Keeping track of shaving supplies

[GoodShave]

I was going through all my shaving blades, soaps, creams the other week to find unused items to pass on to a fellow wet shaver. I noticed how many soaps and cream samples that I had not finished or blades that I had not tried yet. Every so often when I would get an order from a shaving company, I would get free tucks of blades or soap samples. Sometimes I would add a tuck of blades on to an order to round out the order and then forget to try those blades out. Not to mention the growing stash of blades I tried and did not work with my current shaving routine but I saved the rest of the tuck for the future in case they work better with a different razor/shave routine in the future.

Last night I decided to make a list of the blades I have and have not tried (or maybe razor and blade combinations I have not tried) as well as a list of soaps/creams/samples that I have not tried or not finished. I also added pre/post shave items I have not tried as well as a new brush I just received since I only want to change one thing in each shave and I am currently trying out a new blade and don't want to change anything else. Once I store all these things away in drawers and cabinets, I forget that I have them, so they never get used. Hopefully with this list, I will keep those items in mind and at least work my way through my soaps and creams to make more room for future items (or just reduce clutter).

How do you keep track of your shave den items?

 

[HazMat Shaver]

I have a spreadsheet for my soaps, One for my blades, and one for my razors.
On these sheets, I have details of sizes, shapes, last time used, and comments about how it performed. When I bought it and for how much money, Last time I honed it and what stone it was finished on. The list goes on and on. Special ingredients that I like or dislike, color, texture, etc...

When you acquire as much stuff as I do and your rotation of razors takes 2+ years to work through you just have to do the spreadsheets.

BTW, Being I'm very computer challenged I had help getting them started. Then I added to them. Now it's not too hard for me besides remembering to add to it with every shave.

 

[GoodShave]

I have a spreadsheet for my soaps, One for my blades, and one for my razors.
On these sheets, I have details of sizes, shapes, last time used, and comments about how it performed. When I bought it and for how much money, Last time I honed it and what stone it was finished on. The list goes on and on. Special ingredients that I like or dislike, color, texture, etc...

When you acquire as much stuff as I do and your rotation of razors takes 2+ years to work through you just have to do the spreadsheets.

BTW, Being I'm very computer challenged I had help getting them started. Then I added to them. Now it's not too hard for me besides remembering to add to it with every shave.

What a great idea!

I keep a separate text file for my blade experience, one for my soap/cream experience, one for brushes, and individual ones on specific razors (in addition to some on general shave practices). As I track a noteworthy shaves, sometimes that shave data applies to multiple categories, so I copy and paste that shave's notes across as many files as it applies. I find it useful in looking back and seeing if I would buy a specific blade/soap/cream again or which brush works best with a specific soap or cream (as the loft and fibers/hair/bristles may naturally provide more water and be more efficient to use with a thirsty soap or provide too much water and make a mess of things for a soap that is not thirsty). That leads to more consistent shaves with the same components.

 

[Jer78]

I try to keep it small-ish. If I haven't used it in ages, that tells me something so it should move along. That way all I see and use are things that I love.

 

[SharpieB]

I have a list of my colognes, blades and brushes on my iPad in Notes.

I really need to do the same with my razors, soaps and aftershaves. Or maybe I don’t want to know!

 

[Phoenixkh]

I keep the blade usage count on my iPhone notes. I've seen dice used as well as the click counters. I already own the phone so why not?

I have seen people mention phone apps for shaving... I looked into one of them... very nice for $5... let me check again to get the name... hang on (as if you will have to wait). "My Shave Den".... looks pretty decent. I don't have enough gear to warrant it at this point. I've only been on B&B for 40 days. <eg> Give me time.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I have a spreadsheet for my soaps, One for my blades, and one for my razors.
On these sheets, I have details of sizes, shapes, last time used, and comments about how it performed. When I bought it and for how much money, Last time I honed it and what stone it was finished on. The list goes on and on. Special ingredients that I like or dislike, color, texture, etc...

When you acquire as much stuff as I do and your rotation of razors takes 2+ years to work through you just have to do the spreadsheets.

BTW, Being I'm very computer challenged I had help getting them started. Then I added to them. Now it's not too hard for me besides remembering to add to it with every shave.

I know enough about Excel to add entries and additional stuff after someone else has created the file. I have books on it but have never taken the time to actually learn the program.

It would be cool if people here were willing to share their Excel spread sheets.... the columns that automatically total would be an awesome feature.

 

[samhain666]

There is a box with blades I was trying out and don't use anymore because I found the ONE. There ia also a drawer in thw bathroom with razors I don't use I have the one I use behind miror. Soaps are also in that drawer and are still few enough that I can remember all of them latest coybt is 12 soaps I believe.

 

[silverlifter]

I only need to keep track of blades. Currently sitting on 904

Approaches to blade inventory management

I was curious how people keep track of their blades and, searching through the boards, I found some references to spreadsheets, but nothing detailed. I like to know what I have in stock so I can plan reups, or justify a raid on a particular blade. As I prefer to work in a Linux environment, I...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[BobbyB]

I have spreadsheet tracking my 88 blades on hand. These blades are sorted by brand name in a compartmented storage unit by blade name.

