc. and not feel the need to buy them. The old saying goes "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

I totally agree with Froggy. While I am a Newbie and will most likely buy additional hard and soft wares, for me that is part of the fun, the hobby. I liken this new fixation to my golf addition. Lessons, i.e. technique is the best investment, but that does not stop us golfers from trying to buy a better game with the latest clubs, balls, tees, training devices, etc.

 

[MrLara]

Haven't lost interest at all.

I did stop buying stuff though.

The soaps and creams that i have will probably last me about a year. Razor wise, there are a few out there i want to get. But i haven't pulled the trigger on them.

 

[watchiekong]

In relation to your first question, I came to B&B after about 10 years shaving and wanting a new shaving brush this led me to question the various implements used in my shaving wanting an optimal shaving experience. I'm fortunate I did not lose track of why i was getting heavily into shaving as a hobby rather than as a chore. I've not developed any AD's (fortunately so far) as I tend to research an item and make an informed choice before I purchase.Joining B&B made shaving (a bit) more enjoyable an experience, but it is still a necessary daily routine and chore.

Regarding your next question - it simply made shaving more interesting by using implements (brush, blade and soap) that I can appreciate as well designed for the job. My interest in shaving has actually grown. The obsession for me is achieving the optimal shave and so its a never ending challenge with each day...

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

I have been DE shaving since 1976, and never did come down with any of the ADs. I did have a reasonable bout with acquiring some razors when I found myself working for a while away from home. I did not want to take what I used at home back and forth, so I picked up some new razors and supplies and opted to try a few things new to me while I was at it. To that end, this board was a great resource.

I am now done with the away work, so back home and will BST some of the extra stuff. And so, my advice is to try new (to you, as a lot of this stuff is vintage), and keep what you like and pass on what you don't. This will keep it all on a reasonable level.

Stan

 

[aihpcfl]

All depends on you. I have had my hoarding phases, but shaving gear isn't, or hasn't been, one of them.

As far as the influence of the forum, I came here researching a razor purchase and stayed for the conversation, and the pictures.

 

[CaderTheAlligator]

Hey,
Thanks for all the responses. I am very conservative when it comes to money and I was kidding when I said that this would cause marital problems. I was just posing a question because I am curious if 40 years down the road I am going to still love shaving and trying new things out. The reality is exponentially in my mind was like two more razors, two more brushes, and like three more creams.

I have a slight touch of the AD's but none that are out of control. Luckily, I am pretty content at where I am at with software and hardware but I find myself wanting things like a nice dopp kit and a travel brush and razor when in reality I can make due with what I have. I just find it cool that this is something that I get to look forward to for a long long time because it is a unique and fun hobby as well as a requirement to look presentable.

I think my questions were more just in curiosity if you guys believe that your hobby has been enhanced or your interest in shaving has been increased due to this website. Hopefully, this forum can stick around for a long long time so that I can get on here later on down the road and enjoy the same types of conversations I have now. Thanks for the advice everyone and it nice to see that if the AD's do get bad they are controllable.

 

[Cobra0369]

Not yet anyway...

 

[Toothpick]

depends on your personality.

For myself I was all out head first jumped off the deep end, buying and buying and giddy!. Then as I always do with new toys, I got bored with it all and sold everything cept for a few items.

Then it kicked in again when I wanted to try a few new razors, and once again it mellowed out.

Now I am on an aftershave kick.

 

[eth]

I haven't lost interest in the sense that I'm going back to carts or electrics, but I don't mind skipping a day. I'm currently doing a workout program where I have workouts six days a week, and I have to do them in the morning (otherwise I will end up doing it far too late in the evening or not at all). After the workout and shower I'm restless and eager to get out of the bathroom and get on with my day. When shaving was the only morning routine besides the very basics it wasn't an issue, and I never skipped or thought of it. I still shave most days, I rarely have more than one day off in a week. I don't have a dark beard, so you would have to hug me to notice that I didn't shave, so as far as looks is concerned I get away with it). I still enjoy shaving, it's just picking up a brush and soap and getting started takes some more determination than it used to.

What does keep me shaving is AD (and my girlfriend, she has no love for beard). Your ADs will likely change, it's soaps and/or creams for a while, brushes, razors, maybe straights too. Currently I'm at blades AD, I want to try every blade there is (almost, I've tried enough Lord for this lifetime). I've limited myself to in-production blades, and this is a reasonable limitation I am content with. Some vintage blades go for ridiculous prices, and I'd rather not find love in those ranks I can't find elsewhere (I do argue that no blade is too expensive, but that argument is limited to in-production blades in my case). The annoying thing about razor blade AD is that the only way to experience a blade is to shave. You can smell all your soaps, creams and aftershaves, you can feel your soft brushes and your heavy razors all in one go, but you can't sniff your blades in a meaningful way. So to try all the varieties I have to shave, as many times as possible.

 

[Niles]

For me there were two different phases. The first was excitement of beginning to shave in this way. After a while the newness wore off but the interest has remained.

 

[WetWhiskers]

FWIW,

The answers you're getting to your question have a VERY strong self-selection bias.

The people that HAVE lost interest probably aren't checking B&B on a daily basis, so you won't hear from them...

My $0.02US (2000 basis)

Ww

 

[Shutterbug57]

FWIW,

The answers you're getting to your question have a VERY strong self-selection bias.

The people that HAVE lost interest probably aren't checking B&B on a daily basis, so you won't hear from them...

My $0.02US (2000 basis)

Ww

Good point.

 

[BlackBear]

'When Alexander saw the breadth of his den, he wept, for there were no more razors to buy'

 

[August West]

There are a great deal of more expensive hobbies. I am in the honeymoon phase.