My acquisition disorders went away. What’s wrong with me?

[LMcC]

I’ve recently discovered that there is hardly anything I wish to acquire. This is a bizarre and troubling feeling.

Razors
The Stainless Lupo fits the bill for me in every way. Can’t decide if I prefer the 72 or the 95, but either works great for me. I also have a 50’s flare tip and a 60’s slim that I would be happy with.

I also recently got a few GEM razors which I have used a couple times and like, so I guess we’ll see where that goes.

Blades
I have my favorites in quantity. In no particular order:
Rubie, Nacet, Wizamet, Gillette Platinum. I also like the King C. Gillette, and will likely grab a couple from time to time.

Soaps
Stirling does everything I want. Electric Sheep could be my only soap, but will also keep Stirling Spice, Orange Chill, and eucalyptus Mint around for variety. Also MWF. I don’t expect to replace any others when they run out.

Aftershaves
I have about 10, most of which will be replaced if they run out. Other than a bay rum, which I don’t have, I can’t think of anything I want / need.

Brushes
I would like a nice badger, but they seem sort of cost prohibitive. I wouldn’t mind dropping $100 on a brush I know I’ll love, but that’s a chunk of change for something I might not. I like all the boars and synthetics I have.

I might need help.

 

[Tomo]

I would like a nice badger

BAD is still lurking. The badger hole is deep!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

 

[emwolf]

I have to admit mine has diminished considerably. I think there is very little I need.

 

[rbscebu]

@LMcC, you should seriously consider learning the gentlemanly art of straight razor shaving. It is a whole new world to explore.

 

[Herrenberg]

Contentment is good. Why fight it?

I recently received a Yaqi badger brush that cost $48.09, but I can't tell you yet whether it's any good, because I haven't used it yet. The synthetic in the same order, which was $18.70, was awfully nice, and that's coming from someone who has not managed to become fond of a Simpson synthetic.

 

[LMcC]

@LMcC, you should seriously consider learning the gentlemanly art of straight razor shaving. It is a whole new world to explore.

It’s not something I’m opposed to I just don’t want to deal with the blade maintenance, I’m very good at sharpening knives and have always been proud of that, but I don’t want to do that anymore either.

 

[Herrenberg]

@LMcC, you should seriously consider learning the gentlemanly art of straight razor shaving. It is a whole new world to explore.

You are clearly a corrupter of youth.

I do have a PIF open for a straight razor starter kit at the moment, though.

 

[rbscebu]

It’s not something I’m opposed to I just don’t want to deal with the blade maintenance, I’m very good at sharpening knives and have always been proud of that, but I don’t want to do that anymore either.

Yes, I can understand your feelings. SR blade maintenance adds about 1 or 2 minutes to each shave and that can add up to about 5 or more hours over a year.

The cost of SR maintenance is also not cheap. A diamond pasted balsa strops setup costs many tens of dollars. That sort of money could be spent on far better things in life.

[After reading what I just wrote, I might consider going back to "modern" shaving!]

 

[LMcC]

Yes, I can understand your feelings. SR blade maintenance adds about 1 or 2 minutes to each shave and that can add up to about 5 or more hours over a year.

The cost of SR maintenance is also not cheap. A diamond pasted balsa strops setup costs many tens of dollars. That sort of money could be spent on far better things in life.

[After reading what I just wrote, I might consider going back to "modern" shaving!]

I guess I was more referring to actual honing of razors. To be fair, I haven’t looked that hard into it.

 

[ArkoMan88]

So has mine, I think finding what I like and consciously trying to appreciate what I have has lessened my curiosity. My main problem, especially with razors and blades, was trying to find what was "perfect," and setting the bar way too high. I have to remind myself that the experience of relaxation and the feeling of being clean shaven is more important than having a BBS shave all of the time. If it happens it happens, but I am working on being less attached to the concept.

We have far more options than our fore-bearers, when it comes to shaving or anything else for that matter. Yet, I think it causes many of us, myself included, to become inordinately anxious about things that while important and enjoyable, are not as important as we sometimes make them.

 

[JCarr]

So...totally agree with you on the Lupo. Your aftershave collection needs a Bay Rum? Well, comrade...that's a rabbit hole unto itself! And blades...well...I just got 100 Sharp Titanium's and 100 Shark Platinums...two blades I thought I'd never buy in quantity.

One other observation...just Stirling? I mean...no offense to Stirling, they have great soaps, but...it's a great big shave soap/cream world out there.

I think you'll find that you'll eventually find something to explore a little deeper.

I just recently discovered Mike's Natural Soaps and Cremo Lathering Shave Cream...and like...wow! Who knew?!!!

 

[Herrenberg]

So has mine, I think finding what I like and consciously trying to appreciate what I have has lessened my curiosity. My main problem, especially with razors and blades, was trying to find what was "perfect," and setting the bar way too high. I have to remind myself that the experience of relaxation and the feeling of being clean shaven is more important than having a BBS shave all of the time. If it happens it happens, but I am working on being less attached to the concept.

