Lots of cheap to moderately priced shaving gear vs. a little EXPENSIVE shaving gear.

Guys, I'm just gonna come right out and say this...

I have a freaking lot of shaving equipment. As of this date, I'm looking at something like 32 razors, 10 brushes, 9 mugs, 11 soaps, 7 creams, and 6 aftershaves.

Now, I know that doesn't hold a candle to what some of you own, but to me it's absolutely excessive. This isn't an "I'm giving it all up" thread though. It's, as I state in my thread title, a question of lots of cheap/moderately priced stuff vs. a little expensive stuff.

I've realized I can take all of this stuff and turn it around into, say, one really expensive razor, one really expensive brush, one really expensive soap, and one really expensive aftershave. I'd of course love using all of this high-end equipment, but do you think the novelty of the expensive stuff would eventually wear off and I'd miss the variety my larger collection provided?

Share your thoughts, please. Have any of you considered a similar venture?

Is that all?

I know what you mean. I already think that having 24 straight in my rotation is much as it takes 3 weeks before I see the same straight... However, I look forward to shave with all of them so I don't want to sell any of them...

I think to an extend, a "more expensive" razor could be worth it but then, I would probably leave it in the box... If I do that, it's a waste...

I have gone thru all the Gillette DE Razors, Most of the SE's, Injectors, and I have 10 straights. 15 brushes.... but only 8 different soaps and about 10 aftershaves.

I find myself using 4 different straights, 2 of the injectors, and 3 different SE's ( a Clog-pruf Micromatic, 1924, and a 1912)... two soaps, and about 5 different brushes.... I have not used a DE in a lot of months....

Slowly over time most of what I don't use will be PIFed...but I know how you feel. High priced does not necessarily mean best. It's what works best for you

Amateur

I know I'd certainly miss the variety. For me, it's a different razors, cream or soap, brush and aftershave or cologne/balm everyday. When you get one expensive razor / brush / soap/ aftershave, you want more.
Ask yourself, why did you collect that many razors in the first place and do you still like rotating through them?

I am of the opinion that a small amount of good quality gear is better than a lot of mediocre gear. For instance, I'd rather have five great tallow soaps than 20 glycerin soaps. I would also rather have two great high-end silvertip brushes than 5 pure badger brushes. However, I could never limit myself to one soap, one brush, and one aftershave. I need SOME variety. I could do one razor without any problem (my slant). With the software, however, variety is the spice of life.

sounds like a batlle of the ying and yang- excessive vs. simplify. after you've collected all this stuff that little puritanical voice goes off and says "excessive"; then the little devil pips up and "naah- go ahead get another ...., you know you really want it and deserve it." i don't know if putting money into an expensive razor is worth it- if you've found one or several that fit your style, face and hand. it's the right blade with the razor where the rubber meets the road. however, to me, having the variety of different soaps/creams of different scents is what makes up a lot of the fun in wetshaving. different scents certainly can have an effect on how you feel- stimulating, mellowing, etc. i don't know if you'll get a better shave with a more expensive soap/cream, but you'll get a different sensual experience depending upon scent and richness of lather. with an expensive brush you also may get a different sensual experience in applying and lathering with it, depending upon how you lather. if you've found you're preferences, you're unlikely to do better with others- but youll never know.

_MementoMori_ said:

Have any of you considered a similar venture?

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I did just that. I had a nice collection of Gilettes (Including an Aristocrat Jr, a #58 and a #16) that I sold off when I bought my Pils. Honestly, after the switch I was pretty happy, as I was getting great shaves from the Pils, and the medicine cabinet wan't filled with razors anymore. I did end up selling the Pils and picking up a Joris, as the Joris gives a closer shave (but is pretty aggressive). And I did pick up a user grade #58 for travel, but I have no desire or inclination to start building my collection out again.

I did the same thing with blades and creams too . . . I'm down to one blade--the Astra SP--and a cream and a soap. Really, I don't miss all the variety.

Stubblefield said:

I did just that. I had a nice collection of Gilettes (Including an Aristocrat Jr, a #58 and a #16) that I sold off when I bought my Pils. Honestly, after the switch I was pretty happy, as I was getting great shaves from the Pils, and the medicine cabinet wan't filled with razors anymore. I did end up selling the Pils and picking up a Joris, as the Joris gives a closer shave (but is pretty aggressive). And I did pick up a user grade #58 for travel, but I have no desire or inclination to start building my collection out again.

I did the same thing with blades and creams too . . . I'm down to one blade--the Astra SP--and a cream and a soap. Really, I don't miss all the variety.

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This is a heartening post. Thanks for sharing.

To me it's a matter of prizing, or at least truly liking what you own. Surely a few of those 32 razors hold some special fondness, which no new, shiny piece of equipment is going to replace. On the other hand, you might have a few others which you rarely marvel at or use. These latter ones may be getting in the way of the former. My advice: Hang on tight to those you feel closest to. Depart with the other clutter. And go ahead and splurge, invest in a few of the expensive items you most lust after. In turn these may lead to further minimizing as you grow more attached to the newer stuff, ...or perhaps vice versa, and you'll realize the real value of your current favorites. Either way you'll avoid regrets, and later you can always sell those that fall to the bottom of the list.

