Guys, just food for thought, why I got in the shave game.....

[alex2363]

I think, even though I spent a fortune on razors, I still stand behind the principal of money saving on blades overall, ya agree?

[Dalejr]

Saving on blade costs still stands as a valid truth, I agree...

[Kentos]

Its the same argument I gave my wife for justifying my expenditures on straights, strops, hones and sprays...No more having to buy blades, so I am saving $.19 a week!! I told her, "we will be living on Easy Street in no time!"

So yes, I agree 100%

[razorx]

Has nothing to do with saving money for me,it's about getting from point A to point B in a way that feels right to my senses.I feel the same connection to shaving with my primitive technologically challenged American made 1918 Gillette razor in my hand that I feel to the road with my American made unbalanced V Twin technologicaly backward Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Over 100 years of "progress" have brought us: Cheap Plastic Disposible Razors,Gillette Fusion Razors,Honda Crotch Rocket Motorcycles and 100's of TV channels with nothing on....

[Vickers]

The discussions about the higher initial expense of DE razors never takes into account the fact that you can sell them later on. For instance, I bought a mid-60s Slim in January for $21. I have absolutely no doubt that I could put it on BST right now and get at least that for it (note: it is not for sale).

Contrast that with the guy who bought the "cheaper" Mach III handle in January for $8...could he sell it today used for more than he bought it for?

[quantumcloud509]

Mmmmmm.....foooood ;)

[VULPES]

Excellent, just shared this on my FB page. I was using a cartridge with a brush and soap puck for over twenty years, for me using a DE razor takes me no longer.

[Sledgehammer39]

I agree with the video!

[mongo1958]

Yes, indeed!!! If I stop now I will not spend a cent on any shaving supplies for the next 3 (or more) years. I may need a new brush or maybe want to try out some new cream and soap but at this time I'm good to go.

That was.... If I stop, right?


I'm looking for a good 2nd razor. OC perhaps?


Edit Note: I don't hate shaving any more!!

Thanks

[Azarius]

I think, even though I spent a fortune on razors, I still stand behind the principal of money saving on blades overall, ya agree?

I agree...and I say that to myself everyday as I keep looking to buy that Joris, as the eventual savings will be for that razor as well.

[rockviper]

Saving money, better shave, and nostalgia for me.
SWMBO would argue the "saving money" part, but then again she never pays attention to cart costs unless I point them out when we're shopping.

[retturn2blades]

Reasons I switched to traditional shaving:

I'm retired and have the time to shave in a leisurely way
It has a "hobby" aspect to it
There is a masculine quality to old-style shaving
My father and his father shaved this way (tradition, vintage men's ritual, nostalgia)
Finding the vintage gear is fun...being on "the hunt"
I don't contribute to the landfill overload
The gear is multi-purpose...for use, trading and/or collecting

Saving money? Questionable...

[jbradley]

I started for the savings. But I shaved with a 65 SS for 4 or 5 years before I came here. Promptly caught RAD, SBAD, and am fighting Mug AD and Strait AD. But for the time I used the one razor, Walmart Wilkies, and VDH soap, my cost were virtually $0. Ok, maybe $4 a year.

[dreadpirate]

I look at the cost of blades as a nice little rebate for all the money I spend on other things.

[pipskicks]

I started for the savings. But I shaved with a 65 SS for 4 or 5 years before I came here. Promptly caught RAD, SBAD, and am fighting Mug AD and Strait AD. But for the time I used the one razor, Walmart Wilkies, and VDH soap, my cost were virtually $0. Ok, maybe $4 a year.

I think that says it best, you don't even need Wilkies, can spend more, but VDH set and cheap products = tons saved.

Of course you could also save by using the disposable razors that give me crazy razor burn, but this is a BETTER alternative as well.

[alex2363]

Its the same argument I gave my wife for justifying my expenditures on straights, strops, hones and sprays...No more having to buy blades, so I am saving $.19 a week!! I told her, "we will be living on Easy Street in no time!"

So yes, I agree 100%

really, easy street by saving on blades

Saving on blade costs still stands as a valid truth, I agree...

Has nothing to do with saving money for me,it's about getting from point A to point B in a way that feels right to my senses.I feel the same connection to shaving with my primitive technologically challenged American made 1918 Gillette razor in my hand that I feel to the road with my American made unbalanced V Twin technologicaly backward Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Over 100 years of "progress" have brought us: Cheap Plastic Disposible Razors,Gillette Fusion Razors,Honda Crotch Rocket Motorcycles and 100's of TV channels with nothing on....

wow, epic thoughts and observations. (excepth the Harley comparison)

The discussions about the higher initial expense of DE razors never takes into account the fact that you can sell them later on. For instance, I bought a mid-60s Slim in January for $21. I have absolutely no doubt that I could put it on BST right now and get at least that for it (note: it is not for sale).

