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How much or how to spend it?

You're starting from scratch in terms of gear, but with your current knowledge.

You have to buy stuff for a year.

By that I mean: what you buy now is what you can use for the next year WITHOUT any significant cravings.

You shouldn't save, if saving means not getting some gear you have grown fond of and not using it for a year would be a "significant loss".

It could be anything and that's not restricted to one item. If you're a one soap each day guy, shave everyday and can't stand the idea of repeating the same soap within the same month, you'd need at least 31 different soaps. And, if you "need" 8 different brushes, so be it: 31 soaps and 8 brushes. Not to mention razors and blades.

What would you buy, how much would you spend (roughly) and how would you feel?

My take:

Razor: Gillette Brazilian Goodwill - $20

Brush: EJ STF Large - $45

Soaps (this is where I'd spend big);

AdP - $60 (I got this from my wife and daughter for my bday and got hooked)

Fitjar Folgefonn - $35

Ach. Brito Mogno (2x) - $10

Blades Feather (100) - $35

Grand Total - $205

Two hundred bucks and I'd be feeling as if I had my own private jet!

That set up would mean a revolving $140/year for soaps and blades.

I'm not saying it's cheap. But I'm not saying it is outrageously expensive either. My point is twofold:

First, I can't think of any other hobby where that kind of money buys you "private plane" status for a year;

Second: I could keep the Mogno and change the AdP and Fitjar for Proraso Red and Haslinger Schafmilch, spend some $35 total on soaps and still feel like first class.

But the second point is not the objective of this post ("how little can you go and still feel like a million bucks?"). It's the opposite: "how much, if you're buying the absolute best you'd like to use for a year?".

The "for a year" is to give the idea of a one slump purchase.

Happy shaves!
 
Let's not kid ourselves. 200 dollars a year just to shave is extraordinarily expensive for anyone "normal" out there. Never ask a passionate hobbyist about doing standard man roleplaying :D
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Thinking about it, I would need:

2 x M7DS's of SR's ($2,000)​
7 x different SR's ($1,000)​
2 x brushes ($100)​
7 x different shaving sticks/creams ($50)​
½ litre of bay rum aftershave ($15)​
Strops & honing gear ($300)​
That's a total of $3,465.

The razors would last a lifetime and much more. The brushes would last about 10 years, shaving soaps/creams about 3 years and strops/honing about 20 years.

Taking all into account, that would work out at about $100 per year.
 
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It's I could only shave with this list for a whole year, I wouldn't hold back.

Razor: Wolfman WR2 on a Darwin handle, $500
Brush: Wee Scot in super (custom order), ~$130
Soap: puck each of Tabac, Stirling Varen, and probably Canada Shaving Soap, ~$120
Blades: 100 Kai, 100 Wizamet SI's, ~$100

Total: $850-ish

Never actually used a Wolfman WR2, but I've been too spoiled by my Traderes for the last 9 years to ever go back to something other than a precision machined stainless razor, hehe.
 
DE: REX Ambassador, Progress 500, Merkur 37C, Merkur 34C, EJ89 Kelvin, Merkur 45C

SR: Zvilling Inox 70 1/2

Shavette: Ali Biyikli (Turkish Shavette)

Brush: Simpson Berkeley 46 Best Badger, Semogue SOC Butterscotch Two Band.

Soap: Tabac (Tallowated), Wilkinson Stick, Arko Stick

Blade: GP, Shark Platinum

Sorry I did not calculated the prices and total sum.

And yes I need all of these DE razors :thumbup:
 
I will play along. For a full year of shaves I’d need:
- Feather AS-D2 €150 (will last a lifetime)
- Simpson’s Chubby 1 Super (€150)
- Cella brick €20 (will last 2 years)
- 100 GSBs €10 (will last 1.5 years)
- 2x Myrsol Plastic Shave €30

Excluding razor and brush, I’d happily shave with less than €50 a year.
 
Yaqi Mellon razor €15
BIC Platinum (200) €30
Proraso Boar € 7
Martin de Candre (20gr) €30
Speick stick (2) € 8
Alcolado Glacial 500ml € 8
Vaseline Instant (2) €10

Total: €108/ $122

I would be completely happy with this gear.
 

Legion

Staff member
If I knew what I know now?

One good vintage straight razor. $75
Tools for restoring it. $15
Hones to bring it to shave ready and maintain it. $300
Brush. $100
Soap. $50
Materials for a strop. $40

That is not for a year. Apart from the soap, and maybe the strop and brush, that is the rest of my life.

That is how you save money shaving. Of course, I spent thousands working that out…
 
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Dutch are known for their thrift.
There is an enriching feeling towards thrift.
So spending as little as possible, to a certain level off course, would make me feel joyous.
I know this for I'm Dutch and enjoyed November restraint very, very much.
A nice paradox, is it not?
This gear would get me thrue a year a happy shaver too:

Yaqi Mellon €15
Silver Star €20
Proraso Boar €7
Speick €12
Vaseline Instant €10

€64/ $72
 
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Rhody

I'm a Lumberjack.
Osama alum block
Proraso green preshave
Karve stainless
Stirling scots pine sheep combo
Tallow + steel combo set
Nacet blades.

Not sure if two tubs would last a year but probably will. That setup is probably 200-250 range. Could cut the cost dramatically with stirling and Proraso or cella. And RR lupo. I have so many soaps I’ve never finished one. This exercise has been interesting but not my experience.
 

Eben Stone

Staff member
Starting over from scratch knowing what I know now, I would just buy the stuff I use now.

