What's The Cost Per Shave?

[tincan horizon]

I've seen on this site a few times that wet shaving is a more economical way to go.

Has anyone laid out some numbers anywhere on the site?

 

[Stubblefield]

Well, many have done the math and have calculated that shaving with a DE is cheaper (providing you don't start buying every cream, razor, and blade in sight).

I average the cost of my blades, right now I have my cost per shave right around 11 cents. Still cheaper than the 25 cents per shave I was getting with cartridges.

 

[cfriend]

Well, many have done the math and have calculated that shaving with a DE is cheaper (providing you don't start buying every cream, razor, and blade in sight).

I average the cost of my blades, right now I have my cost per shave right around 11 cents. Still cheaper than the 25 cents per shave I was getting with cartridges.

Does this include the cost of that dollop of cream? How much does a swirl of the puck run you?

 

[gone down south]

There's been about a million threads, all of which conclude that DE shaving has a higher initial outlay but within the first year you can make it back compared to cartridge shaving if you keep it simple. However, most people make this a hobby and end up spending a heck of a lot more on product than they initially expected to.

 

[Rudy Vey]

There was just a thread above from yours:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=95785

Considered what I amassed in the last four months, I would say at least $5

 

[Gravy]

I'm pretty Dutch and just East from you In Grand Rapids.

I've gotten a Gillette NEW and a Gillette Super Speed FREE just from checking w/ friends of the family who would have just thrown them out. My 3rd DE was a silver 50's Superspeed I found in an antique store for $8.

Got started w/ my Grandfather's Everready brush (free) but have since made a brush w/ a $17 badger knot from the Goldennib. It's still going strong and only lost one hair.

Westcoast shaving has 100 red pack personnas for $10 + shipping. I prefer Derby's but for half the price, the reds are really good. Shipping brings them up to 13 cents each, but I can use one for 4 face shaves and a head shave.


My first puck of soap was Williams Mug soap for 99 cents. It was the only kind the local grocery carried. I don't really use it anymore but I'd prefer that over the canned goo. I've been using mostly Mama Bear's after finishing a puck of Col. Conks Bay Rum.

To do the Math I would have to factor in how many shaves I got out of a puck of soap. I'll buy you a puck of Williams Mug shave soap if it will get me out of doing the math.

 

[RayH]

Based on my math. Using Dorco blades I bought off ebay (400 for $33), getting 5 shaves a week, factoring in shaving cream or soap, mine come out to about 3 cents a day. So about 15 cents a week. So I'm happy with that.

 

[kingfisher]

As others have said, it CAN be dirt cheap. I'm happy with a 50s SS I got for $11, an Omega boar brush I got for $17, and a puck of VDH Deluxe I spent $1.54 for.

I get about 3 shaves out of each blade and each blade is around 30-40 cents each, so about a dime a shave for blades.

 

[Mr. Igg]

I agree; the collective wisdom is that you absolutely can save real money shaving this way.

FWIW, here are my numbers: After the initial hobby spending, which I well and goodly succumbed to, I'll be saving $75-85 a year. That compares my current Derby blades (and blades are the primary source of savings) to my previous generic Mach 3 clone cartridges.

Will I really save that? Naw; but, the first $75-$85 a year I spend on fun extra gear is "free money".

 

[mdunn]

if I didnt have my extensive roation it would be cents per shave.

a cheap straight lasts forever, and a soap like tabac will too.

 

[Stubblefield]

Does this include the cost of that dollop of cream? How much does a swirl of the puck run you?

I prefer the term "snurdle."

That's blade cost only, as that was the only thing I could absolutely quantify.

 

[Yushiro]

I did this recently as part of a blog post that I was writing (unpublished) and the total cost came up to RM (that's the Malaysian Ringgit) 0.30 per shave. Thats 0.08 cents USD

 

[richmondesi]

The other consideration that I'm fond of is the reduced environmental impact. It is better with DEs than cartridges, and it is better with straights than DEs. That's one of the reason's that I use str8s more than anything else... Of course, the economic argument gets totally blown out of the water when SRAD kicks in

 

[Luc]

if I didnt have my extensive roation it would be cents per shave.

a cheap straight lasts forever, and a soap like tabac will too.

Spot on!

I was thinking about it, if I had to include my non-renewable items (razor, brush, bowl) then it's expensive to start but the cost per shave will be reduced over time (if you don't replace that razor, brush and bowl). If I only take the renewables (soap/creams, AS, blades) then it would come down to what was mentionned below between 0.05 and 0.25 cents (approx.) Which is cheap.

Let's do it for the mach3

From memory (yup), it's $14 for a pack of 4. Each cartridge will last between 5 to 7 shaves (as an average) so $14 a month + a $8 can of goo... AS comes in, mmm, let's say $10. The goo and AS will last longer than a month. Let's say 4 so I can get a figure. $4.5

Total is $18.5. let's say 30 shaves it gives us 0.616667 per shave. Mmm, and Fusion was saying a buck a week!

As you know, YMMV

 

[Sharp Blade]

Yes I know exactly what the cost per shave is,give me a second and I'll figure it out on my trusty calculator.Good lord my cost per shave as it stands right now is $44.89 per shave !!! I have to quit buying so many soaps,creams, razors,brushes, aftershave and everything else before my wife discovers that I don't give a hoot about saving money as I told her when this all started !! I 'm trying to find the number of the local shaveaholics anonymous as I write this post,please someone stop me !!! Maybe just a tub of J.M. Frasers oriental spice will cool down my AD,yea that's the ticket.

 

[antdad1969]

As others have said a straight is the cheapest method long term but you're still gonna have to spend to get there.

 

[spinyeel]

I think we should all face the fact,no matter how hard it seems,that this forum has absolutely "NOTHING" to do with saving money.

 

[Cuttingboard]

Because of my aquistion disorder, I've spent more on products since switching to DE shaving.

 

[tincan horizon]

I think we should all face the fact,no matter how hard it seems,that this forum has absolutely "NOTHING" to do with saving money.

I think that's absolutely right...

Here's my numbers, and I hesitate to put them out.
It may be necessary to read them with one eye shut.

Blade
(Avg cost of Feather and Astra)
cost..................0.2
# shaves............4
Cost / shave.......0.05


Pre-shave
_________oz___Cost__$ / oz
Taylor........1......19.....19
Musgo........3.3....20....6.06
eShave.......2......19....9.5
Avg cost / oz.............11.52
Avg cost / ml..............0.38
cost of ½ ml / use ......0.19


Soap
__________Oz___Cost__$ / oz
Col Conk.....2.5....3.25....1.3
D.R Harris...3.5....15.......4.28
Karite ........3.5....15.......4.28
MWF.........4.4.....13.......2.95
Avg cost / ounce............3.20
Avg # shaves / ounce......20
Avg cost / shave..........0.16


After shave
____________Amount____Cost
Witch Hazel .....360 ml.......8
$ / ml ........................... 0.02


Brush
Cost................$60
Lasts 2 years
$ / year.............30
$ / shave...........0.08


Cost per shave
Blade.................0.05
Pre-shave...........0.19
Soap..................0.16
After shave.........0.02
Brush.................0.08
Total cost / sh....0.50


That having been said, a frugal shaver could come in way under these numbers. But, I'm pretty sure from what I've gleaned on the site, that's not the point. Except to justify the next purchase ...
I just ordered some MWF and Tabac, and the real estate around the basin is beginning to expand. SWMBO is beginning to take notice. So I've been keeping these numbers hidden.

 

[ateace]

Does this include the cost of the storage space I'm renting for all my razors, creams and blades????

Edit: I'm just kidding.....really.