Has anyone else noticed this?

I know there are other shaving forums but history and restoration are really interesting to me. I don't know of anywhere else where guys finding new ways to turn old rusty blades into heirlooms and adding their own unique style to the end product.

I spend a lot of time doing what I now considering "vicarious restoring" in the workshop threads. If I can't do the work myself I can at least participate in the threads . :)

I don't know what all goes on behind the scenes but there are still plenty of great contributors here. When I drop by sections I don't frequent as much I'm reminded other members are more passionate different aspects of the hobby. DE's, Soaps, Strops, Brushes, etc

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Originally Posted by outback

That's cuz I already sent them a couple razors, n brush, Aaron. :rofl2:

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I will never stop being impressed by how some of you treat new members. If I was offered any "free" stuff when I joined I probably assumed there was a catch. Why would someone here help a stranger on the INTERNET?? Do they work somewhere that is going to start sending me junk mail? lol

It is true that the domain change caused a setback but it's just that. We had a pretty big growth a decade ago which I believe was fueled by outside societal factors - a sudden interest in men's grooming. Once that was over we, along with many others were in decline for several years.
As you know some even large retailers that existed solely because of that bubble are no longer around while others are doing very well.

We have been growing steadily and consistently for the last three years. The setbacks have not affected this pattern and growth rate at all. I am convinced that this is is because of our excellent community: not just the wealth of information and talent each of us brings but the welcoming and positive atmosphere, treating each other with kindness, respect, and love.

This is inherent and does not depend on outside bubbles or ups and downs caused by external effects outside of our control. It is very encouraging to have this intrinsic quality. While it leads to steady and sustainable growth that growth is not all that important. What is important is the quality of our relationships which continues to bring us together and we can enjoy our time with each other.

The best thing is that it's all of us who make this happen each and every one contributes to it. I am thankful and appreciate each of you!

Let me augment some of those comments, which are all true, with a perspective that is a little different. this may be especially interesting (or not) for those who joined recently (last 2 years or so).

I came here almost 6 years ago, because I had bought a SR 30 years before and never, pre-internet, had a decent shave with it. I had always been a brush and mug guy, learned to shave more than 55 years ago with a DE, and had gone to the cartridge of the month, but still wet shaved.

I lucked into finding SRP, and it was a glorious place. It was dominated at that time by a few "Demi-gods" and I bought a lot of "$tuff" from one of their businesses, who happened to be very closely associated with SRP. Along the way through my many expensive ADs one of the mentors here said to me in a pm, words to the effect, "don't forget that for some it's a business".

Well, that turned out to be true, in spades. That's all I'll say about that. Another longtime member has already been more direct in this thread. You can do your own sleuthing.

It turned out that what exists today is the result of what I'll call the "heart and soul" members, lots of them mentors now, hanging in with SRP through several domain name changes. That feeling of brotherhood and mutual support for those of us who have a SR interest -- whether "collector", "newbie" or somewhere in between -- is what SRP is about. It is a diverse group all the way from those who forge to those who struggle understanding lather, stropping or whatever.

I have one hope which is that we can keep it going -- keep that "heart and soul of brotherhood", learn from each other, and make SRP as busy as it once was. If not, the friendships with people I've never met, and the lessons I continue to learn from those who are here, including the new members, are enough for me.

Frankly, we may be smaller and less "chatty", but we're better than we once were, when business drove some of the traffic.

End of rant/sermon.

I agree that a lot of it is cycle, right now the trends down, but another movie will come out, or something will happen, and it will be the in thing again.

Big shaving store opened in Toronto, was the rage for about 1.5 years, they were very late to the party, went out of business about 5 months ago.

Also, compared to when I started, which was already into the beginning of the trend, I could surf eBay and usually find some great razors that weren't totally outrageous in price. Couple of years earlier, massive Wade & Butchers were on eBay by the dozens, usually most sold for under $100 USD, there is a member here who posted a pic (I mentioned this in another thread, and another member posted the link and the pic here at SRP) of 4 or 5 large Zip Loc bags filled with large Sheffield blades (no scales), literally dozens and dozens of them, all pristine, probably worth North of $5k USD.

Reason I mention this, is that's one problem with vintage, and fine examples on top of that, is there is a limited supply, and the frenzy that occurred in the last high trend times really depleted the stock. We can only hope that some of it makes its way back to eBay instead of just lost and forgotten, but I wonder how much inventory of great vintage pieces are left.

Personally, I love my razors and brushes, soaps, and I always have sellers remorse, so I know I won't be getting rid of any more of mine.

But I think the site will eventually build up again, it's more than just about shaving with a straight, for me, it's also been about lifestyle, choosing to not treat your life as a task list, to be involved in experiencing your life, patience, good things take time, couple that for me with eating right, exercise and active gym participation for the last 6 years, it's all part of a larger picture of "wellness", and as always, it's the little steps that eventually make the big differences, and just choosing to treat yourself to a few moments of patience, care and reflection using a tool that's been on this Earth sometimes 100 years before you were even born, can put a nice perspective on things.

I think, in my opinion, that is one of it's most attractive aspects, learning to stop and take a breath, to learn, to take your time, to make that first step in reclaiming one part of your life and learning to climb off the brutal treadmill of work and life that is so easy to allow to be totally consuming.