Contrast that with the guy who bought the "cheaper" Mach III handle in January for $8...could he sell it today used for more than he bought it for?

Well, it depends on the razor, you cant expect resale values on certain razors.

Mmmmmm.....foooood ;)

yum

Excellent, just shared this on my FB page. I was using a cartridge with a brush and soap puck for over twenty years, for me using a DE razor takes me no longer.

Cool , i love myFB too, dont forget Twitter too

I agree with the video!

me2

Yes, indeed!!! If I stop now I will not spend a cent on any shaving supplies for the next 3 (or more) years. I may need a new brush or maybe want to try out some new cream and soap but at this time I'm good to go.

That was.... If I stop, right?


I'm looking for a good 2nd razor. OC perhaps?


Edit Note: I don't hate shaving any more!!

Thanks

OC is good.

Reasons I switched to traditional shaving:

I'm retired and have the time to shave in a leisurely way
It has a "hobby" aspect to it
There is a masculine quality to old-style shaving
My father and his father shaved this way (tradition, vintage men's ritual, nostalgia)
Finding the vintage gear is fun...being on "the hunt"
I don't contribute to the landfill overload
The gear is multi-purpose...for use, trading and/or collecting

Saving money? Questionable...

I started for the savings. But I shaved with a 65 SS for 4 or 5 years before I came here. Promptly caught RAD, SBAD, and am fighting Mug AD and Strait AD. But for the time I used the one razor, Walmart Wilkies, and VDH soap, my cost were virtually $0. Ok, maybe $4 a year.

not bad savings at all

I think that says it best, you don't even need Wilkies, can spend more, but VDH set and cheap products = tons saved.

Of course you could also save by using the disposable razors that give me crazy razor burn, but this is a BETTER alternative as well.

[turtle]

I think, even though I spent a fortune on razors, I still stand behind the principal of money saving on blades overall, ya agree?

I've never bought a cart or system razor or multi-blade so I am not a good one to chime in.

BUT...... (ya think that is gonna stop me.... you're dreamin...)

I have spent well over $1k on DE blades since joining B&B. I've always bought my blades in bulk but before B&B bulk meant 50 +/- blades of the same brand that would last me a year or so. Now, post B&B, bulk means 500 +/- blades at a time and 5 or 6 different brands of 500 each. I am not even going to think about the stainless steel DE razors, exotic brushes, and room full of soaps and shaving creams, not to mention the wall of after shaves that I never would have known about.

Saving money? Anyone know how to block a domain at the switch/router

[global_dev]

I think, even though I spent a fortune on razors, I still stand behind the principal of money saving on blades overall, ya agree?

what?!? are you joining the dollarshavingclub.com? because that guy would be the principal of money saving on blades overall.

but DE blades can be generally considered an area of significant savings in shaving... it's everything else that's a fortune

[pipskicks]

Excellent, just shared this on my FB page. I was using a cartridge with a brush and soap puck for over twenty years, for me using a DE razor takes me no longer.

Good idea, still working on converting more people :)

[Chester]

Hmmm. The video is a little skewed in its perspective. I'm not sure that I agree with all of it, but I did like the background music. (kinda reminded me of MJQ)

Some questionable tidbits:

1) just because you use a cartridge razor, does not mean that you can't (or might not) make your own lather
2) there are just as many chemical ingredients to be found in some handmade lather products as there are in canned products (check the contents of T&H 1805, for example)
3) there are excellent canned foams out there (proraso and barbasol, to name a couple), and you can DE shave just fine with them without dryness. "Petroleum based ingredients repel water"? What is that pre-shave oil doing, I wonder? -=wink=-
4) more variety in shaving cream/soap products does not mean "better".
5) cartridge shaving gives "poor results, irritated skin"? Bo-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-gus! I've been shaving for the last three weeks with a gillette guard and a wilkinson bonded (granted, single-blade carts, but still carts) and the shaves are just fine (I'll be writing up these impressions this weekend!). I get great shaves from the Atra, too. I use an M3 or a fusion on my head, and they do a great job.

I think that it's fine to contrast wet shaving with the "modern" methods and products, but the key difference is how you treat or use lather in each paradigm. Some guys suffer from a lot of irritation, and others don't. The "wet" approach, albeit more complex, lends itself to better treatment of individual irritation problems, and the more modern products tend to make a value proposition as a "one size fits all" solution. I don't think either one is 100% correct.

... and that's my tuppence.
-- Chet