So, euro, what's your DE of choice? Do you use only one? If so, my hat's off to you.
It never gets boring
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Funny you ask me. I started with a 34C HD, in my opinion it wasn't aggressive enough so I browse this forum and I found out about the FaTip Piccolo. As it's pretty cheap I decided to buy it. I didn't like it first so I went back to my 34C HD. Later I gave it a try and I loved it, it performed better compared to the 34C HD so since that day I have been shaving with it every time.
As for the blades I had a lot of samplers I loved the Astra SP's the most so I bought 200pcs of them. Later I discovered Permasharps and bought 200pcs of them because they performed better then the Astra's.
Now I only use the FaTip Piccolo with the Permasharp razors, Proraso Preshave, Proraso cream, Proraso AS. I have been using this combination for almost 9 months. I get a full BBS with ease, back when I used to shave with carts I could dream of this.
Soon I'll get a shaving kit for a friend of mine, I'm going to give him a couple Astra SP's and if he likes them I'll give him my Astra SP stash as a gift.
I have an another razor I bought longtime ago it's a Roedter 1909, it's the aggressive OC razor available. I shaved with it and I liked it but still I went back to my Piccolo so for me there is no reason to buy an another razor. I don't want to have 40+ razors etc.
As for the blades I had a lot of samplers I loved the Astra SP's the most so I bought 200pcs of them. Later I discovered Permasharps and bought 200pcs of them because they performed better then the Astra's.
Now I only use the FaTip Piccolo with the Permasharp razors, Proraso Preshave, Proraso cream, Proraso AS. I have been using this combination for almost 9 months. I get a full BBS with ease, back when I used to shave with carts I could dream of this.
Soon I'll get a shaving kit for a friend of mine, I'm going to give him a couple Astra SP's and if he likes them I'll give him my Astra SP stash as a gift.
I have an another razor I bought longtime ago it's a Roedter 1909, it's the aggressive OC razor available. I shaved with it and I liked it but still I went back to my Piccolo so for me there is no reason to buy an another razor. I don't want to have 40+ razors etc.
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6 months in and I'm beginning to wind down to the end of the whole hobbyist/experimental phase. I'm a believer in making firm decisions, and there's a limit to how much junk I'm willing to keep around. I'll be keeping 6-7 razors because they are right for my face, and because I do enjoy a touch of variety... Also they do look cool on my counter. These razors each have a purpose or specialty.
Same with brushes. My rotation will be 3-4 max. This was easy because I never got too excited about brushes to begin with. I have a luxurious face brush that also serves as a bowl latherer (SOC boar), a backbone brush (Omega 49... I may replace this with a 10066), a face lather specialist (WD 24/45 Silvertip), and I'm flirting with the idea of adding a synthetic for the hell of it. Once this is settled, I'll probably never think about it again.
And even soaps! My soap journey taught me that it's not worth while for me to buy vegan soaps. From here on out I'll be sticking with tallow soaps, preferably ones with lanolin. That cuts out like 2/3 of the options out there, if you think about it.
So yeah, I suppose you can say I'll be a bit boring. The adventure will be minimal soon. But I will have a great variety at my disposal, and I won't have to make random purchases and experiment anymore to know what's right for me. I respect the collectors and the soap hoarders and guys who own more badger brushes than there are days in a year... But it's not for me. Continuing to use every product out there would feel like admitting that I don't know myself or what I like. I wanted to feel like I designed something tailored for me. I took the journey and engrained this activity as a part of my manhood, all while still keeping my final setup interesting. I'll leave the endless collecting to future girlfriends or wives and their closets full of purses or shoes.
Same with brushes. My rotation will be 3-4 max. This was easy because I never got too excited about brushes to begin with. I have a luxurious face brush that also serves as a bowl latherer (SOC boar), a backbone brush (Omega 49... I may replace this with a 10066), a face lather specialist (WD 24/45 Silvertip), and I'm flirting with the idea of adding a synthetic for the hell of it. Once this is settled, I'll probably never think about it again.
And even soaps! My soap journey taught me that it's not worth while for me to buy vegan soaps. From here on out I'll be sticking with tallow soaps, preferably ones with lanolin. That cuts out like 2/3 of the options out there, if you think about it.
So yeah, I suppose you can say I'll be a bit boring. The adventure will be minimal soon. But I will have a great variety at my disposal, and I won't have to make random purchases and experiment anymore to know what's right for me. I respect the collectors and the soap hoarders and guys who own more badger brushes than there are days in a year... But it's not for me. Continuing to use every product out there would feel like admitting that I don't know myself or what I like. I wanted to feel like I designed something tailored for me. I took the journey and engrained this activity as a part of my manhood, all while still keeping my final setup interesting. I'll leave the endless collecting to future girlfriends or wives and their closets full of purses or shoes.
Excellent, euro! I have more Fatips than any other razor, and I love them. (Classic shaving has not saved me money! 
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I don't understand how people can say it's only shaving, but then hang around an online shaving community. Seems contradictory to me.
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- #26
Well we hang around here because this is the only place where its normally to talk about shaving. Beside I always like it to read about other people's experiences.
My father shaved with the same Gillette open comb razor and Noxzema brushless shaving cream for his entire life. When he died in 1989, the razor was green and pitted. Not only wouldn't he switch to a "modern" razor, but he wouldn't even replace the safety razor that he had for more than 40 years.
Shaving was a chore for him, but he was very old school about it. He would shave before work and then shave again in the evening if he was going out on the town. By the way, he would wear a suit whenever he traveled on an airplane. Like I said, old school.
Shaving was a chore for him, but he was very old school about it. He would shave before work and then shave again in the evening if he was going out on the town. By the way, he would wear a suit whenever he traveled on an airplane. Like I said, old school.
Never thought much about it. Before B&B I shaved DE with 1 pass hybrid strokes; Sideburns down and forward etc. Later with carts I tried shaving ATG but didn't like the clogging razors. Joined B&B and found out about WTG, XTG & ATG, "beard reduction" and better soaps and brushes (I had been using brush and mug for 20+ years). It's far more enjoyable now!
I will echo many here and say prior to B&B it was a chore. Also like TheChariot I am starting to get my set up just right (Puma straight razor, boar brush, a handful of soaps from Cold River Soap Works and Dr. Jon's, and Captains Choice North). I am part of the Wolf Whisker lucky buy as I would like a synthetic and Peter's brushes are amazing. After that there is minimal that I will need. Just the occasional new soap or AS. Even though I might be boring I can definitely say that shaving is no longer boring. It is sometimes the best time of the day. Relaxing alone time that I can focus on the task at hand and I am getting good enough with my straight now that I can minimize irritation and nicks, get DFS to BBS, and just feel good!
This is exactly right. It was a chore and one of those things you had to do. I'm betting alot of men just used bath soap as a lubricant on the whiskers. I've done this in a pinch and it works pretty well actually. DE razors or a straight was all there was. Choice of selection was virtually nil. As soon as canned Barbisol came out I'm sure most went to that if they could afford it. Boutique soaps and balms were unheard of.
Today we're lucky to have the enormous selection where we can pick and assemble an ideal shaving kit and this is where the enjoyment comes in for us. Yes, the DE razor gives a great shave. Add to that the selection available today and you have a pleasant shaving experience.
DE shaving has transformed a chore into a pleasure, and an opportunity to prepare properly for the day ahead.
Or the evening...
I look at my collection and think, " I coulda had a V8." Actually I could have purchased a truckload of V8 with what I've spent 
Why? There is so much more here on B&B than just discussions about shaving gear.
I use the same razor each day, and I am perfectly happy with that (I do have a backup in case it breaks).
For me I enjoy trying out different products, but as far as the actual shave goes, there is no zen like experience that others seem to get. I have compiled my set of SEs/injectors and since blade choice is limited with them anyway, I just refill them as I need. Once I whittle away at the 15+ soap/creams I have, I'll probably just stick to 3-4 of them.
I truly enjoy the "zen" of the shaving ritual...as well as the look and feel of my rotation of vintage injectors. I have tamed my ADs (for the moment...) and have just 4 razors (all injectors), 6 soaps, and 1 (!!) brush. I enjoy experiencing the various combinations: every soap is different, each razor/blade feels/works differently each time (as blade is used), and my skin/beard changes (effects of last shave, weather exposure, etc.). I still enjoy each shave -- especially how I feel after a close shave and soothing/refreshing AS treatment. This never happened with carts...no zen.
If I get bored, I'll probably augment my razor rotation with a DE (as a SchickHead, I'm really interested in a Krona).
My $0.02...
If I get bored, I'll probably augment my razor rotation with a DE (as a SchickHead, I'm really interested in a Krona).
My $0.02...
Been using a stick of Arko since November... not bored of it yet.
If I knew I was going to use another stick of Arko once it was finished: I still wouldn't be bored of it.
If I knew I was going to use another stick of Arko once it was finished: I still wouldn't be bored of it.
I've been using Arko for almost a week now (never used it before). I like it! The face lathering is remarkably quick and easy. The shave is great and wow is it cheap. I bought a dozen sticks for $13
I can easily see myself using Arko as my go-to. I can tell you right now my ATT Kronos M1 is by far THE Grail razor. I've had no desire to even use either of my other two razors (the 34c or '55 Super Speed).
Arko + ATT = Awesome!
I had asked my father, now 88, how he shaved as a kid.
- Dad and my uncles did as you say, just rubbing a bar of bath soap on their face and shaving with a DE. They all bought electric razors as soon as they could.
- My grandfather had a brush but no mug, so he would use a bath bar just like we would use a stick of Arko. He had switched to a DE from a straight razor in army boot camp during the closing days of WWI.
- My great grandfather had the brush, mug and straight razor. Everybody else in the house would just put the last slivers of every bar of soap into his mug. He never used an actual shaving soap as we think of them.
