One Year Observation

[BigJ]

Happy Anniversary!!

The point of this hobby, for me at least, is that what was once a chore is now a daily pleasure! The $ spent are far less than with most any of my other hobbies over the years.

 

[Sharp&Shiny]

Congratulations on your 1 year of wetshaving. I have been traditional wetshaving for a little over two years now. Time flies...along with the money. Lol

 

[Leverspro]

Happy Anniversary!!

The point of this hobby, for me at least, is that what was once a chore is now a daily pleasure! The $ spent are far less than with most any of my other hobbies over the years.

Exactly my sentiment.

I could have stopped at a $10 boar brush, a $35 Merkur razor and a 50 pack of astra. My fist soap was a soft TOBS cream which I was surprised only lasted me a couple of months, and I paid $25CDN for it at a knife store at the mall. So I discovered triple mill soaps. But it's become a modest hobby and has saved me thousands by eyeing artisan razors and soaps instead of motorcycles, German cars, stereo kit and espresso machines. And it's true, as mentioned above, if I needed to I could get most of my money back on the razors, at least the rare ones.

 

[FireDragon76]

The Razorpit was the single best investment I ever made in shaving, and has saved me a lot of money over the years on cartridges. It's proven to be no gimmick. Beard prep is also cheap and will save you money as the blades are dulled less by a softer beard.

A DE definitely can save you money if you are comfortable with the shave it produces, but it doesn't work well for everyone. After years of shaving with these things off and on for years, I'm just now at the stage I can get a shave that is comparable to a cartridge, but it takes considerably more effort and a bit more time. A disposable or an injector is definitely more intuitive, the blades tend to last somewhat longer, and the cost is only slightly more per shave. If you go the DE route, a realistic expectation is what used to be called a "socially acceptable" shave with minimal irritation, about on par with what you could get from a few minutes with a low end electric shaver.

I think comparing shaving soap or creams you lather with a brush to mass-market cans is tricky. It really depends so much on your skin and beard. If you have sensitive skin and a tough beard, you are just going to have to spend more on shaving products to get a comfortable shave that doesn't stress your skin.

And it's not like Barbasol is all that expensive (especially if you use a rubber washer to limit how much it can squirt out, and you apply it in a thin coat and work it in), nor is it as bad as the reputation that the wet shaving community gives it. This is one area I think you don't necessarily save money on. But if you use a DE, you are probably going to want something more protective and slick than the cheapest formula of Barbasol (and availability is an issue, most stores only stock the original or aloe formulas which offer less protection).

 

[bjm]

Congratulations on your anniversary. You may have been able to save money with the cartridge razor, but the year wouldn't have been as challenging or rewarding.

 

[FarmerTan]

I will be ok financially. Years ago I put most of my savings into Yugo stock. I have not touched it, haven't even checked on it... just letting it grow. I suppose it is worth a small fortune now.

Yes, you should be fine!

I for one am glad you have been here. You have lifted my spirits many days on here sir!
Thanks, Dave

 

[ackvil]

Leonard, I love your sense of humor. Congrats on your first year and your purchase of Yugo stock. You might be able to list your Yugo stock on the BST and trade if for a Wolfman razor.

 

[NoScrubs]

I too moved to wet shaving to save money. I was not happy about paying the outrageous prices for cartridges. So 5 or 6 years ago I made the switch and found B&B. Initially, I did save money with my Merkur 34, GSB blades and an inexpensive badger brush. So what happened? B&B happened and the savings disappeared real quick. However, I would not go back.

I enjoy the journey through the vintage and modern razor world and the different experiences that each offers, not to mention brush, soap and blade choices. I look forward to shaving with a razor, blade, soap or cream that I have not had the opportunity to enjoy or critique.

Although not in person, I also enjoy meeting B&B members online while exchanging ideas and razors (BST).

Tomorrow I may shave with a razor that is older than me or a razor that is in its infancy, maybe it will be DE, a GEM or an AC.