$100 Blackland Dart
$200 Henson TI +++
$9 Gillette Nacet x50
$10 Kai x20
$20 RazoRock 400
$240 Southern Witchcrafts soaps x11
$220 Southern Witchcrafts aftershave x11
$45 PAA Clown Fruit soap and aftershave
$24 PAA Clown Fruit cube x2
$36 Osma alum x4
$904

The total doesn't really make sense, because the razors are buy once, and the soaps would probably last me 2-3 years, but I like variety so I want a different scent each month.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I'm not up to date on current prices, but I'd end up close to what I have now.

Razors:
Edwin Jagger DE3D14
Merkur open comb
Dovo shavette

Blades:
Wilkinson Sword and Astra Platinum. Derby Premium half blades.
(I'd be buying each at whatever is the best price per blade, not necessarily just what I need for a year)

Brushes:
Simpson's Trafalgar T2
(I currently have more, but I know that brush does everything well)
A cheap Omega boar, in case I need to dislodge ingrown hairs.

Soaps and Creams:
If I found St James of London Black Pepper and Lime at a bargain price, I'd get that. Otherwise, I'd buy a tube of Erasmic.
Three tub soaps from Phoenix and Beau and/or Wickhams.
One hard soap. Maybe DR Harris Windsor or Marlborough.
(That will last me WELL over a year, but I wouldn't get bored)

Ancillaries:
My two listed pewter soap dishes, a lather bowl (I'd shop around), and a brush stand.
Nivea skin and stubble balm, Bulldog Sensitive moisturiser, and an alum block.
Superdrug Forest Fresh (I'd wait till there's a multi-buy offer on), and Boots Freshwood aftershave.
 
To start over again? hmmmmm
Gillette Slim, Fatboy, Weber PH w Classic Handle
Astra SP, Wilkinson Sword blades, 100 each
Kilo of Cella or Vito's red and a 12 box of Arko stick (bowl pressed)
Rubberset brush/200-4 and Vie-Long Cachurro brushes
a few nice Ceramic bowls
Lucky Tiger Bay Rum after shave Witch Hazel
 
I could easily live with 2 or 3 razors
Rockwell 6S, RR Lupo 95 and Merkur progress
As for software that's a more difficult one since there's so many nice soap, creams and aftershaves but SV would definitely be on that list and last but not least brushes the AP shave G5A and the PAA peregrino would be my choice.
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
I would require a rotation of 3 Simpsons Manchurian or Silvertip 2 band badgers at $300 apiece. A used Gillette Tech or Super Speed for $12. A years supply of Arko, Palmolive or Williams, $6. Floris No.89 balm and EdT, $150. Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet balm and EdT, about $200. 400ml Proraso splash, $23. I can't do the maths, but it looks like a typical year.
 
There's a more minimal setup and a more luxurious one. I guess the minimal setup is more in the spirit of the thread.

Razors
Gillette Tech (1940's), $10
Muhle R41 head + Maggard stainless handle, $30

Blades
Feather 100-pack, $13 (on sale recently)

Brush
Omega Jade premium boar, $30
Semogue 620, $15

Soaps
Tabac stick (w/ tallow), $10
Speick stick (w/ tallow), $5
Haslinger Aloe Vera, $5

A/S
Dickinson's witch hazel, $4
Speick splash, $15
Nivea Sensitive balm, $5

====================
Annual recurring cost, $44
Total cost, $142
 
I would be very happy with what I have.

For a year, I could easily get by with my two Wolfmans, my pucks of PdP Bergamot and Thyme, PdP #63 and Canada Shaving Soap. 100-150 assorted blades from Polsilver and Gillette and my Simpson Chubby 2 Silvertip and M7 Manchurian. Maybe some Nivea and 4711 splash.

Not cheap cuz Wolfman and Simpson, but I would be happy for the entire year.
 
Hmmm…tough question but, I’ll give it a shot.

Razors: (Need rotation of 3 for travel & fighting boredom)

Option 1: MMOC $20, Wolfman WR2 1.35, SB $A Lot, Gillette New SC $20

Option 2: MMOC $20, BMMOC $20, ER1912 $25

Blades: GEM PTFE $20 and for a razor Option 1 PermaSharp Super $13

Soaps: MDC Rose $65, ARKO (lots of sticks) $14, Vitos Extra Super $10, and Captain’s Choice (shaving cream) $15

Brushes: Omega 20102 Pro Boar $17 and Omega 10049 Pro Boar $7

Skin Bracer (couple bottles) $9

That would give me great performers and nice variety. Those soaps would last three or more years and the only super expensive item is the Wolfman. Reoccurring costs would be really low.
 

JCarr

More Deep Thoughts than Jack Handy
Hope I'm understanding the scenario.

This would be me...purchasing my favorite razor, blades, brushes, etc.:

Razor: Wolfman head WR1 or WR2 - $250
Razor handle: TiBam Titanium - $70
Blades: 100 x Sharp Titanium - $9
Brush: I could do this with my three Semogue Pharos brushes. $20 a piece - $60.
Soap/Cream: My collection is vast, but I could survive with half a dozen...for sake of argument lets say they're $15 a piece - $90
Preshave: OPR shave soap - $17
Post Shave: Lucky Tiger Aftershave Tonic - $10...I might need two of these in a year...$20
Aftershave: Half a dozen...figure $150

Total: figure $670. But...obviously...much of this would last longer than one year...so this isn't a total that comes up every year.
 
Fatip open comb slant $35
150 Nacets $12
4 tubes Palmolive cream $16
2 pucks of MWF $25
4 bottles of Dickinson 100% Witch Hazel $20
1 tub Cerave moisturizing cream $15
1 Styptic pencil $2
Omega Pro 49 $10

$135
 
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