Funny, I was just thinking about this earlier today.
I'm looking to get into straights and I really don't need all these razors that I don't use. Now I do have a bunch in a collection that I don't want to give up, but really, I have 6 in my current rotation.
Of those six, I keep coming back to the same 3.
Of those three, I tend to favour 1 more than the others.
I'm not a soap guy, but I have 2 pucks unused and 3 on the go that I don't need.
My new plan is to look at one really nice DE, one custom straight (in the works) and keep my Gillette collection.

When it comes to the software, for me it comes down to whether I'm going to like it and whether I want to shell out the big bucks for the high end stuff. Having not tried most of them I am a little reluctant to do that until I get to try it, so I've mostly stuck to the cheaper or mid-priced soaps and creams. I think if I were to try some of the high end stuff I would probably like it enough to buy some of it. However, I have so much already that I am on a soap and cream buying sabbatical. Once I start using some things up, which will be a while, then I will probably try some of the high end stuff.

I have the Trumpers sampler coming in, that will be my first taste of anything higher up the line than TOBS.

I'm also always on the lookout for some of the better stuff with say 50% or so left for a good discount to get an idea of whether I like it before shelling out $30 for something.

Well, since you asked, the answer is 42.

Really, that's what you're looking for here, the answer to life, the universe and everything.

You got guys here with astounding collections, schlubs like me who can't afford to get a pristine example of everything but can resist picking up another garden variety razor when we see it at a "bargain price", and others who will squeeze a nickel 'till the buffalo bellows and think I'm a fool for ever venturing beyond my VDH boar because, dammit, it works.

Sure, we all seek self affirmation here by finding folks who think like us, or folks who have such crazy ADs that the ones we normal folks suffer from seem tame by comparison. We take comfort being all in the same pot, and the rolling boil of acquisition and divestment keeps things moving.

Today I'll shave with a razor that belonged to a gent who is no longer with us. He had his turn with that razor, and now it's over. I have a feeling that if he could return for a moment and offer me advice, it would be to fly my own flag and not worry too much about what others do or think. I also have the sneaking suspicion that he'd tell me to worry less about the state of my shaving den and more about my relationship with the other temporary tenants in the house, because some day, my razors will belong to someone else, and I don't know when that will be, do I?

Oh, and as to your question, I vote for lots of cheap to moderately priced shaving gear AND a little EXPENSIVE shaving gear.

Cheers.

_MementoMori_ said:

I have a freaking lot of shaving equipment. As of this date, I'm looking at something like 32 razors, 10 brushes, 9 mugs, 11 soaps, 7 creams, and 6 aftershaves.

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Yes, you do have a lot of razors. However, someone once said to me many years ago that "quantity is a form of quality."

Variety is fun...I use primarily one brush and one razor, but I enjoy using different soap and aftershaves too much to limit myself to one.

Variety is good for me, but I too like to purge my collection down to things that I will actually use. That said several middle priced items give me more pleasure than one or two high end ones. The only exception being my brushes. I have 15 I think, most of which are high dollar brushes, but these all have different personalities and I enjoy using them all. I have toyed with parting with them but really dont know what I would get rid of.

I guess in the end I picked my battle for spending money, and the other areas I just got high bang for the buck gear.

Personally, I'd rather have a variety of razors to shave with. I like being able to cycle through my injectors for a while, then pick up a lather catcher, a Super Speed, even my old Atra. None of the individual razors were that expensive, but the total cost was considerable.

Soaps and creams just don't interest me as much, and I'm a reverse snob on brushes. Some of the cheap ones are so good that I don't really care how much better the expensive ones might be.

None of which is meant as advice for anyone else. Whatever suits you best.

Personally I say tear up every price tag and labels, and keep that which you enjoy the most. It may be the cheapest thing you own or the most expensive. Who cares? You use what you like the best.

Thanks for all your input, guys. I appreciate it. I've decided one thing, at least...


I'm going to sell every single one of my SEs. They'll probably make it to the BST some time this evening. I like them. I like shaving with them. I'm a guy though that needs some kind of regularity in my routine, and juggling DEs and SEs is getting to be too difficult. I feel like I'll always be a decent shaver with both but never a master with either.

I like cheap to moderately priced gear to be honest.
EG my favourite razors are the NEW, the 1912 and the MM, all cheap.
Tabac and MWF, proraso are pretty moderate/cheap too.
I get by with a EJ BBB amd a omega boar, both cheap/moderate really.

The only things that bothers me, I have to keep hold of things I have extra in case someone wants one. IE give gear to friends and family to get them into it, save some for the future etc. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't keep so much stuff. For example that SS, or that rocket, maybe someone I know would really like them as a freebie. It would be a shame to only keep my favourites on rotation and not have extras I don't mind parting with