No $ saved here but a ton of fun.

 

[lancre]

I am coming up on the one year anniversary of starting this wet shaving experience... DE, SE, Straights, and accessories. The one thing I can say for sure is that this has in absolutely no way saved me money. For what I have spent... I could have shaved twice a day over the last year, with a brand new cartridge each shave, and still have lots of money left over.

However... it has been an enjoyable year.

I will do better this year.

Maybe.

You've saved a lot of money on SHAVING. Collecting, on the other hand, gets expensive.

 

[NoScrubs]

Collecting and shaving do not fit in the same bucket. Collecting can be profitable while shaving depending on your desire to try different razors, blades, brushes, and soaps can get expensive.

Collectors generally have a road map of what they want to collect and a sense of value while a non-collector can be driven by emotion or impulse or just curiosity.

 

[ShaverAZ]

Razors are like guns. You collect them and use them as long as you want, and can easily sell them at a profit at your convenience in the future.

 

[DEPenguin]

Congrats on reaching your year, L.A.! I'll hit mine first week in January.

As I get older I become increasingly aware that I am more enriched by experiences and their resulting memories than by always saving for that impending 'rainy day'. For me, shaving has been a crystalline example of that mindset.Sure, I've spent more than I would have with my boring carts and canned goo but I actually have a positive grooming thing each morning, something I look forward to; the experience and enjoyment it gives me truly outweigh the cost (to be fair, I have nowhere near the collection some of you gents do, so I understand I haven't spent near as much as most).

 

[ike]

I will do better this year.

Maybe.

Better as in spending more or better as in spending less? LoL!

I suppose it is worth a small fortune now.

Small. Very small.

Take care!

 

[Robbyboxers]

I will be ok financially. Years ago I put most of my savings into Yugo stock. I have not touched it, haven't even checked on it... just letting it grow. I suppose it is worth a small fortune now.

 

[emwolf]

congrats on the first year. I started shortly before I joined here because I picked up my childhood razors helping my mom downsize into a condo. I thought I was going to save money, so I started shaving with the DE and doing a little research. I found shaving forums (B&B in particular) and I haven't looked back. I've spent a lot more than I would have on continuing with the Mach 3, but my enjoyment has far outweighed the expense.

 

[MrSmith83]

The Razorpit was the single best investment I ever made in shaving, and has saved me a lot of money over the years on cartridges. It's proven to be no gimmick. Beard prep is also cheap and will save you money as the blades are dulled less by a softer beard.

A DE definitely can save you money if you are comfortable with the shave it produces, but it doesn't work well for everyone. After years of shaving with these things off and on for years, I'm just now at the stage I can get a shave that is comparable to a cartridge, but it takes considerably more effort and a bit more time. A disposable or an injector is definitely more intuitive, the blades tend to last somewhat longer, and the cost is only slightly more per shave. If you go the DE route, a realistic expectation is what used to be called a "socially acceptable" shave with minimal irritation, about on par with what you could get from a few minutes with a low end electric shaver.

I think comparing shaving soap or creams you lather with a brush to mass-market cans is tricky. It really depends so much on your skin and beard. If you have sensitive skin and a tough beard, you are just going to have to spend more on shaving products to get a comfortable shave that doesn't stress your skin.

And it's not like Barbasol is all that expensive (especially if you use a rubber washer to limit how much it can squirt out, and you apply it in a thin coat and work it in), nor is it as bad as the reputation that the wet shaving community gives it. This is one area I think you don't necessarily save money on. But if you use a DE, you are probably going to want something more protective and slick than the cheapest formula of Barbasol (and availability is an issue, most stores only stock the original or aloe formulas which offer less protection).

I think you've had an unusually difficult time with DE's. They were instantly the equal or better than mach3's for me, except cartridges cost me £2.50 each and DE blades £0.05p each.

 

[FireDragon76]

I think you've had an unusually difficult time with DE's. They were instantly the equal or better than mach3's for me, except cartridges cost me £2.50 each and DE blades £0.05p each.