Anxiety is not a thing that should be present in a hobby one enjoys. Neither is perfectionism. If I have trouble, from time to time, controlling my desire to acquire shave-related things, it is not out of trying to get the perfect shave. It is because I enjoy every part of the process, from honing to shaving, and the feel of things, from a slightly skritchy badger brush that I know will soften a bit in time, to the luxury of great lather, to the feel of a perfectly-honed blade taking down my whiskers. Sharpening especially is my thing, and I just put 1,600 strokes on a razor on a coarseish JNat, only to realize I needed something more aggressive, which I thought might happen. But I wanted that process, for fun.

If you just want a great shave, find your way to that and stop. I've done that with multiple hobbies, tuned in to what the devotees were saying, trying things out, and making my choices, and done. I have not visited enthusiast forums for some of my hobbies in years, because I got to where I wanted to get, so I no longer needed them.

Shaving is not like that for me; it is more like cooking, where there is an infinite variety of subtleties to master, where one can have good days and bad days, and where the materials and my mojo that day might combine to produce something great, or not.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I’ve recently discovered that there is hardly anything I wish to acquire. This is a bizarre and troubling feeling.

Razors
The Stainless Lupo fits the bill for me in every way. Can’t decide if I prefer the 72 or the 95, but either works great for me. I also have a 50’s flare tip and a 60’s slim that I would be happy with.

I also recently got a few GEM razors which I have used a couple times and like, so I guess we’ll see where that goes.

Blades
I have my favorites in quantity. In no particular order:
Rubie, Nacet, Wizamet, Gillette Platinum. I also like the King C. Gillette, and will likely grab a couple from time to time.

Soaps
Stirling does everything I want. Electric Sheep could be my only soap, but will also keep Stirling Spice, Orange Chill, and eucalyptus Mint around for variety. Also MWF. I don’t expect to replace any others when they run out.

Aftershaves
I have about 10, most of which will be replaced if they run out. Other than a bay rum, which I don’t have, I can’t think of anything I want / need.

Brushes
I would like a nice badger, but they seem sort of cost prohibitive. I wouldn’t mind dropping $100 on a brush I know I’ll love, but that’s a chunk of change for something I might not. I like all the boars and synthetics I have.

I might need help.

Be patient. Your acquisition disorders are just in remission. They will return, first one then another.

 

[LMcC]

I appreciate all these kind words of support in these dark times.

 

[LMcC]

BAD is still lurking. The badger hole is deep!

So I have a badger from Golden Nib. I think it’s a 22mm Silvertip. I like it, but not in a way that makes me need to go buy more badger brushes. I also had a Parker pure badger and it scratched the ever living daylights out of my face.

 

[Rosseforp]

So I have a badger from Golden Nib. I think it’s a 22mm Silvertip. I like it, but not in a way that makes me need to go buy more badger brushes. I also had a Parker pure badger and it scratched the ever living daylights out of my face.

Shavemac and don't go back.

 

[Tomo]

So I have a badger from Golden Nib. I think it’s a 22mm Silvertip. I like it, but not in a way that makes me need to go buy more badger brushes. I also had a Parker pure badger and it scratched the ever living daylights out of my face.

In that case you’re safe. If you want to stay that way never try a Simpson or Shavemac.

 

[Shavely Manden]

So I have a badger from Golden Nib. I think it’s a 22mm Silvertip. I like it, but not in a way that makes me need to go buy more badger brushes. I also had a Parker pure badger and it scratched the ever living daylights out of my face.

You mention you like the boars you have...do you like the scrubby sensation of the boars? If you want to live on the scrubby side, $100 is more than enough for a decent Simpson in Best like the Colonel X2L or Commodore X3.

 

[RenoRichard]

Anxiety is not a thing that should be present in a hobby one enjoys. Neither is perfectionism. If I have trouble, from time to time, controlling my desire to acquire shave-related things, it is not out of trying to get the perfect shave. It is because I enjoy every part of the process, from honing to shaving, and the feel of things, from a slightly skritchy badger brush that I know will soften a bit in time, to the luxury of great lather, to the feel of a perfectly-honed blade taking down my whiskers. Sharpening especially is my thing, and I just put 1,600 strokes on a razor on a coarseish JNat, only to realize I needed something more aggressive, which I thought might happen. But I wanted that process, for fun.

If you just want a great shave, find your way to that and stop. I've done that with multiple hobbies, tuned in to what the devotees were saying, trying things out, and making my choices, and done. I have not visited enthusiast forums for some of my hobbies in years, because I got to where I wanted to get, so I no longer needed them.

Shaving is not like that for me; it is more like cooking, where there is an infinite variety of subtleties to master, where one can have good days and bad days, and where the materials and my mojo that day might combine to produce something great, or not.

Really well said! Shaving is much the same for me; I'll go into purchase remission for times, sometimes long periods, but then there's always the new to seek and try.