I still, to this day, have a sense of wonderment when I pick up a 150 year old Sheffield razor, and know that it was made, probably even being used by someone, when Charles Dickens was alive and writing his epic stories.

Well put, Phrank!

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Originally Posted by Phrank

But I think the site will eventually build up again, it's more than just about shaving with a straight, for me, it's also been about lifestyle, choosing to not treat your life as a task list, to be involved in experiencing your life, patience, good things take time, couple that for me with eating right, exercise and active gym participation for the last 6 years, it's all part of a larger picture of "wellness", and as always, it's the little steps that eventually make the big differences, and just choosing to treat yourself to a few moments of patience, care and reflection using a tool that's been on this Earth sometimes 100 years before you were even born, can put a nice perspective on things.

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Very well stated, Mr Phrank!

On another note, we may see an uptick in wet shaving, and straight shaving after the new Gillette Ad, "The Best a Man can Get", that appears, once again in the mass media, to decide to tell men what they need to do to be "better" and that we're bad.

It's creating lots of boycott talk, so maybe we'll see vast hordes finally join our ranks....:rofl2:

Williams and Holland's Law:
If enough data is collected, anything may be proven by statistical methods.
:)
Below is some statistics I could gather by somewhat limited "Advanced search" of our members list: I looked for semiannual number of active (10+ posts in my definition) users that have posted their first or their last post during each period. The 10+ limit I took to drop all the one-time posters (valuation requests etc.), and also I didn't include H2 2018 - as we still couldn't say with all certainty that whoever hasn't posted since then has quitted (I hope not ;)).
Attachment 300944
I'm sure the moderators, probably having more direct access to forums' database, could have made more detailed analysis - based on total post counts, posts per user etc. etc., but judging from the graph above I wouldn't say there was a significant change in the last year or two - just a continuation of previously established tendency. On the other hand, remembering the law I cited in the beginning, your conclusions may vary :)

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Originally Posted by Phrank

I agree that a lot of it is cycle, right now the trends down, but another movie will come out, or something will happen, and it will be the in thing again.

Big shaving store opened in Toronto, was the rage for about 1.5 years, they were very late to the party, went out of business about 5 months ago.

Also, compared to when I started, which was already into the beginning of the trend, I could surf eBay and usually find some great razors that weren't totally outrageous in price. Couple of years earlier, massive Wade & Butchers were on eBay by the dozens, usually most sold for under $100 USD, there is a member here who posted a pic (I mentioned this in another thread, and another member posted the link and the pic here at SRP) of 4 or 5 large Zip Loc bags filled with large Sheffield blades (no scales), literally dozens and dozens of them, all pristine, probably worth North of $5k USD.

Reason I mention this, is that's one problem with vintage, and fine examples on top of that, is there is a limited supply, and the frenzy that occurred in the last high trend times really depleted the stock. We can only hope that some of it makes its way back to eBay instead of just lost and forgotten, but I wonder how much inventory of great vintage pieces are left.

Personally, I love my razors and brushes, soaps, and I always have sellers remorse, so I know I won't be getting rid of any more of mine.

But I think the site will eventually build up again, it's more than just about shaving with a straight, for me, it's also been about lifestyle, choosing to not treat your life as a task list, to be involved in experiencing your life, patience, good things take time, couple that for me with eating right, exercise and active gym participation for the last 6 years, it's all part of a larger picture of "wellness", and as always, it's the little steps that eventually make the big differences, and just choosing to treat yourself to a few moments of patience, care and reflection using a tool that's been on this Earth sometimes 100 years before you were even born, can put a nice perspective on things.

I think, in my opinion, that is one of it's most attractive aspects, learning to stop and take a breath, to learn, to take your time, to make that first step in reclaiming one part of your life and learning to climb off the brutal treadmill of work and life that is so easy to allow to be totally consuming.

I still, to this day, have a sense of wonderment when I pick up a 150 year old Sheffield razor, and know that it was made, probably even being used by someone, when Charles Dickens was alive and writing his epic stories.

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Phrank-That is probably the most eloquent statement of why we do what we do that I have ever seen on this forum. And as someone who actually teaches Charles Dickens, I love the allusion.

As for another movie bringing it back, of course a similar thing happened in fly-fishing. "The Movie" (as we fly-fishermen call it) came out in the early 90's. Of course I'm talking about A River Runs Through It.All of a sudden everyone wanted to fly-fish (including yours truly). I actually went on two pilgrimages to Montana and Wyoming trying to tap into the feeling I got from that movie (and hope to go back!), but the point is that all of a sudden the rivers were full of what we derisively call "walking Orvis catalogs," though things have slowed quite a bit in recent years, which is both good (for solitude, at least on back country streams) and bad (fewer people caring about the resource means less effort and money put into keeping watersheds pristine). So yeah, it comes and goes.

Or, to quote Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phrank

On another note, we may see an uptick in wet shaving, and straight shaving after the new Gillette Ad, "The Best a Man can Get", that appears, once again in the mass media, to decide to tell men what they need to do to be "better" and that we're bad.

It's creating lots of boycott talk, so maybe we'll see vast hordes finally join our ranks....:rofl2:

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I really do not miss TV. :) Only thanks to Internet news am I even aware of this silly, clickbaity campaign.