All my remaining supplies are stored in my rotating caddy.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I was going through all my shaving blades, soaps, creams the other week to find unused items to pass on to a fellow wet shaver. I noticed how many soaps and cream samples that I had not finished or blades that I had not tried yet. Every so often when I would get an order from a shaving company, I would get free tucks of blades or soap samples. Sometimes I would add a tuck of blades on to an order to round out the order and then forget to try those blades out. Not to mention the growing stash of blades I tried and did not work with my current shaving routine but I saved the rest of the tuck for the future in case they work better with a different razor/shave routine in the future.

Last night I decided to make a list of the blades I have and have not tried (or maybe razor and blade combinations I have not tried) as well as a list of soaps/creams/samples that I have not tried or not finished. I also added pre/post shave items I have not tried as well as a new brush I just received since I only want to change one thing in each shave and I am currently trying out a new blade and don't want to change anything else. Once I store all these things away in drawers and cabinets, I forget that I have them, so they never get used. Hopefully with this list, I will keep those items in mind and at least work my way through my soaps and creams to make more room for future items (or just reduce clutter).

How do you keep track of your shave den items?

Because I am still fairly new to the DE shaving hobby, my supplies are limited. So keeping track of my shave den, is not a big problem lol. I am well aware that some of you have enough shaving supplies to fill a 12 by 10 room, thank goodness I do not. lol

 

[GoodShave]

I keep the blade usage count on my iPhone notes. I've seen dice used as well as the click counters. I already own the phone so why not?

I have seen people mention phone apps for shaving... I looked into one of them... very nice for $5... let me check again to get the name... hang on (as if you will have to wait). "My Shave Den".... looks pretty decent. I don't have enough gear to warrant it at this point. I've only been on B&B for 40 days. <eg> Give me time.

I keep track of the number of shaves on a given blade by writing on the bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker. It is easy to erase and the counts are right were I need them. I can run out of mirror space if I am trying multiple DE, injector and AC blades at the same time.

 

[rbscebu]

.... I am well aware that some of you have enough shaving supplies to fill a 12 by 10 room, thank goodness I do not [yet]. lol

Corrected.

 

[BigJ]

I don’t have a formal system. Stuff that is ‘in rotation’ goes in the bathroom cabinet.

(‘Overflow‘ (including back-ups, extras, and stuff that may/might go out of production) goes in the shop where LOTH is unlikely to venture!)

 

[HazMat Shaver]

As far as Excell goes...
I had to google it and hey, that's what my spreadsheets are. That should tell you how much I know about it. lol.
If I knew how I'd be happy to send a copy of my razor sheet to someone to help them get started. But that is way beyond what I know.

The app for your phone I looked into at one time. The first issue is it's made for a phone. My phone makes phone calls and texts when I have to. I hate the thing and would rather not own one. I leave it at home at times. A lot of times it's dead. My work made me buy it. I have to clock in and out on an app. They send me notes and stuff and... Most of the time they just call my home number and ask if I've lost my phone and give me the info I need. So that shows how much I use mine.

The next problem with this app is it's only for I-phones. I quit waiting for it to be made for android. Maybe it has been done but I stopped looking.

I'm just happy I have a friend who WAS a programmer and knows computer stuff. He made my spreadsheets for me and I just try to keep them going. It's a great tool when you end up with a lot of stuff.

 

[Lee93]

I use Google sheets and I keep track of everything. A little example:

 

[AimlessWanderer]

How do you keep track of your shave den items?

Irrespective of how much stuff I own, I like to keep my shaves simple.

All the packs of blades are in a small cardboard box, and every so often, I will dump a couple of packs in the small Tupperware tub I draw my blades from. usually at random. I don't need to keep track, just keep a few options in that tub.

I keep one cream and one hard soap in the bathroom. I do have others stockpiled in a box in the wardrobe, but will only get one out when the current one is finished. For a bit of variety, I also have a small serving from a tub soap alongside the other two soap options. The tubs are kept in a drawer, and when I need to serve up another portion (every two months or so), I'll just open the drawer, pick whichever I fancy, and serve up a small spoonful. Those three soap/cream options are sufficient variety, without leading to decision fatigue at each shave.

Hardware is kept simple too. Most shaves are done with a closed comb razor, but I keep and open comb razor and shavette handy too. There's usually two brushes out in the bathroom, and every few months, I might swap them for one of my other two.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I use Google sheets and I keep track of everything. A little example:

View attachment 1438794

You would make an accountant very proud! Everything organized, right down to cost as per supply. I give you a solid A+! Now come and do my taxes.

 

[dmshaver]

I'm embarrassed to admit I have no system. I use what I like when I want to use it. I don't have a list of any of my hardware or software.

 

[Possum092]

I looked under the sink; my stash is all still there. I keep it simple to avoid any stress selecting what works 100% of the time. I did recently acquire two soaps that failed muster…tossed. Two left in the line up…simplicity.