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Saving money

Everyone talks about saving money by switching to wet shaving with a DE. So far I've noticed that before I could use a $2 blade cartridge for 2 weeks. Now I'm using a $1 a week (Swedes or Feathers) blade. I've switched to a more expensive aftershave. My brush and razor together cost about $70. About the only place I've noticed savings is in soap.

Yes, I'm enjoying shaving much more than I did before, but what blades are out there that are reasonably cheaper?

BICs and Dorcos were really rough for me. Derby's are okay, but I need 2 a week of those. IPs aren't anything special. Personnas are decent, but are still not dirt cheap (Wal-Mart pack was terrible compared to the Rite-Aid pack, and I tossed them because they were ragged). What are the blade recommendations from here?
 
The hobby can be expensive, but basic shaving can be cheap.

For example:
Palmolive soap stick 47pence (lasts a month or two or three).
Merkur HD £27 (lasts a lifetime or more).
Derby £16.90 for 200 (up to four years supply).
Wilkinson boar brush £3.75 (lasts two years or more.).

There are of course more expensive, and cheaper, blades.
 
Have you tried Crystals? I have heard good things about Astra's and the Gillette 7 O'Clock's.

Cheers,
David
 
Everyone talks about saving money by switching to wet shaving with a DE. So far I've noticed that before I could use a $2 blade cartridge for 2 weeks. Now I'm using a $1 a week (Swedes or Feathers) blade. I've switched to a more expensive aftershave. My brush and razor together cost about $70. About the only place I've noticed savings is in soap.

Yes, I'm enjoying shaving much more than I did before, but what blades are out there that are reasonably cheaper?

BICs and Dorcos were really rough for me. Derby's are okay, but I need 2 a week of those. IPs aren't anything special. Personnas are decent, but are still not dirt cheap (Wal-Mart pack was terrible compared to the Rite-Aid pack, and I tossed them because they were ragged). What are the blade recommendations from here?

Wouldn't feathers be 60 cents a week, not $1? With that said, Derby's are 15 cents a pop - so 2 a week, and you're at 30 cents. I'm not sure if Derby's quality has gone down recently, but the batch of 1K or so blades I bought 3 or so years ago is simply top notch... they're just barely below Feathers in terms of comfort and lasting edge, and I can easily get a week out of 'em.
 
Here is where I stand If I just use what works.
Williams Mug Soap. $1.25
Clubman AS $6.99
100 Dorco 300 $9.00
Fatboy $ 5.00
VDH Boar Brush $6.99

Of course this does not include the collection of other razors, brushes, soaps, creams, aftershaves and colognes. But those are just for fun. As you can see my TRUE shaving costs for 6 months (conservative estimate) don't even cover a pack of Mach 3 cartridges. So yes the savings are there.

Now once you factor in all the other various stuff that makes this a hobby, no you will not save money. But it is a whole lotta fun!!
 
I could use a $2 blade cartridge for 2 weeks.

Holy crap! Do you actually have facial hair? A cartridge that lasts 2 weeks? The best I could ever do with any cartridge was 4-5 days and day four was a little uncomfortable and day five flat out sucked!
 
I never went ATG with a twin cartridge, which meant that it was never that close of a shave. Cartridges were bad about being uncomfortable from the first day I used them because they always "tugged" on my beard. I also shaved probably 3 times a week instead of every day. I also didn't mind bleeding that much :lol: Now if I make that mistake I curse my heavy-handedness. A Gillette swede will last 3 shaves comfortably, but if I want to push it I can make a week out of it. Yes, feathers are more like 50 cents than a dollar, I forgot that there were 10 to a dispenser. Swedes would be a dollar a blade. Sounds like I need to try the 7 O'clocks and the Astras. Crystals and Red Pack weren't more than average for me. I'm afraid that the hard water in this apartment is worse at lathering than where I used to live a couple months ago. I used to have a lather that would "suck" the razor to my face.
 
Wouldn't feathers be 60 cents a week, not $1? With that said, Derby's are 15 cents a pop - so 2 a week, and you're at 30 cents. I'm not sure if Derby's quality has gone down recently, but the batch of 1K or so blades I bought 3 or so years ago is simply top notch... they're just barely below Feathers in terms of comfort and lasting edge, and I can easily get a week out of 'em.

That's just about what I was thinking and just think how much less damage we are doing to the environment by using blades we can recycle. The other ummm stuff is sitting filling up landfills.

Sure the hardware cost a little bit but if it's good quality it will last a lifetime.
 
Merkurs are about .25 a blade. Treets more like eleven cents or so. There is such a mulitude of different blades out there, you should try a sampler pack. Pretty sure you will find a reasonably-priced one that you like.
 
Everyone talks about saving money by switching to wet shaving with a DE. So far I've noticed that before I could use a $2 blade cartridge for 2 weeks. Now I'm using a $1 a week (Swedes or Feathers) blade. I've switched to a more expensive aftershave. My brush and razor together cost about $70. About the only place I've noticed savings is in soap.

Yes, I'm enjoying shaving much more than I did before, but what blades are out there that are reasonably cheaper?

BICs and Dorcos were really rough for me. Derby's are okay, but I need 2 a week of those. IPs aren't anything special. Personnas are decent, but are still not dirt cheap (Wal-Mart pack was terrible compared to the Rite-Aid pack, and I tossed them because they were ragged). What are the blade recommendations from here?

