Thread: A hobby for all budgets.

Hello gents. I've been thinking how this wet shaving hobby truly is a hobby for all budgets. Now it does and can get pricey but there are other options to expand upon. For instance, when I have plenty of spare cash laying around I shop for razors, higher end brushes and luxurious creams. But when I'm low I can still scour the web and research lower end things like creams, and DE blades. Recently with college approaching I've been the latter and found myself spending many an hour looking over different creams and even more potential aftershaves. Has anyone else come to the same conclusion?

On the low budget side of things, I don't see why shopping would be necessary at all. After all, isn't the hobby about shaving instead of collecting?

I agree with you to a point, definitely, but I don't think that acquisition has to be the norm necessarily.

I mean the researching of these different things. I've spent I don't know how much time digging though after shaves and creams in search of the ones that I feel will aid in the pursuit of the perfect shave. Even through all this time I've only purchased samplers of anything aside from Co Biglow. BTW just from reading your name you may try Geo F Trumpers Coconut Oil shave cream havnt had the chance but really like the smell.

Yeah, don't get me wrong, I probably spend just as much time researching as anyone! If it wasn't for that, I'd never have started this hobby to begin with.

I'll definitely check out the Trumpers Coconut, but Tabac is next on my list. For now, I'm loving MWF! I thought Cella was great, but I like MWF even more. No problems at all with lathering, I think my local water has everything to do with that.

I like buying cheap POC straights and refurbishing them, making them new.
It's alot of fun and very satisfying when you get that first good shave out of them.
I just finished a restore on a WW1 John C. Cockhill last night and got a great shave from it. Nothing better!
This is my low budget fix......actually it's my only fix for this addiction because I am uber cheap.

You will never be disappointed when you buy something of quality. Its performance means you usually use less of it, meaning the per use cost is lower (especially when you tack on shipping costs). Don't confuse quality with high price. I'm sure a high end Kent brush is of great quality, but so are the Stephen's Woodwork brushes I purchased from SRD. Figure out what your budget is and buy items accordingly.

People bring different things to this. For many this is not a hobby at all. It's simply shaving and they do it because at it's most basic it's cheap and works the best of any method. To the folks who think of it as a hobby it's no different than any other hobby. I collect watches and I have no trouble finds really inexpensive pieces to collect. Of course if I had the money I could collect Rolex watches or Patek. So in the end there is something for everybody.

Indeed, money is tight right now, for everyone really. And I still find money for this. Don't discount birthdays and anniversary's and christmas and all the other opportunities to ask for something I wouldn't normally spend money on.

Shopping is 3/4th of the fun in this 'hobby'. There is a list of about 100 things I will eventually have. Patience goes hand in hand with a low budget.

Best mates!

M

Originally Posted by Mastershake

I like buying cheap POC straights and refurbishing them, making them new.
It's alot of fun and very satisfying when you get that first good shave out of them.
I just finished a restore on a WW1 John C. Cockhill last night and got a great shave from it. Nothing better!
This is my low budget fix......actually it's my only fix for this addiction because I am uber cheap.

I've never seen a John C. Cockhill; post some photos if you have them.
Thanks.

i saw this guy on youtube named monty who's got thousands razors, been collecting it since '74. and he never even shaved with straight. not once. it really surprised me how he talks about shaving technique & stuff.