Money is not a factor in wet shaving
- Thread starter bazman
- Start date
Saving money is definitely the initial hook, tagging along with the dollar shave club national tv commercials.
I know that I save money on blades instead of cartridges fore sure..., and that savings goes immediately into brushes, soaps, AS x10 !!!
Much more fun to spend money on a hobby & smile a little more each morning than the monotony of the chore of buying a cartridge at walmart.
I know that I save money on blades instead of cartridges fore sure..., and that savings goes immediately into brushes, soaps, AS x10 !!!
Much more fun to spend money on a hobby & smile a little more each morning than the monotony of the chore of buying a cartridge at walmart.
This...
And this....
And finally.
I never came into wetshaving for the savings. It was about the ingrown hairs and uncomfortable results of other types of shaving-electric led to little hard bumps and constant road rash. Cartridge shaving led to severe ingrown hairs that led to a first name basis with a dermatologist.
Now though, I enjoy all of my various options (20 razors, 20 brushes, 75+ soaps/creams, and 50 different brands of blades-DE,SE, and injector.) I never could use any alcohol based after shaves before because my skin couldn't take it. Now I'm able to,currently owning 30+ brands mentioned on this site.
Overall, I have been able to positively impact an area of my life on a daily basis(couldn't shave daily before, now I look forward to it) just for spending money! I'll take that trade anyday.
marty
This guy knows.
Well heck, I just blew the budget again by scoring another vintage oldie I had a hankering for. Oh well, if we can't have fun in life (within reasonable boundaries), what's the use.
I started an excel sheet to tally costs when I started wet shaving in 2009. I was using one Mach 3 cartridge per week before then. I figure I have saved about $230 in 5.3 years, even with four razors, two brushes, shaving creams, lots of blades, alums, etc. And frankly, I found I enjoy wet shaving (and the hunt for cheap wet shaving materiel) a lot more. The quality of my shaves reflects that.
I went the DE route just to get a better shave. Didn't do a lot of research initially, but longed for the perceived better shave 40 years ago from a Gilette DE and a pack of Wilkinsons. Shaving has moved from drudgery to a "me time" relaxing ritual. If I save money that's good. If it costs me more that's ok too. I was a soap and water guy with a spritz of cologne. Now I use facial cleanser, and assorted creams, balms, etc. I'm a newbie and had an initial starter purchase of $144. Picked up some Nivea and clubman for another $15. Should be set for awhile. I will try Penhaligons and maybe Santa Maria Novella when the family is struggling with gift ideas for me. It's a task that has turned into a hobby. I enjoy learning about the process especially from the gentlemen on B&B. Believe me it's a lot cheaper than my other hobbies, cars and guitars. See how many brushes, razors and colognes you can get for the price of a Fender Custom Shop Strat. Just enjoy the hobby and don't get too hung up on the cost.
Just don't get the urge to learn straight razor shaving. It's really the cheaper alternative.
Money is absolutely a factor. In fact, for me, it's an investment. I buy razors as old or older than I am for less than what a new one costs. I buy blades for between 6 and 10 cents each to shave with. I buy soap and aftershaves for pennies of what it's being sold for at the market from folks like myself that have stocked up. Then, when my hands aren't steady enough to use a DE shaver with, I plan on turning around and selling everything that's left as "rare" or "antique" on eBay for at least the same or more than what I paid for it.
By my calculations, I'm shaving for free and in some instances, people are paying me to shave.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
By my calculations, I'm shaving for free and in some instances, people are paying me to shave.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
+1 Saving money is by no means the primary reason why I got back into DE shaving.
My SWMBO has told me my facial skin has never looked better. Shaving soaps and the brush exfoliate the skin way better than canned shave cream.
As many have already said, I now look forward to a shave, instead of just performing a routine task.
Joining B&B on the one hand has given me a great source for knowledge, but it also leads to RAD (razor acquisition disorder) and I have the bug. Probably purchased a dozen razors in the last 2 months.
I also see other members who are software junkies, they are SAD I guess
And others who have to have every different blade there is...
And finally the shave brush guys they are just BAD
My SWMBO has told me my facial skin has never looked better. Shaving soaps and the brush exfoliate the skin way better than canned shave cream.
As many have already said, I now look forward to a shave, instead of just performing a routine task.
Joining B&B on the one hand has given me a great source for knowledge, but it also leads to RAD (razor acquisition disorder) and I have the bug. Probably purchased a dozen razors in the last 2 months.