On Amazon.com I bought 100 "Sharp" blades for $13.50 (great blades but you can only get 2 or 3 shaves out of a blade. I also bought 100 Derby Extras for $15.00 plus shipping. That is approx. 13 cents and 15 cents per blade respectively. If I want a really comfortable BBS, I will also defer to the Sharps.
 
Try the Treet Dura Sharps. I have been trying a few and I cannot believe what a smooth and sharp blade they are. On top of that they cost about .10 a blade and I got 6 shaves from the last one I used.
:w00t:
 
Wouldn't feathers be 60 cents a week, not $1? With that said, Derby's are 15 cents a pop - so 2 a week, and you're at 30 cents. I'm not sure if Derby's quality has gone down recently, but the batch of 1K or so blades I bought 3 or so years ago is simply top notch... they're just barely below Feathers in terms of comfort and lasting edge, and I can easily get a week out of 'em.

Is that about a 20 year supply of blades? :001_smile

I may be weird, but I use Red Pack Personnas, Crystals, Derbys, Feathers and Astras. I tend to rotate them and generally try to leave the Feathers for special occasion BBS shaves.

Ok, you can probably cross out the "may be" part from the above paragraph.:biggrin:
 
I never went ATG with a twin cartridge, which meant that it was never that close of a shave. Cartridges were bad about being uncomfortable from the first day I used them because they always "tugged" on my beard. I also shaved probably 3 times a week instead of every day. I also didn't mind bleeding that much :lol: Now if I make that mistake I curse my heavy-handedness. A Gillette swede will last 3 shaves comfortably, but if I want to push it I can make a week out of it. Yes, feathers are more like 50 cents than a dollar, I forgot that there were 10 to a dispenser. Swedes would be a dollar a blade. Sounds like I need to try the 7 O'clocks and the Astras. Crystals and Red Pack weren't more than average for me. I'm afraid that the hard water in this apartment is worse at lathering than where I used to live a couple months ago. I used to have a lather that would "suck" the razor to my face.

Sounds like you're spending more for the same reason I am. I went from a cartridge lasting a month due to how rarely I shaved and how bad the shaves were to shaving 4-5 times a week with my DE. It's costing me more now, but I'm also happier, and for the amounts of money we're talking about here, it's hard to complain about the cost.:001_smile
 
There is no doubt in my mind I would be saving money (one of the reasons I found this place) if I had stuck with my first setup ordered from classic shaving. I fell victim to the many AD's, and shaving turned from a chore to a hobby so that is no longer an issue for me. It is possible to stick with one setup and save money, but that would be no fun :smile:.
 
Everyone talks about saving money by switching to wet shaving with a DE. So far I've noticed that before I could use a $2 blade cartridge for 2 weeks. Now I'm using a $1 a week (Swedes or Feathers) blade. I've switched to a more expensive aftershave. My brush and razor together cost about $70. About the only place I've noticed savings is in soap.

Yes, I'm enjoying shaving much more than I did before, but what blades are out there that are reasonably cheaper?

BICs and Dorcos were really rough for me. Derby's are okay, but I need 2 a week of those. IPs aren't anything special. Personnas are decent, but are still not dirt cheap (Wal-Mart pack was terrible compared to the Rite-Aid pack, and I tossed them because they were ragged). What are the blade recommendations from here?

The not so easy answer is, you are going to have to try them all, because, everyone has different skin types. You are going to have to find the blade that works best for you.

I have found that the higher priced products offer a higher quality quality product. I have found this to be true in regards to razor blades as well. I'd start from the top and work down. G Swedes on down...
 
There is no doubt in my mind I would be saving money (one of the reasons I found this place) if I had stuck with my first setup ordered from classic shaving. I fell victim to the many AD's, and shaving turned from a chore to a hobby so that is no longer an issue for me. It is possible to stick with one setup and save money, but that would be no fun :smile:.

Sticking around at this great place eventually means spending more than you were used too.
So if you are in DE shaving for the money you better run..Log out and leave!
But when you want to let shaving be one of the better parts of life and you can restrict yourself a little you will find you can improve your shaves at moderate costs.
Have fun!
 
Absolutely. If you get one good razor, one good brush, and find a reasonably-priced soap you like (for me it is Omega) and a good, inexpensive blade (Dorco for me), you are set for life. That is all you really need. But if you succumb to the siren call of wanting to try everything...you can spend some bucks for sure.
 
This has never been about saving money for me. It's about making putting a knife to my throat every morning a more pleasurable experience. I also like collecting things and razors and brushes are a whole lot cheaper than Winchesters and Walking Liberty Half Dollars.

Doc.
 
This has never been about saving money for me. It's about making putting a knife to my throat every morning a more pleasurable experience. I also like collecting things and razors and brushes are a whole lot cheaper than Winchesters and Walking Liberty Half Dollars.

Doc.

Here, here! Not to mention the pampering factor. I have more stuff than my wife does! I get lost in a cologne/perfume store. I just figured there had to be a better and more interesting way. YMMV:001_smile
 
I recently got into wet shaving. For me it's not about saving money. Sure, if you buy the absolute minimum you'll more than make up for your investment in 6 months. But most people don't do that.

They buy a good razor. A good badger brush. Multiple creams and soaps. A variety of aftershaves (which they may not have used before). Oils. Ceramic bowls. Styptic pencils. More brushes..... I've already spent >$200, and I'm just beginning. That is enough to pay for nearly a decade of my old shaving (disposable Bics and Barbasol).

No, it's not about savings. It's about the Zen of a relaxing and satisfying shave. It's not hugely expensive, but I wouldn't say it saves money in most cases.
 
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