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Economic Rationalisation

I hear a lot of people complaining about AD, and wondering whether DE shaving really is cost effective - especially when they stump up wads of hard earned to get kitted out. To eradicate guilt, many embrace the AD afflication as a proud failing, and this is their only rationalisation. This is what the dictionary says:

Rationalisation
noun
1. (psychiatry) a defense mechanism by which your true motivation is concealed by explaining your actions and feelings in a way that is not threatening.
2. The cognitive process of making something consistent with, or based on, reason.
3. (mathematics) the simplification of an expression or equation.

Don't be No1. Man up. You can rationalise it with pure maths and reason, and stare SWMB Ignored defiantly in the face, demonstrating your fiscal acuity and prudence. And then spend more - just like she does.

I'm in Australia, so you Yanks need to realise, by comparison, most of your vendors are actually paying you to take their products off them. While the values may differ around the world, the cart comparison is likely the same. My situation, given costs and 30 (pessimistic) shaving years left:

1 Dovo Special 6/8 $130
1 Strop $20
Honing 1x year @$20 $600
1 T&H Rooney $110
3 DE Razors $120
3 Soaps. Cost $60.
usage @ 8months/puck = 24 months. $900
Blades 100 @ $24. Avg 3.5 shaves each $720

Total $2,610

Gillette's latest turbocharged,
lubri-moist, self-shaving mish-mash of
plastic and cheap steel.
(A handle 'upgrade' each year @ $20) $600

Blades $30 per 8.2 months Avg. $5,400.
Goop $6 can. 6 Weeks worth shaves. $1600.

Total $7,600

I'm $5000 ahead. Now I just have to work out how to spend it.
 
I'm way ahead of you. Here's how you spend it: just say

ONE OF EVERYTHING, PLEASE

I'll let you know when I get finished.:001_smile
 
I know this doesn't address your post exactly, so forgive me for hijacking the thread. I'm still hoping someone smarter than myself will calculate with some reasonable accuracy how much landfill space is taken up in a year by one man shaving with disposable products versus more traditional supplies.
 
antique store straight: $4

latigo/linen strop: $80

rudy vey handle with tgn silvertip: $42

tabac refills: ~$15 (1/yr)

lifetime of honings as above $600

hone kit from amazon: $120

clubman bay rum/pinaud clubman: $8 (6/yr)

gray flannel: $10 (1/yr)

grand total of ~ $800 (30 yr timetable as above). the largest cost is actually the tabac.

look at all the free money i just saved you! you can send me the extra cash later. :lol:
 
I think that many treat this more as a hobby then a cost savings scheme; at least I would hope that is the case given the extreme amount of shave gear collected over time, by some. In my case I would have to say I do it because I like the old school feeling of it. I also was disgusted with the cost of replacement cartridges. The plastic handles needed replacement at least every couple of years and while I was not unhappy with my shave (I didn't have anything to compare it too) I thought this sounded like fun at the very least.

I own 4 razors. I use two regularly; Murker 38c's. I have one at home and I keep one in my douche bag at work, there is nothing economic about this, I own two of them for the convenience of not having to lug them back and forth. Before I bought the second 38c I purchased a Murker Travel razor for $25. I think it was an ok purchase however it was not the razor for me, and so I stashed it away, for some reason... And, I inherited my great grandfathers Gillette New. I haven’t had it very long but I intend to use it once in a while just to see how she works. I may even cough up the bones to get it plated, but that decision has yet to be made.

To sum up, personally, I think that I am interested in DE shaving for its cost savings but at the same time treat it as a hobby and as something that makes me feel good about being who I am on a daily basis. BTW, I've never ran the numbers to see what the cost benefits were, I just know I HAVE to be spending less per shave what with the cost of cartridge razors these days...:thumbup:
 

ouch

Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd
I figure it this way- I get a better shave than I would at an AOS barber every day for peanuts, and they would charge me over fifteen grand a year.
 
Wetshaving is like everything else -- you can spend as much as you want.

However you can do it cheaply too:

Good old SuperSpeed - $15-20
Decent badger brush - $40-50
Some blades - $20
Couple of pucks of Tabac, MWF, your choice - $20
There you go, in the game for less than $100.

Now, you just have to control yourself and stay away from BST. But yeah, you can do this cheaply.
 
To be fair we would have to subtract the cost of the comparatively larger amounts of hot water that you use when wet shaving properly, compared to the brisk application of a small amount of water followed by directly applying canned gunge on to your face.
 
You also need to deduct the resale value of your gear from your total cost. If, say, your old single ring or Fatboy appreciates over 30 years of shaving, you shouldn't count that as an expense. Use your gains to offset your costs.

Also consider that something like the superlative DE89L might go out of production and skyrocket in value.

In other words, a collection of razors and brushes (as opposed to consumable soaps and blades) might end up putting you in the positive several years on.

On the other hand, spending $7,000+ on carts is entirely a waste. You cannot resell a used Fusion cart.

As for applying your savings, have you considered restoring a car or, perhaps, "investing" in race horses? :lol:
 
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