Gents, I have a new guy question. I've switched over to DE shaving in the last month and have been amazed at the number of people who are passionate about shaving with a safety razor (and I am now a part of that group). My question is - When did this party start? I just got curious recently about how I might get a better shave so I went looking, but has this shaving revival been going on for long?
When did the DE revival start?
- Thread starter Oldschool
- Start date
I started round about 1964.
Don't know about every one else.
Don't know about every one else.
This site came into existance in 2005 as far as I'm aware.
Last May. BTW, civilization started in 1957. 
If I had to venture a guess, I might say that it coincided with the introduction of the rediculously overpriced Gillete Fusion system.
I was disgruntled with the modern Gillette selection when the Mach 3 came out. $32 for 15 blades? I think not. Gillette had some sort of deal with the Army where all that was available to recruits during basic training was the Mach 3. I ended up ditching my Sensor due to lack of supplies.
I continued to grouse and grumble until Christmas of 2011, I bought myself a Merkur 180 and a sampler of blades and didn't look back.
I started around 1964 also but left it about 1970 and came back to it in 2011. I wish I came back sooner.
iirc it was shortly after al gore invented the internet
Personally, I think it took off like a rocket shortly after this dude's video (posted around last March) got everyone all hot and bothered about expensive shaving and classic gear. I literally watched prices on ebay start to go up from that time on. Now, I think it's got legs of it's own but I really do think that video was a huge catalyst... heading towards 10 million views...
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Price has got to be reason enough for many I would think.
About 2 months ago I was looking to stock up on the usual cartridge stuff I get off the bay and noticed all the DE gear and thought I'll give that a crack.
Now several hundred dollars later I am saving on the cost of blades
and got another most enjoyable addiction.
About 2 months ago I was looking to stock up on the usual cartridge stuff I get off the bay and noticed all the DE gear and thought I'll give that a crack.
Now several hundred dollars later I am saving on the cost of blades
and got another most enjoyable addiction.
I think the other gents nailed it with the comments on the price of shaving gear. I thought I'd save money with my new setup. Ooh buddy was I mistaken. The Acquisition Disorders set in and set me back a ways, 18 razors, 6 brushes, 7 soaps and 4 creams later, I'm here.
Funny thing. First day of boot camp when they took us to get our toiletries, a few of us saw DE razors and said "hey, my dad used one of those" and we got them for that reason.
I'm hoping I may find it in a box somewhere maybe. I have no idea what it was other than it was Gillette and it was twist to open.
Price of cartridges going up helped.
Heck, Art of Manliness years ago made me want to get into this and I finally did.
AoM strongly supports the use of DEs and it's only been getting more popular.
Heck, Art of Manliness years ago made me want to get into this and I finally did.
AoM strongly supports the use of DEs and it's only been getting more popular.
Good to know. Damn AOS! and that video....but truth be told pain, the wallet kind is a great motivator to find alternatives and sooner than later DE shaving would have come round. Looking at price of carts at Costco I said "you've got to be kidding me". So I did a bit of research ....and BOY o' BOY am I saving money now! Woowee!
DE revival ? ? ?
It started on this night... 30 Mar 2013 !
I just took my new EJ89 on it's maiden voyage - best shave I can ever remember.. and I'm just getting started again - after 35+ years of using some other junk.
Now I really am having a hard time waiting for the stuff I'm expecting that is in transit to me now.
It started on this night... 30 Mar 2013 !
I just took my new EJ89 on it's maiden voyage - best shave I can ever remember.. and I'm just getting started again - after 35+ years of using some other junk.
Now I really am having a hard time waiting for the stuff I'm expecting that is in transit to me now.
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Define "revival"...? Currently in my organizational team at work of over 200 I'm still the only one who "Does the DE". Most of the guys consider me "old-fashioned", stuck in the past or "crazy"...SWMBO, an IT techie, considers "us" as guys who are still using 386 processors, tape drives, dial-up modems when the rest of the world has "moved on".
The day I can discuss wet shaving with someone in person, in the same room, rather than online I'll consider the revival as having "arrived". Apologies if this opinion offends or disturbs.
The day I can discuss wet shaving with someone in person, in the same room, rather than online I'll consider the revival as having "arrived". Apologies if this opinion offends or disturbs.
For me it was 11/2011. Hated paying the ridiculous prices for carts that gave me ingrown hairs. Switched to electric and found that it saved money on the blades but my face felt like I had run a cheese grater on it. Started looking for anything that would better and less expensive. Like so many others found B&B and started looking in antique stores. Found a '59 Fatboy then the AD's kicked in. Not sure I saved any money but I sure found something that I absolutely love, and finally really enjoy everything traditional wet shaving. Funny how with the carts I had one brand of blades and one brand of canned goo. Now the variety of soaps and razors, I can't ever go back now. It would be frankly boring and horrible on my face. I wished I had found it along time ago.
For me it's a "family thing". My grandfather was a DE shaver, my father is a DE shaver and I'm a DE/straight shaver. My journey started 18 years ago.
My "right hand man" at work is a 27 year old that got tired of paying so much for replacement cartridges and bought a Parker shavette. I didn't know about it until I was talking to him about my new DE obsession. He was really interested so I gave him a 1957 Super Speed, a boar brush, a badger brush, some soaps, creams and a blade sampler. Now we regularly have shaving conversations. He talked me into trying a shavette so I bought a Weck Sextoblade set and he gave me some blades. I will say that it is really cool to be able to talk face to face with someone about it and it gives me hope for the next generation.