I don't think it's that unusual. There is a certain amount of confirmation bias. Few people want to hear about failure of a much beloved technique.

I picked up a Superspeed, Van Der Hagen brush and soap from a family off eBay last month for a decent price. The wife was selling the kit because the husband had tried it and didn't like it.

 

[Toothpick]

I will be ok financially. Years ago I put most of my savings into Yugo stock. I have not touched it, haven't even checked on it... just letting it grow. I suppose it is worth a small fortune now.

Maybe if you started with a very large fortune.

These were the very first posts I came to when viewing this thread. Laughed out loud.

 

[MrSmith83]

I don't think it's that unusual. There is a certain amount of confirmation bias. Few people want to hear about failure of a much beloved technique.

I picked up a Superspeed, Van Der Hagen brush and soap from a family off eBay last month for a decent price. The wife was selling the kit because the husband had tried it and didn't like it.

Not everybody prefers DE's but almost everybody can get the equal of a cart shave without much effort. If you've been trying for years and still get results comparable to a couple of minutes with an electric shaver...youre almost defintely in the bottom one per cent.

As for confirmation bias...its more likely affecting you as you're basing your idea of what most can expect from a DE on your own experience, whereas I'm basing mine on having read the forums for over a decade. And yes, there are posters who get frustrated with DE's, but not many, defintely not as many as straights. Straights are beloved by some I guess, not really DE's. I doubt many are all that emotionally attached to them or defensive of them, after all they're only essentially the previous incarnation of the mass market cart.

 

[FireDragon76]

Not everybody prefers DE's but almost everybody can get the equal of a cart shave without much effort. If you've been trying for years and still get results comparable to a couple of minutes with an electric shaver...youre almost defintely in the bottom one per cent.

Well here's the thing, Gillette cartridges are the gold standard for me, especially the Sensor and Mach 3, because they represent something that is very close to the default in terms of good shaving equipment for most men. And those never result in cuts and weepers, and only result in appreciable irritation if I do more than 2 passes. So my DE razor preference is to try to minimize skin irritation and have no cuts. Alot of guys find cuts and weepers acceptable, but I don't. So I have very different expectations. I expect a close, comfortable shave. Cuts and irritation are not part of that expectation, and I evaluate a shaving system based on that.

And being able to get a shave like that certainly requires a high level of skill, a suitable beard and skin, and the appropriate shave products. It's far more daunting than you give credit.

FWIW, I believe injectors and single-blade disposables (Bic, Gillette Guard) come closest to that "gold standard" and are generally more efficient shavers and more intuitive to use, if you've ever used a cartridge razor extensively in the past.

As for confirmation bias...its more likely affecting you as you're basing your idea of what most can expect from a DE on your own experience, whereas I'm basing mine on having read the forums for over a decade.

Online communities are notorious for developing their own confirmation biases. In fact this has been the subject of some discussion even in the mainstream media and among academics, and also been blamed for the current polarization in our society.

And yes, there are posters who get frustrated with DE's, but not many, defintely not as many as straights. Straights are beloved by some I guess, not really DE's. I doubt many are all that emotionally attached to them or defensive of them, after all they're only essentially the previous incarnation of the mass market cart.

I don't think people are as sentimentally attached to razors as they are to their soaps and brushes, but there is still some of that as a factor at times. Some people assume because a product is old, for instance, that it must be better, that there is some kind of secret to a great shave that has been lost and can be resurrected through the repristination of the past. And there may also be some looking to try to repristinate traditional symbols of masculinity, concurrently, and make some money off it in the process. Both of those things can go hand in hand with various kinds of reactionary conservativism and its associated mythologies.

So that's why I think occasionally it's important to step back from everything and evaluate things against some kind of standard. Because otherwise you have a bunch of what amounts to nostalgia and woo, and I think our time and money are better devoted to more worthy things than merely feeding the beast of late consumer capitalism through expressive individualism.