Thread: If I were starting over . . .

Thanks. I think SEs are vastly underrated. For me, they deliver shaves en par with a cut-throat shave, but sans the hassle of maintenance. Now, cut-throat razors are a hobby of mine, and I don't mind the hassle. But early in the morning, they are a non starter. So, yes, I wish I had skipped the DE phase, started with SEs, and opted for the right cut-throat razor when I began. Nothing wrong with trying everything, James, but in the beginning, one should have the right tools to avoid an unnecessarily steep learning curve. 4/8ths razors, Wacker or not, were a terrible choice.

Brushes... I am currently wading my way through a quagmire of so called artisan soaps. No way I would use a badger for this, because these products have been scented with cheap oils that cling. So, I am currently stuck with a synthetic brush. Does it work? Yes. Does it ooze luxury? No. Does it perform as well as my badger brushes? No. But, badger brushes do not need to be expensive. I expect my Thäter brushes to outlive me. I cannot say that for any other badger brush I've used, Simpson and Plisson in particular. If you divide the $150 for a Thäter by thirty years, it's not expensive. Your boar brush? You will need at least five during those thirty years, during which time they will have eaten a few hundred dollars in soaps and creams because of their relatively poor efficiency. Are they cheap? Only if you discard longevity and efficiency.

What would I do differently? Easy... Nothing! I've always wet shaved, but the cartridges were just a stepping stone to where I am now. My journey has had ups and downs, but I've learnt from everything. Love my straights and will never stop using them.

Do I have enough stuff? Definitely. I've got enough creams, brushes, shave balms etc to last me the next 50 years! But so what? You never know how good something is, whether it be a brush, cream, strop, stone, until you've had something of lesser quality to compare it to. We live and learn! I'll still buy more! Can't help myself. Never has it been truer... YMMV!!