I also see other members who are software junkies, they are SAD I guess
And others who have to have every different blade there is...
And finally the shave brush guys they are just BAD
I don't think we constitute "the majority". It might feel that way because we are all like minded, and have changed shaving from a chore to a hobby. But there are probably a billion men in Asia and Russia that all use DE.
At approximately $2 a cartridge for Mach3, I figure the average user would spend about $125 a year.
So if we did set out to save money, and we got a $25 basic DE razor on Amazon, a year's supply of blades at $10 / 100, a $15 brush and $20 for a year's worth of cheap soaps, that's $70. For Fusion carts, a $10 razor, $200 for a years worth of carts (they're only good for the same 4 - 6 shaves as a DE blade), and how long does a $2.89 can of Foamy last? If it's a month, then $35 a year. so $245 for year 1.
So year 1 savings (potentially, HA!) $175.
Future years, $45 for DE, $235 for carts, savings, $190/year.
Not that a cart guy might not like fine soaps and brushes, too. I was an AoS cream and brush user with my carts.
It just isn't very hard for a member here to blow $190 on another razor / brush / fine cream. I think I did that in the last 2 weeks. But I'm nuts and have just about every _AD discussed here, and I've got the cigar thing going on, too.
So year 1 savings (potentially, HA!) $175.
Future years, $45 for DE, $235 for carts, savings, $190/year.
Not that a cart guy might not like fine soaps and brushes, too. I was an AoS cream and brush user with my carts.
It just isn't very hard for a member here to blow $190 on another razor / brush / fine cream. I think I did that in the last 2 weeks. But I'm nuts and have just about every _AD discussed here, and I've got the cigar thing going on, too.
Last edited:
Hmmm...whatever happened to just to good old days of just accepting what others gave us? I believe there is a saying that "it's the thought that counts".
Am I out to lunch on this? I refuse to buy someone something dictated to me, if they really wanted it that bad, they can get it themselves.
Am I out to lunch on this? I refuse to buy someone something dictated to me, if they really wanted it that bad, they can get it themselves.
Actually, traditional shaving can save money. So too can reverting to earlier-generation cartridges, such as Trac II compatibles that sell for less than $0.30 if bought in bulk. If a DE shaver approached the ritual like a cartridge shaver, and kept one handle, one cream, and a single supply of blades, it would save a lot of money and pay for the upfront investment in about 2 years.
I think what we end up finding is that traditional shaving brings value more than price. For the $40 lowest price for what Gillette calls a year's supply of Fusion blades, you can have 400 DEs, enough to last at least five years with never dulling a blade. The sub $2.00 price for canned Barbasol, which lasts more than a year, is hard to beat. However, people do sometimes get a year out of a $10 tube of Proraso or Bigelow, and you can offset that premium cost on blade savings. Pile on preshave, postshave, amortization of brush, stand, and other equipment, and yes the "savings" of DE becomes hopelessly lost.
Finally, return to the value aspect. For what eventually and usually does take more time and expense than cartridge quickies, we get a form of recreation in what, for some of us, is the only waking time of the day that is free of weighty concerns. What was once a chore becomes a daily celebration of manhood and its rich traditions. We get back in touch with memories of men in our lives from long ago, and for the younger people, with a history of times they did not know. We end up taking better care of our skin and our appearances. The crafting of a best face lifts the spirits and improves the attitude. Some of those things are nearly priceless, and bring us a lot more satisfaction than periodically marching off to the store for a refill of the same overpriced cartridges that we got the last time.
I think what we end up finding is that traditional shaving brings value more than price. For the $40 lowest price for what Gillette calls a year's supply of Fusion blades, you can have 400 DEs, enough to last at least five years with never dulling a blade. The sub $2.00 price for canned Barbasol, which lasts more than a year, is hard to beat. However, people do sometimes get a year out of a $10 tube of Proraso or Bigelow, and you can offset that premium cost on blade savings. Pile on preshave, postshave, amortization of brush, stand, and other equipment, and yes the "savings" of DE becomes hopelessly lost.
Finally, return to the value aspect. For what eventually and usually does take more time and expense than cartridge quickies, we get a form of recreation in what, for some of us, is the only waking time of the day that is free of weighty concerns. What was once a chore becomes a daily celebration of manhood and its rich traditions. We get back in touch with memories of men in our lives from long ago, and for the younger people, with a history of times they did not know. We end up taking better care of our skin and our appearances. The crafting of a best face lifts the spirits and improves the attitude. Some of those things are nearly priceless, and bring us a lot more satisfaction than periodically marching off to the store for a refill of the same overpriced cartridges that we got the last time.
I use Foamy. Under $2/can, and a can lasts me 4-6 months.
I have also used Trac II carts. 100 of them run around $15. They last me about a week, so my $6 Bump Fighter handle plus 50 carts ($8) plus 3 cans of Foamy ($6) runs a year of shaving for $20.
If I had stayed with my Sensor carts, buying them on Amazon, it would be $2/cart and they lasted me a couple of weeks. 26 x 2 = $54, plus $6 for a generous 3 cans of Foamy and we're at $60/year.
My $175 Feather AS-D2 will take quite a while to pay for itself as a financial investment, even assuming I didn't try a dozen razors before it.
However, I find a difference between investing in a tool (a stainless steel razor) and a never-ending investment in disposable carts. But if Sensor carts had been a little cheaper, or stayed readily available in the stores, I would not have made the switch. If Gillette has promoted the Sensor instead of pushing electrified 5-bladed carts, I might not have switched.
I prefer the pleasure of shaving with the AS-D2 to the Sensor, but I haven't saved money by switching. My SIL & son have because they are happy with any DE razor and neither feels the need for fancy soaps, or brushes, or pre-shave products, etc.
I like to compete in local handgun and multi-gun matches. My wife thinks collecting DE razors is the cheapest hoby I've had in years.
Last edited:
I do much better spending less on shaving than I do, for example, on fountain pens.
Well, it is cheaper as long as you stick to basics. Fairly cheep razor, one brush and one type of soap, one after-shave. I know people that do that for a while, and they like it. In first year you might have the same costs as you had with cartridges, but in next years, you only pay for razors, soap and after shave.
But yes, as you said, as passionate, you get more razors, more soaps, more brushes and you end up spending much more than if you would have remained to cartridges.
I, for example, started as practical as it can get. Was in the market, looking to get heads for my Mach 3, i see, next to the $10 set of cartridges, an 5$ Wilkinson Sword Classic, with 5 razors. I was not into DE shaving, but used to do it, 13-14 years ago. So i decided to go with Wilkinson. After that, i started looking online, saw all kinds of creams, soaps, methods, it was pretty exciting, so i started buying those stuff, already spending more than i would with my Mach 3 for two years. But we'll see how that goes...
It is a hobby after all. Like collecting Zippos or knives. I was captivated by Zippo lighters from this kind of not so true advertising. They are better tank regular lighters, they are cooler, they last a life time. Little i know that you need to put fuel in them very often and they also produce a smell when you light them, that some people might not like. So i end up leaving my few Zippos that i bought on a shelf, just to use regular gas station lighters, as they are more practical. Same thing would happen with shaving too. Now, i work somewhere where i don't need to be shaved every day, i can get some cuts and wait 2-3 days before my next shave. But if i would have to shave every day, i would probably go back to cartridge razors, as i find them more suited for the job.
But yes, as you said, as passionate, you get more razors, more soaps, more brushes and you end up spending much more than if you would have remained to cartridges.
I, for example, started as practical as it can get. Was in the market, looking to get heads for my Mach 3, i see, next to the $10 set of cartridges, an 5$ Wilkinson Sword Classic, with 5 razors. I was not into DE shaving, but used to do it, 13-14 years ago. So i decided to go with Wilkinson. After that, i started looking online, saw all kinds of creams, soaps, methods, it was pretty exciting, so i started buying those stuff, already spending more than i would with my Mach 3 for two years. But we'll see how that goes...
It is a hobby after all. Like collecting Zippos or knives. I was captivated by Zippo lighters from this kind of not so true advertising. They are better tank regular lighters, they are cooler, they last a life time. Little i know that you need to put fuel in them very often and they also produce a smell when you light them, that some people might not like. So i end up leaving my few Zippos that i bought on a shelf, just to use regular gas station lighters, as they are more practical. Same thing would happen with shaving too. Now, i work somewhere where i don't need to be shaved every day, i can get some cuts and wait 2-3 days before my next shave. But if i would have to shave every day, i would probably go back to cartridge razors, as i find them more suited for the job.
Last edited:
